Give Up Your Ghost

"Twilight, you alright, sugarcube?" Applejack asks.

"Follow the sound of my voice! Step away from the light!" Pinkie urges.

"Darling I know you can hear us! Snap out of it!" says Rarity.

Twilights eyes creep open, and she is met with all five of her friends looming over her in worry. Their faces are all instantly overcome with relief once their eyes lock with hers. Twilight quickly realizes she's still in the forest, in the exact same spot where she first encountered Eerie. "Finally, you're awake!" says Rainbow Dash. "How are ya feeling?" They all help Twilight to stand, as she is overwhelmed with a sudden headache.

"Easy now, looks like you took quite a fall," says Applejack.

"H-Huh?" Twilight murmurs. "What's going on? What happened?"

"Darling, you're a mess!" says Rarity. "You must've hit your head pretty hard."

"You were unconscious," says Fluttershy. "Thank goodness we found you, we were wondering where you went. Are you feeling okay?"

"Other than a splitting headache, I'll be okay," Twilight assures.

"We really shouldn't have split up," says Applejack. "Next time we'll all stick together so that this don't happen again."

"No, no, it's my fault. I got too distracted after I discredited all your fears, I guess I kinda started developing a bit of an ego. I didn't mean to sound like such a know-it-all." Twilight's ears droop, then lowers her head in shame.

"What kinda nonsense are ya talkin' 'bout?" Applejack rests her hoof on Twilight's shoulder. "I'm glad you told me that all I was bein' afraid of was the silly, ol' wind. Made everything a lot less scary for me."

"It's not like I was ever scared," says Rainbow Dash. "Buuuuut I am happy that all this time it was probably just some birds or whatever."

"Knowing that those eyes I sometimes see in my home is just Opal, really puts my heart at ease," says Rarity.

"Thanks to you, Twilight, I'm not afraid of any shadows anymore! Not even my own," Fluttershy confidently assures.

"Well, I still hear the voices, but I ain't scared of 'em!" Pinkie declares.

"Trust us, you don't gotta be sorry for nothin'," says Applejack.

Twilight's ears perk up, and she follows it up with a smile. "Thanks, girls. It really means a lot." Twilight chuckles from a sudden thought. "You know, I had one crazy dream."

"Oh! So did I!" Pinkie shouts, jumping up and down with excitement. "It's funny because I don't remember ever falling asleep or waking up, but you were in it, Twilight!"

"Really? What happened?" Another surge of pain rushes through Twilight's head, causing her to moan in agony.

"Maybe we should save it until we get back to camp," Applejack suggests. "We weren't able to find any firewood, but bundlin' up in the sleepin' bags should do just fine."

"Fluttershy and I were unsuccessful in our firewood search as well," says Rarity. "However, we did get a bit sidetracked."

"Oh, maybe Twilight's seen the animal, Rarity," says Fluttershy.

"Animal? What animal?" Twilight asks rather impatiently.

"Never mind, I guess you didn't. We can continue the search later, right now we need to head back to the campsite. You need to rest," says Fluttershy.

Something falls from Twilight's mane and into the grass. She stops, and the others curiously stop as well to see what's holding up Twilight. She looks down, and spots a little, white card resting between the blades of grass. Her horn glows, and she lifts the card up using her levitation spell. Upon reading the card, she's at first tackled by an instant rush of anxiety, but it fades away almost just as quickly. "You alright, Twilight?" Applejack asks.

Twilight grins, "It's nothing to worry about." She holds onto the card, and they all continue their trek back to the campsite. Twigs snap, and nearly unidentifiable silhouettes move between the trees surrounding them. However, they all look at the scenery with new eyes. Now able to keep their wild imaginations under control, then are now able to distinguish between what's strange, and what could obviously be caused by a very normal occurrence. All of them wander the woods with their heads held high, and chests puffed, as they relish in their newfound confidence. However, something still seems to be bothering Twilight. Seemingly out of nowhere, a thought pops into Twilight's head. She hesitates, considering how the others might react from such an out-of-nowhere question. However, it's something she feels she just has to ask. "Hey, girls. I've got a bit of a silly question. If ghosts were real, would you want to . . . be friends with one?"

"Heck yeah!" Rainbow Dash shouts, pumping her hoof in the air. "Having a ghost for a friend would be so awesome! Going through walls, scaring other ponies, and did I mention going through walls?! Like, come on, how cool would that be?"

"A ghost?" Rarity asks flabbergasted. "Huh, I can't say I've ever given it any thought."

"Is it a mean ghost?" Fluttershy asks.

"Not at all," says Twilight with a giggle. "Sure, the ghost might seem mean on the surface, but underneath, the ghost is completely harmless. For all you know, the ghost could be one of the nicest ponies you've ever met."

"Aww. In that case, yes I most definitely would!"

"Well, I do suppose it could spark up some interesting conversation," Rarity adds. "I would have to agree with Fluttershy!"

"My answer's still--heck yeah!" Rainbow Dash reaffirms.

"If ya ask me, ghost or not, everypony deserves a chance at friendship," Applejack advises. "I'd be willin' to give it a shot. How's 'bout you, Pinkie?"

"Me? I don't even have to think about it! Because I'm already--!" Pinkie's mouth is hurriedly covered by Twilight with a big, nervous smile on her face.

"B-Because you're already in agreement with everypony, right Pinkie?" Twilight stutters with a wink, and Pinkie cooperatively nods her head.

"Why do you ask, Twilight?" Applejack asks.

"I guess I was just making sure you girls were thinking the same thing as me."

"Hey, when we get back, who's still up for toastin' some marshmallows?!" Pinkie eagerly asks the crowd, and they all agree in joyous unison.

Eerie D'Leery, standing shamefully in the center of Luna's throne room, rolls his eyes as he listens to her much expected droning and scolding. "You've crossed the line, Eerie," Luna antagonizes. "What you've done today doesn't even measure up to any of your previous offenses, and that's a strong statement. I'll admit, I am partially at fault. I was beginning to think you had turned over a new leaf, but how wrong was I? From now on, there won't be a single solitary moment for you, as I will be keeping an even closer eye on you than ever before."

"You might not wanna do that literally, Princess. You're not gonna like what you see," Eerie chuckles.

"I already don't like what I see, so keep your childish comments to yourself." Luna rolls out the new contract to Eerie, and levitates a feather quill for him to sign with. "Please, sign on the dotted line."

"Yeah, yeah, I know the drill." Eerie snatches the quill from the air, and begins writing out his name as directed.

"So, what did you learn from all this?"

"That you're a real thorn in my side," Eerie mutters under his breath.

"Eerie!"

"What?! Was I supposed to learn somethin' from you?"

"Not from me, from Twilight."

"From Twilight? Ah, jeeze, I learned somethin' alright. I learned she's way more annoying than I anticipated. Ugh, and that friendship speech. What does she think I am, twelve?" Eerie grumbles as he finishes up his signature.

"You certainly have the qualities of one."

"Ooooh, nice one. See? Childish comments feel pretty good to say, don't they?"

"Eerie, you should seriously consider letting friendship into your life."

"Life? What life?"

"Enough quips. You can't hide behind this façade forever, Eerie."

"Trust me, Princess, I'm not hiding from anything." The quill lights up, engulfed by a green-ish flame. Eerie drops it to the floor, and stomps on it, turning it into a pile of black ash. "If there's nothing else, I'd like to be excused."

"I was once in your place, you know? I too felt like the entire world was against me, but the magic of friendship showed me otherwise." Fog rolls in, shrouding Eerie as he looks on unamused. "Ponder over it, Eerie. Perhaps you can take the time I know you'll spend reading this contract a hundred more times, and use it think about what I've said."

"Sure thing, boss." Eerie sneers.

Eerie is teleported back into the forest, and dusts himself off, "I won't have to read it a hundred more times," Eerie says aloud to himself. "Because I've already got my next plan all figured out, and this time . . . I won't lose." Eerie laughs as he stomps onto the ground, bringing forth an eruption of green-ish flames that engulf his body. He sinks down into the ground, and the flames die out without having burned or charred any of the grass or other neighboring plant life. Eerie's laughter resonates through the forest one last time, until it is peacefully quiet once more.

To Be Continued.