Who You Gonna Call?

Sweet Puff quickly veers over her now-charged cloud, ready to shoot lighting at the invisible ghost holding the proton pack. "Put down the Thingamabob now, or end up like that stupid not-candy giving ghost!" This doesn't sound nearly as threatening as it should, since her voice is still high enough to sound like it's on helium.

This was a new sensation.

Maverick could see the proton stream approaching him. Everything seemed to be going in slow motion. His life was on the line, on a very personal level, for the first time in his life. He willed himself to move, not knowing what else to do, scarcely even thinking about it, not daring to hope he moved fast enough...

Acrobatics:

"Buck!" Rhinestone had never seen Bell Mare get quite this violent or proactive, and it scared her. She didn't want someone to get hurt just because she couldn't control her stupid ghost, so she charged and shoulder-checked Maverick, intending to push him and herself out of harms way.

Meta:

Maverick is simply not fast enough to dodge the incoming blast. Thankfully, Rhinestone is faster, managing to shove him out of the way of the blast, getting a blow herself. Unfortunately for Rhinestone the blast hurts... well, "hurts" is not a descriptive enough word. It sends a burst of energy through her body, briefly causing a pleasurable effect but quickly overloading all of her body's pleasure sensors, causing intense pain instead. The pack's "nozzle", which is emitting the beam, falls to the ground as if suddenly put down, but flails around in every direction, not actually having been turned off.

"Well who'd-a thunk it? Apparently ponies don't LIKE being experimented on! Hmm, wonder if I should stop? NAH! I CLEARLY heard these dumb motherbuckers give me permission!"

Dr. Spengler heads over to the proton pack but finds it difficult to get a safe opening to turn it off.

Meta:

Sweet Puff darts around in the air, trying to get an opening on the jumping proton pack so she can turn it off, or maybe aim it at where she thinks the invisible ghost is if she can't find the off-button.

Maverick stared in shock briefly as the beam hit Rhinestone. It started flailing about. "Sweet Puff, no! I've got that! Zap Bell Mare! Follow the dust cloud!" His horn lit up as he tried desperately to stabilize it with his Telekinesis and locate a Panic Button...

Telekinesis:

"Gah!" Rhinestone hit the ground hard and writhed in pain. "Ow ow ow ow buck ow...Buckplot! They know you're real now! You can't make them think I'm crazy! You can't hurt me anymore!" A crazed grin spread over her face as she tried to get up, though she fell back onto the ground.

Copper Rose wrote:Sweet Puff darts around in the air, trying to get an opening on the jumping proton pack so she can turn it off, or maybe aim it at where she thinks the invisible ghost is if she can't find the off-button.

Crystalite wrote:Maverick stared in shock briefly as the beam hit Rhinestone. It started flailing about. "Sweet Puff, no! I've got that! Zap Bell Mare! Follow the dust cloud!" His horn lit up as he tried desperately to stabilize it with his Telekinesis and locate a Panic Button.

Meta:

Sweet Puff easily dodges the wild shots from the Proton Pack. Having actually seen the switch that turns the pack on and off, locating a Panic Button is pretty easy, and Maverick manages to pull it into the off position.

Elacular wrote:"Gah!" Rhinestone hit the ground hard and writhed in pain. "Ow ow ow ow buck ow...Buckplot! They know you're real now! You can't make them think I'm crazy! You can't hurt me anymore!" A crazed grin spread over her face as she tried to get up, though she fell back onto the ground.

"Looks to me like I just did..."

An equally crazed grin forms across Bell Mare's face as she starts fading from sight.

"And besides, you just gave me some new ideas..."

Rhinestone's grin faded as Bell Mare vanished. She groaned loudly as she moved to get up. "That...sucked. Help?" She heaved a loud huff of a sigh, then smiled up at the others. "I pissed her off though. Oooh man did I piss her off. She hasn't been that mad in a long time. And hell, maybe she'll leave me alone for the rest of the night. Seriously, that was freaking sweet. Gonna be hell to pay later, but future me can deal. Are all you guys alright and also pretty convinced I'm not schizo?"

"I don't know what that word means but I'm pretty sure I have some candy in here with pain killers cooked into them..." After some careful digging through her bag, Sweet Puff pulls out two mints that are suspiciously rainbow, and gives them to Rhinestone. "Here, these should do the trick!"

Maverick pulled the young mare off the ground and onto her feet. "Okay. That's great. Good that she's gone too, because now it's my turn to be mad. WHAT. THE. BUCK!? You told me she volunteered!"

Meta:

Rhinestone takes the candy and, very genuinely, smiles. "Thanks, dude." At Maverick's sudden outburst she jumped a bit before turning to face him. "Uh, yeah. My B. Spur of the moment, you know? See, she's been making my life a living hell since before I got this," here she gestured towards her cutie mark, "So I thought I could have a little revenge. She's usually more of a schemer and pranker than an outright fiery force of hell. I really didn't expect her to react like that, I'll be honest."

Copper Rose wrote:"I don't know what that word means but I'm pretty sure I have some candy in here with pain killers cooked into them..." After some careful digging through her bag, Sweet Puff pulls out two mints that are suspiciously rainbow, and gives them to Rhinestone. "Here, these should do the trick!"

The candy is delicious and greatly speeds up the healing process.

Crystalite wrote:Maverick pulled the young mare off the ground and onto her feet. "Okay. That's great. Good that she's gone too, because now it's my turn to be mad. WHAT. THE. BUCK!? You told me she volunteered!"

Elacular wrote:Rhinestone takes the candy and, very genuinely, smiles. "Thanks, dude." At Maverick's sudden outburst she jumped a bit before turning to face him. "Uh, yeah. My B. Spur of the moment, you know? See, she's been making my life a living hell since before I got this," here she gestured towards her cutie mark, "So I thought I could have a little revenge. She's usually more of a schemer and pranker than an outright fiery force of hell. I really didn't expect her to react like that, I'll be honest."

Meta:

"Well, for future reference," said Dr. Spengler, picking up and shutting off power to the proton pack, just in case. "It's a very bad idea to antagonize a poltergeist."

"'Bad idea' doesn't cover it! She could've killed us!" Maverick stopped himself, took a deep breath. She had already apologized, and he recalled that she had shoved him away. "Look. All I'm saying is until I figure out how to communicate with her more directly, you're the only insight as to what she's thinking. We can't afford having mixed thoughts like that. That's all. You alright then?"

"Right then, all packed!" said White Whisper, coming back up over the hill and speaking in far too cheerful a voice for the situation. True to his word, a suitcase hung from his upraised hoof.

After a few moments of silence, the colt looked around, ash flying from the end of his cigarette like fallout. "Er...take it you all weren't having a a garden party without me, now...?"

Maverick glanced over at Whisper. "Yeah, you could say that. I'm gonna go grab my bags; I only got here last night, so it's still all packed," He said, walking off towards the local bed and breakfast...

Rhinestone nodded. "Sorry. That was a mistake. I promise I  won't do it again. I should probably do the packy thing too. I might take a little bit. My parents will want the third degree about me looking like I got the crap kicked out of me. Uh...thanks for listening everyone. It means a lot. I'll be back soon." With that, she began trotting off, limping slightly.

Rhinestone slowly made her way to a fairly lavish house in Ponyville's town square. She entered and yelled up through the stairs. "Moooom, Daaad, I  got in a fight! Also, I'm going to Las Pegasus to run in the zombie 10k, don't try to stop me!"

Meta:

Maverick looked around the small room he had stayed in overnight. It was cozy, if a bit sparse; a bed, a desk, and a lamp. He had already checked to insure he hadn't left anything. All of his possessions fit into a pair of saddle bags or his pockets. He pulled out a piece of parchment (Nicer stuff than the paper he used for note taking) and began what had become a sort of ritual.

Dear Mom,

I spoke with Doctor Spengler today. He was all too happy to give me the job I had requested. Along with five other assorted people. (And they are assorted.)

I also met my first ghost today. Four of them in fact, all together. The seven of us were able to neutralize them; but it was close. I nearly died twice... I'm starting to have second thoughts.

But I gave my word. I'm going to stick to it. Hopefully I'll be sending bits soon.

Love,
Artesian

From Ponyville, March the 15th

Having finished the letter, he touched it to his horn, and sent it away in a stream of smoke. He knew it would be a while before he could expect a reply. His mother would have to get someone to read it for, and write a reply; and then it would have to go through postal to reach a baby dragon, or perhaps another Unicorn, who would send it to him. But he didn't mind. He didn't mind anything, for her sake. For she was a Pegasus.

And she was blind.

AProcrastinatingWriter wrote:After a few moments of silence, the colt looked around, ash flying from the end of his cigarette like fallout. "Er...take it you all weren't having a a garden party without me, now...?"

"Well... let's say you missed out on a poltergeist," explained Dr. Spengler.

Elacular wrote:Rhinestone nodded. "Sorry. That was a mistake. I promise I  won't do it again. I should probably do the packy thing too. I might take a little bit. My parents will want the third degree about me looking like I got the crap kicked out of me. Uh...thanks for listening everyone. It means a lot. I'll be back soon." With that, she began trotting off, limping slightly.

Rhinestone slowly made her way to a fairly lavish house in Ponyville's town square. She entered and yelled up through the stairs. "Moooom, Daaad, I got in a fight! Also, I'm going to Las Pegasus to run in the zombie 10k, don't try to stop me!"

Dr. Spengler waves goodbye as both Rhinestone and Maverick head off. Back at Rhinestone's house...

"That's nice, honey! Stay safe, okay?" came the voice of Rhinestone's mother Jewel Scepter, with thinly veiled concern.

Rhinestone can hear hushed voices upstairs.

"She got in a FIGHT, Jewel! Are you just going to let that slide?"

"Ever since she started talking about ghosts she's been doing ridiculous things like gravedigging! I'm not surprised anymore!"

"That girl's not right..."

"'That girl' is your DAUGHTER! And it's high time you treated her like it, Carrot! Now get down there and actually talk to her!"

A brief pause.

"You need help packing, honey?" came the voice of Rhinestone's father, Twenty-Four Carrot. He doesn't seem all that enthused.

Crystalite wrote:Having finished the letter, he touched it to his horn, and sent it away in a stream of smoke. He knew it would be a while before he could expect a reply. His mother would have to get someone to read it for, and write a reply; and then it would have to go through postal to reach a baby dragon, or perhaps another Unicorn, who would send it to him. But he didn't mind. He didn't mind anything, for her sake. For she was a Pegasus.

And she was blind.

Given the hour, and the hours of the postal service, it might be as long as another day before a reply gets back to Maverick. Which is fine. No one expects a blind Pegasus to do anything in a hurry.

Bronymous wrote:Gallows comments from the side, and Hallows gives an embarrassed grin, before tackling her brother into another skirmish.

As White Whisper leaves without even turning to look at the amazing ghost-detecting stone, somepony bumps the floor of his apartment, presumably with a broom.

"KEEP IT DOWN UP THERE! Some of us have work to do!"

"SHUT UP GRANDMA!" The twins freeze frame to shout this in unison; another practiced line. Once they stop though, Gallows (on bottom once again) looks around and notices they are alone. "Hey he left." He pushes Hallows aside and stands up again. "Now what?" "Well,  despite the smell we have a free apartment to ourselves. If he's going to Las Pegasus it means we have a few nights with a roof-" "No, stupid-" "You're stupid" "-I mean we need to follow him! I'm not missing this chance to actually fight a ghost for once." "So then why did you ask me?" "It was rhetorical. Also, shut up. Also, do you think there's anything of value around here he won't exactly miss?" "You mean besides all the food in his fridge and his mountain of bits? This place is dead. If we aren't sleeping here, then we should go see if he, or they, will go buy us dinner." Hallows casually kicks around the mess in search of loot, but agrees. "OK fine. I hope they don't leave us behind." "Oh, I can tell how much you don't want that to happen." He gives her a disapproving look, and she nips at him one more time as they head out the door, back to where they had met.

The open door sways slightly in the breeze.

Rhinestone smiled a bit sadly. She figured she had to do something to make it funny, even if it was only for her. "Naaah, thanks though. I ain't packing much. After all, nopony needs clothes in the cavalcade of sex and violence that is Las Pegasus! I'm gonna get hitched to a filly-fooler and get married in a casino! I'll be fiiiine."

She was telling the truth that she didn't need to pack much. Rhinestone had always traveled light. She tossed some oranges, a few spades, some history books and a flashlight. She didn't actually need it, but it was comforting to have around. "Byyyeee! Don't forget to say hi to Last Rites for me when you go to church!"

With that, she left, tossing her saddlebags over her back and adjusting her Shovel to lay overtop of them.

Maverick returned to the square where the events of the day had gone down. It had been eventful; as he could see more clearly, having been away for a while. Scorch marks, trenches, and even a few small craters here and there dotted the scene, along with empty booths and the trash left behind by stampeding ponies. A lone Earth Pony worked at picking up the trash.

"Don't worry about it, sonny," the stallion said when Maverick offered assistance. "This stuff happens all the time. You should've seen the Great Bunny Incident a few years back," he said reassuringly.

"... Okay," Maverick replied, continuing with a shrug to re-join the group, saddle bags in tow...

Elacular wrote:Rhinestone smiled a bit sadly. She figured she had to do something to make it funny, even if it was only for her. "Naaah, thanks though. I ain't packing much. After all, nopony needs clothes in the cavalcade of sex and violence that is Las Pegasus! I'm gonna get hitched to a filly-fooler and get married in a casino! I'll be fiiiine."

She was telling the truth that she didn't need to pack much. Rhinestone had always traveled light. She tossed some oranges, a few spades, some history books and a flashlight. She didn't actually need it, but it was comforting to have around. "Byyyeee! Don't forget to say hi to Last Rites for me when you go to church!"

With that, she left, tossing her saddlebags over her back and adjusting her Shovel to lay overtop of them.

"I told you that girl wasn't right..."

"It's just her way of coping, Carrot!"

With everypony packed and gathered together, Dr. Spengler accompanies them all to the train station. It's full of hustle, bustle, and ponies pushing and shoving the nice family in front of them because obviously they have to get to their destination 0.2 seconds before anypony else. Looking a bit overmatched at the ticket booth are three ponies - one a green pony with thin-rimmed glasses and a black turtleneck, one a pale pony with very thick glasses and a long grey mane, and the third a red pony looking particularly grouchy. Despite their less-than-happy looks, the line looks relatively short.

"Here we are!" said Dr. Spengler. "Oh, and here are some bits for the trip."

Dr. Spengler hands over some bits.

"They're, er, only enough for a one-way ticket for each of you, I'm afraid," said Dr. Spengler. "I'm a bit strapped for bits at the moment. You've got about an hour before the next train to Las Pegasus leaves, so you should have plenty of time to get tickets and get on the train. Contact me once you're there if, er, you have any questions."

Maverick sighed when the entered the train station. "Las Pegasus. An utter cavalcade of sex and violence. I'm really glad the factory is outside of town. It... is outside of town, isn't it?"

He looked at the lines. "So who gets to stand in line? I mean, it doesn't make sense for all of us to do so and make the line longer."

Rhinestone grinned. "Hey, that's how I described it to my parents! Uh...lines though. I mean, I'm probably the most awake of us since its' morning for me, but...iunno. I'm not a super patient type. I'll do it if nopony else wants to."