What's In The Past (INTRO)
I told them this was a horrible idea.
Probably the worst. But do they ever listen? Nope. So that's why I'm here, desperately trying to unlock the doors to the old castle. My name's Apple Bloom, sister of the, now deceased, Element of Honesty. Her name was Applejack.
My friend, Trinket Troys is nudging my shoulder, messing me up as I very carefully feel around the lock with the hair pin. Trinket has been my friend since the 'incident' that killed the elements four years ago. So has Draping, another friend accompanying us. They are both great friends, and we all treat each other equal. Just the old way of the Cutie Mark Crusaders.
"Look, ya want in right? It's kinda hard to get in if ya keep on trying to make me look at you. Ah mean, unless you're scared..." I smiled, and turned to Trinket who just rolled her eyes and let out a sigh. I nodded, and got back to work on the door. And then a little click went off. I was actually a little surprised about this, as I did lie about me being able to open doors with just a hair pin. We haven't even been here that long, so I was kind of suspicious as to how the door opened so easily.
"Hey girls! I got the door open!" I smiled, pride waving in. Suspicion was still there, but I pushed it aside for the moment.
"Psh, I could have gotten that open any day, any time..." Scootaloo brags. All I can do is sigh, shooting a glare at her, and nudge the door open. My heart hurts at the sight of this horrible place. Of course, I still hate this place. More than anything, actually. This is of course the place that my beloved sister had died.
Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle both look at the door, and enter quietly. Scootaloo always tries to put on a show of determination, but I know how bad it must hurt. I know their hearts hurt too, but we can't just let the others call us chicken. For the rest of our lives. If you couldn't understand the concept of a dare, then there was no place for you in our group. And when one of us dares something to do something like this, you have to dare them back. That's how the whole group got assembled here.
Sweetie Belle looks around, and stops in the main room.
"Huh. I never... I never thought I'd be back here. Especially after what happened." I nodded in agreement, then turned to Dinky.
"Ya got the stuff?" She nods, and pulls a few blankets out of her saddlebag, and lays them on the floor. "Okay, what about you, Draping?" She pulls a few pillows from her saddlebag and slams them as hard as she can in my face. Then she sits down, and gives her full attention to her Bell-Phone. Of course...
"Okay, well, what do we do now?" Scootaloo questions. She sits on her haunches, nervously looking about the room.
I turn to her, and my heart instantly drops into my stomach.
"Um..." I stutter, trying to keep my hopes up.
"What is it, Apple Bloom?" Scootaloo fearfully glances over her flank, shuddering.
"Scoots! You forgot the food!" I moan, aggravated. Her face instantly softens, relieved.
"Oh, you scared me! I thought there was a ghost or somethin'. Don't do that to me!" Giggling, she prances away.
"G-g-ghost?" Trinket yelps.
"No! Ugh, now ah reckon we aught ta go get some more food from a nearby store. If one's open at this time, it's so late." I shoot a dirty look at Scootaloo, who just giggles even louder.
"B-but what about the ghost?" Sweetie Belle shivers. I face-hoof, as I try to explain myself.
"There ain't no such thing as ghost's!" I yell, observing the group.
"Th-that's n-not what Diamond Tiara said..." Sweetie Belle cried. Everypony goes silent as I silently, angrily fume inside my own head.
"Ignore her and Silver Spoon, just like always. And if they keep talking smack, kick their flank. They're just big bullies." I say, angrily. The two of them had just become more and more a pain in the flank, making fun of my deceased family, and I damn near almost punched Diamond's lights out the other day. I almost always punch anypony's light's out, everypony is just so... Mean...
Sweetie Belle nods quietly, and leaves it. Hopefully she will leave it for the rest of the night.
"Well, who wants ta go get tha food with me?" I look around the room, to find everypony raising their hooves. Ain't nopony want to be in this creepy house. "Well ah guess that settles it. Cmon' girls." We all silently stand up to our hooves, and head for the front door. We arrive a mere five seconds later, and turn the knob and push. The door won't budge.
I stand there for a second, confused as to why this is the case. If I had just opened the door to enter, how is it stuck now?
"Uh, girls? Why ain't this darned door openin?" Another turn and push. "Uh... Okay... Stand back girls, Imma' kick this darn door down." I begin kicking at the door, as the other girls begin whispering to each other. "Does anypony know why this Tartarous forsaken door ain't openin?" I ask, out of breath. I mean, I only kicked that door maybe twenty nine times. And it did absolutely nothing.
"M-maybe it's a g-ghost..." Draping says in a frightened voice. I feel another wave of aggravation hit me, and I just lose my head.
"Girls! For tha last time there ain't no gh-" Suddenly I freeze. I don't know why exactly.
And then giggling is heard. We all hear it, I can tell by the way everypony's eyes widen in fear. It sounds as if it is coming from above us, from the stairase that is only about ten feet from our current position. Sweetie Belle completely loses her, excuse me, she loses her SHIT.
"O-OPEN THE BUCKING DOOR!" She screams. We all crowd around the door, kicking and pounding, as an immediate fear of this castle grows in us all.
"Sh, now... We can have a party! I have so, so much games we can p-PLAY! Why don't you come play with me?" A familiar voice shrieks in an ecstatic manner.
"Sweet Celestia!" The party of five and I turn to run, as we rush for the main room.
And then the most stupid thing ever happens, to me. Why does it always gotta be me?
I bucking trip, and fall right on my snout.
I attempt to get to my hooves, but a gentle hoof on my back pushes me back onto the floor.
"Aw, you look so dang cute. It's been for EVER since I last seen a cutie mark crusader! Let's have a party to celebrate you coming to join us!" I thrash about wildly, and come loose out of my captor's arrest.
I attempt a mad dash for the others, but succeed in only fallng back on my face.
"I mean, you still think I'm the best party planner ever right? I mean, I've been in this castle for a long time... mostly alone... BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING RIGHT? I'm still the best aunt ever!" I push further, desperately now, attempting escape. "I'm still me, Apple Bloom! PINKIE PIE!" She giggles, as I begin to weep.
Ghosts are not real.
Ghosts aren't real.
Who am I kidding, I am about to get killed by a ghost! Pinkie Pie's supposed to be dead, six feet under the ground inside a catacomb! And what exactly am I looking at right now? This sure as heck ain't Chrysalis.
Hooves suddenly wrap around my foreleg, and drag me out of Pinkie's grip. I look up into Dinky's panic stricken face, and we dart for the room.
"Come back! Ugh, I have to do everything around here!" Pinkie Pie begins to chase after us, as me and Dinky run for the main room. Time seems to stretch as we run, until I feel as if I could collapse of exhaustion any minute.
I do collapse as soon as we make it to the room, and begin panting heavily.
I look up fearfully now, into the wild eyes of Pinkie Pie, smiling almost sinisterly in my face, her pale coat dark as her sister's fur, Maud.
And then I scream for what seems like a century.
