Malady and Freeloader

*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*

"Maria, open up! Right now!"

The donkey unlocks her door frantically, still wearing her night gown and with an eye mask sitting on her forehead, looks at me with panicked eyes.

"What, what is it hombre?! What happened?!

"Explain that!"

I point to inside her house, there in the wall lies the ghost filly, upside down and with only half of her body on this side, still peering at me with those dark eyes. The older lady takes a heavy sigh and calms down before addressing me.

"Oh, it's just her. Seriously, you almost gave me a heart attack! You shouldn't be scaring creatures this late at night y'know? I thought you were being robbed!"

"What do you mean it's just her?! There's a damn ghost right there and that's your reaction?!"

"Sí, it's just the ghost filly that lives in there. Dirt Cheap didn't tell you about her i'm guessing, he never tells anyone. Congratulations, you got scammed, you bought a haunted house. I'm going back to sleep now, have a good night."

"Wait, you still have to explain this to me!"

"Hombre, it's like, what, 2 in the morning? I can tell you when the sun's up, but for now i need my beauty sleep. Now you can go back to your place, or we can go to my bed, your pick."

Oh for the love of, i'm not going to be able to sleep properly without getting an explanation.

"Tsk, look, i have work in a few, and i'll try to come by late afternoon, and then you'll tell me everything you know, alright? This is seriously not the kind of surprise i was expecting from this place."

"Oh? So you're not running away? My, that's refreshing, everyone takes one look at that harmless girl and then they flee. You know what, i'll tell you everything later. But for now, good night to both of you."

Maria closes her door and i grumble, at least i'm going to get some answers for this. I wish i could resolve this before going to bed, this will stress me out at work. I go back to my place, and in the same spot in the wall that i pointed at inside Maria's, she's there, still looking at me. I wish she would stop doing that.

"It's my house..."

"Not anymore, i have the papers. I'll deal with you later."

Dragging myself back to my room, i glare back at the intruder, who's floating around me and going through the walls instead of using the doors. Rude. It's also cold to be around her, i'm starting to shiver a little.

"Now listen here, you little bugger, i'm going to sleep, and i don't want to hear nor see nor feel you around me while i'm on bed, you hear? I have to work and i'm not going to let you keep me awake. I need that job, and you're technically invading my place."

"Mine..."

Great, that's all she knows what to say. Stomping hard into my bed, i cover myself and try to sleep. I think she went away because i don't feel as cold anymore. Good. I'll count sheep to fall asleep, failing that, i'll think of ways of how to get back at sleazeball Dirt Cheap for doing me dirty like that. I knew i shouldn't have trusted that dude...

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Ponies shuffle away from me as i return from work. Today's been a shit day, found out i have a ghost under my roof against my wishes, i smell so bad that everypony in a twenty feet radius gag and i got chewed up by my boss for going away early on my shift. I assured him it was because of a home problem, but he wasn't buying any of that. I really fucking hope he won't dock my payment because of that.

If he does, i'll charge the ghost for that.

Getting close to home, i can see Maria on her porch, knitting again. She waves at me but immediately puts her hoof to her nose and shoos me away. Yeah, yeah, i'll take care of this and then i'm coming for you.

Opening my door, i examine the surroundings. The little terror doesn't seem to be anywhere to annoy me. Does she only come out at night? I've no idea how ghosts work, i had a buddy at boot camp who would study the occult, but i doubt he'd answer my calls after my discharge. I have no idea how or where to begin looking at this, so he'll be my only option.

After showering and grooming, i go straight to Maria's. She stopped her work and seems to be looking at my house, probably thinking of the little burden in there.

"So, are you going to tell me everything now? I got in trouble with the boss for coming home early, so i expect you to fill me in on this."

"Oh, so sorry about that dear, why don't i make up for that? Come inside, we can chat there and i'll make you some tea."

"I am coming inside, but you better drop with your flirting. Please. I am so tired, i haven't had a proper rest for a long while now, all i want is to know what's going on so i can solve my problem and rest."

She looks at my tired face, and smiles sadly, hopefully she'll tone it down. Opening the door to her home, she guides me to the living room, which seems to be at around the same size as mine, with various photos adorning the walls and crochets on the furniture. I sit down on a small couch while she goes to the kitchen side of the room.

"Sorry about that dear, it gets awfully lonely around here, with the other two neighbors staying only for a few days at most, and while the boys are gentleman, i can't exactly accompany them with their activities."

"It's ok, i just want a break from this lunacy. Now, tell me what's with the ghost ."

"Well dear, i don't have the full story. I've been here for a while now, but the poor filly has been haunting the house for far longer then i have lived here. Poor thing must feel so alone..."

"And for long have you even been here? It's the first time that i personally hear about an actual honest-to-Celestia ghost, shouldn't somepony have taken care of it by now?"

Coming back from the kitchen, the donkey sets a tray of tea in front of me with some biscuits. Taking some, i eat them with the drink as i listen to Maria talk.

"I've been living here for ten whole years, and as soon as i arrived, why, i saw the neighbors running out, screaming curses with their luggage in tow; maybe the filly met them as soon as they arrived. I'll be honest with you, at first i was also scared, but she never entered my house. My, she never even bothered saying a word to me! I've never been ghosted this bad before in my life!"

"Please take this more seriously, lady."

"Haha, ok ok, you can't blame me for that one. As i was saying, she never bothered me so i never had any problems, if anything, i'd say its a little exciting to be able to say 'I live next to a haunted house!'. I was curious about the situation, so i went snooping around, found the old owners of this residence, and i spoke to them and asked what exactly happened to the filly..."

A short silence. Is she really going to stop now?

"And that is? Don't leave me hanging like that."

"It's sad to say, in your house lived a couple with a cute little daughter. At first they loved each other fiercely, but after a short while they started fighting. They started arguing pretty frequently, so the mother moved away. The father worked long shifts, so he had to leave the foal alone since he couldn't afford a babysitter. One day, he came back home and found her fallen by the stairs, neck sprained. He moved away not long after that; and before ponies noticed, the filly's ghost had been wandering around the house."

Ow. What a depressing way to go. That's actually making me sad now, shit.

"Oh. That's very... sad."

"Mhm. No one would buy the place, and no one ever came to visit, so the ghost just stayed there as is ever since... That is, until that hijo de puta Dirt Cheap bought the house, and then began his scheme. Sell the property for cheap to ponies who live far away and don't know about the situation, let them get spooked, then buy back at a profit; rinse and repeat. Me and the boys started taking bets as to how long ponies would last before fleeing, but you spoilsport decided to stay, so i guess no one's getting the money. Thank you for that."

"Fucking asshole, i knew it was too good to be true. Well, jokes on him, because that house is mine now, and that ghost's going away!"

"What? Silly, you can't drive a ghost away from the place it died on! What can you do, shove her out the wall? Not to mention that would be very cruel of you."

"Well, i'm not keen on letting some grub live in my house and not help pay the bills, not to mention that i don't want to live with a foal running around. She already woke me up yesterday while i was trying to sleep and i can't imagine what shenanigans she's going to do!"

"I think that you're taking this too far. She's a little filly!"

"It's my damn right to, and i'm going to! Now all i need to do is find a unicorn who knows about this apparition thingamabob and send her to wherever she was supposed to go to when she died."

"Wait... you're going to try and make her come to peace with her death?"

"It's either that or the vacuum cleaner, which i doubt will work very well."

"... Thank you dear. I mean it."

She gives me a content smile. Huh, color me surprised, it seems like the cares a lot for that fuzzy ball of ectoplasm.

"Now dear, that's all i have to say to you. I wish i knew more, but the ponies who lived around here moved away long ago. I guess they found the place to be too depressing after the incident."

"Alright, thanks for the help, that clears some things up. Let me help you with the dishes."

I get up, but before i can touch the cups, she shushes me and asks me to sit down again.

"Oh no no no no, that's quite ok, let me clean it up for you. Could you possibly answer me one teensy question before you go, though? That commotion the other day..."

Oh fuck me sideways, she had to go there and ask didn't she. I hate having to explain that to poni- er, creatures.

"Why won't let your cousins stay with you? The place isn't that big, but you seem to stay most of the day out at work, maybe you could work things out?"

"Pardon me ma'm, but i don't think you know how shitty those family members can be. All they do is party, drink, and take no responsibility for themselves. They barely work and they keep munching off their parents; and it pisses me off, i worked hard to get where i am today without ever asking for help, and i will not stand having one of those pain in the flank stay at my house, living their carefree life under my watch."

"My, such conviction. I wish i had family members of my own to share a room with, but if that's what you think, i won't impose. Are you saying that because that's really what you believe, or is it because you want to be alone?"

"Both. I want peace to have a good night of sleep, and i don't want ponies taking advantage of me either."

"Hm. Well, i hope you come to peace with that, living alone by yourself can be quite sad. Thanks for chatting with me today, maybe if you have the time you can come again and chit chat?"

As long as you keep it in your pants.

"I'll be trying to help my little guest pass on, after that i'll see if i have time to come talk to you. Thanks for the tea."

"It's no problem dear, good bye."

That was productive. After offering to help her one more time and being refused, i turn back to my own home. As soon as i open the door, she's there, peering at my soul, not saying a thing. She's just there, floating.

"... If you were a little bigger, then i could call this creepy."

She's not responding, as if she's ignoring my comment. Shrugging, i go to my room. I really don't want to share my place with a little filly, of all things. I'll try calling my old bud and see if i can get anything to solve this.

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"Tch, no dice, he won't answer."

Not surprising, i wasn't very popular when i left. I wish i knew any other unicorn who was an occult nerd. I'd call dad, but i don't want to worry him too much about my situation, i can take care of this by my-

"You smell like dad."

... Huh? Oh, she spoke to me.

"Do i now? What, your father work with fish?"

"Mm, he used to"

Maybe he worked at the docks too. No wonder he spent so many hours away, sad for the kid. It seems like she's done talking for now, but she comes closer to me alongside the chills.

"Hey now, can you leave me some space young la-"

She touches me.

Like, her body is touching mine. It's cold, but i can faintly feel fur touching mine. That's creepy, i thought i was supposed to go through her. This can't be a thing... I'll try my hoof.

"..."

Yep, i can touch her. I have to be gentle it seems, if i push too much i'll go through her. I've heard a lot of stories about ghosts, but none about me being able to touch them. Now that i take my time to really look at her, i see this small white semi-transparent filly, alone in this room with me, with her dark eyes peering attentively at me...

"Shit, this isn't good."

I sit up and get away from her, i try anyways, she keeps following me. I don't want this, i don't want to touch her, this is wrong, it's very very wrong. I go to my bedroom and close the door on her.

...Only for her to phase through it, the rude bugger.

"Listen here, i'm going to bed. Don't touch me, and most importantly, don't wake me up, y'hear? I need to work tomorrow."

"...Dad slept with me."

Shit shit shit

"We're not sleeping together. Now go away, go haunt some other room."

My pleas fall on deaf ears. She isn't getting closer, but she's staying in the room. I don't know if she has a fixation on me because maybe i resemble her dad, or if she's trying to spook me, because her eyes haven't left me ever since i first entered this house. Crap.

I move to the bed, and look away from her however i can still feel her gaze boring into my skull . This isn't good, i need to focus, and go to sleep. Tomorrow's a new day, tomorrow i can work on this filly. Don't think about it, and just go to sleep. Just.
Go.
To.
Sleep.