Chapters Being a spirit is different for one I get to mess around with ponies like my friend Prodigy who is super fun to mess with.
“Is it because he hit me super hard in the head with a staff?” I asked her jokingly. She rolled her eyes
“I’m being serious here Quantum, and yes but no. I’ve been looking at the pictures at look at the markings on the staff.”
“Ok? The guy was a nut job and carved random symbols into the stick he nearly killed me with.” I said looking at the markings. She huffed
“These markings aren’t normal, they are for necromancy. I don’t think he was trying to kill you. I think he was trying to do what he did and split your spirit from your body,” She explained “The markings are for a specific spell,”
“And what spell is that?” I asked though I assumed I already knew it
“I’m not entirely sure but considering the side effects I’d say something along the lines of a spirit split,”
“Well gee what gave you the first clue?” I asked floating around her head emphasizing that I was a spirit at the moment. “Ok so what does knowing that change?” I asked
“Well for one it changes the crime,” Prodigy explained
“How does it change that?” I asked
“Well if the markings really are a soul split he wasn’t trying to murder you which changes the crime to Necromancy,” She told me “Necromancy is illegal for a plethora of reasons, soul splitting is only one reason of many,”
“So the buck that tried to kill me wasn’t trying to kill me?” I asked confused
“Precisely,” She nodded
“Well it sure as hell felt like it,” I said rubbing the back of my head. “Does that mean he succeeded in doing what he was trying to do?”
“Well maybe, I think that he was trying to do some other things too. You see it is completely possible to steal somepony else’s body with necromancy,” She explained
“So what you’re saying is that he was trying to steal my body?”
“Exactly,”
“But wouldn’t I just be able to appear to tell them that it isn’t me inside the body?” I asked
“Remember how I said necromancy is illegal for a bunch of reasons?”
“You said a plethora of reasons, but yes I remember,” I said being sarcastic
“Smartass, but that aside, normally when somepony casts a spirit split they trap the other pony’s spirit in an object so they can’t interfere. This is called spirit trapping, but obviously he didn’t succeeded in doing that with you,”
“How do you know so much about all of this?” I asked her
“Mostly studying it, it’s only illegal to actually cast the spells studying them is looked down upon...but legal,” Prodigy stated. I looked at her for a minute
“Ok, but all of this still doesn’t explain why he was trying to steal my body,” I said putting my hooves on my temples “Why in the wide world of Equestria would anypony want to steal somepony else’s body?”
“That’s what we need to figure out, we need to talk to him,” She says standing up
“Shouldn’t we tell somepony like the police or something that he used necromancy instead of actual murder?” I asked
“We should, but we aren’t. The punishment for necromancy is banishment. So that is a bad idea if we are going to talk to him,” She explained. “So you coming?” She asked getting her coat on. She is so persistent sometimes I swear
So we headed over Fillydelphia where Shadow Bolt was being held. Until recently I hadn’t known his name. It seemed that he was a Pegasus. “Hmmm I didn’t know that pegasi could do any magic let alone necromancy,” I said
“Necromancy is more of a rune base magic, relying on symbols and other things instead of actual magic,” Prodigy explained to me “Pretty much any race could learn how to use it Pegasi, Earth Ponies, and almost every other race you could name. Believe it or not there are secret underground Necromancy groups,” That is a scary thought to think about. Secret groups of ponies that can take your spirit out of your body.
“You must be used to getting weird looks by now,” I told her noticing the looks the mare was getting from passerby’s
“Well when your best friend is a spirit that doesn’t want but a few ponies seeing him when you talk to him it looks like your talking to yourself. Speaking of which why don’t you want ponies to see you?”
“It just feels weird when other ponies are staring at me it’s like they are staring through me,” I told her.
“I don’t think that’s the reason but I’ll take it for now. We’re here,” Prodigy said looking at the dark building. I looked up as well ‘Fillydelphia Correctional Facility’ was written in big letters over the entrance. “I’m surprised it’s so big, crime isn’t a common occurrence there can’t be that many ponies in there,” I shrugged. Though the same thought had crossed my mind as well. “Well wish me luck,” she said going through the doors.
“How can I help you?” The receptionist asked Prodigy
“Would it be possible for me to talk to Shadow Bolt? I’m doing a research paper on criminals and I want some information straight from the horse’s mouth,” the receptionist pony looked Prodigy up and down
“The murderer Shadow Bolt?” the receptionist asked Prodigy nodded “I don’t know what possessed you to want to do a paper on him but I’ll see what I can do,”
“Technically he was charged with attempted murder considering the victim was only knocked into a coma,” Prodigy corrected her. The receptionist glared at her if looks could kill I think Prodigy may have died “Sorry,” She said blushing
“Here you need to sign this paper work before you can visit him,” The receptionist said handing her a stack of paper. Looking at the stack I was glad I didn’t have to do that
After a what felt like an eternity of watching Prodigy signing papers we were finally able to go talk to Shadow Bolt. “So what exactly are you going to talk to him about,” I asked her
“Why he split your spirit for one, and some other things,” Was her answer “And I’d rather you didn’t show yourself to him,” That caught me off guard a little bit.
“Why not? It’s not like he can tell anyone he saw me he would be considered crazy,”
“Just trust me,” and with that I knew I wasn’t going to get an answer.
“Hmph mares,” I mumbled under my breath
“What was that?” Prodigy asked looking at me sharply
“Nothing,” I said quickly. She grinned at me and headed off into the room.
“Ah you must be the Prodigy that wants to do the paper on criminals,” Shadow Bolt said as she walked in the room. I walked in the room behind her “Isn't your friend going to say hello?” he said grinning.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about we are alone in here,” Prodigy said looking back and glaring at me.
“Cut the crap, I can see him,” Shadow Bolt said staring right at me. The back of my head started hurting where he hit it.
“I’m not making myself visible to him I swear it,” I told her. He chuckled
“Don’t you get it? I can see you even if you try to hide yourself from me,”
“How is that even possible?” Prodigy asked him baffled.
“Silly girl I’m not a novice necromancer I’ve done some things that most necromancers wouldn’t dare try,” Shadow said back to her “As for you, Looks like my spell did work after all shame I got caught before I could finish it,”
“So you were trying to steal my body, weren’t you?” I asked moving to face him more
“Well, not technically,” He said. I raised an eyebrow
“Not Technically? What is that supposed to mean?” I asked getting in his face
“Violence will get you nowhere, and what I mean by that is I was going to put your spirit back, after the deal was done, but the guards showed up and arrested me after seeing your unconscious body and me with a staff in my mouth,” He said stretching his wings
“What deal?” I asked baking away from him. Prodigy butted in before he could explain
“Wait… the staff and a deal… You’re a Necro dealer! Aren’t you?” Prodigy said looking at him. I stared at her in confusion seeing my confused face she explained. “A Necro Dealer sells things enchanted with necromantic spells, usually in somepony else’s body so they never get in trouble themselves,”
“Well familiar with the art, are we,” Shadow Bolt taunted “Yes that is correct. The staff itself is mine, thankfully the markings are subtle and the deal was hidden elsewhere,” I was beyond confused at that point
“Can somepony please explain this in a way that a normal unicorn can understand?” I asked them both. Prodigy sighed
“He uses other ponies’ bodies to sell illegal tools used in necromancy, his staff has markings so it works to split the soul,” She explained. Ok that…still really doesn’t make any since to me, but whatever I nodded.
“I assume you’ve tried to get back into your body at some point in the past week, No?” He asked me. I shook my head “You haven’t? That’s a first, well even if you tried it would have failed. You see I use a special spell that prevents the original host from going back in just in case Im not fast enough to split my own spirit,” prodigy looked at him in astonishment
“That’s not something I’ve read about,”
“Ah so you have dipped your hooves in necromancy haven’t you? And you are right it’s not something you going to have read about, I made this specific spell myself,” Shadow Bolt boasted.
“You can reverse the spell right?” I asked looking at him
“No, I just cast the spell I made and never made a counter spell for it,” He answered sarcastically. I could smack him but it wouldn’t be as hard as I want it to be. “yes I can reverse it, but the problem here is I can’t really just go to a guard and say ‘Yea I cast a necromantic spell that split his spirit from his body and I’m the only one that can reverse it, so can you let me go?’ cause that wouldn’t end well for me,” He had a point there.
“So what do you purpose we do?” Prodigy asked
“We? You are the only person really in a position to do anything,” Shadow Bolt stated “There is something that you could do,” He implied. Prodigy stared at him for a long time. I looked back and forth between both of them. Was I missing something? Prodigy sighed
“You owe me big time,” she said who was she talking to me or him? Before I could ask there was a flash of light and we weren’t in the facility anymore.
Author's Note
This story is actually based off of a dream I had a night or two ago
I blinked, the room where we just were was replaced with trees, grass, and flowers. I didn’t have to think too much to realize what Prodigy had just done. “WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING?” I screamed at her, “Do you have any idea what you just did?”
“He is the only one that can get you back into your body that is what I was thinking,” Prodigy replied. I couldn’t believe that she just teleported the guy that knocked my spirit from my body out of prison. I looked at her in disbelief “Look I don’t see you coming up with any better Ideas and it’s too late to turn back now,” I shook my head
“Don’t you think you should have thought ahead a little bit more? How are we going to get to my body with him so he can do his fancy smancy necromancy spell?” I asked her “Not to mention that you are now more than likely wanted for freeing an alleged murderer,”
“Ok ok I get it, that was stupid but I couldn’t think of anything else to do,” She replied.
“As adorable as you two arguing is I could use some assistance,” Shadow Bolt said shaking the shekels around his hooves. Prodigy stepped forward
“Do you really think that’s a good idea?” I asked her
“We’re in this together now, we need to at least somewhat trust each other,” Prodigy stated. I hated that she was right.
“Well the two of us, he is technically in a hospital in Manehattan,” Shadow said pointing out my current status. I glared at him “What? It’s true,”
“If you two can’t get along then this is going to take a lot longer,” Prodigy butted in.
“Fine, but only until I’m back in my body,” I answered.
“Whatever,” He responded. I wanted to smack him so hard.
“Since we can’t go home-“Prodigy started
“And whose fault is that?” I interrupted She just glared at me
“Since we can’t go home we should build some shelter for the night, if im correct we are a few good miles from Fillydelphia so we should be good for a little while, but we should move out in the morning,” We both nodded in agreement
A few hours had passed and we had a nice little shelter and a small fire going. Prodigy coming up with the plan for the next few days and Shadow Bolt was out getting some firewood. That left me with some time to think. So much has happened so fast between when I got my spirit knocked out a Prodigy busting the guy responsible out of prison, this has probably been the most interesting week of my life.
“Bit for your thoughts?” Prodigy asked sitting down by me
“What would I do with a bit right now?” I responded
“It’s just a saying, so what’s on your mind?” She asked.
“Aside from everything?” I asked “Everything that has happened, getting my spirit knocked from my body, you breaking Shadow free from prison, and a bunch of other stuff on top of that,” I told her
“I can’t say I know how you feel, because I don’t, I can’t imagine how it feels not being in your body,” She told me “Look, I know you don’t want to forgive him for what he did, I don’t expect you to, but I want you to try and at least get along with him so we can get this over with,” I looked at her for a good minute and sighed
“Fine, I’ll try,”
“Thank you,”
“You know this will never be over right? Even if he is able to put me back in my body, He’ll get banished for necromancy, and you will be arrested or banished with him for breaking him out.” I told her
“I know, we’ll think of something, we have to, we’re in this together now,” She said trying to put a hoof on my shoulder only to have it go through it. “Sorry not use to you being a spirit and all,”
“It’s ok, it’s the sentiment that counts,” I said to her “You should get some rest, I’ll keep watch,”
“Thanks,” She told me as she went to her makeshift bed.
“Well now isn’t that adorable,” I heard Shadow Bolt say from the tree line. I shot him a glare. “Hey now I don’t want any trouble, I’m just saying you two are adorable together,”
“Think what you want we are just friends,” I spit at him.
“I’ll take your word for it,” he said shrugging “but that doesn’t mean I believe it,” I wanted to smack him so hard Celestia would cringe. “Look I understand it’s no fun being forced to cooperate with someone who you hate, a Necro dealer if anyone understands how that feels,” he said.
“Yea, whatever,” I replied rolling my eyes “Just get some sleep, so we can head off early. Staying in one place for too long isn’t a good idea,”
“Just don’t kill me in my sleep,” He says with a grin
“Don’t tempt me to try,” I told him
“Good luck with that,” He replied. I stifled a laugh. Well, these next few days are going to suck, but who knows maybe somehow they won’t be as bad as I’m expecting…
I was awoken by Prodigy swinging a stick through me. Just because I don’t need sleep doesn’t mean I can’t zone out. “The hell Prodigy?” I ask shivering, sweet Celestia things going through me feels weird.
“Get up Mr. I’ll keep watch, we’re moving,” She says swinging the stick one more time “I swear even when you can’t really get tired you are still the laziest pony I’ve ever met,”
“Alright, alright I’m up just stop doing that, it feels really creepy,” I say ignoring her comment “So where is the other one,” I ask looking around for Shadow Bolt,
“Necromancy isn’t the only thing I know how to do,” He said appearing out of thin air
“What in the hell?” I say taken back by his sudden appearance. He chuckles, I swear when I get my body back the first thing I’m doing is smacking him.
“I swear If I got caught dealing in your body I’d be screwed, cause when I put your soul back nobody would be able to believe you did it yourself,”
“That’s enough you two, Shadow here is also rather fond of other rune magic’s like this one here, which allows him to make an invisibility cloak,” Prodigy explains. “In layman's terms he draws on cloth and it makes stuff happen,” So wait there is more magic that non-unicorns can do? I’m begging to feel a lot less special
“That is the gist of it, these cloaks will help the two of us to not be caught while traveling,”
“With any luck we won’t need them,” Prodigy says putting one in her bag. “We should tear down this camp and try to hide anything that lets them know we were here,”
While Shadow and Prodigy got started tearing everything down I decided to take a little stroll through these woods and try to figure out were exactly we were. The shaded woodland area helped narrow it down. At first I thought maybe it was Hollow Shades, but that is a little far out of Fillydelphia to teleport 3 ponies. I thought for a moment and then remembered that we saw a wooded area at the foot of Foal Mountain when we were coming in. Not that knowing where we are is really a big deal as we’re leaving, but still it’s nice to know where you are when running from the authorities. “So, aside from away from here where we headed?” I ask floating back into the area that was camp, they did a really good job at taking everything down.
“Well, we need to get to your body in Manehattan. So that is a plan,” Prodigy says, I raise an eyebrow “ I said it’s a plan I didn’t say that’s what we are going to do, what we need to do first is get further away from Fillydelphia. I was only able to get us far enough out of town to buy us some time to rest for the night, if we don’t get a move on the guards will catch up,” So I was right about where we were.
“So which way to you propose we go?” Shadow asks looking at her
“Hang on let me check the map,” She says pulling a map out of her saddle bag, wait what?
“Why did you bring a map with you, we were just going to talk to him, right?” I ask pointing at Shadow Bolt.
“I grabbed it at the train station in case something happened, but enough about that I have a plan. We head back to Ponyville and grab somethings from my house, then head to Dodge Junction and lay low a while so we can think of something,” She said rolling the map back up, I didn’t like this idea it had a few to many holes in it.
“I don’t like this, but I also don’t see any alternative,” I say looking at Prodigy then towards Shadow.
“Wouldn’t it be a bad idea to go back to your house?” Shadow Bolt asks her
“Well hopefully, we can make it there before anypony else does and I can grab what I need and go,” She answers “Worst case scenario there is some guards there and we have to sneak past them,” Well at least she had a plan.
We figured it would be best to stick close to the railway so we’d know where we were, so sticking to the tree line and keeping the rails site we headed west to Ponyville. I was so busy thinking about all the stuff going on I almost hadn’t heard her shouting my name. “QUANTUM CITRINE!” I looked behind me raising an eyebrow. Then I noticed the river between me and them, oh I see.
“Sorry about that, got a little sidetracked,” I said as I got to where they had stopped. They both rolled their eyes.
“Well we are not going to be able to go around this river that’s for sure,” Prodigy said looking at the map. “The nearest bridge is a little ways that way,” She says pointing south. Pulling out the Shadow cloak -I hate to admit it but that’s a good one- Prodigy adds “Might want to put these on its just open fields from here till damn near Ponyville,” Shadow Bolt nods and puts his on as well.
“What about me?” I asked sarcastically. That just got me cold stares from both of them “Ah come on loosen up, besides this is the last time I’ll see you for a while,” I say smirking. They just groan
“Is he like this all the time?” He asks her
“Pretty much,” She replies putting the hood on and disappearing. Shadow does the same thing and like that I can only see where their hooves are on the grass, “Come on we need to get a move on, I want to at least get to the outskirts of the Everfree forest before nightfall,”
“Wait the Everfree Forest is on the southern side of Ponyville isn’t that out of our way?” I ask following along She explained,
“Yes it is a little out of the way, but the reason is so we can drop off what we don’t need going into Ponyville somewhere safe and pick it when we head to Dodge Junction,” I guess that makes since.
“Wait so we are cutting through the Everfree Forest?” Shadow asked raising an eyebrow at least I think he did,
“Yes, I’ve lived in Ponyville long enough to know how to get through the forest not to mention a certain zebra owes me a favor, why you scared?” Prodigy replied I laughed
“No, I’m just not sure it’s the wisest choice to go through it,” He said.
“So you are scared?” I ask smiling he just snorts and asks
“Can I just put him in a soul container? It would make this trip a lot quieter,” I look towards where Prodigy presumably is with wide eyes. It feels like minutes goes by before she responds
“While it would make the trip quieter,”- Prodigy please don’t- “I would rather you didn’t,” Oh thank Luna “BUT, If he keeps being annoying like he has been I may let you do it,” gee thanks.
“Fine I see how it is,” I say folding my hooves across my chest “Nobody respects a good joke,”
“I’m only kidding Quantum,” Prodigy says with a chuckle. As of late I’m not too sure about that
“I wasn’t,” Shadow butted in. Of course he wasn’t.
After what felt like forever we finally got to the bridge. “Well it is a bridge,” I say looking at the railroad tracks going across it, “Just don’t get stuck going across it and you should be fine,”
“Says the pony who doesn’t have to worry about being a pancake if a train does come by,” Shadow says removing his hood.
“Don’t worry, we’ll have plenty of warning before the train gets to close,” Prodigy states jumping onto the track “Like Quantum said just don’t get stuck,” she adds as Shadow jumps up next to her. “Now let’s hurry up and get across before a train does show up,” and just our luck not five seconds after she said that we heard a whistle blow from behind us. “Well shit,” She said, already about half way across the bridge. “Come on, we need to move, like now!” She shouts bolting across the bridge with Shadow close behind
“Well isn’t this nice,” Shadow shouted running behind Prodigy
“Less talking more running,” She yelled behind herself.
We had barely reached the end of the bridge when the train had caught up to us Prodigy and Shadow had jumped into the ditch on the side of the tracks, me on the other hand had a very chilling experience, the inner workings of a train look really complicated.
“Holy sweet Luna that was uncomfortable,” I said shaking my entire body, or at least what classified as my body at the moment. Shortly afterwards I heard a chuckle coming from the ditch. “I don’t see stuff phasing through you, so stuff it,”
“Oh believe me I know how it feels, It’s just funny seeing it happen to someone else,” I heard Shadow reply. I just glared at him with a look that said shut up.
“Are you two arguing again?” Prodigy asked rubbing her head “Because if you are I’m going to knock you both unconscious,” Before I had a chance to be a smart-ass she added, “If you say anything about already being unconscious, Quantum, you are not going to like me,” Alrighty then that idea went out the window.
“Killjoy,” I murmured. She just glared at me.
“Now that we are out danger, we should take a moment to catch our breath,” she said sitting in the ditch. I can’t say I blame her for wanting to take a break, but it was getting late and if we were going to get to the forests edge before night fall we didn’t have much time.
“Hate to break it to you Prod, but we don’t have a lot of time before nightfall,”
“You’re right we should get moving, but I need a minute,” rubbing her eyes she says “Ugh, I didn’t think this shit through at all,”
“Really? Cause this seems pretty thought through to me,” I said sarcastically. She looked at me with evil eyes, “Calm down I was only joking, no need to get mad,” I stated trying to save myself from her wrath. “I understand we’ve all been through some shit these past few hours, I’m just trying to lighten the mood a little,”
“I know, Quantum, It’s just super stressful right now, and before you say anything I know it’s my fault, but you know I act on things before I think them through all the way,”
“As much as I hate to break up this little bonding moment, we really should get a move on,” Shadow Bolt Interrupted. I was going to say something but Prodigy cut me off
“He’s right we should head out before it gets too much later,” putting the cloak away she added “It is way too hot for this thing right now, besides there isn’t any pony settlements between here and our destination,”
“What about the Diamond dogs?” I ask knowing the areas around Ponyville.
“So long as we don’t go over the rugged hills over there,”- She says pointing to them- “They shouldn’t bother us,” That’s a relief.
“Let’s see you’ve got the Everfree Forest right next to Ponyville and Diamond Dogs not all that far away. Whose bright Idea was it to build Ponyville where it is?” Shadow asks shaking his head. Prodigy and I looked at each other and shrugged. Well to be fair he does have a point.
Dusk, usually a nice time of day, Celestia is lowering the sun and Luna starts to raise the moon, but when you are on the edge of the Everfree, dusk is more unsettling then anything. Prodigy was right about one thing ponies don’t like going into the forest regardless of time of day so camping so close to it is a good idea in the since that we are not going to be found by guards or other ponies. Of course there is still the creatures that actually live in the forest that we have to worry about.
“We shouldn’t have to worry about the creatures here,” Prodigy said not sounding a hundred percent about that. That makes totally makes me feel better, not. “Look guys its only for the night once morning hits we get through to Ponyville, get what we need and bolt back through, the forest will cover our tracks for us,”
“That sounds like a plan to me, now I’m going to sleep so unless my head is in somethings mouth, don’t wake me,” Shadow said laying down, If we didn't need him I may have arranged that.
“Quantum, at least try to keep watch this time, I don’t want to wake up missing anything,” She said also laying down. Hey I don’t always space out like that, I just had a lot on my mind that night.
“I’ll try, goodnight,” I replied turning away
Wait, something was off.
Like really, really off.
I turned around then noticed it.
In the middle of camp where Prodigy and Shadow where laying down was a patch.
Of little blue flowers.