Lucid Dreams

by Jumping Jack

Rating: teen
Tags: Death, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Romance, Princess Luna, Original Character, Cutie Mark Crusaders, Profanity, Adventure
Length: 30890

A young orphan pegasus escapes into his dreams and imagination while trying to overcome his fear of befriending others. And to do that, he needs the help of three young fillies and a majestic alicorn.

Ghost Pepper dreams of many things. Dreams of being a noble in Manehatten's bureaucratic table. Or a royal knight, tasked with defending the throne and the princess. Or perhaps finding the one pony he can call a friend. He dreams big. Yet when he awakens, he finds himself struggling with the everyday menial hum drum tasks of cleaning the orphanage's halls, rooms and only getting scraps of the food from the other colts and fillies.

Ghost Pepper dreams big. But a wakening nightmare haunts him. One that he can't help but finding himself in over and over. If he is to overcome this nightmare, he not only requires the help of three curious fillies, but a royal alicorn who walks the Dream Plane.

Now with cover art by Little Tigress!

Published 2017-02-24 02:00:02 UTC
Last updated 2023-10-02 18:09:03 UTC

Sweet Dreams Are Made of These

A thought had occurred. one that he thought would fit well with his story.

'But, where should I really start?' the young colt asks himself. The young colt sat at his desk in a dimly lit room. With only the company of a tussled bed from the many restless nights he has had and the small splintered desk that laid against the wall. The dim flicker of the candle signaled to the young colt of the opened window. Feeling earlier as if he needed fresh air. He shivered before looking up from his paper and quill, staring at the blank ceiling. He had always saw it as like a blank canvas, just waiting to be riddled with the words of his mind. Yes, a wall or ceiling would do nicely to fill out a story.

Not too big but big enough to gather his thoughts into one. He shifted slightly in his seat, struggling with the thought. 'It would go well... but it is missing something.' he thought. The slight calming breeze of the spring air blew through his room, making the young colt shiver. He sighed, standing up before walking over to the window and closing it. But not before he looked out of it. The tall grass flowing like the waves of the sea. He stood there and watched. His bed head of a cerulean mane flowed with the breeze. The colt smiled softly. He has always enjoyed the spring season. It reminded him of a story he once read.

Mother Wisp would tell the children stories. He had never cared until one evening when she told a story about two odd pairs of friends. One was the clever of the two. Always tough, resilient and wise when it came to confronting the ponies of his town. The other, a simple minded but aspiring horse who dreamt of living on his own farm, tending the fields with his friend, the clever one. Yes, an odd pair a pony and a horse make. So different, but both reliant on one another. The horse would always find himself stumbling over the others and getting into unintentional trouble, leaving the clever one to bale him out of the situation.

But that doesn't mean the clever one had his own troubles. He was in love with a mare from a small town. And being the farmer he was, he wouldn't find the time to try and confront his feelings for her. Leaving him distressed and afraid of the world around him. The simple mind would sit with him, sharing to him a story about him and a mouse. The story was short, but simple. The simple mind would always cheer the clever mind. The two relied on one another. The many stories they told under the night skies while fishing in the river. The many rise and falls they had when it came to their community. The colt sighed sadly.

It seemed the two had so much in common for being so different. And yet, when it came to the clever one to finally propose to the mare, a corrupt bureaucrat didn't like the idea of the farmer staking claim on the mare he had planned to marry. The duo eventually find themselves in a predicament of their farm being bought out by the bureaucrat, making the tension rise with the clever one and his girl. The two would constantly argue, leaving the simple mind to cower at the thought of his best friend living a lonely life. The simple mind knew what it would mean to have his friend marry to a mare.

He had always thought the dream of him living with his friend on the farm was too good to be true. Yet, he couldn't feel but be happy for him, despite the jealousy he felt earlier. on one fateful night, the clever one had an idea that would sabotage the bureaucrat and save his marriage for the mare. The plan had gone off without a hitch. That was until the patrol that was hired by the bureaucrat caught the clever one in the act of sabotage, forcing him to kill two of the ponies in his escape. It had already been done. Not only was murder committed, but the clever one was about to be caught. The simple one had an idea though. A sad one. One that made the young colt wonder why he had done so.

A brief confrontation of the two along with the mare lead to them being caught in a alley. All seemed lost when the simple mind suddenly spoke up and declared it was all his idea. The clever one and the mare protested, but the deed had been done. Murder and sabotage was placed on the horse. The next day, the town held an execution of the simple mind. Many of the townsfolk gathered and watched as the horse was lead to the gallows. The colt remembers the horse scanning the crowd, praying that his friend had gotten away. When no sign of the clever one, the horse smiled and was read his rites.

The thought depressed the colt. Why did he take all the blame for an idea made by another? What was so important to the simple mind that lead to the clever one to leave the town and not try to save his friend? And more importantly, what could have gone differently in the plan that shouldn't have lead to that? The colt never understood why others would do such a thing. But the story about it felt strange and inspiring for him. After the story, he found himself sitting at his desk with a paper and quill and started writing. Writing nothing in particular at first.

It was just a simple revision of the paragraph of the moment in the story. The colt thought of the many ways the two friends could have gotten out. A happy ending was all he wanted. But wasting away into the night made him realize. Was it all unavoidable? Whatever he thought of that he thought could work, it always lead him to write down a consequence. Or at least a subtle consequence. But in the end, it would always lead to the ending of the characters. The colt frowned before closing the window and trotting back over to his desk, kicking aside the crumpled up balls of paper that littered his floor. He took a quill, dabbing it in the ink before writing.

Constance couldn't believe what he had done. Murder. The ponies stared widely in his eyes. The life no longer in him. Constance looked around, panicking as he scoured the room. Having to find nothing that could sway him from the thought, he heard the whistles of the patrol clear as day. He bolted for the window, sliding out from it and onto the roof.

The colt stopped and thought again. he has already gone the route of trying to hide. He had already thought of the confrontation. But why was it so difficult to come to an understanding? Did ponies really not care for civil conversation or was it really just as bad as everypony thought to make it out to be? The colt groaned in frustration before crumpling the paper and tossing it over his head again. He sighed and stared up at the ceiling once more. Of the many ideas he had tried to come up with, he couldn't find the right one. He blinked once, suddenly feeling his body heavy. How late has he gone into the night? With no clock on the walls of his room, he quietly went to open his door and stare down the dimly lit hall of the orphanage.

At the end of it was a grandfather clock that reached the ceiling. The colt squinted, trying to make out the time. As if on cue, the clock rang to life. Striking not once, but twice. He had gone into the next day. The colt yawned before quietly closing the door and dragging himself to his bed. The sheets soft under his pale blue hide. Adjusting himself comfortably, he stared back into the ceiling. The passage of the story running through his head. What could he have done differently? Why the sacrifice? His eyes fell upon him into the calming blackness.

~~~oooOOOooo~~~

The colt found himself sitting on a pier. He looked calmly out to the quiet riverbed. The river calm and unmoving except for the bob in the water. He squinted his eyes, seeing two extra next to his but more spaced out. He looked to his left, seeing a young stallion with a straw hat and a wheat stem in between his teeth in worn out overalls. he had his hat tipped over his eyes as he snoozed softly in his kick back state. The colt looked to his right and saw a tall calico horse in a sleepy but happy expression as he stared out into the river. The horse towered over them like a giant. The colt has heard of horses somewhere in Equestria. He has heard that they are as big as a one story building. Of course, he found it farfetched, but the idea seemed intriguing. The colt finally looked down at himself.

He too was wearing overalls. His tattered flannel shirt covering up most of his hide. The three stayed there, enjoying the quiet serene sound of the quiet river. The colt smiled. He remembers this part. He found it enjoyable.

"Constance, you ever 'ear 'bout the mayor's daughter?" the horse suddenly said, his voice drawling but deep and calm. The colt looked over to his left. The stallion, Constance, didn't move or look when he replied.

"What 'bout her?" The horse shrugged.

"I dunno. Do you tink maybe yer' out of her league?" Constance finally looked up and gave a small glare at the horse.

"What are ya' goin' on about, Tussle?" the farmer asked in a small hint of annoyance. The horse, Tussle, quickly responded.

"Nothin' Constance. Jus' wonderin' why she catches yer' fancy." Constance snorted in reply.

"Tain't non of yer' business what I do." Tussle rubbed his chin, when suddenly, his pole began tugging. Tussle looked confusedly at the pole.

"Constance." Tussle stated. The stallion farmer saw it too. He quickly shot up, startling the young colt.

"Well, what are ya' waitin' fer?" Constance rushed over and took hold of the pole. He began pulling, but the force seemed to pull back. Constance grunted as he tried to pull. The colt was about to jump up to help, but Tussle quickly grabbed hold of the pole with Constance and together, they both heaved back. The colt stared in awe as a giant bass flew out of the water and sailed over head. Constance and Tussle fell onto their haunches and watched in stock surprise as the bass landed on the pier and began flopping around. "Quick, grab it!" Constance dove at the fish, but it just flopped over his head, smacking him in the muzzle with a tail.

Tussle quickly helped Constance up, making a quick attempt at stopping the bass with his hoof, only to have it slip under him. The colt stood up now, readying himself as the bass flopped his way. He quickly lunged at it, only to find himself landing on his belly on the pier as the bass flopped away. The colt stumbled after the fish. He was about to catch it when the bass suddenly flipped over him and into the water. The colt frowned, seeing the shimmering figure of the bass swim quickly away and out into the river. He looked over to see a disappointed Constance and a sad looking Tussle.

"Dang." Constance said with a small kick of his hoof.

"I'm sorry, Constance." Tussle said with a  bow of his head. The farmer stallion looked up at his friend and gave a small smile. He put a hoof on his shoulder and shook his head.

"Twas a big one, ain't it?" Tussle looked at him and gave a sleepy smile.

"Almost." The horse replied. Constance pat his friend's shoulder.

"No worries, pal. We almost 'ad it. We'll git it next time." The two dusted themselves off before looking at the colt. "Thanks fer the help, Pepper. Twas real nice seein' ya again." The colt said nothing as the two trotted up from the pier and heading over to a small farm house in the distance. The colt sighed. He felt like he had accomplished nothing. He wanted these two to be happy. They came so close to catching a fish, only to have it slip from them. They were disappointed, indeed. But why were they still smiling? He wouldn't have been happy if he let such a catch go away. So why did they? He found himself looking back out the river. Why the sacrifice? The colt suddenly looked shocked.

Across the river, looking down into the water of her own reflection was the most elegant and beautiful alicorn he has seen. And he knew exactly who this was. The alicorn rose her head up from the water and looked at him with kind eyes. She gave a smile and a nod before turning and walking into the tall grass.

"W-wait!" The young colt called out. But he found himself unable to move. In fact, everything seemed to shimmer around him. He rose into the air and his eyes opened to the familiar blank ceiling of his room.

~~~oooOOOooo~~~

The young colt Ghost Pepper rose from his slumber, feeling the grogginess of his restless dream. He had dreamed about that one moment with the two. The moment that he had deemed a time when they defined their friendship. But... were they really friends in the end? Why would he risk himself like that and not have his friend come back for him? The farmer had enough evidence, but why the cloak and dagger in the mix? The birds of spring chirped, rousing him more from his slumber. The warm beams of the Princess's sun coursed through his body. A beautiful day indeed.

Pepper slipped out of his bed and out into the hallway. The many doors that lined it all the way to the grandfather clock were a mix of open and unopened. The unopened being the vacant rooms of those that have finally found a family. As he walked down the hall, passing the doors, he could make out little drawings of ponies on the walls. Perhaps, Pallet was causing more trouble again by not having enough paper. Arriving at the clock, he looked to see the time. Almost half the day. The sudden realization made him panic. He had slept for half a day. He looked over to his right, seeing a balcony window. He quickly peered from it and saw the children playing on the swings, the seesaws and slides, laughing and screaming. A group of the kids were playing hopscotch while another were playing tag.

Pepper turned and was about to gallop down to go meet them, when he had bumped into a middle aged rustic unicorn mare with a  grey mane in a bun look down at him through half lensed spectacles.

"Ghost Pepper. I was wondering where you have gone off too." the mare looked at him with tired eyes. Mother Wisp must have not gotten any sleep either. But that is the case when you are practically the nanny of an orphanage of about twenty. Give or take. Ghost Pepper sighed.

"Yes ma'am. I'm sorry to have worried you." Mother Wisp sighed and gave a small smile.

"It is quit alright, dear. From the looks of it, you have stayed up all night as well." Ghost Pepper nodded quietly, unsure of how to respond to her. Mother Wisp then looked out the balcony window. "I'm afraid you are going to have to wait a little for lunch. But you are welcome to do something else in the meantime." The colt looked up at the tired mare with a questioning brow. The mare's horn glowed and from down the hall, a mop and a pale hovered over from the closet. Ghost Pepper frowned slightly as he took the mop and pale in his hooves.

"Cleaning again? Can't I go outside?" Pepper protested. Mother Wisp smiled.

"Recess is almost over. In fact, I was about to call everyone in before looking for you." She pat the colt on the head softly before turning. "Just clean the halls and when you are done, come down to the lunch room. I'll have a meal waiting for you." As the mare turned, Ghost Pepper snorted and looked at the utensils.

'Just what I wanted to do today. Nothing but good ol' spring cleaning.' he thought with a groan.

~~~~***~~~~

Cleaning the hall was tiresome. Ghost Pepper sighed tiredly as he finally scrubbed the last of the splintered wood floor. The colt wiped his brow before looking over his work. Sparkling like it did yesterday. Another thought came to him. Perhaps he has cleaned these halls and rooms many a times. Ever since Janitor Weiss left to go on a family outing and decided never to show up, they were without a janitor for a month. Ghost Pepper remembers the time when Mother Wisp was suddenly distraught about the janitor. He watched as she went to the door and two snow white stallions in brilliant golden armor sadly told Mother Wisp the news. After the confrontation, Ghost Pepper watched from the hall as Mother Wisp quietly and tiredly sat at her desk, pondering what she had just heard. As much as he was curious about it, he didn't dare ask. Ghost Pepper knew better.

When two royal guards paid a visit to an orphanage and no princess, the news would not be a happy one. And for a month, the halls remained quiet, as the noises of the janitor's hums that had once rang out through the halls while the children slept was but a faint memory. Ghost Pepper thought it odd to have Mother Wisp mourn over the missing janitor. Not once have the two really communicated other than Mother Wisp correcting the janitor on a missing spot or stain. And yet, Mother Wisp wept for him. The next day after the month had passed, Mother Wisp began an activity with the children during free period.

"You all will be doing simple cleaning today." She had said. "To those that do a good job will receive a reward. And if the whole group does well, then you all get extra recess time." This was a big bargain for the children. Never had Ghost Pepper seen the kids so energetic to get things done. Even Pallet mustered up his pride and cleaned his own handiwork on the outside of the orphanage. When the kids were done, they gathered in front of the orphanage while Mother Wisp and a handsome grey earth pony with a dark mane, who happens to be the grounds keeper for the gardens out back and in the front, looked on at them. He dusted his suite and adjusted his desperado hat before looking at Mother Wisp who had cleared her throat.

"Excellent work, my dears. I must say, how impressed I am to have such hard workers. But I think one of you has done an even better job that has given you all extra recess time." Her look fell upon the young pale blue pegasus. Ghost Pepper felt the eyes of the children look at him, making him uncertain of how to respond. "For superior and outstanding motivation for cleanliness, I here by claim Ghost Pepper as the new activity monitor for the day." To have such a title was a gift. And Ghost Pepper again felt uncertain how to respond. The looks of confusion from the kids turned into disappointment.

"But Mother Wisp, Pepper hasn't really done anything!" One of the kids called out. Mother Wisp arched a brow at the young unicorn filly.

"Oh? Then what has he not done?" Ghost Pepper narrowed his eyes at the filly. The grape colored hide and plum straight mane with cherry colored eyes. This filly has been nothing more than a thorn in his side. Ever since that incident with her stuffed bear. Mother Wisp looked at her with a kind smile, making the filly lessen her posture a little.

"H-he just stood there while the rest of us worked! I saw him!" she looked at the chocolate coated and caramel maned earth colt. "You saw it too, didn't you?" The colt was about to speak when the child next to Ghost Pepper spoke up.

"What Merriweather says is true!" The filly next to him, a snow white filly with a blond mane and piercing blue eyes. She looked him in the eyes, seeing his own gold colored eyes staring back at him. "I saw him relaxing on the bed, letting Pallet do his own job. Isn't that right, Pallet?" They looked to a slender earth pony colt. His artist beret and yellow scarf donned on his cream hide and brown mane. He gave her a questioning brow, making the filly next to Ghost Pepper give the young artist another look. Pallet looked back to Mother Wisp and gave a quick nod. The middle aged mare looked at the young colts and fillies, seeing the agreeing looks.

Ghost Pepper groaned quietly. 'Of course they would take her word for it.' he thought. Everypony thinks Alabaster is a princess. Seeing as how she maintained a leader like personality and a strong sense of justice and her charming good looks made her the perfect candidate. At least in the orphanage. It's a wonder why a meek and shy filly like Merriweather to speak freely of her own mind. 'Because Alabaster told her too.' the colt reminded himself. Mother Wisp looked sternly at him now, making him shrink back.

"Well then, I guess we can't have a activity monitor who takes advantage of his playmates. I'm sorry, Ghost Pepper. But due to the recent events that had transpired, I must revoke the title and give it to Merriweather." The grape colored filly gapped at the sudden change. She looked to Alabaster, who gave her a kind smile in return. She then turned that smile into a mischievous one at him. Ghost Pepper narrowed his eyes at her, imagining a passing carriage to not see her in its' wake. The children congratulated the meek filly, who was baffled by the sudden surrounding of her playmates. All except for Ghost Pepper. He kicked a small pebble to the side before turning and quietly walking into the orphanage.

Mother Wisp sighed tiredly.

"I worry about that colt." she addressed to the grounds keeper. The handsome stallion tipped his hat.

"Too bad for the kid. Had high hopes for him." he said nonchalant. Mother Wisp turned to him.

"Well, you better get ready to supervise the child, Funnel." The stallion nodded and looked at the cheering children.

"I'll make sure he works to the bone."

That day made Ghost Pepper dread to ever actually take up the responsibilities of his slacking playmates. He had enjoyed helping others. Always had the sense too. But that day changed his mind about the ordeal. He eventually grew quiet and alone. Mother Wisp has taken notice of the sudden change in behavior and had confronted him about it.

"I just don't feel like it." he would always reply. Not having to get the true reason out of him made Mother Wisp determined to dig out the truth. So, she had always found the time to passively tell him to clean the rooms and halls everyday until he confessed. She even got smart about it only recently, making him have no choice in the matter. Exploiting his passion to dream and jot down ideas made it all the conflicted worth while. As much spite he has for the chore, it had given him plenty of time to think. And an idea had come to mind.

"Maybe that is what I will try." he told himself as he placed the pale and mop in the closet before trotting to the lunch room.

Dream Crusaders

Ghost Pepper sat quietly at the table by himself. Staring at the small bits of vegetables and bread, he couldn't help but look around hungrily at the others. It was no strange occurrence for him to sit by himself. In fact, he mostly preferred it that way. Having the quietness of his own mind and thoughts without any distractions. As he finally picked up his bread and chewed a small bit of it, more thoughts came to mind.

'What if Constance had another plan that just involved him running away with the mayor's daughter?' The idea seemed promising. He imagined the scene, using his bread as pointers. The left half being Constance and the chewed half being the mayor's daughter. He played out the scene, quietly quoting from the story. Starting at the point where Constance had the idea, Ghost Pepper thought of carefully picked words to convince the daughter. After feeling like he had chosen correctly, he smiled as he played out the part of the two running away to live forever. But yet, there was a problem. One thing had stood out from him in his scene.

Where was Tussle? He frowned softly when he found that the two pieces of bread didn't fit quite well as he thought. Two pieces of bread wouldn't suffice. He looked at the chewed piece before looking to the whole one. A thought had occurred to him. He split the whole piece in two. Now that the whole group was together, he replayed the scene only this time, he made Tussle be a big part in the plan. Constance and the mayor's daughter were ready to escape, but the corrupt bureaucrat caught on. He made the split and chewed piece together before having the bigger piece suddenly stay behind. The young colt frowned more prominently.

'Why did Tussle stay behind?' He hadn't thought of it when he played it out. But the big piece of bread was left laying on the plate while the other two were together at the side. He sighed before putting the pieces down and examined them. They were not whole. He quietly picked up the small piece he had labeled as Constance before popping it in his mouth and chewed. It was then he noticed something watching him. He looked and saw Alabaster giving him a small quiet and her infamous mischievous grin. Ghost Pepper felt his face warm a little.

Alabaster had witnessed him playing with his food. 'More dirt for her.' the colt thought to his dismay. Thankfully, Mother Wisp tapped a glass with a spoon to grab the attention of the others.

"Attention, dears." she looked to the crowd. "I have a very special announcement to make. I have received word that the Princess Celestia and Princess Luna will be making a visit." The gasp and quiet cheers murmured throughout the kids. All except Ghost Pepper. It was such a honor for the Princess's to make a visit to them. Ghost Pepper has read about the two sisters. All of them did. Who would have thought the Princesses as regal and elegant visiting a small group of twenty street urchins and a struggling caretaker?

"Alabaster, this is your chance to finally show the princesses!" The young colt heard one of the kids. He looked and saw Alabaster smile at the thought. She then raised her hoof.

"Yes, Alabaster?" Mother Wisp smiled. The young snow white filly stood up and cleared her throat.

"If I may suggest something, as activity monitor's right hoof, perhaps we should host a fair?" Mother Wisp arched a questioning brow. No one would blame her. What idea was she proposing?

"A fair, dear?" Mother Wisp echoed. Alabaster stood up and walked to the front, before turning to the rest.

"Yes, a fair. One that would impress them!" She made small motions with her hooves. "We all show the princesses what we are talented in. It'll be a fun event where we each show off." She smiled at the nanny. "And it would probably bring in more adoption potential." Mother Wisp smiled now. Ghost Pepper slumped. It was a great idea. Why hadn't he thought of it?

'Oh right, because I was too busy playing with my food and Alabaster is the princess of this orphanage.' Alabaster may be uptight with her leadership, but her ideas have proven time and time again to be successful. Ghost Pepper had wondered why it always was. And it was surprising that Alabaster wasn't adopted right away after the last adoption fair. She had shown positive feed back from the potential parents. But in the end, what happened to be thirty two once was now twenty.

"A marvelous idea, Alabaster!" Mother Wisp looked at her questioningly again. "But, are you just saying it because of your position or is it from Merriweather?" Merriweather shrunk a little, but Alabaster smiled.

"I talked it over with her before suggesting the idea. It's okay in her book." replying quickly. To the meek filly's relief and Ghost Pepper's annoyance, Mother Wisp clapped her hooves together.

"Then it is a plan indeed. The princesses won't be here until next week, so you all have plenty of time to brush up on your talents." Alabaster nodded before looking her way towards the young colt by himself.

"Pepper, you really shouldn't think about playing with your food, no matter how talented you are at it." she put a hoof to her chest. "As a concerned playmate, I only want what is best of you. But I have to say that playing with your food is not a good way to get adopted." The children laughed at her so called joke. Mother Wisp was again oblivious to the meaning and giggled along with them. Ghost Pepper had another thought. Perhaps the roof above her would come crashing down?

~~~***~~~

After the lunch period, the children had a quiet period of reading. Most were well behaved on the subject, but the others who were not so prominent in reading thought it would be a good idea to create book towers or fall sleep. Of course, Mother Wisp wasn't having any of this and would snap them out of there running minds. She gave  a tired sigh when she found Pallet doodling in the book. The artistic colt mourned quietly as he was given an eraser and having to got through each page, erasing each creation he was so proud of. Ghost Pepper wanted to re-read the story of Constance and Tussle, but Mother Wisp had persuaded him to read something else. She was well aware of the young colt's attempts at trying to find a better option.

Instead, he was given a book about a detective. One by the name of Sherclop Holmes. He was hesitant at the title at first:

Sherclop Holmes: The Timberwolves of Ponyville.

It was unusual for Timberwolves to even be around Ponyville. And it was only about a few hours trot from where the orphanage is. But his eyes fell to the name. Timberwolves. Curiosity took him over and he finally read one paragraph of the book. And then another paragraph. And soon a chapter. The young colt was awe struck.

'How can this be?' he thought to himself. A detective  who has a drinking problem and has an observational mind? How can a pony exist like that? And yet, as the more he read and the aspect of the detective dawned on him, the more he found interest in both him and his companion, Dr. Wattson. The two reminded him of a dysfunctional Constance and Tussle. Each had their own quirks, but together, they were the balance to one another's mindset. The colt delved into the world of Sherclop Holmes, only to be rudely interrupted by a paper ball being tossed at him. He looked up and around. No pony seemed to be responsible. He bent down and picked up before unfurling it.

Meet me by the oak tree.  - You're secret admirer.

'Admirer?' What was the meaning of this? He narrowed his eyes at a involved snow white filly as she flipped a page of a book. She made no motion of his existence. he sighed quietly before Mother Wisp snapped everyone away from their quiet time with a clear of her throat.

"Alright, dears. Another recess has started. Remember not to wander too far or go past the oak tree. Dismiss-" the children cheered and rushed out all at once, causing Mother Wisp to look worriedly at the stampede. Alabaster and Merriweather were the only ones to walk out of the room casually. The nanny looked to the colt. "Are you coming, Pepper?" The colt said nothing as he stood up and held the book under his wing.

Making his way outside, the playful cheers of the children reaching his ears, he couldn't help but think back to the message. 'What was an admirer?' He looked back at the book under his wing. Sherclop wouldn't hesitate to find out. And that is exactly what the colt thought. He took a sharp left and trotted away from the playing children. After today, he didn't want any part of any activity with them. He found himself briskly trotting along the dirt path that lead to the oak tree. He couldn't help but smile to himself. Almost as if he was donning the coat and hat.

"Come along, Dr. Wattson. We have a case to solve." he told himself. "But of course. It'll be like old times." He replied to his own statement. It didn't take him long to reach the tree. It towered over him, but short enough to where anypony can climb up it with no problems. The colt studied it, rubbing his chin. "What say we lay a trap for the crook?" he again told himself. "An excellent idea, sir!" he replied to it. "But of course. It is elementary, my dear Wattson." The colt place the book between his teeth and flapped his wings twice before gaining the height he needed to grab onto the branch and climb. Feeling he has climbed a reasonable distance, he looked down to the ground and waited.

The sun overhead shone through the little holes of the leaves and the cicadas buzzed loudly. The colt waited. And waited. He then frowned. A few minutes have passed. Having been lost in boredom, he finally leaned against the thick core of the oak and pulled the book out from his wing. He flipped through the book, finding himself back at the chapter he left off of. It was fascinating to read the exploit of Sherclop. It was like the detective was one step ahead of everything. But in order for him to confirm it, he had to play it out. He was about to read the paragraph of the discovery of the Timberwolves, when he heard the sound of a buzzing. It wasn't like a cicada.

It seemed more consistent. It got louder the more closer it got. The colt quietly slipped the book under his wing and peered out from behind a shrub branch in the oak. He shrunk back a bit when he spotted three fillies. Two of them had hopped out of a wagon that was connected to a scooter while the third leaned against the tree and drank from a bottle.

"You sure we are in the right place?" the white unicorn filly in the light pink stripped mane asked. The yellow earth filly with a red mane and a big bow scanned the area.

"'Ah don't think this is where Pipsqueak told us to meet." The filly looked at the two. "He did say by an oak tree, right?"

"He said the biggest tree we know of." the white filly said before looking to the orange and purple maned filly Pegasus. The filly took another big swig of her bottle before looking at them.

"Yeah. And this is the biggest tree I know of." the orange filly replied. The colt watched quietly at their conversation. He thought back to the message. Which one of these fillies were his admirer? He struggled with the thought before coming to a realization.

'But wait... they don't seem like any of the playmates I know of. In fact, they seem like they came from Ponyville.' But it was strange to think that. Why would three fillies spend a few hours from the village to come here? They mentioned somepony by the name of Pipsqueak. Was it this Pipsqueak that gave him the message? Was he the admirer? The colt thought better of it. The only pipsqueak in his playmates were Merriweather and another filly by the name of Tea Stout. His gaze fell to the book under his wing. Were these the culprits? What would Sherclop do if there were multiple confrontations? The colt panicked. He hadn't read that far into the book yet. The inexperience came down on him.

He backed away from the branch shrub before it suddenly snapped and sent him forward. He bounced on two branches on his way down before landing on something with a thud. He shook the daze away before stiffening and seeing the world upside down. Not only that, looking at him were two surprised fillies. But... where was the third?

"Hey, what gives!?" he heard the protest underneath him. He was suddenly rolled off as the orange filly rose and dusted herself off. "Be more careful next time." the orange filly looked down at him and gave the same surprise at him. "Who are you?" The young colt found it hard to reply. The only thing he can muster was a stutter. The yellow filly smiled and helped him up. The colt again said nothing. Not even a form of thanks.

"You don't seem to be from around here. Are you new to the Ponyville?" she asked him. Again, the colt said nothing. Only his panicking heart beat was drowning out the cicadas. The next feeling came down on him. Fear. He had exposed himself. And not just to the world, but to three fillies he has no idea who they are. The white unicorn filly arched a brow.

"Are you okay? You seem to be shivering." The young colt shrunk a little. Oh goddesses, they were talking to him. What should he say? What could he do to suddenly change this on him? He gulped in defeat. He had no idea what to do. The yellow filly suddenly bent down and picked up the book in her teeth before motioning it towards him.

"'Ah tshink you dropped somethin.'" she said. The colt meekly took the book and put it under his wing. "So, what's your name?" The colt again found it hard to reply. All he could do was mumble it quietly. The orange filly leaned in.

"Come again?" she asked. He mumbled it again. The orange filly rubbed her head before shrugging at the other two.

"Well, let us start then. 'Ahm Applebloom." the yellow filly smiled before motioning to the others. "That there's Sweetie Bell and that's Scootaloo." The two nodded with smiles of their own. Just who are these three? And why were they acting so... nice to him? The fear struck him more and more. As much as he wanted to say something, he just couldn't find the courage to do so. Scootaloo arched a brow.

"So, where are you from?" she asked him. The young colt said nothing but glance past her. Sweetie Bell seemed to notice the glance and followed it.

"Hey, isn't that the orphanage?" she asked. Applebloom looked.

"Yer' from the orphanage?" He was about to nod when he noticed a snow white filly trotting up to the tree down the road. He balked and quickly darted from the group. The three fillies watched him gallop over and past the filly.

"There you are, Ghost Pepper. Cleaning duties have started." Alabaster said with a frown as the colt passed. Realizing the sudden hurry, the filly felt a little shocked to be ignored. "H-hey! Don't think you can get away with slacking from your chores!" She sighed and looked over to the pair. She gave them each a studying look before smiling and a small wave at them before trotting back to the orphanage. The three fillies were confused by the sudden break from the group.

"What a weird colt." Scootaloo said to the two, who exchanged glances with each other.

~~~***~~~

The night grew serene. The crickets chirping away and the wind blowing a light spring breeze. Ghost Pepper sighed as he flipped through the book. He had made progress in the story of Sherclop and the Timberwolves. In fact, he couldn't help but feel envious towards the detective's cunning. If only he was as clever as him. Maybe then he would have found a better way to end that confrontation with the three fillies. Why couldn't he say anything? And why were they being so nice to him? It was no strange for ponies to greet him. But what was strange about it was that they were not from the orphanage.

Ghost Pepper has met plenty that come and go. And yet, they all greeted him nicely until they are met with Alabaster and her influence. Then, he was given the same curtesy he still receives today. He can't remember the last time Alabaster had left him alone. It was like the moment she had entered the orphanage a long time ago, she somehow changed the whole morality. For better or worse. And Ghost Pepper was definitely feeling the worse of it. The colt groaned in frustration, trying to get the sour images of Alabaster's torture out of his mind and focused on the story. He was at the point of Sherclop deducing the Timberwolve's influence when the colt's candle suddenly blew out due to a passing breeze. He frowned and closed the book, placing it next to the story of Constance and Tussle.

He closed the window before trotting towards the bed and wrapping himself in the covers. 'Ready to sleep the night away and deal with more torture.' The colt sighed in defeat before the sweet embrace of sleep embraced him.

~~~oooOOOooo~~~

The colt sat quietly on the cold velvet seat of the train. Next to him sat a fancily dressed stout earth stallion with a bowler hat, looking down at a pocket watch. Across from them was a handsome earth pony in a brown coat and detective hat, enjoying a cold glass of red liquid.

"Sir, must you really drink at a time like this?" the stout stallion asked. The pony swished the liquid in the glass before taking a small sip.

"Come now, Wattson. There is no harm in drinking. I find it eases the mind." the stallion replied. Dr. Wattson harrumphed.

"If you call killing your brain cells a means of easing, then you would be out of the job ages ago." the detective Sherclop nickered.

"But of course, it is why you are here on our way to Ponyville, is it not?" the stout stallion sighed.

"Unfortunately." The colt looked on in awe at the detective. He couldn't believe he was sitting with the infamous detective himself. He shrunk a little when the detective looked his way.

"Child. Are you lost? I don't remember seeing you enter the cart." Ghost Pepper was too awe struck to reply.

"Where is your mother, child?" The question snapped back to attention. The colt suddenly bowed his head and sighed sadly.

"My mom died when I was born. Or... so I am told." the colt replied. Dr. Wattson seemed shocked.

"My words. I'm sorry to here that, boy. What about your father?" The colt shook his head.

"Died in a drunk chariot wreck." The colt questioned why they were asking him these questions. That fateful moment when the royal guards had come to his door and whisked him away from the comfort of his home and into the orphanage. He must have been three when it had happened. And seven years later, he still has yet to make an impression. The colt lost himself in thought before there was a knock on the door. The two companions glanced at one another before Dr. Wattson called out.

"Yes?" A soft voice called from the other side.

"I would like to speak to the detective on an important matter." It sounded angelic and soft. Sherclop and Wattson exchanged another glance before the detective pulled the door open and in walked a tall dark cloaked figure. Ghost Pepper watched in awe as the cloaked pony gave a small smile at the detective before taking a seat next to him.

"Well, this is unexpected. To what pleasure do I owe this confrontation?" Sherclop asked with an arched brow. The cloaked pony tossed her hood back, showing a brilliant midnight flowing mane and dark blue hide with sapphire eyes. She gave a kind smile in return.

"Oh nothing formal really. Just wanting to check up on the child here." Ghost Pepper blinked in confusion before shrinking a little into the seat. But the alicorn remained still and smiling ever so gently at him.

'What was going on?' The alicorn nodded before speaking.

"Hello, child. I take it from your expression that you know who I am. But you have no need to fear. I have not come here to harm you." Ghost Pepper indeed knew who this was. However, this is the second time he has seen her. Ghost Pepper finally willed himself to speak.

"Wh-why are you here?" he asked. Oh goddesses, what was he saying!? This is the Princess Luna! But the princess only smiled.

"I have just been doing my daily rounds when I happened to stumble upon yours." she replied soothingly to the colt. Yet, he only returned it with a cocked head. "A mind like yours is something I find interesting, but normal." She held out a hoof to him. "Mind if we take a small walk?" The colt furrowed his brows before hesitating in taking her hoof. As he did, he noticed the image of Sherclop and his companion shimmer into nothingness. Nothing except the stars. The colt looked around.

"Where are we?" he asked. Princess Luna smiled again.

"The Dream Plane. Here is where I walk in the night, studying the dreams and helping those troubled by them." she motioned her head with two big flaps of her wings, she and the colt flew through the stars. It was bizarre to the young colt. He figured the stars to be bigger. But as they flew through the Plane, he watched a small bright white speck passed by along with a few others. Surprise turned to wonder. He was really flying among the stars! The stars suddenly shimmered and the colt blinked. He realized they were now flying over clouds. The land below them but a patch of farmland. The colt smiled.

'This isn't so bad.' he thought. Yes, he was not that good of a flier just yet. But he was working on it. He then noticed Luna looking at him with that kind smile again.

"It is alright to let go of my hoof now, child." she said. The colt suddenly stiffened. But if he let go, wouldn't he fall? But something about the princess made him ease at the thought. He flapped his wings and slowly let go. He couldn't believe it. He was actually flying! The colt found himself laughing now. Before he knew it, he suddenly dipped into the clouds and spun before taking back off again. Remembering reading the basic and advance flight books he was given at the orphanage, the colt found it easier to do now. It was like he could be the best of the best. Probably as good of a flier as the Wonderbolts! And that is exactly what he did. He found himself suddenly racing along with the Wonderbolts.

The leader, Spitfire, motioning for them to break formation and converge. Ghost Pepper followed suite, keeping close to Soarin and the newly recruited Wonderbolt, Rainbow Dash. Together, the three dipped, spun and twirled in formation before regrouping back with the rest and letting out a cracking boom as they flew up. Rainbow Dash suddenly flew faster than the others and in a glorious light and a loud boom, the colt couldn't help but stare in awe. As he hovered in the sky and watching the Wonderbolts zip over head, he noticed Spitfire saluting to him before they disappeared behind the clouds. He laughed happily and was about to take off in pursuit when suddenly, he noticed another Wonderbolt fly past him. He arched a brow at the mare. No, it wasn't a mare.

Even the Wonderbolt noticed him and stopped before removing her googles.

"Hey, aren't you that colt from the orphanage?" the filly asked. He suddenly stiffened, feeling the fear come back. As he did, he suddenly lost the steady rhythm of his wings and flipped down into the clouds. The clouds shimmered around him. He was falling. He tried desperately to regain his flight, but to no avail. The area around him shimmered again and he saw the ground suddenly rise quicker then he had imagined.

~~~oooOOOooo~~~

The colt jolted awake, kicking off the covers. his heavy breathing only replied to him in the quietness. Taking a quick glance out the window, he saw the sun peeking over the horizon. And as the first rays of Celestia's sun shone into the room, the colt hugged himself. The fear was still there. And he quietly wept.

Somnus

Ghost Pepper frowned quietly. Breakfast period hasn't been too kind to him. Omelets and oat nuts. His eyes gazed at his playmate's plates. Each had their omelets and nuts in proper portion. However, despite being the first to rise early, he had found himself being passively shoved back into the back of the line. By the time it was his turn, Chef Whimsy scrapped the bottom of the pot and flipped over an omelet that had shades of dark brown flakes. He even had to scrape the bottom of the pan with the roasted oat nuts. And even they looked a tad darker than usual. And it wouldn't stop there. While the kids walked with proper portions, Ghost Pepper had only walked away with half that.

His plate looking empty before he had started on his third bite of the oat nuts. His omelet now cold and spongey. 'Just another morning of being the carpet.' he thought, finding the plate to be almost clean after his fourth bite. The colt sighed before pulling out the book he had under his wing and began reading. Sherclop Holmes was ready to begin deducing the culprit of the murder. Skillfully pointing out the hows and whys along with the baffled but surprisingly well caught on Dr. Wattson. Who would have thought it was the relative of the Rich family. Before he could really turn the page, he couldn't help but sense a presence looking at him. Rising from the book, he saw Alabaster being escorted by Merriweather and a short and stout red unicorn with a chestnut colored mane and orchid eyes.

He glanced between the three as Alabaster leaned in, her hoof supporting her on the table.

"So, who were those three you were talking to?" she asked. Ghost Pepper frowned but said nothing. Clearly, Alabaster wasn't just here to pester him about that. The filly noticed his contemplation. "I'm not going to do anything. I'm just curious as to who those three were." She rubbed her chin. "They definitely aren't apart of the orphanage. And they seem like they could get into all sorts of trouble." She then looked slyly at the colt, making him dread the reply he was going to respond with.

"I-I don't know..." The colt waited for Alabaster to toy with him on the matter. To his relief, Mother Wisp called to the children.

"Alright, dears. Today is going to be a special day." She looked at them with a smile. "We have four potential adoption pairs." The kids gasped in both excitement and dismay. Ghost Pepper narrowed his eyes at a smiling Alabaster who pat the shoulder of a sudden shocked Merriweather. "They will be pulling each of you in one at a time for an interview. In the meantime, begin your daily morning chores and begin studying for your quiz tomorrow. Dismissed." she turned to trot down the hall, leaving the children to discuss the matter.

"Alright! I can't wait to show them what I'm made of!" one filly exclaimed.

"I-I don't want to leave though..." a colt said not too far from the excited filly.

"Why not?" another filly asked.

"I don't want to leave my friends behind..." another stated somewhere behind Ghost Pepper.

"Hey, maybe we can finally show them that game you created!" He heard a colt say to Pallet.

"I-I don't know... do you think it's too confusing?" Pallet responded. Alabaster smiled at the shy grape colored filly next to her.

"Don't worry, Merriweather. You will do great! I'll even help too!" Alabaster looked at the colt through the corner of her eye. "Ghost Pepper, I expect you to be on your best behavior." Ghost Pepper frowned even more and watched as the three trotted out of the room with a few others. He bowed his head and looked at his spongey omelet.

"Good luck, Pepper." He turned to see Pallet smile at him reassuringly as he trotted past. Ghost Pepper sighed and quietly left the room. He turned and headed straight for the opened closet. Peering in, he saw nothing but a pale and a rag.

'Guess I'm wiping down today.' he thought depressingly as he took the empty pale handle in his teeth. The empty pale dangled with each step he took as the colt made his way outside and to a hose that wrapped around a beaten plastic hold. As he unfurled the hose, he couldn't help but hear something in the distance. It sounded like voices. He looked around, pin pointing the voices coming from around the corner. Peeking out, he saw the grounds keeper tending to the daisies in a flower bed. And he wasn't alone. A mare and another stallion in a fancy workers suite. The mare seemed to be dressed in a casual blouse over her blue hide and a sun hat donning over her long and neatly primed sapphire striped mane. The other stallion was chatting to the grounds keeper. The suite covered in dirt over his orange hide and a tattered hat donning his brown mane.

"... How long is it gonna take, Funnel?" the orange stallion asked. Funnel seemed to snap at him.

"Would you shut up about it? I'm still trying to look." the mare gave a sarcastic scoff before speaking.

"Maybe you are just not cut out for this job anymore." Funnel glared at the mare.

"Perhaps if you weren't lying on your back all day on a spring bed, maybe you can actually help me look?" The mare glared in return.

"What did you say?" she growled. The orange stallion sighed.

"Do you at least have an idea where she put it?" Funnel ruffled his mane, his hat falling off in the process.

"The nanny is being too tight lip on it. No matter what I do." The mare smirked, sending a shiver down the colt's spine. That didn't look like a good smirk.

"Feeling a little limp in the process?" Funnel turned and swung the back of a forehoof at her. The colt ducked back, hearing the hit. He peeked back out and saw the mare putting a shaky hoof to her cheek, the sun hat hiding her grim expression. She then marched off, heading in the colt's direction. As she did, the colt quickly rushed to the hose and turned it on, filling the pale slowly. He watched in quiet interest as the mare marched over to a chariot. Waiting a bit, he then quickly peeked back around the corner, seeing the two stallions chatting.

"You best keep that harlot strapped down." Funnel snapped. The orange stallion pat his shoulder reassuringly.

"She's getting my full attention tonight. But we are dead serious about this. Wherever Schnitzel put it, we will find it." Funnel snorted.

"We?" He pointed over to the direction of the mare. "That so called mare is sleeping with more ponies than you can count. And what are you doing about it? Chastising me on not finding that damn cache." He motioned to the gardens. "I've spent two years on this and you are telling me to hurry up? Why don't you grab the shovel and I get to have the full attention of her?" The orange stallion grinned slyly at the fuming gardener.

"At ease. We are doing our part in making sure the higher ups aren't going to interfere." He turned and dug out a pocket watch, checking the time. "Do whatever you must. But keep it on down low. We don't want this getting out."

"Please. They are just a bunch of kids. No pony believes kids anyway." Funnel retorted.

"Perhaps one or two. But the whole orphanage?" the stallion smirked at him. "That is blood on your hooves." Funnel watched the stallion trot in the colt's direction, making the child duck back and watch quietly.

"I'm not the one with blood on my hooves!" The colt heard Funnel say to the stallion. Ghost Pepper watched the stallion enter the chariot before it took off quickly down the dirt road. Narrowing his eyes, the colt peeked back around the corner and saw Funnel quietly fuming. Picking up his hat and dusting it off, his eyes met the colt's. He spat before trotting off into the shed. Ghost Pepper darted his eyes in thought. What had he just witnessed? Something wasn't right about the whole thing. The mare and orange stallion gave off bad vibes. But why were they chastising the gardener? Does he really know them? His thought ended when he noticed the pale suddenly overflowing with water.

"Ahh, Buck!" he quickly turned the water off and dumped the excess before taking it in his teeth and trotting into the orphanage.

~~~***~~~

Ghost Pepper noticed kids being called in while they were cleaning. The interviews were well under way. When the short and stout filly was called in, she had forgotten she was supporting a pale of water. As she turned, the pale fell and splattered on the floor, much to the groans of protest from the others. Ghost Pepper frowned as the water trailed down over to him. Looking to see if any of the others would help him, sighing when none had offered, he quietly moved the rage over the water. His ear twitched when he heard a knock coming form the front door.

Again, the colt looked to see if any of the others would volunteer to get it. He sighed before finally reaching for the door and opened it.

"Hey, it's you!" the colt shrunk back behind the door, peeking out meekly from behind it. The yellow filly, Applebloom as she called herself, smiled at him. He noticed the other two behind her. And not only that, the wagon they had was full of small sacks of apples. With them at the wagon was also a freckled orange mare with a blonde mane and a brown desperado hat, who had started unloading one sack with ease. Ghost Pepper looked at each of them, studying their motives. His train of thought cut off by the sudden nanny appearing beside him.

"Why, hello! What are you three doing here?" Mother Wisp asked with a smile. The three fillies saluted to the nanny.

"We are the Cutie Mark Crusaders!" Applebloom stated proudly. Mother Wisp gave a small but confused smile at them.

"Crusaders?" she asked. The white unicorn filly, Sweetie Bell if memory serves the colt right, happily nodded.

"That we are, ma'am! Our job is to help the other colts and fillies find their cutie marks!" She looked to her flank, seeing the shield with a musical note surrounded by a star. Now that the colt took more time to look, the three had almost similar marks. However, the symbols in the middle of the shield were more unique to them. Applebloom with the cutie mark of an apple surrounding a small heart. And the orange filly, Scootaloo as he remembers, had a wing surrounding lightning. Mother Wisp then spotted the orange mare walking up to them with two sacks full of apples.

"How interesting. And hello, Applejack. It's a pleasure to see you again." The orange mare tipped her hat with a smile.

"Afternoon, Mother Wisp." the mare greeted. "Having yer' hooves full at the moment?" Mother Wisp chuckled before shaking her head.

"Not at all. I was, in fact, expecting you." she opened the door fully, causing the colt to back up a little to the side, motioning for them to enter. "The kids are being interviewed at the moment, but they always love it when you bring apples from the orchard." She looked at the three fillies who were hard at work on unloading the apple sacks. "And you appear to not be alone this time." Applejack nodded.

"My lil' sis wanted to do the honor of deliverin' the apples this month." she smiled to the three as an apple sack plopped on the ground and Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo struggled to drag it across the dirt ground. "Said she ran into one of yer' kids yesterday." The colt felt his dread deepen. Oh no... they told her about him? Mother Wisp clapped her hooves together.

"Of course! I remember Alabaster telling me that they were talking to dear Ghost Pepper here." She looked at the colt now, who was quietly tip hoofing away from the conversation. He suddenly felt his tail being gripped by magic and dragged back to her, making him stare blankly and fearfully at the orange mare. The mare smiled and tipped her hat.

"Well, howdy, sport. You the colt my sis ran into?" The colt said nothing, but continued to stare up at the mare. Mother Wisp nudged him.

"Don't be shy dear. Why don't you go help your little friends with the wagon?" Again he was nudged forward. He slowly passed the orange mare, not bothering to look before heading over to the wagon. Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell had just gotten back from unloading the first apple sack into the storage shed and Applebloom heaved another sack out to the ground. She smiled and waved at the colt.

"Well, howdy! Wanna help with the wagon?" she asked. Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell struggled to drag another sack across the ground. The young colt contemplated. 'Should I really be doing this? We only met yesterday and they are acting like I know them.' He looked at another apple sack that Applebloom heaved from the wagon. He poked it gently before looking up at the two who had finally placed the second apple sack into the shed. Applebloom hopped out and gripped a corner of the sack with her teeth and pulled. Surprisingly, she was able to drag it away from the wagon with ease before she had gotten it stuck on a tree root.

Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo rushed over and tried to help. But they were getting no where. The colt rubbed his chin. Why wasn't Scootaloo picking it up from the air? She is a Pegasus right? He got his answer when he noticed her wings buzzing almost like a bugs and hadn't gained any height. Ghost Pepper felt bad now. He opened his mouth to say something. But then closed it, remembering a passage from the tale of Constance and Tussle.

"Actions speak louder than words." Constance had said to a disgruntled banker at Tussle's sudden help. He took a deep breath and flapped his wings, gaining a small bit of height, but enough to hover over the sack. As he did, he gripped the bag with his teeth and pulled up, causing the sack to lift over the root and the fillies were able to get the sack in with ease. Taking a moment's breather, the fillies hoof clapped each other before turning to the colt.

"Thanks a bunch." Scootaloo smiled. The colt rubbed his foreleg shyly.

"E-erm... why didn't..." he began. The three looked at him confusedly. He took another deep breath. "W-why didn't you fly up to lift the bag?" The three took a moment before realizing that Scootaloo was being addressed. She the rubbed the back of her head before speaking.

"It's a long story." she said with a small hint of sadness. Ghost Pepper caught it and the fear came back again. Oh goddesses, he said something bad. Something that shouldn't have been brought up. To his surprise though, the filly smiled and nudged him. "But I'm not too worried about it. What about you? You seem like you know what you are doing." Ghost Pepper stuttered again. What should he say? The three looked at him, waiting patiently for him to respond. When no words came out, the awkward moment was broken by Applebloom.

"Well, we still have two more sacks to unload. You're welcome to help if ya' like." Ghost Pepper said nothing but nodded quietly, following the three and helping with the last two. Once the sacks were settled, Ghost Pepper closed the shed and sighed.

'I really bucked this one over.' he thought sadly to himself. They were being nice and in return he had asked something awful. And as much as the filly brushed it off, he couldn't help but see that it bugged her. Albeit, not as much as it used too it seems. But the colt still felt heavy in the heart for asking such a question. He was then tapped on the shoulder, making him stiffen and turn quickly. He saw Applebloom smile at him.

"Thanks fer' the help. I still didn't catch yer' name." The colt arched a brow. He swallowed his shaky breath before speaking.

"I-it's.... Ghost Pepper." Applebloom smiled again and held out a hoof. The colt looked at it confusedly.

"Nice to meet ya', Ghost Pepper." The colt hesitantly took the hoof and they shook. He found himself easing a bit.

'This.... isn't so bad, I guess.' he thought with a small smile. That was when they heard a soothing sound. The filly looked around, seeing the other two walk up to her with the same questioning looks.

"What's that sound?" Scootaloo asked.

"It sounds like a violin." Sweetie Bell stated. Ghost Pepper nodded. He knew exactly who plays the violin in the orphanage. And not only that, it was accompanied by a soothing voice, singing harmoniously to the strings. For a moment, the world seemed to slow to listen to the voice and soothing melody. Ghost Pepper, without so much as a thought, trotted over to a window and climbed up a box. Peeking in, he saw ponies in the room. A mare and a stallion, staring in awe as a snow white filly with a blonde mane sat to the side with the violin. She stroked the bow across the strings with such perfection that the notes continued in rhythm. The one singing in an angelic voice however, was a grape colored filly who had always followed her around like a puppy. Merriweather was singing nothing in particular, but rising and descending her voice along with the notes.

Alabaster had her eyes closed, stroking the bow slowly across the violin. Her expression was calm and in thought. The colt hadn't noticed the other three peeking in with him. They were awe struck.

"Whoa... she's good." Sweetie Bell said. Ghost Pepper sighed. He had to agree with her. As much torture and influence she brings, her sense of justice is clear. And as the grape colored filly finished her song, she looked shyly at the parents.

"I... I can't believe what I just heard." the mare said, utterly baffled by the display she had witnessed. Mother Wisp and Applejack were in the room as well. Mother Wisp was wiping her eyes with a handkerchief while the orange mare smiled and tipped her hat.

"Well now. That's about an amazing voice 'Ah ever heard." Applejack said. Mother Wisp nodded before looking to the fillies.

"Thank you, Alabaster. Merriweather." Alabaster smiled and shouldered her violin. Merriweather slid off the chair and trotted shyly out of the room with a confident Alabaster at her side. Ghost Pepper pulled away, causing Sweetie Bell to turn to him.

"They are definitely getting adopted after that!" she said with a smile. Scootaloo agreed with a nod.

"No way can anyone top that!" Applebloom looked to Ghost Pepper.

"What about you, Pepper?" she asked. Ghost Pepper said nothing. He knew what was going to happen next. It was the same thing over and over. No matter how impressive or stunned, it was the same answer. And Alabaster would refuse. Because she holds too much influence in this place. Ghost Pepper had found himself suddenly trotting quietly into the orphanage, ignoring the confused looks from the three fillies. Turning down to the hall and heading up the stairs, he saw that some of the doors were closed now. And while the kids were studying for the quiz, the halls remained quiet.

Alabaster and Merriweather have definitely made an impression. But it was always the same answer. And as the colt trotted down the hall, he could hear the soothing sound of a violin in the room next to his. The door slightly ajar. He peeked in and saw Alabaster stroking the violin with the bow. Merriweather was no where to be seen. In fact, the bed next to hers was barren. Empty even. She made an impression and it worked. And as the young snow white filly strummed the last note, she held it to her chest. A small sound escaping her throat.

"The price I vowed to pay." she whispered to herself. Ghost Pepper quietly stepped back and walked into his own room, leaving his torturer to her thoughts. Making his way to his desk, he pulled out a text book and quietly read a page.

'Four potential parents.' He thought. Why had Mother Wisp said "each and everyone"? The interviews didn't last long. And the doors that were once open were now closed. That day reminded him. Reminded him why they are here. The years of spending time with the others were natural. But having to find that something has changed made it... scary. And he wasn't the only one scared. And while the three fillies he had left all of a sudden were now packing up and heading out with the orange mare on the wagon, he turned back to the book and read. The sound of a violin moving through his mind.

The same answers over and over again. And tonight, sixteen were left to study. Each with their doors closed, signaling that they are quietly enthralled in their own space. All except one. The perfect inspiration she gave to all of them. The soothing music that helped eased their troubled minds. Ghost Pepper felt his eyes heavy. Music is nice. A lullaby for his thoughts. The day went into night and the halls remained quiet. Quiet, except for the soothing melody.

~~~oooOOOooo~~~

The melody was soothing. Ghost Pepper found himself in a trance. Music is nice. He listened closely to the melody. It was sad. Almost as if it was crying out. Then, he heard the voice. Young and angelic. The colt blinked once, finding himself surrounded by ponies. Ponies he couldn't make out the faces of. And not only that, he looked down at himself. he was dressed in a penguin tuxedo. Confusion came to mind. Why was he here? And why is this lullaby so clear? Looking ahead, he saw a stage. It was spacey and circular. The lights were dim, all except for a spotlight on a mare. A beautiful mare. One who he couldn't help but feel she was familiar.

"Tis a soothing melody." he heard a voice next to him. He looked to his right and saw a tall and elegant alicorn in a black as night dress. Her flowing mane was wrapped into a pony tail. the colt found it fascinating and odd at the style of mane choice. But another thought came to mind. Why is she here? " Do you know where exactly this is?" Ghost Pepper arched a brow before realizing he was being addressed.

"A... stadium of some kind?" the colt responded. Princess Luna nickered quietly before looking ahead at the performance.

"Not quite." She smiled. The colt rubbed his chin.

"A dream?" he asked. The princess nodded.

"The real question you should be asking thy self. Whose dream?" Ghost Pepper rubbed the back of his mane.

"Umm... I'm not sure." He looked to watch as the mare slowly strummed the violin with a bow. The crowd quiet and attentive. That was when he heard a small gasp.

"She's beautiful!" He looked and balked at the very young and small filly next to him. No wonder the mare looked familiar. Alabaster stared in star struck awe at the mare in the spotlight. She happily beamed at the stallion next to her. The colt darted his eyes in thought at the filly. He then looked to the princess, hoping she would provide the answers. But the alicorn continued to smile at the performance.

"I am no stranger to dreams like hers. It is one of my duties as the Princess of the Night." Princess Luna's horn glowed and the spotlight became a glimmer spectacle. The sight stole the colt's breath away. "Dreams like these are memories. But in thou case, you can easily change its course." This was all so strange. What was the princess getting at? That he could change a dream's course? The colt looked at the glimmers from the light. He could almost imagine them as stars. He blinked once and gasped. The glimmers were indeed that. Small little star specs floating around the mare. He heard the young Alabaster let out a breath and stare happily at the sight. The innocence clearly displayed on her face. This was completely different to the filly he knew.

"So... I'm in her dream, yet... I can change it's course?" Princess Luna nodded to the colt.

"You can change a dreams course. Anyone of our subjects can. But only a few are aware." The colt looked up at the princess. He couldn't help but notice her eyes darting the scene. Was she... looking for something? Her expression went from motherly to grim in a blink of an eye. That was when the colt noticed ponies from the crowd suddenly stand up while a few were rushing away from their seats. It didn't take him long to realize what was going on. on the stage was no longer the mare, but a pile of debris. Destroyed catwalk metal and railing along with lights and sandbags. The music was silent now. He looked and balked at the sudden change of the filly's expression.

Alabaster at first couldn't register what had happened.

"M-momma?" Ghost Pepper stood up and put a hoof on her shoulder.

"Alabaster? What's going on?" He looked to the grim looking princess. "What's going on?"

"A mind like yours is something I find interesting, yet normal." The princess suddenly said. "But it can be blessing and a curse. Do not give in to your nightmare, child. It is your domain." Ghost Pepper furrowed his brows and looked back at Alabaster. She was no longer tiny, but the same filly he knew now. She was strumming the violin. He looked around, seeing that the stage was no longer a scene. Just a black empty void. With only the accompaniment of the two and the melody.

"A price I vowed to pay." Alabaster said suddenly as she stopped playing. Ghost Pepper again furrowed his brows in worry.

"Alabaster, what was all that?" he asked. It took a moment, but the filly finally responded to his touch. She blinked in confusion.

"P-Pepper?" Ghost Pepper was about to respond when he suddenly heard the sound of creaking metal. He and Alabaster looked up just in time to see a heavy spot light fall down on them.

~~~oooOOOooo~~~

Ghost Pepper jolted up from his bed. His heavy breath disrupting the quietness of his room. He kicked off the covers and rushed to the window. Early dawn. The colt withdrew form the window and looked over to his door. Only silence. The image of Alabaster and the stage came back to him.

'What was all that?' the pegasus thought to himself. 'And what was the princess trying to tell me?' She had told him that his mind is interesting to her. But what was normal about it? And why did they meet under those circumstances? so many questions were running through his mind. The colt shook away the thought. He had other important matters to attend too. today was the quiz. And he needed to be at the top of his game. And more so, he wanted to try and at least discuss what he had witnessed. But he was fearful of the thought. That would mean confronting his torturer. The very pony that made him dread his waking existence.

He can only hope that nothing too bad will happen. 'But of course, this is Alabaster I am talking about.' he thought. It would take some convincing to do. And what no better way than to get a little help from a certain detective from a book. Taking the Sherclop book under his wing, the colt rushed out of his room and straight down to the dinner hall. If he wanted answers, he needed to figure out the motive. Time for a little recon.

The Writer and the Artist

Mother Wisp watched the children explicitly. Ghost Pepper found it a tad worrisome about the nanny looking on as they quizzed with nothing to do. And more importantly for the colt, the quiz happened to be a simple question and answer.

1. Who is responsible for the setting of the sun and rising of the moon?

Answer: Princess Luna rises the moon.

2. Who holds power over the economic society in Ponyville?

Answer: Filthy Rich.

3. You are a bureaucrat tasked with deciding who owns land and who doesn't. A family of three asks if they can buy some land to till their crops. What would you do?

Answer: Negotiate a trade. Ask for the crops to be sold and pay the family with reasonable sales on their product.

The colt's mind wondered not surprisingly long after the fifth question. In fact, he began thinking of another scenario. As much as Sherclop Holmes has interested him with the mystery, the pegasus once again figuring a way things could have gone differently for Constance and Tussle. And to make it a bit more interesting to the colt, he decided to add in a displaced Sherclop himself. The colt stopped at his introduction.

'But wait... they are from two different places... why would they...?' He heard the sound of a wooden snap that made him stiffen and look up. Mother Wisp was eyeing his direction with a skeptical look and a foot long ruler. Ghost Pepper quickly ducked back into the paper and began furiously writing quick guesses to the questions. When he had finished, he looked back up to see Mother Wisp smile before glancing at the rest of the room. A quiet breath to ease the colt. His gaze then fell to the back of a long silky blond mane. The image of the mare on the stage and her younger self.

Despite being the same age, she has shown more maturity than the rest of the kids in the orphanage. Another sign of how much influence she has with the decrepit place. Ghost Pepper sighed quietly. How in the world is he going to make her come clean? He can't confront her normally. She would just write him off or shrug him away like she always did. Probably criticize him for bothering her rather than doing any work. Which is not the case. The colt saw himself as the go to helper. He would even gladly help Mother Wisp with the more back breaking work. The more the colt ran this through his head, the more his dread made him realize why he had become the walking carpet. He then looked to the right of the filly.

The back of Merriweather visible. But her expression was hidden by her bangs. Ghost Pepper furrowed his brows.

'Why does she keep following her like a puppy?' The colt saw Alabaster at first as somepony who came from a higher class. Nothing but a snooty and all around bratty spoiled child. But after three days, she had shown him up. She had a very conclusive opinion about him. Ever since the favorite teddy bear of Merriweather was destroyed and him being the whipping boy and taking the blame. And yet, the colt responsible for the incident had been long adopted, the blame had stuck with him for five years. Again, the colt remained quiet, his thoughts running through his head.

'Should I write a letter? No, she would think it would be a bit creepy. What about giving her false intel and then cornering her at one of the dead end halls?' The colt blinked at the latter thought. 'That seems a little scary even for me.' The colt rubbed his temples, scrunching his face. 'Maybe ask her to meet me by the oak tree and then discuss it there? That seems a more safe driven idea. But she would see through it instantly.' Ghost Pepper couldn't understand why it was difficult to get her to come alone. Another thought came to mind. What if he can't get her talk at all? This whole thing could be a big waste of time. He leaned back on his chair and looked at the blank ceiling. Again, he darted his eyes in thought.

Visualizing ideas and scenarios in his head and having it scrawl out on the ceiling. The words weaved in his mind and the images played out like a movie projector. But there were so many choice. Which one could he possibly use that can get her to talk about that dream? Ghost Pepper's thoughts were broken when Mother Wisp cleared her throat. He looked to see her eyeing him again with a  stern look. Only this time, she was at his desk. He looked to see his playmates looking at him patiently. A stack of papers floating next to her.

"Pepper, I hope you have finished your quiz and not have drifted off into dream land." she said sternly. Ghost Pepper felt a touch of red on his cheeks as he gave his paper to her. She looked it over quickly before smiling. "Well then, children. I appreciate your dedication to your studies. And since you all have been on good behavior, I have a special surprise for you all." The remaining kids began murmuring to each other. "I have a friend in Ponyville who has agreed to host a field trip." Gasps of excitement escaped them next. "We are going to Ponyville to visit her as we attend a festival to celebrate the princesses visit to Ponyville." More excited murmurs.

"Will Pinkie Pie be there?" one filly asked. Mother Wisp giggled.

"Oh, I'm sure she is planning something even bigger than last time."

"What about Rainbow Dash! She's pretty cool!" A colt stated. "She's with the Wonderbolts!" Again, the nanny smiled.

"I'm sure she has a performance raring to go."

"Will Applejack have more apple pie?" Another colt asked. Mother Wisp winked.

"Darn tootin'." More murmurs of excitement. Mother Wisp held up a hoof. "Alright, dears. Quiet down." She scanned the room. "Now, I know you are all excited about the event. But I have to make some ground rules before we begin." Murmurs of dismay. "Rule number one. You are to stick with your partner through out the field trip. You must stick close and no wondering off. That goes for you, Mutton." A groan of understanding came from a young colt in the back of the room. "Rule number two. If you do get lost. Head towards the fountain and wait there patiently. Rule number three." She looked at the children. "You are free to wonder to the nearby stores, but please stay within the center of Ponyville. Me and Funnel will be watching over you all, so please bear in mind. And lastly." She looked at the young pegasus colt, causing him to arch a brow. "Have fun."

The colt slumped a little. He knew well what she meant. But the only problem was that everyone already had picked out their partners. Leaving him to look at them expectantly. Hoping that one of them would offer to be his partner. When non had, he sighed and stood up, leaving the chattering room, not realizing he caught the attention of one pony.

"U-umm... I'll be your partner if you want." Ghost Pepper stopped and looked. He was about to turn the corner at the hallway when he was addressed. Pallet, the cream colored colt with an artist beret and a yellow scarf rubbed his foreleg with his other one. The pegasus colt arched a brow, unexpected of the sudden confrontation.

"O-oh?" he started. "D-don't you usually go with Crumb Cake?" Pallet bowed his head.

"He... got adopted." he said sadly. Ghost Pepper didn't know what else to say. Pallet and Crumb were practically inseparable. There was never a moment when the both of them would sit together in arts and craft and just draw to their heart's content. Even outside of arts and craft, they would pretty much draw and draw and draw. They even made a little game that was kind of hard to understand for the young colt. Pallet sighed. "I just thought... you would like to partner up?" Ghost Pepper again was uncertain of how to respond. He almost felt guilty about it. He darted his eyes in thought. Remembering a passage from the tale of Constance and Tussle.

They were practically strangers and didn't hit if off at the start. But they eventually became inseparable themselves. Without a pass of words, the colt nodded hesitantly. Pallet gave a small smile. "Thanks Pepper. I'm not sure who else I could actually turn too." Ghost Pepper arched a questioning brow.

"What do you mean?" Pallet realized what he had said before rubbing the back of his head.

"W-well, I just thought that maybe... that you would be okay with it since everyone seems to avoid you." Ghost Pepper felt like a knife got struck through his heart. 'What cruel world have I've been brought into?'

~~~***~~~

A bus carriage had waited outside. Funnel tightened his reigns before nodding to the nanny.

"All set, ma'am." Mother Wisp smiled.

"Alright, dears. Remember what I've said and please becareful." The children rushed into the bus carriage excitedly. Ghost Pepper watched as Funnel growled quietly in annoyance as the kids shouted and rocked the bus. Clearly, the gardener wasn't too pleased with this. The image of him hitting the mare came back to Ghost Pepper. 'What was all that about?' He was almost tempted to ask, but thought better of it. Perhaps it's best not to get involved. Adults tend to sort things out themselves. As him and Pallet got on the bus, the colt noticed the gardener glancing quickly at him suspiciously. Taking a seat, the two sat quietly as they watched the rest of the children talked amongst themselves happily. Ghost Pepper adjusted a light blue and white pattern scarf around his neck.

Ghost Pepper never really liked going out of the orphanage without his scarf. He can't remember when he had gotten it. It has been with him ever since he came here. And whenever Mother Wisp decide to take the children down to Ponyville for special events and birthday parties, he would bring it with him. The scarf, being a little too big on the young colt, was tattered on the amount of times he had worn it to and fro. It even had small stitches where Mother Wisp had fixed the tears to the best of her abilities. But even that didn't stop him from wearing it. Even on a warm spring day. Pallet looked at the young colt.

"Isn't it a bit warm to be wearing a scarf?" he asked. Ghost Pepper sighed quietly, adjusting it to non-agreeable position that caused him to give up entirely.

"I know that... it's just..." how can the colt put it? He wasn't sure why or how it was in his possession. But he felt like it had some sort of significant meaning to his past life. "It's a long story." Pallet rubbed the back of his head.

"I don't mind stories." Ghost Pepper arched a brow at him. "I feel that telling a story is another form of art." This was true. Being an beginner writer himself, he found it fascinating to jot ideas down on a piece of paper. It was like he could bring anything he want to life by just thinking it. And the thought of seeing another world he created come to life was fun. The only hard part was trying to picture it perfectly without some means of inspiration. And the colt struggled with this greatly. It's a wonder why he could never come to a happy conclusion of his revision in Constance and Tussle.

"So..." Ghost Pepper hesitated, unsure of what to bring up. "What... do you draw exactly?" Pallet smiled and reached back into his saddle bag, pulling out a sketch book that has seen better days.

"Oh, all kinds of things! Like this, for instance!" He flipped through doodles before reaching one he thought would interest him. He held up the book and the young colt noticed something familiar about it.

"Isn't that Tea Stout?" he asked. Pallet blinked and looked at it, a touch of red on his cheeks.

"O-oh, not that one! I-I mean this one!" he again held up a picture and this time, it was a sketched image of the oak tree down a dirt path. Ghost Pepper studied the drawing, seeing the smooth lines and texture that was added in for detail. Even the leaves on it looked like they were the real deal. Ghost Pepper was impressed.

"That's actually... really good." he said. Pallet smiled, still red at the cheeks.

"But that's not all I can do. Check this out!" he flipped through pages again before coming to a stop at a picture. It was a colored one. Ghost Pepper saw it as a back side image of Mother Wisp behind a desk and looking at a chalk board. She had chalk in her magic and was in the process of writing a sentence. In fact, the picture reminded Ghost Pepper.

"Isn't that when she taught us literature?" he asked. Pallet nodded.

"Yeah! And also, this one!" the eager young artist spent the time showing Ghost Pepper his creations as the carriage began heading towards Ponyville. And as the colt talked excitedly to Ghost Pepper about his inspirations and life drawings of some of the kids in the orphanage, he couldn't help but felt like he had missed out a lot of it. The more he talked about his art, the more Ghost Pepper suddenly begin having a thought. And it wasn't about the one of Constance and Tussle.

No, to him, this thought was something more unique. An idea he felt that could probably work. All he needed was an edge. Pallet continued to talk before realizing Ghost Pepper bow his head in thought. The colt flushed.

"S-sorry if I talk a lot. I-I don't mean to annoy you." Ghost Pepper shook his head.

"You're fine. I just had a thought occurred to me." Pallet seemed relieved before putting down his sketch book.

"Oh?" Yes, it's perfect! Well, more or less to the colt. But where should he start? So many thoughts were running through his head on how he can go about it. Even Pallet was curious as to what was going on through his head. "Pepper?" he looked at him and rubbed the back of his head.

"O-oh sorry. What were you saying?"

~~~***~~~

As the bus carriage arrived into the center of Ponyville, the kids hopped out with their partners and lined up as they waited for Mother Wisp to speak. After discussing rules with Funnel and a purple mare with a bubblegum striped mane and smiling daisies for a cutie-mark, she turned and smiled at them.

"Alright, dears. Remember the rules and no wondering off outside of the plaza." she turned to the mare. "Ms. Cheerilee will also be supervising this trip along with her own class. Feel free to partner up with them if you feel two isn't enough. Dismis-" again the nanny was cut off as the children bolted from the line and went their ways around the festival. Ghost Pepper looked on in awe at the festivities. Ponyville does get lively as an event starts out. Most of its' residents do their part in setting up banners, helping with games and activities, music and performances. There is one pony, however, that the children truly enjoy more. An overly excited and cheerful pink earth pony, who was bouncing around on her hooves. She was balancing ten pies on her head with such grace that the colt couldn't figure out how she was able to do it.

She stopped in front of a stand where he noticed a familiar looking orange mare behind it.

"Thanks fer' your help, sugar cube." Applejack smiled. Pinkie Pie made a motion with her hoof in a cool like manner.

"No sweat, cus'! Buuut, I do have one eeny-tiniee-bitty favor to ask of you." the energetic mare said. Applejack tipped her hat.

"Sure." Pinkie Pie immediately tossed her head up and the pies landed perfectly on the counter. She grabbed three of them in an elastic like manner before smiling.

"Mind if I borrow some of them for a performance? I really think it'll do great if I used your pies! And it might even bring more business!" Applejack chuckled.

"Shoot, why not? Just don't go making too much of a scene." she said before realizing Pinkie Pie had already dug into one of the pies. She lifted her head, chewing happily before giving a sheepish smile.

"Whoopsies! Right, performance!" With that, the pink earth pony quickly zipped away, leaving Ghost Pepper to question how fast she went. He thought better than to ask before realizing Pallet had trotted over to the stand. Ghost Pepper quickly trotted up in time to see Applejack smile.

"Well howdy, sugar cubes. What can 'Ah do ya' for?" the mare asked before noticing Ghost Pepper. "Oh hey! Thanks fer' helpin' my sis and her friends yesterday." Ghost Pepper wanted to say to her it was no problem, but he again had that feeling that washed over him, making him shiver a little and adjust his scarf. Pallet admired the pies on the stand, his mouth watering at the sight.

"They look so delicious." he said. Applejack leaned over the counter to see them better.

"Yeup! Apple Family recipe, just like always." she looked around before winking at them. "Granny Smith made them extra special for the festival." Pallet licked his lips.

"How much?" he asked. Ghost Pepper arched a questioning brow at the artist before the orange mare nodded.

"Only five bits." She then waved a hoof over the counter, motioning to the apple sacks sitting in the front. "Or an apple for only two bits." Pallet dug into his saddle bag. Only to give a defeated sigh. Ghost Pepper nodded to himself quietly.

'We are street urchins. We don't necessarily come off as the one's with an allowance.' the colt thought to himself. But, that didn't mean Mother Wisp had tried. About two years back, Ghost Pepper remembers when the late janitor Weiss no longer showed up and they were tasked with cleaning, she made it an effort to try and give them an allowance. The one who did the better job not only got to be activity manager, but get paid a little more than everyone else, a balance the nanny thought was a good idea at the time. Unfortunately, one bad apple ruins them all. And that is precisely what the colt did. The one responsible for Pepper's bad name also was the one who wanted to get a little more out of his own work.

He even bullied some of the kids to let him take the credit for their work. Of course, Alabaster had tried to bring this up with the nanny, but her nemesis was more clever than she thought. And when he finally got adopted, the atmosphere had dramatically changed with the children. 'Goddesses help the poor souls who are tasked with him now.' He thought. His train of thought was broken when one of the apple sacks burst open and a yellow filly in a red mane and big bow shouted happily.

"Buy some apples!" she looked at the startled colts before sheepishly smiling at her older sister, who was giving her a stern glare. "Ehehe, sorry."

"Applebloom, you know better." Applejack said sternly. The young filly sighed as she crawled out of the sack and landed on her stomach.

"'Ah know." she then looked up and her eyes fell to Ghost Pepper. "Oh hey! it's you again!" Ghost Pepper had no idea how to respond. Again, he felt himself frozen in place. 'Why must I be tortured like this? I get it plenty from Alabaster!' he thought.  Even Pallet seemed a little startled by the sudden address.

"Pepper, you know her?" he asked. Applebloom stood up and dusted herself off.

"'Course! He helped us with the apples back at the orphanage." she said with a  smile. She then rubbed her chin and studied the artist. "Who are you?" Pallet smiled.

"I'm Pallet Brush. But most of my friends just call me Pallet." he said. He then looked to Ghost Pepper. "I didn't know you knew someponies outside of the orphanage." Ghost Pepper again found it hard to respond. In fact, he had barely taken a step back before shivering.

"I-It was only two days ago..." he mumbled as he adjusted his scarf. The two arched a brow at him before turning back to their conversation. Applebloom smiled and held out a hoof.

"Name's Applebloom." Pallet took her hoof and they shook. Ghost Pepper watched quietly.

'So, that's how they greet each other?' he thought to himself. A piece of his idea was in place. In fact, maybe he could use this confrontation for his characters. Perfect! Applebloom turned to him.

"Umm, sorry for bringin' this up. But I couldn't help but notice you haven't gotten yer' cutie mark yet." Ghost Pepper looked at her before turning to his flank. He sighed before nodding. That was when the filly rubbed her chin in thought, before beaming at an idea. "I have an idea!" she turned to her big sister. "Mind if I take them off of ya' fer' a bit?" Applejack sighed and nodded with a small smile.

"Alright, but you better git' back here in time for the festival." she said. Applebloom was already grabbing ahold of both of the colt's legs and dragging them along as she galloped past her.

"Cool, thanks!" Ghost Pepper found it strange. He was running alongside Pallet and Applebloom down the street and taking a left. Ghost Pepper suddenly skidded to a halt, making the two turn to him. "What's wrong?" the filly asked. Ghost Pepper shivered quietly, adjusting his scarf again.

"U-umm... we aren't supposed to leave the plaza." he said. Pallet rubbed his chin.

"Oh right. Mother Wisp did say that we weren't supposed to do that." Applebloom frowned.

"Well, shoot. I was hopin' I take ya' to the club house." Ghost Pepper perked up a little.

"C-club house?" Applebloom smiled and pointed down the road.

"It's not too far from here. I have a couple of friends waitin' fer' me there anyway." Pallet beamed.

"I've never been to a club house before!" he then looked at Ghost Pepper. "Please? Can we go?" the pegasus looked at him before looking back towards the plaza. He bit his lip in hesitation. He then looked back to Pallet, giving him puppy dog eyes. The colt sighed in defeat.

"O-okay. But we have to be back for-" he didn't get to finish when Applebloom quickly grabbed his foreleg.

"Awesome! Let's go!" Again, he found himself running alongside the two. A sense of dread came to him.

'I hope I won't regret this...' he thought miserably.

We Are Crusaders

Having finally reaching a small bit of the apple orchard not too far off from Ponyville, the young pegasus colt began to have more dreaded thoughts about this whole thing. And the panic was increasing ever more when Applebloom opened the door and he saw Scootaloo and Sweetibelle huddled around a small drawing of a map. Pallet even seemed startled by the other two as Applebloom walked over to them.

"Hey guys! We have visitors!" Applebloom announced. Ghost Pepper found himself ducking slightly behind Pallet as the two other fillies rose their heads from the poorly drawn map and looked at them. Pallet smiled and waved.

"Hiya! I'm Pallet Brush. And this is..." Pallet looked next to him, only to find Ghost Pepper quietly trying to sneak out of the clubhouse. Pallet smiled before wrapping a hoof around the colt and bringing him around and in front. "Ghost Pepper." The colt looked at them, the feeling increasing even more. Sweetie Belle smiled while Scootaloo rubbed her chin and furrowed her brows at the colt. Ghost Pepper shivered a bit.

'Does she remember? Does she know? Oh goddesses, what do I do!?' Ghost Pepper felt the sweat drip from his brow. Pallet arched a brow worriedly at him before smiling back at the fillies.

"So... what exactly do you guys do around here?" he asked. Applebloom trotted over to the map and scanned it quickly before responding.

"Well, lots of things! Like... err..." Applebloom faltered and rubbed her mane.

"Things!" Scootaloo said quickly. Everyone looked at her confusedly. "Things that uhh... do things!" Sweetie Belle sighed and spoke up.

"To be honest, we are not really sure anymore. I mean, we still help ponies discover what their cutie-marks really mean but... things have been a little lacking as of late." she said. Ghost Pepper did his best to keep his composure before speaking.

"L-lacking?" he asked with a squeak. Applebloom sighed and nodded.

"We've been lookin' over the map of Ponyville to find somethin' that we can try ta' do. But it's nothin' like the map my sis had described." she said. Pallet perked up.

"Mind if I see that map?" he asked. The three looked at each other before stepping aside.

"Uh, sure?" Scootaloo said. Pallet trotted over to the map and looked it over. He then frowned before reaching back into his saddle bag and pulling out an ink pen. Without a skip of a beat, he flipped the paper over to a blank side and quickly started scratching the pen on the paper. Ghost Pepper bit his lip nervously. He wasn't liking the time being spent away from the center. He wanted to get back to the plaza before anypony noticed. Unfortunately, he was unaware that he had indeed caught certain attention.

~~~****~~~

Alabaster and Merriweather hid behind a bush just outside of the clubhouse. The young snow white filly frowned slightly, seeing the top of a cerulean mane that belonged to Ghost Pepper through the window. Merriweather winced when a small bit of branch scratched her as she poked  her head out next to her.

"Umm.... Alabaster. Are you sure we should be hiding in a bush for thi-?" She was shushed by her. The filly looked at Alabaster worriedly. "So... can you hear what they are saying?" Alabaster darted her eyes in thought. She couldn't really hear what they were saying, however, she could hear the voices. She looked to Merriweather.

"Let's get closer." she stated. Merriweather arched a brow.

"Closer?" she asked. Alabaster suddenly slid out of the bush and crept up to the club house ramp. Merriweather was hesitant, but quickly followed. Alabaster strained her ears to hear at the base of the clubhouse. Merriweather found this behavior strange for the filly. Alabaster has never gone out of her way to track down somepony. Let alone the only colt she can't seem to get a read on. And while, she found it kind of fun to suddenly explore outside of the Ponyville plaza, she couldn't help but feel Alabaster may have forgotten her security like manner.

However, this wasn't the case for Alabaster. She was intent on bringing back Ghost Pepper and Pallet for breaking the rules. And when she saw them suddenly running past them with a yellow filly with a bow in her mane, she realized they were heading away from the intended area. Merriweather did her best to sway Alabaster from going after them, but being the stubborn filly and for some reason, constantly annoyed by the colt, she found herself suddenly following them from quite a distance away.

The two fillies crept up the ramp and ducked under the window, straining their ears to listen:

"Whoa! The map looks better now!" the voice of the orange filly pegasus stated. Pallet gave a small chuckle before shrugging bashfully.

"A-all I did was trace it in my mind and inverted the image." He said tapping his hoof tips bashfully. Ghost Pepper himself was in awe. Seeing Pallet quickly and skillfully draw out a map of Ponyville in a short amount of time was incredible. It almost made him feel envious. The three fillies looked the map over before grinning victoriously at each other.

"With this, we can finally know where to start looking!" Scootaloo said. Sweetie Belle rubbed her mane in confusion.

"But err.... where should we look exactly? I mean... where should we even start?" she asked. Applebloom rubbed her chin before looking over to Ghost Pepper. She then beamed.

"Ghost Pepper. Do you know where we should start?" she asked. The colt realized that he was being addressed before shrinking back a  little.

"I.... I dunno...." he mumbled. Applebloom trotted over to him and put a hoof on his shoulder.

"Perhaps we can start near Sugar Cube corner. That place is crawling with ponies just waiting for our help!" she said. Ghost Pepper rubbed his foreleg nervously.

"I-I guess?" Ghost Pepper found it difficult to speak again. But then again, he always seemed to have trouble speaking the simplest of vocabulary to three random fillies he had only met a couple days ago. He didn't appear to have any problems with Pallet. 'Maybe because he's an orphan like me. So I guess we relate in someway.' It sounded reasonable. However, seeing the three fillies, plus Pallet, looking at him with encouraging smiles, he wasn't sure where to begin.

"Great, then it is settled!" she said, turning to the others. "Let's head over there right now!" Without so much as a warning, the filly opened the club house door, unaware that she had forced two fillies to duck back and out of sight, before galloping down the ramp. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle exchanged glances before smiling.

"Well, it's something to do." Scootaloo said before galloping out of the club house along with Sweetie Belle. Ghost Pepper was baffled by the energy the three had. Again, the feeling crept back up. Pallet trotted over to him and bumped his shoulder playfully.

"C'mon, Pepper, It'll be fun! We might even get to see Pinkie Pie in her performance!" he said. Pallet galloped after them, leaving Ghost Pepper to hold a hoof out in an attempt to stop him. He then sighed and looked back, seeing the map that was sprawled out on the floor. He rubbed his chin in thought before coming to an idea. 'Maybe I can use this in the story?' he asked himself. He then rolled up the map and stuffed it in his saddlebag before adjusting his scarf and galloping after the four.

The two fillies that were hidden peeked back out. Alabaster watched the fleeting figures before motioning to Merriweather to follow.

~~~****~~~

Ponyville was brimming with activity. The streets practically filled with preparations and ponies aiding one another to hang up banners and setting up shops. And as the five trotted down Sugar Cube corner, they stopped and arrived at a pastry designed store. Ghost Pepper could smell the aroma of freshly baked cakes, making his mouth water a little. The five walked in and Ghost Pepper suddenly felt claustrophobic at the amount of ponies inside the store.

"Wow, it seems the Cakes have their hooves full today." Sweetie Belle stated. Indeed, it seemed hectic. But Ghost Pepper found his gaze setting on the biggest looking cake he had ever seen. A four tiered pink cake laced with skillfully dispensed frosting. At the top, he could see the small statuettes of two alicorns, one of midnight color and the other of pure white. The smell was too much for the colts. Their stomachs growled in protest. Applebloom walked up to the counter and rang the bell.

"Just a moment, dears!" a voice called out. It took a minute before a blue mare in a pink mane walked out of the back kitchen with her teeth clamping down on a pad and a tray full of freshly backed ordinary cupcakes. She laid them on the counter before peeking over to see Applebloom. "Oh, hello, dearie. Are you here to pick up the order Applejack placed?" Applebloom blinked once in confusion before placing a surprised look.

"Oh, 'Ah forgot! Umm... yeah. Also, 'Ah was wonderin' if you know any 'ponies' in need of help?" she asked. The mare rubbed her chin before shrugging.

"Sorry, dear. I don't rightly know of any." She then looked at the cupcakes and smiled. "But perhaps maybe you can help out by advertising for our bakery. Perhaps maybe help Pinkie Pie with her performance as well." Pallet perked up at the thought of helping Pinkie Pie out with the idea. He then looked at Ghost Pepper with strange puppy dog eyes. Ghost Pepper eyed the colt worriedly before sighing in defeat.

"A-alright. B-but we need to really get back too-." Pallet beamed and rose his hoof up in the air.

"I vote to help Pinkie Pie!" he said. Ghost Pepper frowned slightly.

'Not even a moment of hesitation...' he thought. The three fillies looked at each other before shrugging.

"Well, better than nothin' 'Ah suppose." Applebloom said. As if on cue, the big colorful present Ghost Pepper happened to be standing next too suddenly popped open at the top with a the sound of a kazoo and confetti following after.

"Oh boy! Did I hear somepony say my name and wants to help me with my performance?" the pink energetic mare asked happily. The sudden surprise had Ghost Pepper doing his best to calm his beating heart. Pallet waved his hoof wildly.

"Oh, oh! Memememe!" he cheered. Pinkie Pie was suddenly next to the colt and put a hoof around him.

"Well then, not just anypony can help me with my performance." she said, looking slyly. Pallet looked at the mare in confusion. "They have to be daring." she stated, striking a pose. "Resilient!" she struck another pose. "Cunning!" she suddenly zipped over to the center of the room, bearing a detective hat similar to Sherclop Holmes, which Ghost Pepper found a bit interesting. "And more importantly, they need to haaaaaaave." she paused, biting her lip with a very gaily look. "Fun!!" she shouted, throwing confetti out of wherever she had put them. Pallet smiled widely before laughing as Pinkie Pie bounced over to him and looked at the five.

"So then, my five compadres! Are ya' ready for the performance of a life time?" she asked. Ghost Pepper watched as Pallet agreed along with very nonchalant looking fillies. He felt nervous. Why was he letting himself be dragged along with this? All he really wanted to do was just sit around and do nothing. Just act like it was a normal day and probably read a book or two. Instead, he somehow wound up being an aid to an energetic pony. He shook his head at the idea of just walking out of here, remembering that he was to stay near his buddy during the trip.

He took a step forward, only to bump into somepony who had walked in. He fell back on his rump and rubbed his muzzle, looking up and suddenly gaping.

"Watch where you are going, kid." a sour sounding voice said. Ghost Pepper backed away a bit, seeing that the pony he had bumped into was none other than the sapphire colored mare that was talking to Funnel along with that strange looking stallion. And as if on cue, the same stallion appeared next to her, almost as if she had summoned him from the abyss of Tartarus. He had donned a casual looking suite and was neatly groomed. He looked at the colt before smirking.

"Hey there, sport. Enjoying the sight?" he asked. Ghost Pepper said nothing, shrinking back a bit more. The mare snorted in disgust.

"Little brats. Always thinking they can get away with whatever they want." she said to herself. The stallion snickered.

"And yet, you have no trouble looking over your niece when your sister is away on a trip." the mare glared at him.

"Watch your tongue." she hissed. She then trotted over to the tiered cake and studied it. The stallion then shrugged and looked at the colt.

"Mares like her are always a  drag, ya' understand kid? Find some mare you can really enjoy at night when you get there." the stallion trotted over to the counter and rang the bell. Ghost Pepper eyed the two. His fear suddenly turning into peak curiosity. He had witnessed these two with Funnel. But now seeing them here, he couldn't help but wonder what it is they were doing in a place like this with sour attitudes? He looked over to Pinkie Pie involving a game with almost all the kids in the store while the parents shopped. He saw Pallet having the time of his life.

He was hesitant. Looking between the festivities and the suspicious duo, he found himself thinking:

'What would Sherclop do?' He then looked to see the detective hat Pinkie Pie had discarded sometime during her game. He then beamed at the idea and donned the hat, striking a confident pose before crouching low and ducking behind the present Pinkie Pie had burst out of. While he was watching the duo from afar, he was unaware that he was still being followed. Not too far off near the festivities, Alabaster and Merriweather sat at a table, slurping smoothies they had been offered to by Pinkie Pie during her song and dance game.

While Merriweather was laughing along with the kids, Alabaster eyed the colt. Her expression stoic and sharp. Something about the colt really irritated her. Why wasn't he joining in on the festivities? She was certain that the colt would oblige, albeit pathetically. So why is he ducking behind a present and looking on at two random ponies that had entered the store? Not only did the colt break the rules. But he is going so far as to spy on ponies? This was criminal to her! She had to take this matter into her own hooves.

She would go speak with Mother Wisp about the colt breaking the rules. However, she wasn't expecting for the colt to suddenly duck out of sight as the two ponies had finished their business and trotted out the store. She watched as the colt peeked out and quietly crept after the two. She gave a quiet sigh. 'Leaving the intended area and leaving behind his partner? Ghost Pepper, what are you even thinking?' She suddenly found herself sliding out of her stool, causing Merriweather to give a puzzling look at her as she trotted past.

She looked worriedly now when she saw her following Ghost Pepper out of the store, but at a certain distance. She looked over to the festivities, seeing Pallet and the children singing to a song along with the mare. She bit her lip, uncertain whether she should tell somepony or follow after Alabaster.

~~~****~~~

Ghost Pepper followed the two. Only taking cover into crowds or behind booth products when the duo stopped to examine a booth or two. Ghost Pepper watched as the duo conversed with other ponies. Their behavior didn't seem to out of the ordinary when it came to strangers. The stallion being suave and cunning while the mare being resentful and sour. A couple of times, Ghost Pepper had lost track of them. Thankfully, however, the map he had worked out much better than he had anticipated.

Pinpointing where they probably would have gone, he eventually found them again, either walking out of stores or booths. And since most of the residents were out and about, Ghost Pepper was able to blend in when the duo suddenly stopped to talk:

"Do you think this would fetch a fair price on the black market?" the stallion asked the mare as he held up a rosary like accessory. The mare frowned.

"I could care less about that. What I'm more concerned about is that nanny spilling her mouth." she responded coldly. Ghost Pepper strained his ears to listen. What nanny were they talking about? The stallion smirked.

"Funnel is a resilient pony." he said. The mare scoffed.

"That idiot would probably be better off shoveling feces. How can you expect to rely on somepony who hardly has any experience?"

"A little harsh on the colt, don't ya' think Shanty?" the stallion replied as he examined the rosary. The mare, who Ghost Pepper now knew as Shanty, frowned even more.

"The bastard can rot in Tartarus for all I care. I can't wait to see him at the gallows if he still can't get the nanny to spill the beans." she gave a disgusted face at a thought. "Pickle Rind. Tell me you have at least some form of idea as to where that foolish pony buried it?" The stallion, Pickle Rind, reached into his suite and pulled out a pocket watch, checking the time.

"It is why I have-." Pickle Rind didn't get to finish.

"You are putting too much faith in the idiot. I don't want to hear some bullshit excuse. My life is riding on this cache." she sighed. "And what makes you think he won't just walk away with it once he does find it?" Pickle Rind rubbed his chin.

"A valid point. But that is where we are a step ahead." They continued trotting down the road, discussing the matter. Ghost Pepper couldn't quite make out the conversation when a practicing band group nearby began blaring instruments. He narrowed his eyes at the fleeting duo. He still didn't understand what exactly was going on. He only knew two things. They had mentioned the gardener and Mother Wisp. And the second was that they were talking about some sort of cache. The colt frowned.

What was a cache? And why did it seem so important to them? He stepped out of his hiding spot and went to go follow them, only to bump into something. He found himself tumbling over whoever he had bumped into. Shaking away the daze, he looked to see a pair of piercing blue eyes look back at his in shock. He blinked once, seeing that the filly he had stumbled over was none other than his own torturer.

"A-Alabaster?" he asked. The filly suddenly changed her shock expression to a sharp and cold one.

"Get off of me." she said sharply. The colt balked a bit before stepping back and letting the filly up. She dusted herself off before she rightened to attention and staring him down. The colt felt himself shrinking, the feeling hitting him again. "You are in a lot of trouble. Not only did I witness you leaving the intended area. But you also left your partner behind." She smirked slyly. "Mother Wisp would also like to know why you decided to spy on two ponies as well." Ghost Pepper cocked his head slightly.

'She was following me? Figures.' The colt gave a bored expression in response. Alabaster narrowed her eyes. The colt was making it hard for her to tell what he was really thinking at the moment. She noticed him glancing past her to resume his spying on the two ponies. But he was also displaying his mysterious attitude towards her. Something that irritated her to no end. She would have his confession of his sins one way or another.

"So then, mind telling me what is so important that you decided to abandon Pallet?" Alabaster asked him, displaying a small victorious smile. Ghost Pepper looked at her, arching a brow.

"What about Merriweather?" was all he responded. Alabaster frowned.

"What about her? She's right here with m-." the filly blinked once and looked around them. Her confused expression made the colt smirk a little. "M-Merriweather? Where are you?" She looked around, hoping to find the grape colored filly somewhere nearby. During her confusion, the colt crept around her before taking off after the two he was following. Alabaster returned to look back at the colt, only to find him no longer in sight. She bit her lip, worry taking over her. 'Buck! Where did he get to now!?' She wasn't proud of the fact that she had lost sight of the colt twice. Fortunately for her, she managed to catch a glimpse of a cerulean tail vanishing down an alley. She frowned before fast trotting after the colt.

Ahead of her, the colt turned down the alley and stopped, looking around. Odd, he could have sworn they went down this way. The alley had lead to a dead end. He furrowed his brows before turning and stiffened. 'Oh goddesses, no....' he thought to himself in horror. He recalls all the horrible things that had happened to him and the others. The torture one bad apple had inflicted. Harsh words and violent tendencies backed it up with a stone cold glare.

And he wasn't alone. Ghost Pepper was stunned. Four adolescent colts were gathered, two leaning coolly against the wall while the other two were looking at him. But he only knew one all too well. Even the colt seemed to smirk at the sight of him.

"Do I know you?" the rustic colored unicorn colt with a dark fauxhawk mane and slightly tufted tail asked. Ghost Pepper didn't respond. He was utterly horrified. Dead looking obsidian eyes eyed the colt from head to hoof. 'No... anypony but him!' Ghost Pepper quickly looked around and bolted for the nearest exit out of the alley. Unfortunately, one of the adolescents was quicker than him. The pony smirked and stared down the colt, forcing Ghost Pepper to back up and bump into another adolescent. He was surrounded.

His body wouldn't move. He was shaking in fear. 'Of all the ponies I had to come across, why Blackheart?' The rustic unicorn named Blackheart pushed himself off the wall and walked over to the colt. Getting close and personal, the colt's eyes met the adolescent's. Blackheart's studying expression changed to one of recognition. Ghost Pepper's fear increased at this.

"Well I'll be damned. If it isn't the nanny's pet. And still a shrimp as ever." he chuckled slightly before reaching back with his magic into the black hoodie he was wearing. He withdrew a small carton and pulled a long white stick out, putting it in between his teeth before using his magic to set the tip on fire. Taking one good pull, he looked at the colt and blew the rancid smoke at him, making Ghost Pepper cough. Blackheart looked unamused. "Oh, please. They aren't that bad once you get used to them." He smiled before holding the carton out to him. "Wanna' huff?" Ghost Pepper said nothing. Blackheart sighed before passing the carton over to the others, each one taking a stick and Blackheart casually lighting them up. The air was soon making Ghost Pepper choke and tear.

"He doesn't seem to like the offer much, Blackheart." one of the adolescents said coolly, blowing the smoke out into the air. Blackheart chuckled again.

"Ah, don't worry about it. The pet shrimp wouldn't even accept it anyway." Blackheart smirked. "Still being changed by Mother Wisp?" Ghost Pepper drooped his ears, feeling his face burn.

"N-no! I never was-!" the colt was interrupted.

"Hey, if Blackheart knows you, doesn't that mean you went to the same orphanage as this runt?" another adolescent asked. Blackheart took another pull before exhaling, the smoke leaving his nostrils and muzzle.

"Did. But that place was a piece of shit anyways." Blackheart replied. Ghost Pepper felt it hard to breath. Blackheart eyed the colt with an amused look now. "So, have you've finally gotten adopted? Living the family life? Have a sibling to torture?" Ghost Pepper couldn't respond. The air was unbearable. It even started making him feel sick. Blackheart shook his head. "But of course, it's you isn't it? You always never liked the interviews. Always doing your best to make sure you didn't get adopted. Now that I've been thinking, why is it that you enjoy being there more?"

"I think you know why, Blackheart." a voice said. They looked to see a lone snow white filly with a long blonde mane and tail and piercing blue eyes. Alabaster's expression was cold and sharp. Ghost Pepper felt conflicted. Never has he been happy to see her. But then again, the adolescents greatly overpowered them. However, Blackheart perked up, recognizing the filly immediately.

"Well, shit. Ala-freaking-baster. You seem to be no worse for wear." Blackheart trotted over to the filly and looked her over. Alabaster remained unmoved, however, her eyes followed the adolescent. "A little young for my taste. But, I bet you'll be one fine mare." Alabaster gave a disgusted face.

"And what sorry excuse do you have to offer a colt such disgusting habits?" she asked, her voice cold. Blackheart shrugged.

"Just thought I would make amends. Now that I'm no longer a urchin and living the good life, I figure why not start new?" He put a leg around the filly, holding out his other in a motion of looking beyond the horizon. "Picture it. Money, mares, fame, you name it. Having power in your hooves. Not taking shit from no pony. A dream come true." Alabaster brushed the hoof off and trotted over to Ghost Pepper, standing next to him. Ghost Pepper found himself ducking behind her.

"Making amends is something way out of your league, Blackheart." the filly said. Ghost Pepper couldn't believe how calm and collected Alabaster was being. That spiteful dead look she was giving to the adolescent almost made him even more terrified.

'Oh please, let us live through this!' the colt thought in panic. Blackheart narrowed his eyes.

"So, I take it you refused an adoption again? And what about that one filly, the uh... the..." he rubbed his chin, the stick smoking as he tried to find the words. "The cry baby." he finished as if reaching a brilliant idea. Alabaster frowned.

"You don't need to know. If you are no longer apart of Mother Wisp's Orphanage, then I suggest you leave us alone." she said. Blackheart shrugged again.

"Hey, I'm not the one attacking here. Just find it kind of funny to run into a pet and an annoyance all at once. Like good ol' times, am I right, fellas?" the other three cheered in response. Alabaster glanced at the frightened colt. Despite the constant trouble he was giving her she couldn't just sit idly by while an arch nemesis corrupts a colt. The things both she and Ghost Pepper remember about the adolescent. Always pushing, shoving, locking them in closets.

Of course, Alabaster was too clever to be put into those situations. However, the adolescent always seemed one step ahead of her. Every attempt of exposure was countered with the colt snaking his way out of things. He even went as far as steal bits from the donation jar that was meant to pay for utilities and food and went to spend it on that horrible habit he had developed after being offered by a grown pony he had met on the streets.

A vile child that still roams Ponyville. Blackheart arched a brow at the sudden stare.

"See something you like, sweetheart?" Ghost Pepper peeked out from behind her, eyeing the exits. They were surrounded alright. And each exit was blocked by an adolescent. He bit his lip in thought.

'C'mon, think! What would Sherclop do?' Blackheart suddenly changed his calm expression to one of suspicion.

"Say, wait a minute. If I recall, somepony didn't pay up a while back." He looked at Ghost Pepper. "You still owe me, nanny pet." Ghost Pepper lost his train of thought, looking confusedly at the adolescent teen.

"O-owe?" he responded with a squeak. He found himself suddenly being lifted up. Alabaster turned and balked in surprise. Two of the adolescents had crept up on them and grabbed the colt by his forelegs, lifting him up and tossing him over her. Ghost Pepper felt the wind leave him. Blackheart stood over him.

"You heard me, pet. You still owe me for that incident with the teddy bear." He said. Ghost Pepper was suddenly picked up again, only this time, by his scarf. Blackheart's hoof scooping under it and forcing him to meet his eyes. "So, pay up."

"Let him go." Alabaster said coldly. Blackheart looked past the colt and at her.

"Or you'll what? Last I recall, you were opposed to violence. So, what are you going to do? Sock me one? Place a hit on me?" He smirked before nodding to the others. Alabaster was suddenly lifted up without so much as a warning and was tossed into a dumpster.

"Hey! What are you-!?" she didn't get to finish. One of the adolescents shut the lid and seated himself on top of it. The dumpster banged and the muffled protests of the filly echoed from the bin. Ghost Pepper's fear shot through him tremendously. He knows what's about to come next. He has experienced it multiple times.

"Last chance, nanny pet. Pay up. Or else." Ghost Pepper struggled to break free.

"I-I don't have any bits!" he looked at him fearfully. "Please! I don't have any money! M-maybe I can get you some?" Blackheart smirked.

"And where exactly do you think you can make off with other's money? Stealing is against the rules. I don't condone stealing of any kind. And frankly, since you haven't paid up yet and holding out on me, you are practically stealing from me." He snorted in disgust. "Tough luck, nanny pet. But, I am a reasonable pony. So I'll give you another option of payment." Ghost Pepper shivered.

"W-w-what do you have in mind?" he asked. The colt suddenly felt his cheek burning as he stumbled back and fell onto his side.

*"Maybe a tooth or two. A little bit of blood. Just the usual." Blackheart shook his right forehoof before taking an intimidating step forward. "This is what you get for not paying up. Actions have consequences. And yours are just down right criminal." Ghost Pepper felt himself being lifted again and shoved forward, only to spiral to the ground when the adolescent brought a hoof onto his cheek. Ghost Pepper felt his muzzle going numb. He was lifted again and shoved, only to be slugged by one of the adolescents.

He started coughing, the air being hard to inhale with the smoke. Ghost Pepper crawled slowly away, only to have his tail gripped by magic and dragged over to Blackheart. The adolescent then planted the colt on his back and sat on top of him. He brought back a hoof, smirking in the process before bring it down over and over and over again onto the colt's muzzle. Ghost Pepper's body went limp as the adolescent continued to strike his hoof down on him.

Blackheart then stepped off the colt, trotting around his sprawled out body. He took a  huff of the white stick, blowing the smoke out before speaking.

"Hold his leg out." he ordered. Two of the adolescents did as they were told, pinning the colt in place and bringing his right foreleg out. Blackheart took another puff before taking the stick in his magic and placing the burning tip on the colt's leg. Ghost Pepper screamed in pain as his body tingled at the painful feeling. No matter how hard he tried to struggle, the adolescents continued to hold him in place while Blackheart turned the stick back and forth before pulling back and tossing the stick at the colt.

"And for the grand finale." Blackheart smirked. Ghost Pepper struggled again. But to no avail. Blackheart stood over the colt and before the colt knew it, a yellow hot wet stream pelted him in the face. Blackheart sighed as the relief left him. Ghost Pepper clamped his muzzle shut as he turned this way and that, trying his best to avoid the stream. Blackheart, finished with his actions, patted one of the adolescents on the back and motioned for them to follow. "Let this be a lesson for you, nanny pet. You are in our turf. All you have to do is pay up and we would be so inclined as to strike down your enemies more than you. Let's go, guys. We're done here." The adolescents followed after Blackheart.

The one that had seated himself where Alabaster was banged the lid hard before trotting after them. Ghost Pepper didn't move. He didn't want too. Such humiliation was unbelievable. He was numb, his head was pounding, his lungs filled with smoke, he ached all over and he smelled awful. The lid to the dumpster was kicked open and a dirtied Alabaster crawled out. She shook off the garbage before looking over to the colt, her eyes widening in surprise.

"Pepper? Are you alright?" Alabaster said. She trotted over to the colt, seeing the bruised and beaten colt lay there. She looked worriedly at him and reached to help him up, only to have her hoof being batted away by the colt. Ghost Pepper pulled himself off of the ground and with his bangs covering his grim expression, he walked forward down the alley's exit. Today wasn't fun as he originally thought.

He was uncertain of the trouble he would get into by Mother Wisp when Pallet agreed to go with Applebloom to a clubhouse. He admit, it was kind of exciting. But even so, this incident felt all so familiar. Something he believed himself to never worry about. And with the festival within a few days, he was certain he was going to run across Blackheart again. The colt remained quiet as a concerned looking Alabaster followed him out quietly.

~~~****~~~

No pony said anything after words. Ghost Pepper was humiliated. And to make matters worse when he and Alabaster returned to the bus carriage, Mother Wisp was indeed upset at the two for not arriving back on time. When she saw the state Ghost Pepper was in, her annoyance turned to worry. Alabaster explained to the nanny what had happened. And when he asked if this was true, all he stated was:

"I tripped and got peed on by a dog." Mother Wisp watched worriedly as the colt boarded the carriage and made his way to the back. Pallet smiled and waved at him. But the colt didn't return it, causing Pallet to look confused. When Alabaster sat next to Merriweather, the grape colored filly tore her gaze away from the beaten colt.

"What happened?" she asked. Alabaster frowned and crossed her hind leg over the other along with her forelegs. She was clearly angry that she had failed to stop such an incident. Merriweather sat back down, looking worriedly at the filly. 'Did Alabaster do something to hurt Pepper? No, she would never do that. As much as he annoyed her, she doesn't condone violence of any kind.' While the rest chatted happily about Pinkie Pie preforming for them, only couple of the kids remained silent on the trip back.

Later that night, Ghost Pepper bathed himself in a half barrel. The water stinging his cuts and bruises. He took a small measuring cup and poured it over his mane, feeling the water ease his tension. But he was still silent. The thought of being humiliated by Blackheart came back at him as if Blackheart was really there. He grit his teeth, feeling the tears blend in with his drenched coat. After drying himself off and climbing into his bed, he turned to face the wall and curled into a ball. Another day, another horrible event.

He felt his eyes heavy. Perhaps things will be better tomorrow? He snorted. 'Knowing my luck, Alabaster will just continue to torture me like she always had. And I guess some things never change.' He found himself finally asleep. His room dark and silent. The quiet breath of the colt escaping only rarely. An hour had passed. The colt's bedroom opened as a midnight colored wisp crawled into his room. The wisp rose, morphing into being. And that being was non-other than the Night Mother herself.

The majestic alicorn studied the sleeping colt.

"Young one. Do not fret for the past. Thine future is brighter than thy doth believes. Thine heart is strong. Thy will is powerful." Luna's horn glowed and her magic grasped the scarf that was tossed at the bedside. She lifted it up, seeing how dirtied it was. She smiled softly, her magic brushing the scarf. She stopped, seeing the clean and tattered scarf back as it was. She then closed her eyes and put her horn to the material. The scarf glowed. "I hath traveled the Dream Plane. I am one with it. And I shall entrust to you two gifts at my leisure. With these gifts I bestow upon you, you will see into the dreams of others. You will have complete control of your actions."

The mist curled around the sleeping colt. "Heed mine warnings, young one. While thy gifts be pleasant, they too are a curse." She smiled kindly. "But, I hath seen your dreams. Thine ambitions. Thy heart. Truly, such a mind as yours intrigues mine own." The magical spectral wisp rose in front of her, morphing once again into shape. What appeared was a book. Nothing special about it stood out. It was just a plain, ordinary leather covered book. "I leave these in thine care, as they have once belonged to another. I will see thou in thine dreams again, young one. And by then, thy will already know what thou must do." Princess Luna furrowed her brows worriedly.

The mist suddenly turning black and retreating back into her mane. She looked over her shoulder, darting her eyes. She could sense a strong aura emitting from this orphanage. A presence that was uncanny. She looked back to the colt. "I must hurry with the spell. I cannot allow such a fate fall upon this place." She levitated the scarf and folded it neatly on the book before placing it on the colt's desk. She turned, smiling again at the colt. Using her magic to move the blanket over the shivering colt, she then finally morphed back into the mist and creeped out of the doorway, silently closing it.

The Colt, The Scarf and The Book

Ghost Pepper found himself trotting along a dirt path. To his left, nothing but fields of apple trees. To his right, the same thing. Out before him, the same as well. A vast expanse of apple trees as far as he could see. This place seemed... familiar in a sense. He knows that he has never been here before. But he couldn't help but feel he had once caught a glimpse of this place. He continued trotting along, Celestia's sun setting over the horizon. He was in awe at the sight. He wouldn't have thought an apple orchard could look beautiful at this time.

A cold breeze blew by him, making him shiver and adjust his scarf. It was going to be a chilly night. But... why was he wondering the orchard by himself when the sun was beginning to set? He continued to trot down the path, admiring his surroundings in the process. The apples dangled tantalizingly overhead. The colt felt his stomach growl. 'Perhaps one bite won't hurt.' He extended his wings and hovered up to an apple, plucking it from the stem before landing back on the ground and brushing an apple against his coat.

He bit down, the sweet juicy flavor savored in his mouth. Taking a few more bites, he looked around. Strangely enough, night time arrived quicker than the colt expected. The moon now shone high over the tree tops. The wind began picking up, causing the colt to stop chewing and furrow his brows worriedly. He then looked at the apple. 'I hope irony doesn't have it out for me.' He thought, dropping the apple. As he did, he heard the sound of hoofsteps further up the road. He stiffened. It sounded like whoever they belonged too, they were in a hurry. He quickly looked around, hoping to spot a hiding place.

He beamed when he noticed a barn in the distance. He looked back to see if whatever was running towards him had picked up speed. Thankfully, it sounded steady enough. The colt quickly galloped down the road, reaching the barn right as the wind started howling. His scarf flailed behind him as he desperately tried to pull open the barn doors. With his effort in vain, he looked his surroundings over. He was out in the open by the barn. He looked to see the barn door having a long wooden bar locking it in place. He frowned.

'Ohh, why now?' He rubbed his chin, thinking of a way he could possible move it. His ears strained over the howling of the cold wind. It was hard to think as his body began shivering. He looked back to see if anypony had appeared in the time he was trying to open the door. He was still in the clear. The wind picked up more. The colt felt his heart beat when he started hearing the sound of a wooden window pane slapping the side. The windmill by the barn spinning faster than it should.

His fear started to set in. This felt... unnatural. What was going on? Where is he? He turned to see, to his surprise, the wooden bar no longer blocking the door. Instead, it was neatly propped up as if supporting the wall. He was confused at the sudden change, but the wind increasing in strength told him now or never. Ghost Pepper rushed in and pulled the door closed. The wind outside continued to howl, making the barn creak in agony. The colt was beginning to dread the idea of going into a barn in the middle of the night. He has read a certain horror story he had stumbled upon in the small library in the orphanage.

'The Barnyard Killer' as he recalled. The title made him shiver. 'Why would anypony create such a horrible book!?' Let alone find itself in the confines of the orphanage's library! He ruffled his mane in frustration. 'I'm an idiot for reading it!' The slapping window pane interrupted his thoughts. 'I have to get out of here! I don't want my legs to be served to ponies!' He looked around desperately, hoping to find some sort of exit. The colt stiffened, hearing another banging over the slapping window pane. It emitted from the barn door. The colt backed away, the banging increasing in impact.

He waited. Waited to see if an axe would come through the door. Just like the killer did when chasing that mare. When nothing happened, the colt leaned forward, curiosity and fear taking him over. The window pane then suddenly snapped shut and the colt yelped in unison with another surprised yelp. The pony that had entered the barn lost her balance and tumbled down the bale of hay, crash landing into a water bucket and knocking over tools.

Ghost Pepper had hid behind another stack of hay, peeking out to see who had entered. He was surprised to see a yellow filly with a red mane and bow tangled up in tools. She shook away the daze and looked fearfully around.

"W-whose there! Show yer' self!" Applebloom called out. Ghost Pepper did. Stepping out slowly from behind the hay bale, Applebloom balked. "Ghost Pepper? What are ya' doin' here?" she asked. Ghost Pepper said nothing, the usual feeling coursing through him. Why was it so difficult to talk to these fillies? Ghost Pepper remained silent as he trotted over and helped her out of the mess. As he did, they stopped to look over to the barn door, hearing it bang again. Only this time, an axe blade was poking through it. Ghost Pepper ducked behind Applebloom, much to the fillies confusion.

The blade pulled back, striking the barn again. Applebloom and Ghost Pepper backed away.

"W-we need to find someplace to hide!" she quickly said. She looked around and saw a stack of hay being the perfect spot. She quickly pulled Ghost Pepper along and they both took cover. And just in the nick of time too. The barn door was bucked open forcefully, the wind howling as the killer entered the barn. Applebloom covered her muzzle along with Ghost Pepper. They didn't want to breath. Because they knew that even a single sound could alert the creature to their presence.

But Ghost Pepper found it strange. There was indeed somepony inside, however, it sounded like it was all around them. As if the very killer didn't have a physical being. Applebloom took notice of this and quietly peeked out, seeing that there was no pony to be seen.

"What in tarnation?" she whispered. Ghost Pepper eyed the filly worriedly. He then felt a sensation that was similar to the fear he had. A presence was behind him. He looked in time, yelling as he saw a glint of a sharp axe strike down in the space between him and Applebloom. The two quickly bolted out of the hiding spot and rushed to the other side of the barn. The breathing was heavy, but they couldn't see where the killer was. The two huddled together in fear as they heard a maniacal deep laugh. "Wh-where is he!?" Applebloom stated in confusion.

Ghost Pepper didn't want to find out. He quickly bolted towards the opened barn door. Applebloom balked in surprise.

"W-wait fer' me!" Applebloom turned back, gaping as she saw a glint of a sharp axe. Ghost Pepper was about to reach the door when he heard a scream. He stopped and looked back, seeing that Applebloom was nowhere to be seen. All that was left behind was a bow. Ghost Pepper found it hard to breath.

'Oh goddesses! Please help me! I-I didn't... I....' The deep maniacal laugh rang through his ears. He crumpled to the floor, covering his ears and shaking his head furiously. 'No! No I don't want die! Somepony... anypony....' He opened his eyes when he heard the sound of hoofsteps stop in front of him. He looked up to see a towering pony in bloodied overalls and a white mask, bearing an axe. "HELP!!" he shouted.

The pony in the mask reared back, axe in motion. But something unexpected happened. The colt's scarf came to life. The tips forming into what looked like a giant palm and claws. The left claw stopped the axe from being swung and the other came around and with a  clenched claw, struck the mask wearing killer. When it did, the claw grabbed the head of the pony, covering it fully before applying pressure. A loud sickening crack of bones and flesh followed after. A dark metallic liquid splattered on the colt.

And in the blink of an eye, it was over. The killer had vanished, the wind had stopped and it was suddenly day time outside. The colt was stunned. What had happened? He watched in awe, seeing the limbs of his scarf sway in place. They then slithered back, creating the scarf that sat on the colt's neck. He blinked in confusion. What was going on? He didn't know what to think. His scarf had come to life and saved him. He wasn't sure whether to be afraid that it sprung to life or glad that it didn't turn on him.

He looked over to where the killer had vanished. Other than the dark stain that dotted the colt, everything seemed back to normal. He looked to see the bow Applebloom had once worn. He suddenly felt another feeling hit him. This was also a familiar one. He had abandoned the filly in hopes of staying alive. Something that one of the protagonists in the story did, leaving the mare to be chased and cornered in the barn.

'Why did I do that? I should have helped her...' He grit his teeth, seeing his vision blur. 'I could have saved her! I could have done something!' He bowed his head, eyeing the scarf that covered his muzzle. If he had known his scarf would help him, Applebloom would probably still be alive. 'This has to be a dream! This has too!!' He stiffened, sensing a presence from behind him. He turned as a shadow loomed over him. He felt his hopes rise when he saw Applebloom standing at the barn doors, her head bowed.

"A-Applebloom?" he asked, suddenly feeling like something was wrong. The filly sniffled.

"W-why...?" she asked. Ghost Pepper drooped his ears, the guilt rising again. "Why did you leave me?" Ghost Pepper shook his head.

"I-I didn't mean too! I-I was hoping you would follow after!" he said quickly. Applebloom shook her head.

"Some kind of friend you are..." she rasped. Ghost Pepper bowed his head apologetically.

"I... I'm sorry... I didn't mean to leave you behind..." he truly meant it. But it seemed the filly made it clear that she wasn't looking for apologies. He looked up, noticing a small glint. He balked in fear, seeing the axe being dragged across the ground in the filly's teeth. Ghost Pepper backed away. "A-Applebloom, what are you doing?" he asked as he felt himself backing into the barn wall.  His eyes widened, remembering his scarf springing to life. "D-don't do this! You'll die!" he protested.

But the filly seemed to ignore him. He couldn't move. He was too afraid to. The filly brought the axe back. The sound of a singing blade was all he could hear next.

~~~oooOOOooo~~~

Princess Luna awoke from her slumber. She quickly sat up from her bed and looked around. She could sense it. The Dream Plane crying out in pain. Taking a moment to collect herself, she slid out of the sheets and over to the balcony, peering over the railing. She had just retired to her quarters after her duties as the raiser of the moon. Her sister's sun beginning to rise over the horizon. She looked to see Princess Celestia standing proud and tall as she usually would when raising the sun.

Princess Luna furrowed her brows worriedly, however. Her sister, while attuned to the Dream Plane along with her, couldn't hear it calling out. She could hear the whispers increasing in volume. She blinked, shaking away the thought.

'Perhaps we should discuss this with her. She has to know the danger we are in.' And she would. Princess Luna walked out of her quarters and down the hall. She picked up into a trot as she neared her sister's quarters. Upon opening the door and entering, Princess Celestia looked from over her freshly brewed cup of tea.

"What troubles you, my dear sister?" she asked with a smile. Princess Luna looked over her shoulder, making sure they were not followed. She then closed the door and trotted over closer to her sister.

"Celestia, we must discuss a certain... worry I have recently been in." she started. Princess Celestia smiled and extended her wing out to her sister.

"I would be glad to talk." she said. Princess Luna was hesitant at first. Accepting her wing, she sat down next to her.

"Celestia, I fear that the Dream Plane maybe in dire state." she said. Princess Celestia looked at her worriedly. "I could sense something trying to escape. I have even heard it. Tis an unpleasant presence. One that intends to do harm." Princess Celestia gave a small hum in thought before replying.

"Perhaps we should assess and see what we are truly dealing with." she stated. Princess Luna shook her head.

"I have already taken the liberty. What doth thou think of the source?" Luna responded in more of a question to her sister. Princess Celestia furrowed her brows.

"The source? So you already know where it is?" she asked. Princess Luna gave a slow and sad nod.

"Indeed. And it is one I hope to prevent from ever happening. If it were to break out... all those children..." Princess Celestia studied her sister. The look of desperation clear on her face. Princess Celestia then smiled.

"Worry not, my sister. I will ask Twilight if she can pinpoint where it might be exactly." She snickered softly. "I hear she has been studying the Dream Plane more after the Tantabus." Princess Luna returned Celestia's look.

"But what of her duties? Doth she not have any assemblies of negotiation?" she asked. Princess Celestia darted her eyes in thought. Her horn glowed and she dipped a quill in ink with her magic as she levitated a scroll over to her. She scribbled something down in a quick but neat manner. She then rolled it up, branding it, before sending it aflame into nothingness.

"We shall await her response. In the meantime, I will trust the watch of the Dream Plane over to you this night. If we do not hear from her for a while, then I will go ahead and see if I can find it." Princess Celestia reassured her sister. "It will be alright, Luna. The children need not to worry. Your watchful eyes eases them more than mine. Now then..." she stood up and walked over to her door, the cup of tea floating next to her. "I have several audiences I need to overlook before visiting the School for the Magically Gifted. I will let you know when we have received a response." Celestia gave another reassuring smile before leaving her sister to dart her eyes in thought.

'I know you mean well, sister. But, I cannot idly sit by and wait for a response.' The whispers were increasing more. 'I can only hope the gifts I bestowed upon the child to aid him and his own until I can finish the spell. But...' She was uncertain. How can she trust one colt to do the job alone? And while, she had intended for the colt to grow from his dreams, she fears that the colt would falter.  'The colt remains afraid of befriending others. He feels it is necessary to not say a single word around them as he might say the wrong things.'

She had studied the colt for a while now. It was innocent at first. The colt having so much energy and kindness in him, only to have it suddenly remain in a shadow of what he once was. The colt that had once gladly helped around the orphanage was now a timid mouse. But she could see his heart. His dreams displaying his fears and ambitions. He wants to break free. He wants to be the colt he once was. But that fear has him too deep in the shadow. She has to find a way for him to see the light again.

And she just might know the help she can get.

~~~****~~~

Applebloom groaned as she groggily rose from her bed. The shadows under her eyes and her tufted mane displaying the bad night she had. Never in her life had she had such a nightmare so intense. She thought back to it. Walking down the apple orchard, enjoying the sight. And then all of a sudden, it had turned on her. The day became night in a blink of an eye and a cold wind blew over the trees. She had slowed her trot. She had soon stopped and noticed a figure fleeting over to the barn in the distance.

She remembered reaching the barn, only to find it closed and refusing to open. She had walked around and climbed through the window. She couldn't quit remember after words. But, she did recall one thing. Ghost Pepper was in her dream. Applebloom winced and groaned, rubbing her pounding head.

"That is the last time I eat Pinkie's sugar coated frosting cakes." she said to herself groggily. Sliding out of bed and dragging her hooves out of her room and down the stairs, she found herself perking up slightly at the smell of scrambled eggs and toast. Entering the kitchen, she yawned and stretched. "Mornin' everypony." she said. Applejack, who was setting down a plate, smiled at her.

"Mornin', sugar cube." She noticed the disgruntled state her little sister was in. "Sleep didn't get ya' well?" Applebloom stretched as she took a seat next to a muscular and quiet red stallion in a blonde mane. Big Mac was casually chewing his bread as he pushed the butter over to Applebloom, who happily took a  knife and cut the butter before spreading it on the toast.

"'Ah errr.... just had a bad dream." she said. Applejack took a seat across from her.

"What kinda' dream?" she asked, taking a bite out of her toast. Applebloom followed suite, swallowing before speaking.

"Well... 'Ahm not rightly sure." Applebloom rubbed her mane. She tried to recall what happened after meeting Ghost Pepper. But nothing seemed to come to mind. Her dream had switched to something else. And it involved her in a chicken suite, embarrassed that she had to wear it while dancing throughout Ponyville where everypony witnessed it. She sighed before chomping down on her toast.

The siblings ate their breakfast quietly. Once they were finished, it was time to get to work in the apple field. Applebloom was tasked with cleaning the dishes before being asked to handle the chickens today. As she scrubbed the dishes, she looked to see the sun now hovering over the mountain tops in the distance. It seemed like it was going to be a nice day. She took a moment, squinting her eyes when she noticed a small dark speck in the distance.

'What's that?' she asked herself as she scanned the horizon, trying to get a better look. The speck seemed to travel closer... and heading this way. She could see figures now. They looked to appear to be royal guards pulling a chariot with a cloaked figure inside. 'The Canterlot Guard?' Applebloom quickly hopped off the stool she stood on to wash the dishes and galloped out of the house. She noticed Applejack looking up, confused by the sudden figures that circled around them. Applejack held a hoof over her brows, squinting her eyes to get a better look.

"Princess Luna?" she said suddenly in surprise. Big Mac and Applebloom stood next to her as they watched the ponies touch down and the cloak figure stepping off. Princess Luna smiled from under her hood.

"Greetings, Applejack, Appplebloom and Big Macintosh." the alicorn said. Applejack and Big Macintosh immediately bowed, causing Applebloom to delay hers in sudden surprise.

"Yer' highness. It's a surprise to see you here." Applejack said, trying her best to be formal as much as possible. Princess Luna nodded, her expressions suddenly dimming to a small worried frown.

"I apologize at the sudden interruption of thy work. But, I must ask thy sister of something." she said. The siblings exchanged confused glances at each other. Applebloom pointed at herself.

"Me?" she asked. Princess Luna nodded.

"Indeed, young one. I have come here to ask of thine assistance." Applebloom didn't know what to say. The Princess Luna, the sister to Princess Celestia herself, had traveled this far just to ask for her assistance? Princess Luna looked at the siblings, her expression serious. "Applebloom. I know tis a sudden request. But, I cannot do this alone." She rubbed her chin slightly. "The same can be said for thou." Applebloom took a moment to process this before perking up.

"If that's the case, I'll go get Sweetie Belle an' Scootaloo!" Applebloom said as she turned back to the house and galloped up to her room to quickly gather her saddlebag. Applejack watched her sister go before turning to the Princess with a confused look.

"Err... forgive me if 'Ah ask this, but why does it need to involve mah' sis?" she asked. Princess Luna smiled softly at her.

"I apologize for this, Applejack. The Dream Plane is in trouble. And I wish I could find the source of the problem." She sighed. "But, the source of the problems seems to only presents itself when the mind of a young one that isn't connected to it is present." Applejack rubbed her mane.

"Connected?" she asked. Princess Luna nodded.

"While everyone of our subjects walk the Dream Plane in their own minds, the mind of foals are a special case. They can go beyond the normal laws of the Dream Plane." Princess Luna looked over to the house where Applebloom had entered. "This is what we call Lucid Dreaming. They are able to bend the laws to their own. Allowing them free reign to imagine anything they want, whenever they want. And unlike most dreams that are laid out, these can be manipulated. Nightmares can be bested for better or worse. And they have free reign of their own dreams." Applejack furrowed her brows.

"So, my sis is a lucid dreamer?" Princess Luna shook her head.

"Unfortunately, there are only a few cases were ponies can naturally lucid dream. In order to do so, one must be aware that they have full control of their dreams. In some cases, it is through a certain object..." Princess Luna held up an apple and showed it to her. "So simple such as this, to somepony having an audio cue. Lucid dreaming is a powerful gift for one's mind, as it allows their imaginations to run wild." She furrowed her brows. "And then, there are the cases where those that are aware try to abuse it to no end. As Princess of the Night, I walk the Dream Plane, studying them and making sure they are in check. If a dream were to escape into the plane, it can affect not only myself, but everypony's dream." Applejack rubbed her chin.

"Kinda' sounds like the Tantabus." she said. Princess Luna nodded.

"Indeed. But this is more than just the Tantabus." She faced the orange mare, her expression serious. "An orphanage is in danger of having the Dream Plane escape into reality. If that were to happen, it would cause more chaos than Discord on an easy Sunday." Applejack balked in surprise.

"An orphanage?! You mean the one outside of Ponyville??" Princess Luna hesitated before nodding sadly.

"Which is why I require your sister and her friends. I have attempted in preventing it as best I can, but it seems to escape me when I attempt to hunt it." she said. "The children of the orphanage are unaware of the danger, except for one. However, he refuses to see it. If your sister and her friends can convince him, I will be able to stop the Dream Plane from escaping." Applejack seemed hesitant.

"Does Twilight know about this?" she asked. Princess Luna sighed.

"I have discussed this with my sister and she had written a note to her. But..." Princess Luna bit her lip worriedly. "I apologize. I have full faith in Twilight. But, I can not just sit by and watch. We maybe attuned to the Dream Plane, but we are not capable if it does escape. Which is why we need to stop it now before it get's out of hoof." Applejack smiled suddenly and put a hoof on the Princess's shoulder in reassurance.

"No worries yer' highness. 'Ah'll talk to the rest an' see if we can reckon up a plan." Princess Luna smiled.

"Much help would be greatly appreciated." she said. They looked to see Applebloom trot out and started to head down the road. "Young one! No need to walk!" Luna called out. Applebloom looked over confusedly. Princess Luna stepped into the chariot and held a wing in motion for her to come. Applebloom smiled, feeling her excitement increase.

'The Cutie Mark Crusaders are back in action!' she thought eagerly as she galloped over to the chariot and hopped on. Applejack and Big Macintosh watched the fleeting figures soar into the sky and heading towards Ponyville. Big Mac looked to his sister, who returned his worried look.

"'Ahm sure Princess Luna knows what she is doin'. But better to be safe than sorry.  Hold down the fort for a while, Big Mac."

"Eeyup." was all the stallion replied with as he watched Applejack gallop down the road.

~~~****~~~

Ghost Pepper sat at his desk. He puffed his cheek, studying the mysterious book that had somehow gotten onto his desk. There was nothing unique about it. It was just a simple, plain old boring book. Out of curiosity, he opened it to reveal that its many pages were blank. All except for the back page which had one sentence written on it:

The mind and imagination are one.

He wasn't sure what it meant. However, with an empty book provided an empty canvas. Perfect for the story he wanted to write. He looked to see the sun high overhead now out of his window. He had almost slept for half a day if he hadn't been woken up by a soothing sound of a violin. Said violin was still playing. Alabaster must be getting some practice in.

The children had a free day today. They could laze about while Mother Wisp went to Ponyville to handle some errands. And while the afternoon went on, Ghost Pepper started hearing from the other children during snack time that a couple more had gotten adopted over the morning. He sat alone while the rest were chatting just loud enough for everypony to hear. However, the colt tuned them out as he continued to stare at the book. So many ideas were running through his head. What should he start with?

'Perhaps somepony really cool. Like a superhero!' Ghost Pepper rubbed his chin in thought. 'But... what kind of super hero? Perhaps one with the ability to have his nose hair have a mind of its own?' The colt gave a blank response to this idea. 'What a ridiculous notion. What about one that can see into the future... and fights robots or something...' The colt frowned. 'Probably not. Not really feeling it.' There has to be some idea he can come up with. 'What about... a detective. One who can rival Sherclop in mind and skill, but has a tendency to flee from the law due to his actions being close to the criminals he catches?' The colt beamed. 'Yeah, that sounds like an idea! And he could have a side-kick, just like Sherclop! But... I don't really want the side-kick to be on par with the detective's intellect.'

Ghost Pepper hummed in thought before coming to an idea. 'Perhaps have the clumsiness of Tussle. A viable ally that the detective's enemies sorely underestimate. His partner in crime. Always driving the detective up the wall with his antics, but always seeming to work to his advantages. And they are both really great friends!' Having come to a conclusion of the characters, it was time to brainstorm. And while he did, he was unaware of a certain snow white filly eyeing him from afar suspiciously. Merriweather sat next to her, chewing happily on a cracker before noticing her friend staring down the colt.

Alabaster has been acting strange ever since she came back with Ghost Pepper in a tattered state. Despite having smelt like garbage, she noticed that Ghost Pepper had gotten the worse of it. The bandages on the colt's cheek and lip were visible along with a patch over his swollen black eye. Whatever had happened to them made the children nervous. Merriweather had tried her best to get Alabaster to explain exactly what had happened, but the filly remained stubborn in the fact that she had "failed her duty as an activity manager".  Merriweather chewed her cracker before seeing a slender like colt with an artist barrette and yellow scarf suddenly take a seat across from them.

"Umm... I hate to be a bother, but do you know what happened to Pepper?" he asked. Merriweather shook her head.

"I'm just as confused as you are. I've tried getting Alabaster to tell me, but she keeps ranting about how she had failed in her duty." Merriweather stated as she arched a worried brow at the stoic filly who didn't seem to notice she was being addressed. Merriweather was hesitant before poking the filly's shoulder. Alabaster blinked out of her stoic state and looked ahead, seeing Pallet sitting across from her. She immediately frowned, causing the colt to shrink back a little in confusion.

"And why didn't you keep an eye on him? You were partnered with him, weren't you?" Alabaster said sternly. Pallet rubbed the back of his mane.

"I-I-I didn't mean too. I was hoping he would join in, but I didn't realize he had left until Merriweather had said something." he quickly said. Alabaster narrowed her eyes at the filly, causing Merriweather to flush and advert her eyes.

"And you. Why didn't you stay near me? We weren't supposed to be separated from the intended area or each other." she said. Merriweather faltered.

"W-well, I did try to stop you. B-but you seemed only focused on Pepper." Alabaster hummed slightly in response. "I-I-I-I mean like you were... well... so intent on catching him red hoof in his antics that you err... kinda left on your own accord..." Alabaster looked between the two, keeping her stoic like expression before sighing.

"In any case. I cannot understand why Pepper appears to act like that assault didn't happen." she furrowed her brows suddenly. "Why didn't I stop it? I let them get the better of me. I should have done something!" she grit her teeth. "But he is too stubborn to tell me anything... If he would just open up, I would probably not be on his case all the time!" She looked to Merriweather. "I promised you I would get him to confess his actions to Mother Wisp about your teddy bear. But it's just been a constant impasse. I keep failing with that colt." Merriweather gave Pallet a "I-told-you-so" look. The grape colored filly sighed.

"Alabaster... I don't mean to be rude but... maybe you can drop the whole teddy bear incident?" Alabaster looked confusedly at her. "I-I mean... that was years ago. Mother Wisp had already stitched it up and everything. Pepper didn't mean to do that." Alabaster stood up suddenly, making both the filly and colt jump.

"What are you talking about? I can't let such an injustice go unpunished! He still has to apologize!" Merriweather and Pallet glanced around, seeing that Alabaster's sudden stance caught the attention of the children. Even Ghost Pepper looked over to her in confusion. "I will not rest until every injustice is confessed and rightfully given the punishment!" She turned and glared at the colt, who quickly shrunk back when the filly marched over to him and grabbed hold of his shoulders, shaking him furiously. "Confess your actions, Pepper! Confess them and be freed of your torment! Confess, damn you!" Ghost Pepper wasn't sure what was going on. Alabaster's shaking caused him to get dizzy. Alabaster stopped her ears twitching when she heard the sound of the front door knocking.

"I'll get it!" the small stout filly named Tea Stout said as she trotted out of the small cafeteria hall. The children waited for a brief moment, hearing the stout filly open the door and suddenly scream. Alabaster quickly dropped Ghost Pepper on the ground, rushing out of the cafeteria. The sudden action caused the children to become curious and follow after the filly. Pallet and Merriweather exchanged glances before trotting over to Ghost Pepper.

"Are you alright, Pepper?" Pallet asked. Ghost Pepper shook away his daze before looking confusedly over to where the children had gathered at. Alabaster was the first to arrive on the scene, seeing Tea Stout in utter shock and awe in front of the door. Alabaster looked to see a tall and majestic cloaked figure standing on the porch. Her kind smile and twinkling teal eyes met the filly's. The rest of the children arrived, displaying the same shocked and surprised expressions.

"P-p-p-p-princess Luna?" Tea Stout stuttered. The alicorn drew back her hood, revealing her long flowing spectral mane.

"Indeed, child." she said in a motherly like voice. "Is Mother Wisp present?" None of the children responded. They were too stunned at the presence of royalty at their doorstep. Alabaster then quickly looked down, seeing three fillies that stood in front of her. She recognized them. The very fillies that had influenced Ghost Pepper and Pallet into breaking the rules. She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. The fillies took notice of this and awkwardly waved at her.

"She ain't, I'm afraid." a voice said behind the princess. She turned to see Funnel wipe his hooves with a rag before trotting over to her. "I'm currently watchin' over the children while she is out on business." Princess Luna smiled.

"Then perhaps, you do not mind if I talk to one of the children present?" she asked. Funnel arched a brow.

"Depends. Who exactly are ya' lookin' for?"

"We are here to see Ghost Pepper!" Applebloom stated. Slight murmurs of confusion escaped the children, causing the three to exchange glances.

"Err... is there something wrong?" Sweetie Belle asked. Funnel shook his head.

"I don't mean to be rude, Princess. But that colt is just as quiet as a mouse in winter. He probably won't be able to talk to ya' at all." He snorted. "Probably a good thing." he muttered. Princess Luna hummed in response before turning to the children and smiling.

"Would thou all care to escort me to Ghost Pepper?" she asked. The children let out excited murmurs of agreement. Luna giggled before motioning to the three fillies. "Come along. We must discuss this post haste."

"Hold on a minute!" Alabaster said, causing everypony to look at her confusedly. "To what discussion, may I ask?" Tea Stout balked along with most of the children. One of the colts whispered to her.

"Alabaster, this is the Princess Luna. Show some respect." Alabaster glared at the colt, making him shrink back. The three fillies and alicorn watched as the snow white filly turned her attention back to them.

"I mean no disrespect, your highness. But I want to know what exactly you want to discuss with him." The children glanced nervously at each other. Princess Luna smiled before speaking.

"I am here on my own behalf to discuss a matter that has to deal with his..." she darted her eyes in thought.

"His book!" Scootaloo spoke up. Princess Luna and the other two looked at her. Alabaster raised a brow.

"His book?" she asked, rubbing her chin. Now that they mention it, Ghost Pepper did walk in with a book under his wing. Sitting by himself and pulling it out, he flipped through the pages and just started staring at it, making strange faces in the process. She didn't know the colt had discussed publishing a book. "Wait, Pepper wrote a book?" Applebloom nodded quickly.

"Eeyup! Characters an' all!" she said. Sweetie Belle chimed in.

"We are the Cutie Mark Cru... err... Crucibles! We uhh.... interview up and coming authors and publish their book!" Scootaloo whispered to her friend.

"Crucibles?" Sweetie Belle replied with a shrug. Alabaster eyed them suspiciously before looking at the princess, who seemed calm and cool.

"He never mentioned about writing a book!" A voice said. They looked to see Pallet and Merriweather stand outside the snack room. Pallet was beaming. "I have so many ideas that I want to discuss! Maybe I can help with cover art or something! If it sells well, hello Prance!" Merriweather arched a brow.

"But even then, I don't recall Pepper mentioning anything about writing anything" Princess Luna nodded.

"Which is why we need to speak to him. Where is he?" Pallet beamed.

"Oh, he's right over he-." he looked to see that the colt was no where to be seen. The confused look Pallet gave told them that the colt was no longer in their presence. "Again? Really?" he exasperated. Alabaster frowned before looking back to the four ponies.

"You see, that is also why I ask. Pepper never really talks to anypony, let alone three fillies. I wouldn't be surprised that he locked himself up somewhere at the sheer thought of a princess looking for him by name." Applebloom rubbed her mane.

"Does he always hide? I mean, he seemed just like a shy colt to me." she said. Alabaster shook her head.

"Perhaps we can explain once we find him." She turned and nodded to Merriweather. "We will split up into teams of two. Scout each and every nook and cranny for him. No stone left unturned, understand?" The colts and fillies seem to give a small salute before trotting off down halls and up stairways. The sight of the children acting upon this baffled the three fillies. Princess Luna, however, looked on sadly.

'I cannot allow it to happen. Their future is still bright.' Applebloom looked to her friends.

"Maybe we should help out? It'll be great fer' recon of the place." Scootaloo rubbed her mane.

"That sounds good. But what about getting lost?" she asked. Princes Luna giggled.

"Not to worry." Princess Luna's horn glowed and a faint spectral string slithered out and wrapped around the three's waist. "I'll keep thy three tethered to me. I can pull thou back if lost." The three smiled before getting to work. While the hunt went on, Ghost Pepper himself sat on top of the roof with the book clutched in his chest. His heart pounding as the feeling rose.

'Dammit! Of all the worst things that could happen to me this week, why them!?' He remained quiet, listening through his opened window as the sounds of hoofsteps entered and left his room. 'I have to find someplace to hide!'

"Pepper?! Where are you?!" a voice shouted from below him. He peeked over and saw Sweetie Bell along with Merriweather and Pallet as they scanned the area. Ghost Pepper ducked back.

'Buck!' he thought. He tipped hoof across the roof, only to stop and duck back again when he noticed another group being led by Scootaloo trotted around front. He could see Funnel tending to the flower bed with a bored expression while the group looked around his area. He quietly crept back and was about to enter into his room, when he saw the backside of Alabaster talking to two more colts about locking a certain area down. He ducked back just in time when the filly turned and peered out of the window. 'Double Buck!'

This was looking bad for him. Every inch of the orphanage was being covered. Which was surprising at the fact that only fourteen remain here now. But what was even more difficult to get around was the fact the three fillies had entered the fray this time. And from the looks of it, they knew what they were doing. Almost as if this wasn't their first hunt. He could just imagine their muzzles suddenly splitting into four with teeth at the tips and a low rapid clicking sound would follow.

He noticed the book suddenly glowing. Ghost Pepper blinked in confusion before quietly opening the book. However, when he did, the book shot open and the pages flipped rapidly as if a strong gust of wind came through. It stopped on one page:

The young colt realized that he was trapped. What cruel fate awaited him? The colt, now a prey in the hunt, waited for his inevitable end. Only if he had a means of defending himself. But of course... he hasonething that might help. A gift that was bestowed upon him along with a plain old book.

A bright light shot out. From inside, Princess Luna gasped, quickly turning to rush outside and look up. The children that had made it outside watched in awe. Funnel too was shocked by the sudden giant rune floating over head. Princess Luna furrowed her brows before her horn glowed bright. Taking aim, a beam shot out and struck the rune. Meanwhile, Ghost Pepper had to hold onto dear life on the tiles as the book floated in the air. He had no idea what was happening. All he knew was that he had activated something that he felt might have devastated his entire life.

He looked up to see a beam striking the rune. The rune, filled with nothing but strange letters and glyphs, suddenly split in two like a paper being cut with a sword. Alabaster, from within the colt's room, suddenly realized that something had moved in her shocked state. In a blink of an eye, something blue and white zipped past her and up onto the roof. She took a moment to process this before stepping out and climbing up the roof.

Ghost Pepper did his best to hang on as he felt himself being blown away. Losing his grip, he yelled as he tumbled away from the book. Fortunately, an unexpected accessory found itself wrapped around his neck and the ends morphed into giant like claws. One claw dug into the roof while the other extended itself over to the book. It opened itself before clamping the book in its' grip. The light emitted from within its' grasp. It soon began dimming and the rune faded into nothingness. Ghost Pepper hung onto the scarf arm before seeing the wind no longer pushing him back. He landed on his belly with a thud before shaking away the daze and watching in awe as the claw slithered back to him.

Alabaster had witnessed the claw retreating back and dangling over the confused colt. Ghost Pepper held up a hoof and the claw placed the book in his foreleg before morphing back into his normal scarf. Ghost Pepper looked at the book in awe, questions floating through his mind. He looked up to see a baffled Alabaster, who quickly looked past him, making him turn to see a majestic alicorn hovering behind him.

He found himself shrinking at the sheer size of her wingspan and height. And not only that, she looked at him sternly.

"We have much to discuss, young one." she said. Ghost Pepper felt the feeling creep back.

'Triple Buck.'

Lessons in Dreaming

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Unwanted Attention

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Ghosts and Whispers

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The Colt Who Cried Wolf

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Do The Dead Dream?

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Brisket County and The Whoppers

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Sleep Over Easy

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Wicked Ways

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Bliss

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The Black Book

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The Inheritance

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Against the Walls

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Your Princess is in Another Dream

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The Long Night Part 1

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The Long Night Part 2

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The Long Night Part 3

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From Shadows to Light

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Aftermath

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