Soul Eater

"You know that growing up I always imagined what snow would be like, since the climate in Dodge is the same gloriously sunny, stiflingly hot and dusty thing year in and year out but now that I am walking through snow, feeling the wind in my mane, looking at my snout turning from red to blue I can say with absolute clarity that I absolutely hate anything but glorious sun, stiflingly hot days and dusty weather" yelled Pick over the roar of wind, complaining for the umpteenth time about how much he hated our little expedition up the Macintosh Mountains and how if he didn't freeze to death he'd be blown off the mountain.

I myself was feeling all the effects which Pick was constantly reminding us about and I was also worried since we weren't kitted to climb a Mountain and neither did we have the food. I was actually considering about telling Luna to turn round and head into Appleoosa and get supplies before climbing the mountain but she insisted that there was some shortcut through the Mountain which would cut the arduous climb by two weeks to three days.

However since it was a thousand years ago and landscapes change Luna was having a tough time remembering the way to the passages and so we'd been forced to climb up and down the Mountain for four days with our food running low and our morale doubly so.

"I can see it now, those Apple Pancakes those Appleoosans make, it's so glorious how they get the blend and sauce right" yelled Pick with a great longing in his voice. Since we were all hungry we were all further deterred from doing anything except going back and probably into a trap so Pick was really making me want to hit him since hunger was killing me.

"Pick it's a miracle that despite the fact I can't feel my legs your tongue hasn't frozen stiff since your mouth never shuts" I yelled in annoyance at Pick who thankfully shut up. It was also difficult to sleep and drink since the canteens had to be warmed up, which required one of lying on it every night when we slept with our bodies, huddled up against one another.

My suit was frozen through, it felt like I was wearing armour and the sight was far worse than anything. It was ripped, burned, covered in suit and completely dishevelled and the only reason I kept it was because it made it easier to conceal my alcohol.

In truth I always felt guilty when I took a drink since in a way it warmed me for some time but then I though how quickly it would go if we all shared it and concealed it again. "Right then, we can carry on, I believe I've found a geographical point of reference that we'll be able to navigate from to the cave we need to reach" yelled Luna, looking back at us from her position at the front of our un-merry band.

"If this cave doesn't have Pancakes I quit" yelled Pick as he slowly ate a frozen carrot with his teeth almost breaking with every crunch. "Luna I agree with Pick, we cannot survive much longer out here unless we either get supplies or get to this cave, are you sure it will still exist after all these years" I yelled but Luna looked away and tried not to look at me although I could tell her face probably held doubt.

So we trudged on, letting all our focus being on reaching wherever Luna was going to if she was going anywhere. I looked up from the snow after twenty minutes and did indeed see a very strange and half buried rock a few hundred metres away from us. Pick also saw it and he voiced my question "What's that over there"?

However as we got closer we saw what looked like a lions paw and a griffon's arm combined with a long neck and a variety of other things all made into a half buried, weathered and ugly statue which looked very much like the one in the gardens of Canterlot.

"That's a Statue of Discord" I yelled and Luna looked back and asked "So you know the story"? I shook my head and Luna looked back, I thought she might not have heard me so I opened my mouth again but instead she came out with another small story about her past. "Discord means Disharmony, he is somewhat of a chaos wielder and like so many other monsters he seems to only want to cause problems and create chaos wherever he goes.

He was somewhat of an annoying figure, when the clans united he turned up and started causing trouble for my sister and I's parents, later though with the elements of Harmony we defeated him and brought Equestria to a state of even greater Unity although I'm not so sure since all I've seen so far is the ruins of my home, forests filled with bandits, a dusty little wooden town and a the cold face of a mountainside!" she yelled as the wind tried with all it's might to stop her from being heard.

"What about the train?" I yelled and Luna thought a minute before yelling "Ok you got me there that was a pretty impressive thing". "Are we nearly there yet" yelled Pick who was practically collapsing in the snow from the lack of his Apple Pancakes. "We need to climb higher still if we're going to get there but only a few hundred metres" shouted Luna.

Climbing up the mountainside was harder than climbing across it since we had to push against the snow to get our hooves grip but now that we had the promise of finally arriving we were a little more encouraged. Suddenly a chill went up my back and I felt a tingle in the air.

Suddenly I heard a slowly increasing whoosh and yelled extra loud "Get down"! We all dived aside and when I looked around I saw that where we were plodding along five seconds ago was a small crater and a blue Pegasi dressed in a Wonderbolt Uniform.

"Damn it" I yelled and drew my sword, aiming it at the Wonderbolt's head. He dived aside lightning fast and hit me square in the jaw with a fast jab. I tried raising my sword and swinging multiple times but he was just too fast for my tired, hungry and snow laden body to deal with.

Finally he kicked my sword away and had me on the floor, ready to buck his legs against my head and kill me or at worst give me so much brain damage that I wouldn't be able to say the word "apple" without dribbling down my chin. "Wait!" I yelled as I looked behind him. He coked his head in surprise but quickly regretted doing so when a tiny but powerful sleeper bolt slammed into his ribs.

He flinched and quickly removed the dart. To my amazement he intended still to finish me but now I got up and hit him square in the face with a powerful punch. He had tried to sluggishly dodge but it had made my attack more effective and I heard the audible crack and he collapsed to the floor with a bloody nose.

"Move" I yelled looking up at Luna in thanks as she re-loaded her crossbow. I looked or my sword but it had buried itself from view so I cursed and followed Luna up the mountainside. "We dead" said Chad, not having to shout as we got to a small underway which blocked the wind with some straight rock which looked a bit like a building built into the rock face and except for the deep hole in its centre was completely smooth.

"Shut up, we aren't dead there is probably only a squad of them combing the mountainside, we're safe here as long as we aren't spotted" although spotting us wouldn't be fairly hard since we were on a pretty easy to spot from air side of the mountain.

Luna hurried up to the straight rock face and shouted "-translate- I am a True Follower of the night and I command ye open"! I don't know what she expected since I hadn't a clue what she had shouted but the rock did nothing except look as inactive as I'm sure it had been for centuries.

Suddenly there was a small sound from behind and I saw the same pony as before stride sluggishly towards me. How he was up after that sleeping bolt amazed me but I wasn't in the mood for answers just action. "Pick you take the left" I yelled at the inactive lump who argued "No Way am I, I have a life you know and I'd like to keep it". "Then help Luna with the door I'm busy" I said as the Wonderbolt looked at me in anger. We were at a standoff and began circling each other whilst Luna and Chad knocked against the door.

"Why did you do it" asked the Wonderbolt so suddenly that it caught me off guard and he hit fast but not as fast as before giving me time enough to deflect his hit with sweep of my hoof. "I didn't do anything" I said as I spun and tried to give him a full back leg kick in the chest.

He ducked and launched over my head in the air and hit me in the chest with a few jabs. "You tried to kill Celestia and now are fleeing with a terrorist and a thief you were once Captain Backwater, A Hero who was looked up too until you were dis-graced and now this, it makes no sense" he argued splaying his hooves and giving me an opportunity.

I hit him square in the chest multiple times before getting him in a headlock and covering his mouth so he couldn't breathe. "What if everything was a lie and in fact I was wrongly disgraced, I'm trying to save your ruler and the real terrorist is currently residing in Canterlot castle" I said as I felt his body go limp. He collapsed unconscious and I looked up as at the same time there was a loud bang and suddenly the Straight–Faced stony mountainside opened up with chad hanging onto it with what looked like a carrot stuck in what the lock which must have been like those special Alicorn locks Celestia had in the Canterlot Castle so only Alcorn could enter, which confused me since a carrot didn't really pass for a horn.

"It's a doorway" I said and Chad looked up and commented "You know I think I just figured that out an hour ago". "Let's get moving they could have heard that" said Luna and so we moved to the doorway. Getting inside I looked as the Wonderbolt who'd tried to beat me twice got up with his hooves shaking and limped towards us, standing on two hooves in the entrance and raising his hooves in a boxer's stance.

"He made his way closer towards us and I sighed and prepared to finish him when all of a sudden some kind of wind whooshed and the doors made of thick stone slammed shut as if they were made of bamboo and we were all knocked to our hooves as a warm and layered mare's voice echoed "We knew thou would return to us".

Suddenly the entire room which had been coated in eerie darkness lit up and we saw what appeared to be a large hall with a grand but now broken table covered in cobwebs and dust along with various other bits of old furniture and cobwebs along with flags bearing a moon crest all tattered now and scarred hanging from the ceiling.

At the end of the great hall were three thrones, one of which was larger than the other two with the symbol of the moon atop it. On the right chair was dust, cobwebs and the skeleton of a rat whilst on the left chair to the great throne was a blue image of somepony partially a skeleton and partially flesh.

"It's a ghost" exclaimed Pick "We're going to die"! Luna could only hang her jaw in amazement and even the Wonderbolt and I were in awe at this incredibly scary figure which could only have been a ghost. "Thou are wrong young one about dying but yes we are all ghost" said the ghost. "Wait a minute we?" asked Luna and suddenly the room filled with blue light as next to us guards which were partial skeletons with rusted swords and black armour stood to attention, the halls filled with many ponies although not enough to fill the table.

"Although the form of thou is different our ruler, The Lunar Observatory can tell the difference…at least some could" said the ghost in a saddened voice as it strode from its throe towards us. "What is this place?" I asked frustrated at my lack of knowledge.

The ghost made to answer but instead Luna interjected in an equally sad voice to the ghost's. "This is The Lunar Observatory, they house the largest observatory in Equestria and watch the heavens for trouble and also act to watch Equestria and the other lands with spies and diplomats, they are loyal to me and then to my sister and are all dead by the looks of it" she sniffed sadly.

The ghost looked sadly at Luna and Luna cried "Oh Starlit I'm so sorry". "Don't be Luna, we all did not die of the hoof of Celestia, but instead at the hoof of our own" she said, looking like she wanted to hug her but her inability to touch anything held her back.

"What do thou mean?" asked Luna as she slipped slightly back into her old Canterlot Voice. "It be Venus and Revive, the traitors gathered a third of the garrison to their support of the fake ruler Nightmare Moon and whilst we slept, soundlessly they slit our throats, by the time some awoke they were outnumbered and perished and now stand before you, immortalised by their oaths to serve you until death and beyond" explained the ghost as she saluted.

"Luna what do I do, I cannot take on a ghost army" I whispered and Luna looked at me angrily saying "This army is mine and they should not be feared they have stood at their posts despite their deaths with only their loyalty keeping them going".

"Err guys there's a Wonderbolt who's looking at me very scarily" said Pick and I looked back suddenly to see the Wonderbolt wrap his hooves around Pick's neck (something I actually had wanted to do multiple time before) and begin to choke him.

The ghosts responded in force, forming a light navy blue mist and slamming into the Wonderbolt, throwing him into the wall behind us and knocking him out for hopefully more than a few minutes this time. "Although we cannot leave this Mountain we still have the Observatory and we have watched as Equestria grew and flourished with amazing contraptions the like I thought would never be seen but now we see something else, something in Canterlot has begun to poison it and although to ponies living thee everything seems natural we have noticed it as well as we have noticed ye Captain of the Guard" said the ghost of Starlit to me.

"How did you know I was a Captain?" I asked. "You went to watch the Twilight every night for your duration of time, we see everything but not hear however, which is why the rest must be calculated and predicted with knowledge, had our spies still been operation we could have told you what the King had for lunch alas now everything is mostly guessing yet we can still be accurate and thou carried the helmet of Captain might also have hinted" explained the ghost.

"Starlit I'm so sorry for everything that happened to you, I wish I was here but Clearwater took my powers and form and imprisoned me in mine sister's and I's castle and warded it heavily" Luna apologised full of sadness. "So we saw Princess, the swine's they did such terrible things which if we were alive today we'd gladly do the same to them and the next three generations of their families!" said the ghost in anger.

Luna looked down and Pick looked at her solemnly as his brain went about putting two and two together. "How come Celestia hasn't tried to use this place before?" I asked since this place was a gigantic strategic advantage. "We don't quite know, it was an invention of Luna's and she took the secrets with her when they imprisoned her and we also when we died, we believe that Celestia kept it dormant as a way to remember but at the same time forget" said the ghost.

"Starlit does the tunnel to the Bad Lands still exists" asked Luna. "Yes mine leader, the tunnel is damaged but is still operational" the ghost replied. "We will rest for tonight then and if there is any kit still usable please say and Pick and the Captain will go and fetch it" said Luna.

"Although many a sword is rusted and our food stores long rotted we will send Axer our armourer with the Captain and Twinkle with Pick" said the ghost bowing. Two ghostly ponies both appeared by the side of me and Pick and they asked "What's it like to breathe"? Pick looked wide eyed but I calmly responded "It's really nice, I'm sorry you're unable to do it".

The ghosts looked at us with their sunken eyes and Pick eased the tension saying "Shall we move on before the smell of decay and age clouds my mind and makes me suffocate. "Wait what I shall do with him" I said gesturing at the downed Wonderbolt.

"We can execute him if you so wish" said the ghost. "This is a Wonderbolt Starlit, he's simply following Celestia's orders and he doesn't mean to kill is the holding cell still usable?" asked Luna. "Always merciful mine Princess, Axer will take you and Wonderbolt pony to the holding cells and then the armoury" she said and I nodded and looked up at Axer.

I quickly ran over to Luna and asked quietly "Will you be alright or do you want me to stay"? Luna looked at me and smiled and flicked her mane. "I'll be alright; you go ahead I'm surrounded by friends here, just hurry back ok". "I will" I promised and went back over to Axer.

It was hard to tell what he had been like before being a ghost but he was big and might have once had muscles, the rest of him was either bits of ghostly flesh and bones so I had no idea but I'd have hated to come up against him in battle. "Pick him up and we go" he said in a heavy and like Starlit's a layered voice which crept me out despite the fact these were Luna's personal society of followers albeit that they were all dead.

I huffed and put the Wonderbolt on my back, straining hard to keep his wait. "O where too?" I asked. "Follow me" said the ghostly visage of Axer and he began to almost float towards a doorway which was broken inwards. Pick went off with Twinkle and Luna stayed with Starlit and since we were in a mountain I was fairly at ease that we were not going to be attacked so decided I should stop thinking how everything could go wrong in an instant.

"You are out of shape Captain" said Axer as I walked on. "Excuse me?" I asked looking at the image. "Your breathing is laboured your beard unshaven and your sides are hefty" he replied in a flat and same ghostly tone as before.

"Wait are you calling me fat?" I asked annoyed. "Yes, you are now the protector of Luna, she is alone in the world except for you and right now I could kill you despite not even being alive" he said to my annoyance. "Look it's hard for me you know I have had a tough few years and I don't need to be taking this shit from some dead pony who died a thousand years ago!" I yelled and prodded through his ectoplasm form.

He turned a tinge of red and said "I know you are sad about getting old, I know you blame yourself for her death and I know you didn't fill that canteen with water, we see everything but we cannot change anything which is why I must beg you to get in shape, lose your guilt and lose you drink for the sake of the future of Equestria and Luna you need to protect her" begged the ghost.

I was perplexed and couldn't say a word, all his words made me angry but stung my heart and my soul, they were all true every single line and although I knew I couldn't let go of the guilt and It took time to get in shape I could still do one thing. I threw my canteen at the wall and the stopper came undone and spilled the bourbon all over the floor.

The ghost of Axer looked at me and I at it and I asked "Can we move along"? Axer might have smiled, I couldn't tell but right now every cell was trying to stop my body from going back and lapping up the whisky like a dog so I focused on channelling that energy into hate for Axer.

We arrived at the holding cells which were pretty small and I dumped the Wonderbolt inside the dirty, rat infested cell and the followed Axer to the Armoury. It had a huge oak door and upon entering had many racks containing rusted weapons and mannequins covered by rusted armour. Axer went over to a locker hanging off its hinge and said "You'll find a preserved steel dirk inside this locker and in the one next to it Observatory Chair pony clothes of blue which Starlit tells me will look good on you.

I frowned and asked "Can you speak to Starlit"? "Yes all ghosts through these halls are connected, it would be too hard for you to comprehend so shall we move along" asked Axer. I picked up the clothes and the dagger and made my way to a small room he'd led me to.

This was where we kept our prized collection but the traitors took most of it when they left and abandoned this place to fight alongside Nightmare Moon, it has however got a moonstone sword which will never rust or break down the back of the left mannequin and a set of thirty throwing knives which may be used in battle or for missile attack in the cabinet to your right" informed Axer in high detail.

I retrieved the goods and asked "How do you know this place so well"? "I've had a thousand years to know it and now all I want is to go to the stars and die in peace but I shall not until my oath is filled" said Axer sadly. Despite the fact the ghosts were frightening and creepy I felt sadness for them and asked "Can you take me back to Luna after I change into these things"? "With pleasure" Axer responded and waited until after I'd changed into the almost robe like garments which smelled terrible and he led me once more through the winding halls, wordlessly to Luna.

She was talking with Starlit and standing next to Pick who was holding four Saddle Bags with the moon sewn into its side and dressed in a Blue Cowl which made even him look menacing, his hat was gone and now he looked like an ordinary thief.

Luna was dressed differently too, she wore parts of black Armour, black gauntlets protected her legs and hoof guard were worn on her hooves she also had part of a black chest guard on her body. "I see you look the part now too" she said and I looked down at my battle robes. "Yeah well so do you, what is that Armour?" I asked amazed as its shininess. "It is the Armour of Princess Luna, although not all of it could fit on her now petite form some will still offer protection" responded Starlit.

"I woke up during the raid and locked it in the morgue" said Twinkle dully. "So you have weapons now" asked Starlit and I nodded, showing her the stuff. "I'll have this one I suppose" said Pick, taking and strapping the dirk to his leg. Luna looked at the throwing knives and said "This Crossbow you have given me will suffice; you can keep them in our new Saddle Bags.

The new Saddle Bags were of good make despite their age and I transferred my map and the little food into two and gave a full one to me and Chad along with an empty one each. "The passageway is now open and we can direct you through the… suddenly she stopped and cried "The Observatory Beacon is active"! "Instantly all ghosts disappeared in a blue mist and we were left in silence, however moments later they all returned and dumped the damned Wonderbolt before us.

He was shuddering and cold and by the looks of him he was having a bad day. "I was ready now to kill him but Luna walked over to him and lifted his head up, asking "Why do you want to stop us"? The Wonderbolt looked at Luna and answered "I have a duty to Equestria and the Princess's and I was ordered to find and stop you" he said as he tried to control his breathing. "But I am Princess Luna" Luna said to which the Wonderbolt shook his head and said "You look nothing like my Princess of the night".

Luna looked down and sighed and for a second looked sad but then Starlit came up behind her and asked "There is a way to make him understand however it will weaken us and eventually cause the Observatory to be destroyed once we disperse" she said. "The only alternative is keep him here so he can starve to death or kill him to prevent anypony from knowing our location" said Luna.

"This one is strong, he is young and fast and determined with a good heart, he pushes himself beyond his limits which is and was his downfall but will be a good fighter if you except him" said Starlit. "Can you make him understand without hurting him" asked Luna when I interrupted "What do you mean make him understand"?

Starlit looked across and replied "He has got the brain to choose for himself whose side to pick, he wants the righteous side but lacks the knowledge of our vision and we will give this knowledge to him to hold forever" she said and my eyes widened. "So basically you're going to fill his head with every single thing your Observatory has seen and predicted over the course of you operation" exclaimed Pick.

"If our Princess wishes it" said the ghosts voices becoming one "However he will also carry the memories of us with him forever" said the voices and even the torches on the walls dimmed at that. Luna thought a moment before she sighed and said "Do it".

The Ghosts acted instantly and al their forms suddenly flowed straight into the Wonderbolt and he screamed as his eyes turned a bright blue and he got up and grabbed Luna's head. I galloped over and pushed him aside but he began to spasm and sweat as the voices in his head killed him with knowledge of the past, present and the future.

"When will it end?" asked Pick queasily and as he did it all at once ended and the torched in the room darkened to only a dozen Starlit and a dozen other ghosts appeared before Luna and stated flatly "It is done, now whether he chooses you to be his leader or still his enemy is entirely up to him" she said.

I looked at the slightly smoking figure of a Wonderbolt as he weakly stirred and asked "It's all lies, everything about you has been lies and I am amazed at everything I've seen" he started as he shakily got to his hooves. "I saw everything in Equestria from Manehatten to Ghastly Gorge and the Griffon Kingdoms and although I cannot understand and recall it all in perfect clarity I still saw it all" he said as he rose to look at us.

His eyes were pure black; literally he was the creepiest pony I had probably ever seen now that these ghosts had left their mark. "I saw what they did to you Luna and I promise I will protect you as best I can despite what I have already done" he said.

Luna looked touched and a little sad from speaking to him but I was more concerned with the last part he'd said and quickly asked "What did you do"? He looked up at Luna and then sadly back at me and replied "All eighty Wonderbolts are combing this Mountainside they must have seen when I found and activated that beacon and by now Celestia will have been informed and told her guards what to do to get in here" he said and my eyes widened in panic.

"We need to vamoose like right now ya'll" said Pick as he galloped over to us and began trotting on the spot. "Starlit which way to the tunnels" asked Luna and she instructed "Take North tunnel then go left, left, left, right, right, left and finally left again before heading straight on down and out to the other side of these Mountains, if they get in we'll hold them off but when we dissipate the will to hold this structure will fail and the Observatory will be destroyed" explained Starlit quickly as I strapped on my sword across my back and got ready to hurry.

"Thank you Starlit" said Luna as a tear rolled down her cheek. "It was an honour in life and now in death Princess, now you must go before they get here our power is now almost nothing" she said also in incredible sadness.

The Wonderbolt got up to follow and although still felt his punches accepted we'd solve any problems later and began to follow Luna in the direction out of these lonely Mountains of trapped souls and hopefully to a place with lots of nice green trees and grass.