Ponyville Haunting (Part 2)

>Your hands are getting tired from writing the letter on the table in front of you.

>Maybe you should have made it a lot shorter? You know, to get the point across?

>No, no that would have seemed stranger than the situation was already. A long form letter would have to do.

>Finishing up the last sentence of the message, you feel a bit of relief as you sign your name at the very bottom in excellent penmanship.

>Spike the Dragon, Assistant to Twilight Sparkle of Ponyville, Equestria.

>Looking over the long scroll, you feel a small tinge of fear in the back of your mind.

>What if the princess didn't believe you? What if she would act just like Twi and think you were just making it all up for some sort of attempt to get attention.

>...

>That would be pretty bogus, you had to admit.

>Shrugging slightly, you take the scroll and roll it up in your claws.

>Well, here goes nothing.

>You can already feel the fire in your body roiling up within you, as you puff out a lick of green flames onto the parchment.

>The scroll disintegrates into ashy flakes, spiraling out of the library in a whiff of green smoke and off into the distance to Princess Celestia.

>As the letter melts away into the distance, you can hear a small, throaty chuckle in the back of your head.

>"Appealing to the Princess eh?"

"Well... what else am I supposed to do?"

>"How about you just do what I said and let me help you?"

"Help me with WHAT? I don't have any major problems right now, Anon."

>"Give it time."

 

>The air around you chills as Anonymous slinks out of the right side of your head, coiling about in the air and smirking at you.

>"Aww c'mon Spike, it's not all bad is it? Think about it, I'm practically your bestest friend in the whole wide world at this point."

"Pretty sure best friends don't posses my other friends and make them do weird things."

>You shoot him a small glare and he sighs, a bit of fog seeping from his mouth as he does.

>"Again with the grumpiness! You have to admit it was funny."

"No, it wasn't."

>"You sure?"

>The other day Anonymous had possessed a mare in town by the name of Lyra and had her dancing in the middle of the town square, singing about "Purple People Eaters."

>You didn't know what a "people" was, but you sure knew that YOU were purple, so you took it kind of personally. He promised it was about something else that was purple, but you're kind of on a "not trusting his shit" relationship with him at the moment.

>"But have you EVER seen a pony break dance? Have you, Spike?"

"Not cool dude."

>"Haaaaaaaaaave you?"

"..."

>"..."

"No, I haven't."

>"So it was a new experience! What's the har in that?"

>You rub your eyes with a hand. This was just getting frustrating.

"Look Anon, you say that you can help me out, but so far you've been nothing but a pest. You want to help me? How would you even start doing that?"

>His smile disappears and he ponders for a moment, rubbing his chin... or at least where a chin should be, with his "tail."

 

>"Well Spike, I'm basically a big 'ole pot of knowledge that's at your disposal."

"Huh. You don't LOOK smart."

>"Watch the sass, mister. I'm your little guardian specter, after all. Now-"

>He slinks over to you, wrapping around you slightly.

>"-let's walk and talk shop, shall we?"

>Giving a grumble in response, you get up and stretch your legs from sitting for so long.

"Okay, where are we going."

>"Out and about, my dear boy. Now come on, chop chop. I'm not getting any deader here."

>The two of you go downstairs, passing by Twilight as she records some of her memoirs in a large leather book.

>"Oh, where are you off to, Spike?" she asks, peeking down from her glasses.

"Oh, you know. Out."

>"And about," says Anonymous.

"Quiet you."

>"What?" Twilight asks again.

"Oh uh, not you. Just... going out. Be back later Twi."

>"Well don't stay out too late!" she calls back as you leave. "I still need help organizing all the books on-"

>She's cut off as Anonymous slams the door behind you with a sharp swing of his spectral body.

>"I do not know for the unlife of me why you even put up with that nag."

"Hey, watch it. Twilight's my friend, so don't go talking bad about her."

>"Whoa whoa, easy scales. Just a little observation is all."

"Uh huh. So what did you want to talk about."

>"Walk with me, friendo."

>You both stroll down the streets of Ponyville, Anonymous floating about rather than strolling.

>"Back when I was alive," he begins, "I was pretty good at solving problems."

 

"Solving problems?"

>"Solving all SORTS of problems," he says. "I had a job and everything. I was a... a... huh. Funny, I can't really remember."

"Why not?"

>"Well now if I knew that then I would tell you. Moving on, I solved problems. That much I know."

"And you think that just because you did ti when you were alive means you could do it for me now?"

>"Absolutely."

"No offense, but I'm not really faithful to what you're telling me."

>"You wound me, Spike. Listen."

>She conjures up a hand and places it on your shoulder.

>"I'm just a lonely, wandering spirit who's only goal in life now is to cross over to the Other Side. Surely you could take pity on me?"

"You made me walk on the ceiling in my sleep."

>"Surely you could take pity on this -jovial- spirit?"

"Twilight was horrified."

>"Hehehe, oh god that was hilarious."

"See! I knew you were just hamming it up to get on my good side!"

>It takes a moment for you to realize that you're in the middle of town.

>Having an argument.

>With a ghost.

>While ponies were watching.

>A few townsponies were giving you strange looks as you finished your verbal duel with Anon.

>"Careful there Spike," the ghost says, "Some of the ponies may think you've gone bonkers."

"Shut up."

>"Point is, Spike, I can't just poof away. You have to have some sort of life changing event that I have to assist in. We clear."

"For the millionth time, YES."

>You trudge on, but are stopped in your tracks when you see...

>...her.

>"Spikey!"

 

"Oh, hey Sweetie Belle!" you say, giving a small wave.

>"There you are! I haven't seen you around in a few days. How are you?"

"Oh, you know," you say, smiling like a doof, "Just been here and there."

>"Well you worried me for a bit," she says, pouting.

>Sweetie had certainly grown in the years you've been in Ponyville. That curled mane of hers hung a bit over her head, the tips of the ends twisting like that of her sister's, but only slightly. Sad thing was, she still didn't have a cutie mark. She took it hard, sometimes.

>She was as tall as Twi now, if you had to guess. Heck, even her voice was a bit deeper, but she always still had the occasional squeak of a voice crack.

>You kinda liked those, now that you thought of it.

"So what're you up to, Sweetie?"

>"Oh, you know, just out getting some materials for Rarity. Big dress order is coming in and we're working pretty hard. You?"

"Just out for a walk. Nice evening air and all."

>"Mmmhmm," she hums in a sing song voice.

"Want to tag along? Just a little walk is all, not going anywhere in particular."

>"Well sure, I don't have to be back to Rarity for a bit anyway. Oh, by the way, who's your friend?"

"Huh?"

>"Your pal there. The see-through guy?"

"You... wait you can-"

>"You can see me?" says the airy, misty voice of Anon as he sweeps over to Sweetie Belle, glowing eyes flashing wide.

>"Well of course," she says. "Why wouldn't I?"

>"Because," Anon says, a thin, glowing blue smile appearing on his face, "I'm dead."