Chapter 9

Cut Loose

The Ecto-Van skidded to a stop on its side, the siren dying off while the lights continued to flash. Inside, everyone was enveloped in violet light as Twilight panicked the second the van started to tip over. Although still shaken up, everyone was… relatively ok. Rarity found herself suspended in the air for a moment before dropping down onto the side of Applejack's seat while Sunset was suspended in her own seat by the seat belt.

"Are we dead?" Rainbow Dash groaned.

"Kinda wish we were right now..." Sunset replied slowly as she brought a hand to her head. "What happened?"

"Felt like we got hit," Applejack groaned as she released her seat belt and fell against the driver's side door.

Pinkie Pie shook her head before freeing herself from her seat and putting a hand on the side door that was above her. After a minute she tried to open up, but couldn't. It felt like it was wedged a bit. Rarity joined her, but still wasn't able to make it budge. Applejack groaned as she climbed over and took a look. There was a sizable dent in the door. Calling for the girls to back up a bit, Applejack cocked her arm back and struck the dent with a palm strike, intending to flatten it out a bit, before forcing the door open.

Twilight recovered, and managed to find her glasses. One lens was cracked, but not somewhere where it would impede her vision. Applejack took her hat off and tossed it up onto the side of the van before pulling herself up enough to pop her head outside.

There was a battle line of ghosts aiming spectral weapons at the van waiting for her.

"Ghostbusters! Surrender in the name of King Sombra or die!"

Applejack ducked back down into the van.

"We got problems," she drawled.

Sunset freed herself from her seat, dropping down into the driver's side before shaking her head.

"I heard. Got any ideas?"

Twilight shook her head for a moment before asking how many ghosts were out there. Applejack's response was not reassuring to the other girls. The resident scientist, on the other hand, made her way to the box in the back. Fluttershy asked what she was doing, and Twilight's only response was to pry it open and grab one of the Proton Grenades. After a minute to look at it, she tossed it over to the pink haired girl and grabbed a few more.

"These should buy us enough time to get out and catch most of them," Twilight said as she looked at the open door. After a moment the rest of the girls got their Proton Packs on and nodded. Twilight again looked at the grenade before asking for a boost. As soon as Rainbow Dash and Applejack got into position, Twilight took a deep breath. Violet energy enveloped her hands, and all the grenades she had pulled out.

The lead ghost was getting impatient. Just as he was about to order his forces to attack, a voice called out from the fallen vehicle.

"Don't shoot! We surrender!"

Sure enough, one of the Ghostbusters emerged with hands raised in the typical sign of surrender. However… her hands were glowing, and tilted back almost like she was holding something over her head. Once the upper half of her body was clear, her hands went vertical, and out of the van came several smaller objects glowing the same color as her hands. After a moment she threw her hands forward, and the objects were flung at the ghosts. These objects, small cylinders, landed on the ground around the ghosts, who just looked at them in confusion. Was this how people surrendered these days? Throw small things at their conquerors?

It was a calculated risk, but Twilight hoped that the ghosts wouldn't be familiar with grenades. As soon as she released them, Twilight ducked back down inside the van. Shortly after, several loud, electrical pops were heard, along with panicked cries from the ghosts. Rainbow Dash and Applejack vaulted out of the van and opened fire with their Proton Packs, discovering that Twilight's grenades worked. As each member of the team emerged, the chaos increased until only the lead ghost was left. Soon after, he got sucked into a trap and the street fell silent.

"Guess we're on foot from here," Sunset sighed as she picked up one of the traps. "Lets salvage what we can and empty the traps in the Slammer."

"Lets make for the Church," Rarity suggested. "From there we can head for Westside High."

Applejack grabbed her hat and put it back on as she looked at the Ecto-Van. With a sigh, she put a hand on the vehicle and just patted it. While she could probably right the van, she didn't trust it to run properly after what they just went through. Twilight started to distribute her grenades, making sure to mix in some Slime alongside the Proton, just in case.


Father Michael cringed as he fell to the ground. He had underestimated the spirit possessing Sonia. Not only did it have power of its own, it was tapping into Sonia's innate magic as well. Just as she prepared another attack, Father Michael threw up a quick shield spell, deflecting most of the attack. Unfortunately, the attack slammed into a nearby tree, and splintered part of the trunk, sending pieces of wood everywhere. One piece jabbed into his already weakened leg, caused by Sonia's ambush, causing him to grunt in pain.

"Pathetic," Sonia said as she approached him. "And you call yourself a mage."

"Fight it Sonia!" Father Michael called out. "You're stronger than that spirit within you!"

Sonia brought a hand to her chest, her expression showing mock surprise before throwing her head back and laughing.

"Oh you have no idea how she is screaming right now. Its almost giving me a headache. But a neophyte mage like her can't overpower one of Sombra's own lieutenants."

Father Michael grit his teeth as he tried to think of a way to save Sonia from the Possession without harming her. Unfortunately his options were limited, and she wasn't going to sit still long enough for him to try anything.

There was a rustle of bushes nearby, but he wasn't paying attention. Probably more spirits with his luck. However, he was surprised to see the girl he spoke with emerge, wearing a gray jumpsuit and some kind of pack. What was her name again? Twilight Sparkle? Yes. That was her name.

Her hair was somewhat messy, and she looked like she had been in a fight. And she wasn't alone. Others emerged as well, including the other young woman he spoke to. Rarity Belle. They also had a small dog and a rather fat, green ghost with them.

Sonia didn't even pay attention and continued to advance.

"You will not stand in King Sombra's way..." she started to say.

"Sonia Hedge? What are you doing out here?" Rainbow Dash called out. "And… isn't that the preacher dude Twilight told us about?"

Sonia stopped her advance and had a bored expression on her face before turning and unleashing a devastating psychokinetic blast towards the group. Caught completely off guard by the sudden declaration of war, all seven Ghostbusters were thrown off their feet and to the ground. One of the first to recover was Rainbow Dash, who actually rolled a bit on impact to get back to her knees at least.

"Whoa! What's your problem?" Rainbow Dash called out.

"This foe is beyond you!" Father Michael spoke up. "Sonia has been possessed!"

Sunset shook her head as she pushed herself to her feet and glared at Sonia. If what Father Michael said was true…

As the team recovered, Sonia advanced on them. The possessed young woman made an annoyed sound before saying that they were just annoying insects getting in the way. Just as Sonia was about to unleash another Psychokinetic Blast, Rarity jumped in front of everyone, braced herself, and summoned a diamond shaped shield large enough to cover the team. The Blast impacted against the shield, causing Rarity to grunt as she focused on holding the shield. This unexpected turn of events not only surprised Sonia, but Father Michael as well. Now the reactions of his charms made sense. Rarity Belle didn't possess a magic artifact. She had magic of her own! But a form he was not familiar with.

Twilight watched as Sonia unleashed Blast after Blast in an attempt to break Rarity's shield. The Fashionista was nothing if not stubborn, but the effort to maintain the shield was becoming more visible on her face. The girls never really practiced how to use their magic in a combat situation like this. For a moment Twilight was wondering why Sonia was attacking them like this, before Father Michael's words came to her.

Possession.

This was the Ghostbusters first encounter with a Possessor Spirit. And Twilight had an idea.

"Distract her," Twilight said to the group. "I need a clear shot."

"What are we supposed to do?" Pinkie Pie asked. "Dress in Drag and do the Hula?"

"Just keep her focus on you," Twilight replied.

Pinkie gave an exaggerated salute before dashing off to the left, past Rarity's shield. She then started taunting Sonia, drawing the possessed girl's attention away from everyone. As Sonia tried and failed to nail the unpredictable party girl, Twilight dashed off to the right to get into a position behind Sonia. She holstered her Neutrona Wand and pulled one of the cylinders off her belt. If she was right…

Twilight Sparkle pulled the pin on the Slime Grenade, and cooked it in her hand for a couple seconds before lobbing it directly at Sonia. The idea was to have it detonate in midair near her, ensuring maximum spread of the Slime for maximum coverage. And with it being positively charged Slime…

Sonia, having heard movement behind her, turned just in time for the Slime Grenade to detonate virtually in her face. The viscous substance spread from the point of detonation, coating Sonia from head to toe. Just before she was fully coated, there was a cry of pain as the ghost within her emerged and flew up into the air as if it had been scalded. Before it could react, the ghost was caught in the Capture Streams of Sunset Shimmer and Fluttershy. Wasn't long before Rainbow Dash joined in, tossing her trap in the process.

"Come on! I'm takin' you home to my own personal zoo!" Rainbow Dash taunted as she helped pull the ghost into range and watched with a satisfied smirk as it got sucked in.

Sonia blinked, standing frozen in place wondering what the hell just happened. Slime was dripping off of her for a minute before she looked at herself and recoiled in disgust.

"Ew! What is this?!" she freaked out.

"Sorry," Twilight replied as she approached the slimy girl. "I kinda had to hit you with a grenade full of positively charged slime to drive the possessor ghost out of your body."

Sonia just gave the scientist a slimy, deadpan look.

"We had t' slime ya t' get th' ghost out," Applejack translated. "Yer welcome."

As the girls tried to help at least clean some of the slime off Sonia, Rarity approached Father Michael and started giving First Aid. She was caught off guard as the preacher smiled and put a hand on her arm.

"It seems there's more to you and your friends than I thought," he said.

"Well… we're just full of surprises," Rarity replied as she removed the debris from his leg and quickly bound it. "Best I can do until we get you inside."

"Will have to do for now," Father Michael said with a nod as Applejack approached and offered a hand. He was surprised by the country girl's strength as she practically supported his entire weight as if it was nothing.

Sunset Shimmer closed her eyes for a moment as she went over recent events in her mind. This was war, and now they had no choice.

"No holding back anymore girls," she said, opening her eyes and tightening her grip on her Neutrona Wand. "We hit them with everything we got."

"Everything?" Fluttershy asked timidly.

"Everything," Sunset confirmed. "Proton Packs alone aren't going to stop Sombra. Time to cut loose."

Rainbow Dash had a growing grin on her face before punching the air in excitement.

"Yea! Time to Rock and Roll!" she exclaimed.

Sunset couldn't help but smile as she thought of the words to a song she liked.

They see you as small and helpless;
They see you as just a child.
Surprise when they find out that a warrior will soon run wild.

It was time to run wild. With a nod, Sunset made a show of priming her Neutrona Wand. The other girls, other than Applejack, followed suit before heading out towards the Church. If Sombra wanted a war… he was going to get one.