Rook took a deep breath heading into the streets of the run-down town. He felt bad for them, the townspeople were unable to run their homes thanks to the demonic spirit that claimed their island as its lair. He saw some people in their homes, trying to have a normal life locked behind boarded-up windows marked with runes to ward off any magic.

The earth pony then ended up on a market street, but it was nothing more than another run-down area like the rest of the town. But thankful some of the shops were still open, but maybe not for long. There were a bunch of signs warning everyone to stay inside after dark or they'll end up as another puppet ballerina.

Rook walked up to an old general store that was thankfully still open. He opened the door slowly and headed inside seeing that the shelves were barely filled with food, there was barely any medicine too, but the store was stocked to the brim with a lot of tutus.

"For a town hunted with a ballerina ghost, they seem to love their tutus." Rook joked to himself

Rook walked up to the front counter seeing a sign to ring for service. Once he tapped the small bell ringing echoed in the store and Rook heard someone in the back trip and quickly ran. Then they fell through a doorway falling on the floor again out of breath. Rook looked the guy up and down seeing it was a skinny yellow-colored male griffon that seemed excited to get a customer and was wearing a pink leotard with a tutu stitched onto it. The griffon took and deep breath and quickly stood up looking tried and out of breath.

"Sorry about that.....I was in the middle of.....of...Phew Sorry I was tending to my plants in the basement..." The griffon explained out of breath as he walked over to the counter, "Anyways my name is Leon nice to meet you."

Leon held out his hand and Rook kindly shook it.

"Nice to meet you Leon, names Rook." Rook stated

after they shook hands Leon looked Rook up and down seeming amazed and confused.

"Never meet someone like you before....you a mainlander or something?" Leon questioned

"Yeah, me and my wife just got here earlier. We're here to take care of the major ghost problem here." Rook said

With that statement, Leon's eyes widen in surprise.

"Really!" Leon blurted out, "Oh, thank the gods I thought the world gave up on us."

"Yeah, so anyways I was hoping to buy some food that could last for a few days." Rook said

"Oh, sure, sure but umm all we got are some canned beans, some old lunch meat I think is rotten by now, and a lot of bag chips." Leon listed off, "We also got some other stuff, like some tutus with some runes stitched into them to make you unnoticeable to any of her puppets....and hopefully her...."

Leon crossed his arms and looked worried to just mention her. Rook could tell the griffon was getting scared and knew he'd have to push their talk in another way.

"So, what's with the outfit?" Rook asked

Leon looked up remembering that he was talking to someone and then looked back at his outfit.

"Oh yeah....this...." Leon trailed off grabbing the trim of his tutu, "Me and some others tried to venture through the forest to get to another town to get meds. We did make it but a couple of us were taken and me and this other Griffon got caught in a trap."

Leon took a deep breath and stood straight up.

"We stepped on some runes that turned us outfits....into these." Leon explained giving the leotard a hard tug, but it was infused into his skin, "Only way to take them off is to either beg that bitch to take them off or cut off the skin it's infused too....sooo, I just had to get used to this get-up."

Leon felt a small

"But it's not all bad....don't need to go to the bathroom now...which is pretty weird to get use too...." Leon explained starting to blush from how awkward it was.

"Anyone else I could talk too?" Rook questioned

"Oh, my boyfriend could maybe give you some clues. His name is Jake and you can find him at the docks each day trying to catch fish for us to eat......but we haven't had any luck."

"Why? Did she somehow affect the fish too?" Rook asked

"Somehow yes." Leon answered in disbelief walking over to a locked-up trunk, he unlocked it to show a pile of fish all wearing small tutus, "Each fish we catch are wearing these tutus. It's the weirdest damn thing, and we found out the hard way if anyone eats them they will be turned!"

Leon slammed the trunk shut and quickly locked it back up. Leon took another deep breath and turned to face Rook.

"If you guys can take care of her......and get me and my love out of these outfits I'll be damn grateful and in your debt." Leon stated

"No need for a life debt." Rook told him, "Me and my wife were hired to find some rich guy's wife and he'll pay us lots of money for it. We don't need it and this town seems to need it a lot."

Leon just stood there unable to say anything. It had been a long since anyone came to the island or even cared about it. Leon couldn't handle the joy growing in him so he just hugged Rook.

"Oh, thank you, thank, thank you, thank you!" Leon blurted out in joy, "We could really use the money for this town....and it's a happy day on this island once that bitch is burning in hell!"

"You're welcome friend." Rook told Leon

Leon stopped hugging Rook and took a deep breath to re-claim himself.

"Alright, so let me get you some stuff on the house." Leon offered

"No need I'll pay." Rook quickly said turning the offer down

"You sure, oh man thanks!" Leon exclaimed, really happy to get some money in his life again!

Leon smiled brightly as Rook handed over the money and he just snitched it out of his hands! Leon's eyes even glowed brightly a bit, feeling a bit of real happiness for the first time in a long time! "Oh man, I think there wasn't even a curse the last time I had money in my claws!" Leon proclaimed as Rook just took the tutus he bought, and the griffon got back to obsessing over the shiny pieces of gold.

Rook took a deep breath as he left the shop returning to the empty foggy streets of the small island town. Making his walking a bit faster, a bit of fear filling him. Something about how all the streets where pretty empty with a few brave souls patrolling the streets to protect everyone. But even the tutu-wearing guards where terrified...scared that they would be taken next!

Rook felt a shiver run down his spine....he felt fear grow like a tumor quickly through his body. He just hoped him and his wife could solve this.

Author's Note

Sorry for not posting for a while, just been trying to figure stuff out in my life. But in a good spot in my life where I started making stories again. I do hope you all like this part, and if you have any tips that I can use to improve this story I'm happy to hear!