One in a Billion Cards (Chapter 1)
***The greatest motivation in life is your fear.
-Martin (The Author)***
One in a Billion Cards (Chapter 1)
Written and Edited by SuperintendentMr.SeaUnicorn
Reread and Edited by The Crystal King
(For Reference): Twilight's Room
A cold breeze entered through the open windows. The soft breeze kept sweeping its surroundings, the trees and plants shaking and ruffling in response. The moon was illuminating the vast midnight black sky, which was also illuminated with the help of all the stars, which were littered all over the vast darkness. The sparkling lights that were the twinkling stars seemed to twinkle like a disco ball in the black canvas that is the night. The peacefulness was beautiful.
At least it was at the moment.
Twilight was looking out the window the entire time, taking in the scene before her. It's so quiet, she thought. She looked over to Owlicious' perch. Still, not home, she thought. She focused her attention on the book that was on her bed, the only light emitting in her room being the crystal chandeliers, which were lightened by magic.
The night felt longer than usual. Odd, she thought. She felt like the night was progressively slowing as time goes by. She shrugged the thought off, continuing the book she was reading.
The book was about psychology, and it was entitled "Habit is Magic." She skimmed through the last chapter of the book, eyeing the last few sentences.
The mind and its thoughts, undoubtedly, is one of the most complicated yet familiar concepts anypony can hope to understand and comprehend. To the movement of electrons through neurons, the mind's addiction relating to dopamine, to the mere presence of thoughts in a non-scientific standpoint, surely, the brain is one complicated organic machine.
Her eyes were drawn to a quote that was at the end of the page, where it was below the last sentences of the book.
"The toughest prison to break out of is your own mind."
She shut the book to a close, satisfied with her session. Interesting, Twilight noted. She levitated the book to the bookshelf nearby, getting ready to go to bed. She decided to leave her room. She hopped of her bed, and left. The son tapping of her hooves was all she could hear as she walked through the castle hallways. She was looking for the basket that has a particular sleeping baby dragon on it. Spike wasn't in the room with her at the moment. He's probably sleeping by the fireplace, she thought.
She trotted through the room, and she was now in front of the fireplace. Sure enough, Spike was sleeping inside the old basket he had brought along with him. She smiled warmly as she left the purple dragon be. She walked back to her room. She walked in her room, and shut the door to a close.
She jumped on her bed childishly, not caring about her own self-image. Twilight shuffled her body to insert itself under the sheets. She happily sighed and she started to close her eyes. After a long night of "Light Reading", she was now going to bed. Nighty night, Twi, she thought. Twilight's eyelids were almost shut.
As she closed her large eyes, something caught her attention. A shadow maybe? Twilight immediately shot her eyes open, staring at it.
No.
Her jaw clutched but she screamed slightly.
Maybe it's all an elaborate prank?
Maybe it's my mind playing with me?
Maybe it's just a shadow?
She really wanted to deny it.
It was there.
A ghost was by the foot of her bed. Staring at her. Staring at her eyes.
Staring at her soul.
Inside her mind, she could not fathom the ignis fatuus that was by the foot of her bed. Fathom, more like a phantom!. She immediately shut her eyes to a close, whimpering slightly but not too loudly. Her inside of her mind was like a full-force hurricane. Her body turned into an ice block. After a moment's silence, a thought was made clear in hear head. What was that?! She managed to think to herself. She covered herself with her blanket, clenching her jaw and driving her head down her pillow. Ghosts are not real!
She thought of how to escape, on how to leave this nightmare. She thought of it as a nightmare. Her heart was beating and her mind was racing, but the world seemed to slow down at the same time. She peeked, looking for the faint light that took shape of a pony.
He was looking the other way now, Twilight thought. Wait... he?! Twilight didn't understand why she assumed it was a he. Well, it made some sense, Twilight thought. She refocused her attention to 'him.' The ghost had a midnight black coat, and his mane was a blazing red, a yellow and black streak going through his mane. The ghost looked like an advocate of death. The ghost's mane was tousled, though. Twilight was at least trying to look at the beauty behind the madness.
The ghost also appeared to have a yellow thunderbolt as a cutie mark.
What terrified Twilight was the ghost's wings. The ghost was supposedly a pegasus, but he and especially his wings were so broken that it didn't feel like you could say he was a pegasus. The ghost's left wing was completely ripped off, muscle and bone sticking out on the side. The ghost's other wing was still there, albeit bent in an unnatural matter.
Some part of the ghost's coat was completely gone, patches filled with blood all over the spots with no fur. His face was bruised, blood seeping out of the little wounds and lacerations. Twilight grimaced at the ghost for a while, while the ghost was standing perfectly still.
Twilight suspected him to be a ghost, obviously. He was a spirit long forgotten in the vast sands of time. Twilight did feel a little sorry for him. In his current state, he should be feeling the pain even she could not describe. Her breathing suddenly became louder as these thoughts zipped through her brain.
The ghost moved.
It was just a little bit. A shuffle. Twilight didn't really care, her scholarly mind taking over the fear that was still existing, but was now smaller. She too shuffled a little. How can he possible hea- He suddenly turned, looking at the bed. Twilight immediately shut her eyes, hoping he would not suspect her. His face was one of no emotion.
Twilight just waited for Celestia knows how long. Calm down, she thought to herself. You can fly out the window if you want to, she told herself. How do... What... Why?
After what felt like a century, something finally happened.
The ghost gingerly peeled the blanket open with a hoof, which startled Twilight. She immediately bolted to the window, not looking back.
She was now extending her wings, readying for flight.
But something else happened unexpectedly. Something unexpected that was expected.
"Please..."
That was not Twilight who spoke.
Twilight froze, feeling like she just had a thousand heart attacks. She didn't know if she could run (or fly) away. She didn't know what would happen. She didn't know what to do...
She wheeled to his direction, immediately regretting it. You can't turn back, literally, Twilight thought. She spoke up for herself.
"W-what do you want?" She asked, trembling.
His face was still neutral. He then spoke with a husky voice that was a little low. "Companionship..." He just looked away, clearly ashamed and determined she would fly away. Twilight was just staring at the phantom. He wants to talk?! She thought. The lavender coloured Princess almost fainted at the spot. A very tiny part of her wanted to stay and listen to what he wanted to say. Another part of her wants to fly out the window and leave him be.
She grimaced at the ghost.
But, he is a ghost, maybe she could get something out of him for research. But who would believe in ghosts, right? These were only a few of the many thoughts that were making the gears in Twilight's mind turn rapidly. The tracks of her train of thought were destroyed, her train of thought derailing and blowing up, much like her mind. Years must have passed as she finally considered.
She sighed. I can't believe I'm doing this...
"I-I'll listen," she said slowly.
Hmmm... she's listening...
He immediately sat down on the carpet. Twilight sat right down in front of him, sweating heavily. The ghost was just staring at her, which gave cold shivers down her spine. Are we really doing this? She asked herself in her mind, asking not one at all.
"Are... you sweating?" The ghost suddenly asked her.
Twilight felt like she got hit by a train.
"...yes," she admitted.
The ghost was silent.
Twilight gulped. What to do!? What do I do?!
She decided to just go for it.
"So... what's your name?" She inquired slowly.
He looked down a little, looking like a miserable mess. "It's... been a long time..." He said sadly, almost forgetting his name completely.
Twilight's heart was reaching out to the lost soul that was in front of her. He looked like a wretched, bruised wreck that should be screaming in pain, but he wasn't screaming. He was hurt, but not physically anymore. Who is he? Twilight thought.
"...but I think... it's... Lightning Glare..." He interrupted.
Twilight's mind was now racing. The questions I can ask him! She realized. She almost lost control when he asked her.
"...what's your name?" He inquired, lifting his head.
Twilight just went full on out.
"My name is Twilight Sparkle," she said with confidence.
He just eyed her for a while. He noticed she had wings, but also a horn. He seemed to squint at her horns and wings. He darted to her pair of wings. Then to her horn. Then back at her pair of wings. Then back to her horn.
"...you're an alicorn," he stated, not really asking a question.
Twilight ruffled her wings, making him stare at them.
"...yes, I am an alicorn," she answered, repeating him.
He put a hoof under his chin, thinking with a skeptical look on his face.
"...so why are you not in Canterlot Castle? Clearly, this isn't Canterlot," he asked.
"...well, this isn't Canterlot Castle for sure. This is the Castle of Friendship," she offered.
He was now looking confused, but he sounded much more comfortable. "Castle of Friendship... never heard of it," he informed, clearly confused at where he is at.
Twilight took this opportunity to ask him some questions, albeit she reminded herself to be careful. She was still talking to a ghost, after all.
"So... Lightning Glare..." She drifted off, afraid to ask him the question that may have her-
"...yes?" He asked quietly and shyly.
Twilight decided to not be scared and to keep going.
"...H-how long have you been a ghost?" She asked, her whole body feeling rubbery.
Surprisingly, he did not feel too offended by this. He just sat there, looking like he had nothing to say.
After that awkward silence, he finally spoke. "...for as long as I can remember," he said dully.
Twilight cannot imagine the pain and loneliness he must have been through. He truly was a lost wanderer in the great expanses of space and time.
"I'm so sorry to hear that," she apologized for something she did not do.
He just looked away, clearly not enjoying the conversation, even if he was the one who wanted to talk to the purple mare.
He was just staring at the corner, tears starting to form in his eyes. Twilight did not notice this. She felt extremely guilty for the question she just asked to offend him.
"Hey, sorry about that," Twilight said, attempting to put a hoof on him.
She expected for her hoof to go straight through his back, however, she was able to get in contact with it. His coat felt cold, yet so soft, like a foal's. He flinched when her hoof came into contact. He shuffled away from Twilight.
He let the tears roll down his cheeks as he continued to weep. Even as a ghost, his body, and tears seem to physically bound with the rest of environment.
Twilight set the questions she wanted to ask him aside, and help him in whatever he needed.
"Are you okay?" She consoled.
He shook his head, still looking away.
"I'm never okay," he choked.
Twilight put her hoof on his back. He flinched a little when she did it, but he let her now.
"Shhh, it's okay," she comforted.
He, however, did not feel okay.
"...you're gonna leave me," he predicted.
Twilight smiled sadly at him, who was still looking at the other direction.
She plopped herself down in front of him, sitting on her haunches. She lifted his face with her hoof. His face was still bruised, but there wee tears that were also rolling down his cheeks. His eyes were red, but his irises were a blazing red color.
"Why would I?" She smiled back.
The ghost was still looking sullen. The ghost ears drooped down. The ghost actually looked a little disappointed, but the ghost looked much better, even if the ghost was looking down. Twilight just continued.
"Lightning, I may not know you well, but I know you want to be normal," she said. "It's clearly obvious," she added.
The ghost just scoffed. "... I don't think I can be normal anymore," the ghost mumbled. The ghost's attitude was starting to startle Twilight.
"What do you mean?" She asked, even if it's painfully obvious.
"I'm dead," the ghost deadpanned.
Twilight should've been smarter than that. She felt like a complete idiot for even asking.
The ghost had stopped crying, but the ghost was now silent. The ghost seemed so subtle, as subtle as the night.
"I'm sorry..." Twilight apologized again.
The ghost waved his hoof in disagreement. "I-it's fine," the ghost muttered, looking down again.
Twilight realized that he keeps on getting more confident as they kept talking. Well, just an eensy-weensy bit. She'll just ask about it later.
"So... what do we do now?" Asked Twilight.
The ghost didn't seem to care about her question, or seem to care about anything, to be honest.
"... the night is still young, right?" The ghost basically whispered.
Twilight answered the ghost quickly. "Actually... no. It's around five a.m," she answered.
The ghost had a disappointed look on his face. The ghost frowned slightly as he stood up. The ghost looked at Twilight with that sulky look on his face.
"...nighty night."
Then the ghost vanished, the outline of his body dissipating. It looked like he turned into tissue and a non-existent breeze swept him away.
♠♥♣♦♠♥♣♦♠♥♣♦
Spike was going through the doorway that led to the dining room. He had just woken up and was now looking for some food for his hungry tummy of his.
"Good morning Twilight," Spike greeted. Spike moved through the dining room, passing by Twilight. Twilight was seated, her breakfast in front of her. Everything looked normal. Twilight was there, sitting and being pretty. But, she wasn't eating her breakfast. In fact, she didn't look like she was doing anything. She simply stared off, looking into empty space.
"Twilight, are you alright?" Spike was a little creeped out by her odd demeanor.
"Yes Spike, I am perfectly fine," she said, recalling all of the events that just transpired only hours ago. She looked nervous and terrified.
Spike, wasn't buying any of it.
"Twilight, are you sure?" Spike didn't sound convinced.
Twilight nodded her head slowly.
"Yes Spike, I'm sure," she reassured, defending her claim.
Spike frowned, and he took a seat beside Twilight. His eyes darted towards her purple mare.
"Talk to me, Twi." He sounded like her parents.
The purple mare sighed. "I-I just don't know how to say it to you..." She drifted.
Spike was now curious about what she had to say to him.
"Twilight, you can tell me anything," he reminded her. She did promise him they would have no secrets. No point in lying, Twilight thought. She wanted to tell him in a firm and straightforward matter.
"Spike, early this morning somepony visited me in my room," she said firmly.
Spike was confused. "Wait, what?"
Twilight continued. "A ghost visited me last night," she said flatly.
Spike was eyeing Twilight as if she was joking. He was expecting a, 'Just joking' from Twilight. No words escaped her mouth. This has to be a joke, Spike thought. A ghost? Really Twilight?
He burst into laughter, clearly thinking this is all some joke she made up. Twilight frowned slightly as he kept on laughing. "A ghost? Aw man, you really have to be kidding me, right?" He managed to snicker before laughing again. This left a very unhappy Twilight.
He muttered to himself shortly before he looked at Twilight, who was still frowning. Woah, she must be dead serious, Spike told himself in his mind before he questioned her 'outrageous' claim.
"Twi, surely a ghost couldn't have met you, right?" He sassily asked, rolling his eyes.
Twilight shook her head. This took him off guard. "No?" Spike asked again.
She shook his head again. "No," she confirmed again.
Spike was now confused. She can't be that serious!
"Twilight, you have to be joking," he said, now incredulous.
She didn't answer.
"... I think you should see him for yourself," she said after a long silence full of staring.
This only made Spike more confused.
"When?" He asked, a little worried now.
Twilight bit her lip and thought. "...he didn't say," she admitted.
Some part of Spike felt terrified at the fact he had hoped was false.
"'He' didn't say?" He inquired, his voice lowering.
She only shook her head as a response.
Spike only said a few words after a long silence.
"What?"
♠♥♣♦♠♥♣♦♠♥♣♦
Twilight and Spike were on her bed, waiting for the phantom. They weren't sure if the specter would come and visit, but they need to be prepared if he eventually does. Spike turned his head to face the other corner of the room, making sure he would catch the phantom if he appeared there.
"Twilight, are you sure he'll come back? He didn't really clarify his point," Spike argued. Twilight was able to convince him, however, he was still skeptical.
Twilight knew she can't argue with his logic. the ghost really didn't clarify when will he come back. If the ghost ever will come back. She didn't want Spike to doubt her logic, so she asked another question in order to change the topic.
"Spike, remember the plan?" Twilight whispered to Spike's ear. Spike just nodded. "Yeah Twilight," Spike said.
It was then he was suddenly clueless. "Wait... what was the plan again?" He had forgotten already, not paying attention to Twilight because he kept reminding himself that he was going to allegedly 'encounter' a ghost. He also felt a little sleepy.
Twilight grunted, face hoofing. "You will go under the sheets and hide when he comes. You will only come out when I say so. Got it?" She instructed, annoyed that he did not remember the simple instructions given. She figured introducing Spike with her was the best way to go.
"Oh, alright Twilight," Spike replied, making sure he didn't forget. Because I'm hunting a fricking ghost! Spike thought.
Twilight still wanted to remind Spike one more time that he had to be careful with the ghost. "Spike, I know I've said this many times, but please, be gentle. He's very sen- Spike?! Are you even listening?!" Twilight was now irritated, scratching her head and she grunted. "I won't give you those gems I promised!" She was able to convince him to tag along, but only because she promised him a bunch of gems.
Spike didn't answer her. In fact, he wasn't even paying any attention to her little rant at all. He was looking at the direction of the door, clearly dumbstruck. His eyes were as wide as dinner plates, still eyeing the door. Spike didn't hear her obnoxious ranting, but Spike was stuttering the entire time.
"T-t-t-tw-t-Tw-Twilight?!" He managed, pointing with his single claw.
Twilight didn't answer. She was following the area Spike's claws were pointing at. She was looking at...
Well, it's Lightning Glare, she thought, but she was still shocked he was watching the entire scene go on.
He was sitting on his haunches, sitting on the floor. Twilight wasn't really disturbed by his presence. What was disturbing was he was blocking the door. Blocking the door.
Twilight whispered to Spike's ear. "Spike, stay calm," she said, even if she herself was concerned.
Spike, on the other hand, didn't look like he was registering anything anymore. It was if he was disconnected from the rest of the world. What were you thinking Twilight?! He thought.
He bolted to the door, Twilight only seeing a blur when he tried to mercilessly go through the ghost.
"Spike, no!" Twilight went after Spike, but it was too late. Spike came in contact with the ghost, both them stumbling down the floor. I thought I'd go through him! Spike though as he regained his senses. Spike grunted as he got up the ghost remained silent. The ghost ran his hoof through his mane, clearly clueless.
Spike eyed him, terrified. He bolted back to Twilight since the ghost was still unintentionally blocking the door. Spike clutched Twilight, closing his eyes.
"Whatwasthatwhatwasthat?!" Spike mumbled quickly. Twilight just pulled him close with her wing. "Shhh, it's okay. He's not gonna hurt you," she comforted. She looked back at the ghost, mouthing an apology.
"I'm sorry," she mouthed to the ghost.
The ghost just nodded, his face neutral. He looked back down.
Spike just embraced her for a while. Twilight wanted to prove the ghost wasn't dangerous. Maybe a name? "Spike, his name is Lightning Glare," she informed softly.
Spike was just shaking his head, hoping he would shake this weird nightmare off of his mind.
"T-Twilight is he still there?" He asked, trembling.
Twilight nodded. "Of course he's still there, she said, pointing at the ghost. The ghost was just silent, the neutral expression still plastered on his face that was looking down.
The ghost seemed patient. Very patient.
Twilight wanted Spike to accept the ghost. "Spike, please. I know you're scared, but can you at least give him a chance? He's been very patient, after all," she persuaded.
Spike stayed silent. The ghost now looked up, watching the scene unfold.
She continued her persuading. "He may look scary and bloody, but... can you do it for me... at least?" She continued.
Spike's eyes opened, looking deep into the purple irises that were in front of him. His mind was racing with thoughts. Should he reconsider? He sighed. No point in arguing with Twilight...
"Fine," he grumbled.
She smiled. "Thank you, Spike. This means so much not just for me, but for Lightning Glare too," she said, pointing to Lightning Glare.
Spike looked over to Lightning Glare, who was just watching. His head was now up.
"So, your name's Lightning Glare?" He asked slowly.
Lightning Glare just nodded.
"Uh... sorry?" Spike apologized slowly.
The ghost named Lightning Glare waved his hoof slowly. "K," he muttered quietly, then he looked down, but his face still clearly visible.
Twilight was glad the conversation was going swell. It could've gone worse.
"So, your name is Spike?" The ghost's head was still down by a small bit, but Spike got a good look on his face. It was unsettling for Spike to see his blazing red irises lock into him.
"Uh... yes?" He was more confused about the awkward conversation than scared.
Before Twilight could continue, Lightning suddenly asked a very hard question to answer.
"Will... I get experimented on or something?" He asked shyly.
Twilight was very alarmed by his question. Will he get experimented on?
"Well, Lightning- wait, can we call you Lightning?" She asked, not asking earlier.
He nodded his head.
"Well, Lighting, we'll just ask some questions," she said.
"Wait, we are?" Spike didn't remember her telling him that.
"Yes, Spike, we are," she confirmed, trying not to sound irritated, but the groan still audible. She looked back to the ghost.
"So, Lightning Glare, how does it feel like to be a ghost?" She asked, seemingly pulling out a notepad, quill, and ink jar. She twisted the lid of the ink jar open, dipping the tip of the quill on the jar. She hovered the quill over her notepad. The ghost waited for her before he continued. His head was now lifted, looking straight at them.
"It feels... empty," he answered.
Twilight wrote on the notepad. She let him continue.
"It kinda feels like... like you can't feel anything. Like an everlasting numbness," he said. Twilight noted the information down before she asked again.
"So, Lightning, I'm going to ask one more time to be sure, but how long have you been a ghost?" She asked as softly and slowly as possible.
He did not seem offended by this. In fact, he plastered that same impartial expression on his face. He answered.
"I think... uh... wait... around..." He couldn't put a hoof on it.
Twilight and Spike just let him think and stutter. He finally did answer back.
"...fifteen years... I think?" He said.
Twilight was a little shocked, but it wasn't that surprising. Spike spoke for her when nothing left her mouth. "That long?" He inquired.
Lightning just nodded his head.
Twilight was just scribbling down the information given.
The next question, Twilight thought, will be hard to ask, she added in her mind.
She cleared her throat. The awkwardness was starting to grow in the room. She blinked hard before asking.
"Lightning... this may sound offensive to you... but how did you die?"
Lightning eyes widened, him not having any other reply other than that. The room's air was sucked out immediately. The ghost clenched his jaw, immediately loosening it before answering while the air of the room was sucked out.
"Flying accident," he stated flatly, his eyes closed, breathing out a long breath. He extended his right wing, but what left Spike petrified was the little stump in where his left wing was. The growth erected a little bit, the bone muscle, and even the bone marrow showing.
Spike's cheeks were turning green, appalled by the sight of his one wing and bloody stump.
"Doesn't that hurt?" Spike asked cautiously with disgust, his body wincing.
Lightning shook his head. "Not anymore," he said.
Twilight was about to ask another question before the first rays of sunlight seeped into the room through the windows. Lightning faded a little bit, indicating the sun was rising.
"Oh! Morning is here!" Twilight exclaimed, not taking note of the time.
Lightning glanced at the window, seething at the sight. He put a single hoof on his eyes "Get it off," he grunted.
Twilight's window didn't have any blinds, so they had to go to another room. She ushered Lightning out of the room.
"Sorry, Lightning, there aren't any blinds in my room. Come, let's go to the fireplace," she said. She and Spike were about to leave, but Lightning was just standing on the same spot, fading away.
"I can't, Twilight. I'll fade whether there's light or not," he informed quickly. "You won't be able to see me during daytime, no matter what," he added.
Twilight was about to say something, but he silenced her with a hoof as he started fading.
"I'll see you tonight," Lightning said as he faded into nothingness. He was now completely gone, no physical evidence left that would conclude he was ever there.
Twilight and Spike were left there, having no idea on what to do next. Twilight patted Spike's back, which made him jump.
"Let's get a move on, Spike."
Spike snorted in response. "You better give me those gems, Twilight." He looked at her direction. And she was gone. She's probably on her way to write a 500 paged report or something, Spike thought.
He rolled his eyes and walked out the room, following the curios young mare.
