[IC] STOMP Super Spooktacular Special!

[CoffeeHorse]

Misty's lower lip trembles. She nods to Amber, urging her to continue what they'd come all this way for, and takes off like a rocket down the hall.

Spoiler

"AaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!"

She blasts through the open doorway to the Conservatory...

---

Amber watched with a pained expression as Misty sped down the hallway. She took a resolving breath, then stepped into the library to seek out the spellbook.

---

Spoiler

For the moment is seemed that the Mask was in control as Rasophae watches as the little one approaches, a wide grin spreading across the mare's face. She gasps and squrims as you suddenly wrap yourself around her and lean in closer and Whsipers to her, leaving the vengeful entity confused as the little chanling pulls awya and shifts into a different form before her.

It was the that the little bug made her grand gesture... a move that wouldn't be forgotten by anyone for a long time to come. The mansion rings out as Maple nova and the lovesplosion errupts from her body, waves of it radatign off of her and through the manor as Night Cap and his crew make theri way to where they heard Maple. Though it was only Misty that got to see exactly what went on the the conservatory that night, the door burstign open right as the little changeling focuses all that positive energy onto the foe before her.

"What are you... I will not let you!" Rasophae roars out as she staggers back and stomps towards the little bugg slowly trying to fight the repeated wavs of love and postibve feeligns crash over her Each step gained is several pushed back as the entity struggles and then is sent flying across the room as the power overwhelms her. When the light show is over, the dark pony lays in a crater looking battered and bruised, and seems to barely be moving.

Spoiler

It seems like a long moment before the pony moves, getting to their hooves shakily. Though when the smoke clears the visage that is standing there is Rhapsody, looking a bit more ragged, the mask hanging down around her neck and the stab wound still there... bleeding slightly as an aura of dark manage still keeps the worst of it at bay. She huffs and pants

I'm awake I'm alive
Now I know what I believe inside
Now it's my time
I'll do what I want 'cause this is my life
Here, right here
Right now, right now
Stand my ground and never back down
I know what I believe inside
I'm awake and I'm alive

Her voice was soft and weak as she feels her strength returning to her.

I'm at war with myself cause I
Ain't never gonna sell my soul
I've already made up my mind
No matter what I can't be bought or sold

I'm awake I'm alive
Now I know what I believe inside
Now it's my time
I'll do what I want 'cause this is my life
Here, right here
Right now, right now
Stand my ground and never back down
I know what I believe inside
I'm awake and I'm alive

She she shakes her head and looks around, the world coming into focus around her as for the first time in what feels like months her head is clear and she can think without the angry little voice feeding off of all her negative thoughts. Her purples eyes get drawn to the figure in the middle of the room. "Maple?"

Spoiler

---

Maple's wings weren't moving, yet she knew she was in the air, wave upon wave of emotion just poured from her like somepony had bucked the valve open on a water main. then something else happened the energy went white, it felt like her magic changeling fire all over and she couldn't see - it was as bright and warm as anything she could even think to compare it to...and then some. then suddenly she was standing on the floor again... Rhapsody was singing ... not the mask, not Rasophae... just Rhapsody and it made Maple soo very happy to see her friend again.

when she reached out to see if she really was really real and really Rhapsody... it took a moment of pause for Maple to notice it was a longer leg she was reaching out with... and she was kind of looking down a little ...at Rhapsody?

She wasn't even sure if she'd only heard her name once before she began to panic a little and look around the room ... quickly seeing Misty in the doorway ...

"Yes, ..um, hello."

---

Static started in a sprint towards Rhapsody...

[She's not a hugger. She may slug ya.]


...but stopped short. "Rhapsody! It's really you? You're in control again?" He hesitated to ask if she was okay, because to look at her, she still seemed very far from okay. But the fact that she was in control was much much better.

He started in for a hug again.

[She's gonna slug ya!]

He fidgeted before giving her a quick hug and dodging back out of striking distance. "Buck, it's good to see you again!"

He then caught sight of..."Maple? That...is that...you?"

---

 

[CoffeeHorse]

"uhm... lets just um...Focus on helping Rhapsody." Maple says. a wink of light on her horn turns her back to her small self in mid-sentence -while she fidgets and doesn't look any pony in the eyes.

---

Scarlet sidded to a landing behind everypony else and... had no idea what to do. Whatever Maple had so recklessly done, seemed to have knocked ‘Rasophar’ down and released Rhapsody. At least for now. It also seemed to have had an effect on Maple herself that she seemed to want ignore.

Either way, Rhapsody was back!

Still, he hung back s9nce a) there wasn’t anything medically he could do to help and b) there were many other ponies who needed to see Rhapsody before him.

---

Okay, that sort of worked, job well done Maple... now slowly get out of this room... NO DON'T TURN AROUND! don't draw any attention to yourself, just back up slowly ... there you go, that hardly even looked like you moved... good job, not this time I want you to actually start backing up- and remember you can't fool me because we are us and I know you better than you think I do ..so ...

---

Maple's wings weren't moving, yet she knew she was in the air, wave upon wave of emotion just poured from her like somepony had bucked the valve open on a water main. then something else happened the energy went white, it felt like her magic changeling fire all over and she couldn't see - it was as bright and warm as anything she could even think to compare it to...and then some. then suddenly she was standing on the floor again... Rhapsody was singing ... not the mask, not Rasophae... just Rhapsody and it made Maple soo very happy to see her friend again.

when she reached out to see if she really was really real and really Rhapsody... it took a moment of pause for Maple to notice it was a longer leg she was reaching out with... and she was kind of looking down a little ...at Rhapsody?

She wasn't even sure if she'd only heard her name once before she began to panic a little and look around the room ... quickly seeing Misty in the doorway ...

"Yes, ..um, hello."

"I think I like you better like that... least you look less... evil now." Yes, Rhapsody still didn't care for Changelings, and Maple's new form looked much more majestic and a far cry from the evil soul stealing bugs.

Static started in a sprint towards Rhapsody...

[She's not a hugger. She may slug ya.]


...but stopped short. "Rhapsody! It's really you? You're in control again?" He hesitated to ask if she was okay, because to look at her, she still seemed very far from okay. But the fact that she was in control was much much better.

He started in for a hug again.

[She's gonna slug ya!]

He fidgeted before giving her a quick hug and dodging back out of striking distance. "Buck, it's good to see you again!"

He then caught sight of..."Maple? That...is that...you?"

"uhm... lets just um...Focus on helping Rhapsody." Maple says. a wink of light on her horn turns her back to her small self in mid-sentence -while she fidgets and doesn't look any pony in the eyes.

Green Night Cap slides to a halt.

He pays little attention to Maple, not that surprised to see her in a different form. It must be a life form she's seen somewhere. But it's not what's important right now. What's important right now is-

"Socks? Is it gone?"

He sees the knife wound. That much, at least, is not gone.

"Let's get you some first ai-"

She already died once. It isn't first.​

"Er, second? Aid of some numbered order or another."

She looks to Static and Night Cap as they arrive, both of them asking similar first questions. "Sorta, kinda..." She replies and shakes her head. "I can still feel it... but the voice is gone... Its not feeding and ramping up all my worst aspects... I can think normally now... for however long this lasts... but I doubt it's permanent solution..." She says glancing down to the mask as it hangs around her neck. "Its at least unconscious for now... It feeds on hate and anger so powerful positive emotions seem to have weakened it greatly to the point ot retreat and needing to recover. So we still got to get this bucking thing off of me or I'll likely revert when it recovers..."

She does accept Static's hug, maybe she's too exhausted from the ordeal, maybe its the left over positivity from the lovesplosion, or maybe She's more of a hugger then she lets on... "I'm not sure that's gonna do much help while this mask is on..." She says looking to Night Cap. "It's keeping the wound from getting worse, but I think it's also prevent it from getting better as well..."

Scarlet sidded to a landing behind everypony else and... had no idea what to do. Whatever Maple had so recklessly done, seemed to have knocked ‘Rasophar’ down and released Rhapsody. At least for now. It also seemed to have had an effect on Maple herself that she seemed to want ignore.

Either way, Rhapsody was back!

Still, he hung back s9nce a) there wasn’t anything medically he could do to help and b) there were many other ponies who needed to see Rhapsody before him.

Okay, that sort of worked, job well done Maple... now slowly get out of this room... NO DON'T TURN AROUND! don't draw any attention to yourself, just back up slowly ... there you go, that hardly even looked like you moved... good job, now this time I want you to actually start backing up- and remember you can't fool me because we are us and I know you better than you think I do ..so ...

The final member of Night Cap's group shows up, the Mistress of Lore that had been following them. "So, this is the kind of company you keep." She sneers looking to Maple as she changes before her eyes. "If I'd knowing you employed monsters then I never would have dealt with you lot in the first place, you clearly can't handle this ordeal because you're to soft if you let something like that in your ranks. It should be squashed like the bug it is, not coddled like its a real pony." She raises a hoof and with a chant fires off a fireball at Maple... Only for it to be intercepted.

"Sorry, I can't let you do that Mistress." Swift Tart says, suddenly in front of male, using a golden aura to disperse the fireball. "You should know better that some monsters are worth the effort." He says looking sternly at her.

Before anyone else can reply, Rhapsody looks up... "Wait... I know that voice." She says softly and looks over to the Mistress of Lore. "Mom?"

---

 

[CoffeeHorse]

Rhapsody's mom just tried to murder me... out of room, please Maple was okay with being obvious about leaving now.

---

Scarlet teetch ground as the ‘Mistress’ of Lore turned up and immediately started spitting accusations of incompetance and—what the buck?

He leaped forward to dive between the MoL and Maple. While he, sadly, understood her reaction to Maples changeling nature. Her abrupt magical attack was a step too far. Rashness of action will only get you so far though. Thus, Scarlet breathes a (hopefully unheard) sigh of relief as Swift Tart intercedes. Anger, frustration and a healthy dose of disdain for this incomparably stuck up pony boiled up inside of him.

And then...

Mom?

He just, stared. First at Rhapsody, then at the MoL. As if his opinion of her could sink no lower.

[colo=#ff0000]”Sweet merciful Luna. You have got to be Kidding Me! “[/color]

---

Scarlet teetch ground as the ‘Mistress’ of Lore turned up and immediately started spitting accusations of incompetance and—what the buck?

He leaped forward to dive between the MoL and Maple. While he, sadly, understood her reaction to Maples changeling nature. Her abrupt magical attack was a step too far. Rashness of action will only get you so far though. Thus, Scarlet breathes a (hopefully unheard) sigh of relief as Swift Tart intercedes. Anger, frustration and a healthy dose of disdain for this incomparably stuck up pony boiled up inside of him.

And then...

Mom?

He just, stared. First at Rhapsody, then at the MoL. As if his opinion of her could sink no lower.

[colo=#ff0000]”Sweet merciful Luna. You have got to be Kidding Me!“[/color]

---

Scarlet teetch ground as the ‘Mistress’ of Lore turned up and immediately started spitting accusations of incompetance and—what the buck?

He leaped forward to dive between the MoL and Maple. While he, sadly, understood her reaction to Maples changeling nature. Her abrupt magical attack was a step too far. Rashness of action will only get you so far though. Thus, Scarlet breathes a (hopefully unheard) sigh of relief as Swift Tart intercedes. Anger, frustration and a healthy dose of disdain for this incomparably stuck up pony boiled up inside of him.

And then...

Mom?

He just, stared. First at Rhapsody, then at the MoL. As if his opinion of her could sink no lower.

[colo=#ff0000]”Sweet merciful Luna. You have got to be Kidding Me!“[/color]

---

Scarlet teetch ground as the ‘Mistress’ of Lore turned up and immediately started spitting accusations of incompetance and—what the buck?

He leaped forward to dive between the MoL and Maple. While he, sadly, understood her reaction to Maples changeling nature. Her abrupt magical attack was a step too far. Rashness of action will only get you so far though. Thus, Scarlet breathes a (hopefully unheard) sigh of relief as Swift Tart intercedes. Anger, frustration and a healthy dose of disdain for this incomparably stuck up pony boiled up inside of him.

And then...

Mom?

He just, stared. First at Rhapsody, then at the MoL. As if his opinion of her could sink no lower.

[colo=#ff0000]”Sweet merciful Luna. You have got to be Kidding Me!“[/color]

---

Scarlet teetch ground as the ‘Mistress’ of Lore turned up and immediately started spitting accusations of incompetance and—what the buck?

He leaped forward to dive between the MoL and Maple. While he, sadly, understood her reaction to Maples changeling nature. Her abrupt magical attack was a step too far. Rashness of action will only get you so far though. Thus, Scarlet breathes a (hopefully unheard) sigh of relief as Swift Tart intercedes. Anger, frustration and a healthy dose of disdain for this incomparably stuck up pony boiled up inside of him.

And then...

Mom?

He just, stared. First at Rhapsody, then at the MoL. As if his opinion of her could sink no lower.

”Sweet merciful Luna. You have got to be Kidding Me!“

---

 

[CoffeeHorse]

Like Scarlet, Static was about to jump in front of the fireball before Swift Tart took care of things. He wanted to curse out the MoL for the fireball. Boy oh boy did he ever want to curse her out. Maple had proven herself too many times, to say nothing of what she did for Rhapsody NOT TEN SECONDS AGO!!!!

But with Rhapsody's statement that positive energy was what was keeping the mask at bay...

"Positive energy, positive energy, positive energy...MOM???" Static looks between Rhapsody and MoL. His eyes full of shock, which then narrowed into slivers. "Trying to keep the energy positive here for the sake of your daughter...but I will say that 'monster' just saved your daughters life!"

---

”i only see one monster here. And she’s the mare who got everypony into this bucking situation in the first bucking place!”

Though his tone was low and steady, the disdain was clear.

Starting a slow ten count, Scarlet then tried to squash his bad mood.

---

Throughout this all, Misty has been standing, statue-like, just past the doorway, with her jaw hanging open.

We're sorry. Misty.exe has encountered an error and needs to close. If the problem persists after restart, please contact your system administrator.

---

"Are you okay Misty?" Maple asks... looking around for anything that might help.

---

Library:

Luckily for Amber as she explored the room, she found nothing waiting to ambush or jump her like in the Conservatory, maybe Maple's action had scared the spookies away for the time being?

Conservatory:

Rhapsody huffs heavily as she looks to Night Cap. "For once, I agree with you." She states stamps a hood on the ground, making the floor shiver a bit, as its clear she's not up to full strength. "What the bucking hay is wrong with you?" She growls as she lumbers towards the Mistress of Lore, still seeming to be weak and strained from her recent ordeals, her eyes glaring daggers into the other mare. Everyone's reaction seemed to mirror her own... though for Rhapsody it was much worse. This was somepony she thought dead, she thought she failed to protect, and was now standing right in front of her as if nothing had happened. Rhapsody was quiet frankly, pissed.

"I am doing what you can't it seems!" The Mistress of Lore replies as the hood falls down revealing the visage of Shadewing, her yellow and white hair curled around her face as the mare looks ghastly and gaunt, bright colors seeming to be faded and older as her purple eyes seem glassy as she glares to the ponies that seem to be protecting Maple. She turns toward the changeling as the creature tries to slink away like the cowardly beast it is, only for it to find another victim. "I will eliminate all you vile beasts from the face of Equestria myself if I have to!" But before she can get off another shot she's tackled by Rhapsody. "What do you think you are doing?!"

"My job." Rhapsody huffs as she gets back to her hooves.

"Now now, Ladies. There is no need for you to fight. I think enough darkness has crossed this manor tonight." Swift Tart says as he walks towards the pair and looks to Rhapsody. "Rest." Swift Tart states to the Dark mare and she slumps to the floor. "That's one down." They muses to themselves and looks to the Mistress and grins softly. "There's not much I can do against you like this, my power is too restricted... but I've been preparing this little trick for some time..." The piebald says Claps both hooves together before stamping the ground. "Restrain." Shadows seem to coil around the mistress and bind her to the spot. "I respect you for surviving what you went through, but you've always been a bit... extreme for my tastes, Mistress." They says and looks to the room. "Now before any of the rest of you get any ideas... allow me to explain everything I know... First off Rhapsody is fine, I just hit her with a modified sleep spell to take the fight out of her. She's still conscious and aware of us."

Rhapsody huffs softly as she looks to the Butler, but currently feels her body to heavy to move. "Yeah, I'm alright..." Clearly not happy at the forced down time.

"Now, This." They say pointing to Shadewing. "Is what someone looks like that's been drained of all their love looks like. She's hard, bitter, cold, and cares only about what is important to her. And what is important to her is LORE. The League of Restraining Evil. This has all been set up by her to see if any of you would be fitting additions to the team she was creating." Swifty says and takes a deep breath. "I am complicit in this, as I work for her as something of a guard dog in her eyes. She has gained a lot more control over me then I would prefer.. I found her after the invasion and took her to safety, and helped her recover as much as I could. Since then I have been trying to help her regain her passion, love, and drives for things other then... pretty much the complete extermination of anything she considers evil. I knew her daughters would be here, and I had greatly hoped that her seeing them again would awaken... Something in her." The piebald says wearily. "Not sure that is working..."

"Don't be so modest, you should have been able to stop this before it got this far." Shadewing states making Swift Tart glower.

"Ethereal beings are beyond much of my power when you're limiting me so much! It taken all that I have, and more to keep everypony as safe as they are. These ponies have done much more then they should have this night, and you're not going to ruin what little victories they've had so far!"

---

 

[CoffeeHorse]

Static glares at the Mistress of Lore. "Two daughters lost, a third just this side of death, countless guests either scared out of their wits or dead, an malevolent evil force on the loose...all to give us a job interview?" Static huffs. "Not interested! I have a job already. And right now it's to save your daughters collective asses. You on the other hoof, can quite frankly I would say you could go to Tartarus. But if you could bring this fate upon your own daughters and only care about this clandestine group of yours...you're half there already!"

---

Amber quickly returned to the shelves and her mental catalogue of the room, hoping to find the spell book as efficiently as possible and return to the Conservatory and Maple without losing too much time.

Spoiler

---

Library:

In the relative peace and quiet of the room, Amber finds that her search is quick and fruitful, as knowing what she is looking for, its not as hard to find as she thought it would be. An older creepy looking book , bound in almost rubbery like material that just doesn't feel or look right. The quicker you were done with this the better it seems.

Spoiler

---

Amber looked the book over askance, but slipped it into her saddlebag and allowed herself a brief smile of success before heading back into the Hall.

---

Maple was kind of distracted, worrying over Misty. So she wasn't entirely paying attention when she answered back.

"I'm a little busy with the jobs I have already, but I'm sure Ms. Swift Iron would let me help Destroy evil for awhile - while I'm still suspended from giving tours."

---

 

[CoffeeHorse]

"Vuh... vuh... vuh..."

Misty suddenly springs back to alertness.

"Vhat happened, Maple?!"

---

Maple's eyes sparkle as she looks at Misty...

ever since she learned she wasn't a real pony, she'd been worried that everything she'd ever heard about changelings was true... but here she was... just a girl who poured out her entire heart... every drop of happiness, all the smiles and laughter... not even a single hug held back for herself - empty.

... yet one look at this beautiful face and she was full to bursting. ... Maple's forelegs reach out around Misty's neck, hooves tussling the back of her mane absently and she gave her marefriend the first hug she knew for sure wasn't stolen from anypony. Parting, she quickly moved back to looking Misty in the bangs.

"I love you." tilting her head back slightly toward the others she added... "and I might have mostly fixed Rhapsody... and that's her mom, and um..." Maple's eyes got wide for a second...

"...she tried to kill me with a magic fireball, Do you think we she keep Amber out of here?" Maple's brow furrowed... after all if murder was the reward for de-possession, what would mom do to the mare who broke her daughter's heart?

---

For what felt (to him) like an eternity, Scarlet simply stared. A great swell of pity for what this Shadewing had clearly lost, warred with his already pretty massive ball of mental fury. How could she!

”How dare you,” he said in a shaky voice. ”How dare you put your own selfis interests above the of innocents. Above your Daughters!

If this is how LORE operates. By -laying stupidly risky ‘games’ as an “Entrance Exam”. Then you can take your job offer and shove it!

Your daughters are in deadly danger, Shady. Something that is entirely down to you. Something Maple here, has been doing everything she can to put right. Whatever happened to chill your heart like this must have been terrible. However,,just because Maple is a Changeling, you cannot simply reap your vengeance on her for the evil acts of other Changelings.

Do you not realise what she just did. Do you not understsnd that it is down to her that the Masque is suppressed and Rhapsody is freed?”

Then he turned to Night Cap and eyed him.

”Night Cap. The only ponies with that kind of notoriety, are the Princessess. Not you or me.

And, you’re not seriously saying you would have accepted her offer had shown known about you. Right?”

---

"All things considered I've really started to like the first two, more recently ... but given the choice, I'd still rather go work for Mrs. and Mr. Cadenza."

Maple adds over her shoulder, having completely lost track of the actual conversation going on behind her.

---

I really shouldn’t be surprised at this.

But i am.

”So you did think about it. I’m a little disappointed.

Wait, what do the Princessess have to do with anything, Maple?”

---

 

[CoffeeHorse]

"...she tried to kill me with a magic fireball, Do you think we should keep Amber out of here?"

Misty nods solemnly, and without a word, she turns around and heads into the hall to intercept Amber on her way back from the library.

---

"oh... I um, that's not what I meant." *sadface*

---

Spoiler

Hall:

Outside the Conservatory Misty met up with Amber once more.

Conservatory:

Shadewing looks nonplussed as she looks to Scarlet. "If you can't handle the pressure of lives mattering when on a mission, then you should probably be in a different occupation. I am sure there are some lovely doilies you could make. Knowing that employs can actually handle a task when lives are on the line, is the utmost importance. And you continue to show that you can barely take orders let alone deal with what is going on. Thus, I already know you are a weak link on this team of yours."

Swift tarts walks over to Scarlet, taps his shoulder. "Did you miss the part of "Changeling Victim." When I was explaining things?" The piebald asks in a calm and reasonable voice, feeling that certain ponies were missing the trees for the forest. "She is cold, becuase changelings drained her of her love, her compassion, her ability to empathize. She is, quite literally, a shell of her former self. She is aware that Rhapsody is free, but she has no more feelings for her duagthers then she has for you.It doesn't excuse her actions, but I don't feel it condemms her either."

Rhapsody huffs. "She's almost like how I was while the Mask was in control... All the negative emotions controlling her actions..."

---

"Miss Monsoon!" said Amber as she approached her. "Is Miss Jack alright? What happened?"

---

"Amber, I... Maple, she... the Mistress of... well, they... and, then..." Misty shakes her head back and forth. "Uhhhh, what I mean to say is, you might not want to go back in there just yet."

---

 

[CoffeeHorse]

In spite of her concern, Amber squinted and cocked her head. "Miss Monsoon, I often find that words are most useful when combined into sentences. Do you mean that the Mistress of Lore is here?"

---

"Yes and yes. For now, at least. The Mistress of Lore is, um, a bit on the disagreeable side... especially in regards to Changelings." Misty looks back over her shoulder in the direction of the room she came from amd winces.

"Also she's Rhapsody's mom."

---

"Oh," said Amber, glancing down the hallway. "Well." She swished her tail sharply. "There's an artifact in the trophy room, but I haven't been able to identify what, and somewhere is a uniquely distinguished inkwell. I should make my way to the trophy room to search for more clues. Could you take these with you to the others?" Amber drew out the needle and thread and the spellbook with her magic and floated them in Misty's direction.

---

Static hold the temples of his nose, trying to fight away a doozy of a headache. "Okay okay okay! It's been a hell of a night...for all of us. Team mates injured, team mates missing, civilians in harms way...blah blah blah blah BLAH! I don't care about warm fuzzies. I don't care about some job interview for a job I never even applied for. I...don't...care! Right now we still have two ponies missing: Symphony and Harmony. Rhapsody still looks to be in rough shape. Something tells me this curse may have been taken a beating, but not completely exorcized yet. So, sit-rep! Where do we stand? What do we have left to do?

---

Scarlet sighed and nodded to Swift Tart. In a low voice he.

”I know, or i should have known. I’m sorry Swifty. Its just everything thats happened tonight has me on a very short fuse.

I don’t like it, because i usually have a better hold on my temper. Ot’s just... learning that this whole night was set up like this is... un-pleasant to say the least. I will try to do better.”

Turning to Static, he nodded sympathetically.

[colo=#ff0000]”Hmm. Well, you, me and Night Cap were headed to the Trophy room to see if those suits of armour have anything to do with solving the riddle needed ! to find Symphony. We need to figure out what kind of artifact is hidden in the Library and get that back to the ballroom.

Shall we get to the Trophy Room?”[:color]

After what had just jappened, Scarlet was eager to get back to the hunt and away from anymore ill-advised arguments with the MoL. For Rhapsodys sake, he hoped Shadewing could be saved someday. For now though, he thought it best to get away from her.

---

 

[CoffeeHorse]

Scarlet sighed and nodded to Swift Tart. In a low voice he.

”I know, or i should have known. I’m sorry Swifty. Its just everything thats happened tonight has me on a very short fuse.

I don’t like it, because i usually have a better hold on my temper. Ot’s just... learning that this whole night was set up like this is... un-pleasant to say the least. I will try to do better.”

Turning to Static, he nodded sympathetically.

”Hmm. Well, you, me and Night Cap were headed to the Trophy room to see if those suits of armour have anything to do with solving the riddle needed to find Symphony. We need to figure out what kind of artifact is hidden in the Library and get that back to the ballroom.

Shall we get to the Trophy Room?”

After what had just jappened, Scarlet was eager to get back to the hunt and away from anymore ill-advised arguments with the MoL. For Rhapsodys sake, he hoped Shadewing could be saved someday. For now though, he thought it best to get away from her.

---

"Okay, so you me and Night Cap for team Trophy Room. Volunteers for team Library?"

---

"I'd like to stay here, if we're done with magic attacks for the moment... I'm not team medic anymore, but I can certainly keep Rhapsody stable." Maple says, pulling a med kit out of her mane.

---

"Oh," said Amber, glancing down the hallway. "Well." She swished her tail sharply. "There's an artifact in the trophy room, but I haven't been able to identify what, and there exists somewhere a uniquely distinguished inkwell. I should make my way to the trophy room to search for more clues. Could you take these back with you to the others?" Amber drew out the needle and thread and the spellbook with her magic and floated them in Misty's direction.

Misty scoops the items up with one bat-wing and gives Amber a resp! ectful salute with the other. "Good luck, Amber. Ve're all counting on you!" She heads back to rejoin the others.

---

"if that's okay with you ma'am?" Maple covers her face with her wings so she won't see the next fireball

---

 

[CoffeeHorse]

Rhapsody gets weakly to her hooves as the sleep spell wears off. "I'm staying you you guys. This kinda feel like a lot of my fault, and I want to help get his over with as soon as possible." She states and then looks to Swift Tart. "You... You take care of Mo... the Mistress..." The Mare while she might have Shadewing's body wasn't really her mother anymore, at least not at the moment.

"If you Night Cap and you are going to the Trophy room, I suppose the rest of us should head to the Library." Rhapsody says still shaking off that sleep spell, and if no one has any arguments or comments, the groups head off their separate ways to get this done.

Trophy Room

Unfortunately for Amber, Static and Night Cap, the Trophy room was currently occupied by by the ghost of a Unicorn stallion in a khaki safari outfit with old fashion pith helmet and impressive handle bar mustache. He takes notice of Amber, as she is the first to try and enter. "Ah, Sonny Jim. Your finally here." He says in a distinguished accent. "Now the hunt can truly begin! Haw haw!" He says and suddenly brandishes the mostly dangerous artifact in ponydom: AN OVERLY LARGE BUTTERFLY NET! He charges right for the mare in attempts to capture her and claim her as another trophy for the room.

Library

Rhapsody's group didn't have too much luck either. THe library they found was also occupied with an old gray mare that was floating reading a book, with several other books stacked to the ceiling around her. She glances the group and hear eyes flash red, as if daring them to make a nose and actually disturb her reading...

---

So the treasure hunter became the hunted. Amber wasn't at all sure who Sunny Gem was but recognized there was little time for untangling mistaken identities. She had the presence of mind to shout "Quick, this way!" so as not to give the impression of abandoning, rather than leading, her teammates as she bolted back down the hall.

Nets. Why must it always be nets.

Spoiler

---

Trophy Room:

"Not good enough, Sunny Gem! Coming, ready or not!" The big game hinter says as he takes off after her as Amber attempts to mightily flee. Unfortunately for the mare, the lack of gym exercise and late nights hitting the books, means that she's soon closely acquainted with her new friend Annette. He frowns slightly at just how easy it is. "I love a good hunt, but you're anything but." He huffs "But I suppose even the small fish will have to do in this pond, at least til I can find some blinking prey worthy of my skill!"

---

"Keep running!" shouted Amber as the net entangled her. She tried not to think about the rows of mounted heads in the Trophy Room as she struggled against her old, tangled nemesis. She thrashed to at least free her horn from the mesh to allow her to wink away, or to make some kind of counterattack - if not against the dreadfully immaterial hunter, at least against his insidiously material device.

---

Copper Bezel:
So the treasure hunter became the hunted. Amber wasn't at all sure who Sunny Gem was but recognized there was little time for untangling mistaken identities. She had the presence of mind to shout "Quick, this way!" so as not to give the impression of abandoning, rather than leading, her teammates as she bolted back down the hall.

Nets. Why must it always be nets.

Spoiler

At Ambers words, Static bolted out of the trophy room and into the hall way.

Copper Bezel
"Keep running!" shouted Amber as the net entangled her. She tried not to think about the rows of mounted heads in the Trophy Room as she struggled against her old, tangled nemesis. She thrashed to at least free her horn from the mesh to allow her to wink away, or to make some kind of counterattack - if not against the dreadfully immaterial hunter, at least against his insidiously material device.

Static screeched to a halt. At least his hooves screeched to a halt as they dug into the floor. The momentum of his upperbody kept going, causing him to go end over end several times before he was able to reverse course. "I'm not leaving anypony behind!" He yells out as he gets to Amber and attempts to help her with the net.

Spoiler

---

 

[CoffeeHorse]

Night Cap, however, will leave a pony behind.

And so he does. Back to the hallway it is.

---

"ssshhh everypony, I think she wants us to be quiet!"

---

Scarlet eued Maple and made a ‘Zip It!’ motion with a feather across his lips. She may have been right that they should be quiet sure, but saying it out loud was proooobably a bad idea. Frowning slightly as he mulled over whether it was worth trying to look around the Library, while not disturbing their grey guest.

Sighing, Scarlet shook his head slowly , then smiled at the ghostly mare and bowed slightly. Turning to his friends, he gestured to them all with a wing, then pointed a hoof into the room, clearly indicat9ng they should search. Without a sound, he slowly mouthed the words ‘We need to search. Split up. Look quickly, look quietly’.

Stepping carefully, Scarlet scanned the room for anything out of the ordinary. Apart from the ghostly mare and her towering book stacks. A scrap of a note... Something.

Spoiler

---

Maple put a wing over her face, following Mr. Spectrum's advice... but then she thought to herself maybe talking to the ghost might not be a bad idea... it didn't seem to act like the other ghosts...



Spoiler
Shadewing

She sensed the air around her... perhaps if this ghost had been here a while, it would have had the time to read all these books already and might point them in the right direction. She'd only ask though if the ghost didn't taste mean

---

with nothing seeming to happen, Maple moved closer to the ghost... monsters could be friends with ghost right?

---

 

[CoffeeHorse]

Trophy Room:

Static manages to free Amber from the net, before the ghost gets back to the Trophy room with her, whole Night Cap cowers in the hallway. So much for Symphony's knight in slimy armor.

Library:

Maple finds that the ghost is annoyed at their presence, and seems mostly interested in the books. While not outright hostile, the old mare tolerated them for now.

Scarlet manages to find that there is another pony huddled in a corner, seeming too scared to move.

Spoiler

---

Upon finding the terrified pony, Scarlet stopped and smiled in as warm and friendly a way as he could. Although he dearly wanted to warn Maple (who he could stee out of the corner of his eye) approaching and (albeit unintentionally) antagonising the spectral book emthusiast.

Although, out of all of us, she would be the most well suited to...befriending? Pacifying? these ghosts, now that 'Rasophae' is conta9ned.

Regardless, he focused back on the pony in front of and held out a hoof. Still keeping his voice barely above a whisper, Scarlet mouthed.

[spoilers]Presence check to try and calm the pony.
1d20=16
15+2=18
Total/18[/color]

"Do not be afraid. We are here to help. Now, stay as quiet as you can and walk with me slowly towards the door. I will take you to Swift Tart. They will keep you safe.

Please, trust me?

---

Misty is similarly frozen, terrified by the ghost in the room and unable to take her focus off of it. She desperately tries not to let her teeth chatter in fright, lest it anger the spectre.

---

After freeing Amber from the net, Static takes Amber by the hoof. "C'mon! It's not very safe in here. Let's get back to the hallway."

---

Letting out a cry of relief as she was freed from the net - "Aha!" - Amber nodded to Static and trailed behind him as he led her to safety. For all that they'd quarrelled tonight, Amber thought, the stallion really was a hero. She walked close to him and affectionately nudged his neck with her own as they rejoined with Night Cap. "Thank you, Static," she said, between deep breaths as she worked to dispel her panic. "You don't think he might follow us out here, do you? We don't know how these ghosts might behave now that they're no longer under anypony's control."

"Well now what? We kinda need to get in there."

"Hmm, yes," she said to the slimy little pony. "We do. But it is not the only place we need to get into." She paused as she unfolded her notes again. "Perhaps it would be best if we could attempt to first ascertain just what it is we are searching for. We still don't know where to find the ink, and there are two clues still missing. I had hoped that even if we couldn't identify the artifact in the Trophy Room, we may discover some other clue about it or one of the other remaining artifacts, but perhaps it is best to continue our search elsewhere."

She took a long look back toward the Trophy Room.

"Each time we have encountered one of these ghosts, they have quickly moved on elsewhere. Without Rasophae's influence, this, ah, sportspony may or may not do the same."

---

 

[CoffeeHorse]

"Okay, Have fun reading Ma'am, we'll just see you later!" Maple says as she backs away from the ghost.

---

Letting out a cry of relief as she was freed from the net - "Aha!" - Amber nodded to Static and trailed behind him as he led her to safety. For all that they'd quarrelled tonight, Amber thought, the stallion really was a hero. She walked close to him and affectionately nudged his neck with her own as they rejoined with Night Cap. "Thank you, Static," she said, between deep breaths as she worked to dispel her panic. "You don't think he might follow us out here, do you? We don't know how these ghosts might behave now that they're no longer under anypony's control."

"Any time, Amber. I don't know what to expect anymore. It's always been a good idea to keep moving though."

"Hmm, yes," she said to the slimy little pony. "We do. But it is not the only place we need to get into." She paused as she unfolded her notes again. "Perhaps it would be best if we could attempt to first ascertain just what it is we are searching for. We still don't know where to find the ink, and there are two clues still missing. I had hoped that even if we couldn't identify the artifact in the Trophy Room, we may discover some other clue about it or one of the other remaining artifacts, but perhaps it is best to continue our search elsewhere."

She took a long look back toward the Trophy Room.

"Each time we have encountered one of these ghosts, they have quickly moved on elsewhere. Without Rasophae's influence, this, ah, sportspony may or may not do the same."

"You lead. I'll follow."

---

There may have been a ghost of triumph haunting the corners of the warm smile that broke across Amber's face. "Very well, Static," she said. She nodded to Night Cap. "Mr. Cap. We haven't yet found any sign of artifacts in the dining room, so I suggest we proceed with our investigations there. And we still have Symphony to save - " Amber nodded to Green Night Cap and began walking in the direction of the Dining Room, while passing a notes page to Night Cap with a list of their findings about Symphony. "Have you been able to make any sense of this puzzle, Mr. Cap?"

---

Maple looks around now that she isn't distracted by the ghost and notices the new face.

"Hello, I'm Maple - what's your name?"

---

LIBRARY

The lime green unicorn looks up to Scarlet. "No! Get away!" She says as she stands on long shaky legs, her two-toned purple mane covering her eyes. "You're with him. The killer. I saw it! That masked yellow pony! He went after that one pony and the black mare got in the way! Then in the hallway... I was hiding, when I see you and him and another... Attacked by that thing... He let my friend die! roasted in that creature's flames... You tried to slow it down... but he didn't even bat an eye... He's evil, and he's gonna get us all killed! I'll not go back! You can't make me!" She says getting more frantic and panicky as she speaks...

Which draws the ire of the librarian. Her eyes glow a sickly white as she transforms into a monstrous visage. "QUIET IN THE LIBRARY!" She shrieks and goes after the witness... It happens so fast. The old mare seems to envelop the witness, who cries out in fear, before falling to the floor... silent... forever. The ghost then turns her attention to Scarlet and Maple, as if daring them to say anything...

However, what breaks what seems like an infinitely long silence after the attack is neither them or Misty... In the back of the room Rhapsody huffs softly and shakes her head as the what the witness said seems to reverberating in her mind as flashes of memories in the dark come to her. "That... that..." She mumbles as her anger starts to well up inside of her. "That... clod!" She huffs, the first word that comes to mind as she starts to getting overcame with anger. "I'll bucking kill him!" She says for for a brief moment her purple eyes flash red.

HALL

After the daring rescue of Amber from the Hunter, the Trio have decided that the Trophy room is off limits, and make their way bravely to the Dining room through the dark halls of the manor, that seems unnaturally quiet after the night they've had. Where they will hopefully investigate more the the food found within.

Spoiler

---

 

[CoffeeHorse]

"oh no" Maple whimpers softly after the ghost calms down... She asked them a question and it got them killed. she had to get out of there... she was so shellshocked that the information given prior to the death hadn't even sunk in yet... nor had she even noticed that Rhapsody had left. She just turned away from the corpse and shivered against the wall... slowly heading for the door...

---

Scarlet jumped back, horrified as the pony before him just... dropped dead at the shrieking librarian. Her words fitted tha last pieces to a puzzle he hadn't wanted to find the answer too. Even now, despite everything, he wanted to rail against it. Until he saw Rhapsodys rage, the unnatural red of her eyes and... A further realisation dawned. Rushing over, he spoke imploringly.

"Rhapsody, calm down. It's not what you think. It has been the masque all along. That spirit, 'Rasophae', controlled him, manipulated him. Like it did to the ghosts. Like its done to you. Feeding his anger, his rage, maybe even his paranois.

Other witnessess we actually managed to...save...

...

They have confirmed this. Your attacked was under mental compulsion!

Rhapsody, listen!"

And here he took a deep breath and said it outright.

2color=#ff0000]"Static didn't attack you! His body was made to stab you. He doesn't even know what he's done![/color]

---

"Or maybe he did, and that will be the convenient excuse he uses..." Maple mumbles, "Who's to say we all aren't really as horrible as each other thinks we are."

---

"Oh great! Thank you so much for that!

What the buck is the matter with you? You, have done nothing wrong tonight!"

---

Maple just nods. "I'll let you know when that makes me feel better about what just happened. Static likely didn't have control over himself at the time, but since he hasn't told any of us since then... it may mean he still doesn't have control of himself, I don't think I can fight another friend tonight."

---

 

[CoffeeHorse]

Nerves jangling after the shock of the ponies fear and then subsequent sudden death. Scarlet almost snapped at the tiny changeling for not understanding the situation. Instead, he took a slow, steadying breath and forced himself to --calmly--think about hoe scared Maple must be.

"Maple, this wasn't your fault. The mare i found was terrified and hysterical. Having seen Static attack Amber and Rhapsody, she fled. Only to later see Static, Night Cap and i try and get a witness/survivor back to the ballroom. Except 'Rasophae' ambushed us and set the hall ablaze. She then seemingly saw Static run, while leaving an innocent pony to die, while i stayed. A misunderstanding i would have tried to convince her of, except that is when out=r library ghost got fed up of the noise and attacked. None of that, is because of you.

And speaking of Static. Haven't you noticed that the ghosts are more...independant, since you managed to do...whatever it is you did to suppress 'Rasophae'? Don't you think any influence its been having over him, would be equally suppressed?

If we work fast and work together, we won't have to fight any more friends. Come on Maple, stay positive. We're gonna get through this."

---

"Static... he.... he did it? I vouldn't have believed it, if I hadn't seen Harmony do the same..." Misty whimpers. "I'm... actually glad, it vasn't me... even though that's a terrible thing to think. I don't vant to hurt anypony." She rushes over to Maple, hugging her suddenly.

---

Rhapsody huffs and shakes her head, taking a few breathes as she tries to calm down, not the easiest feat for her with how the mask is still connected to her; it was subdued, unconscious but she could still feel it, it wanted her angry it wanted to use that as a way to weaken her and reassert itself quicker... "Yeah, I suppose your right Scarlet. This night has been all sorts of bucked up. Just... everything is so damn much..." She huffs and shakes her head... All this with vengeful ghosts, her teammates being chased and in danger, and mind controlled... And that apparently her /mother/ is behind it all... Luna damnit. She then blinks and! perks her ears towards Misty. "Wait... Harmony did what?" She asks as her right eye twitches a bit.

---

Feeling like he wanted to scream at the top of lungs, for no other reason that scream and break the building tension. Scarlet gave Rhapsody a pained look.

"Harmony was with Misty and Maple when they found a survivor. But 'Rasophaes' minions found them. Harmony was...hypnotised into killing the other pony before they could escape. So like Static, she had no control.

This night has not been kind to anypony."

---

Spoiler


As Static looks around for clues, he starts to seem more solemn that he had been for most of the night. "You know...Amber...it's been a long, crazy night. So much has happened, I can't even remember most of it. It's like some haze that's only now beginning to lift. I don't know, maybe it's just the fact that we're finally so near the end and I can see the end of this lousy night finally in view."

Static sighs as he turns to her. "I just...I don't remember what all was said...just...a bunch of angry words. But if I said anything hurtful to you...I...I think it's only because...well...I miss you. You were the first friend I ever made in STOMP...and now you're not there any more and...I just miss you. And when I learned that you'd written to Maple...and not once to me? I guess that hurt. But...it really is good to see you again and I'm sorry for...whatever I may have said tonight."

---

 

[CoffeeHorse]

*ulp* Misty shrinks away from the angry Rhapsody.

"The three singing ghost mares had Harmony and another pony under their spell... the other pony was going to kill us... but Harmony, she... she stopped them, by..."

---

Amber was making little progress searching the dining room. It was her first time seeing the room, and she couldn't help being a bit distracted by the clutter and chaos of the interrupted feast and ensuing struggle, and the curious pile of mashed food at one end of the table. Other rooms in the mansion had felt somehow preserved, looking as if they might have on any other day, but not the Dining Hall. She peered over the decorations along the walls as Static spoke to her.

She began to look crestfallen as he did. "I know that I let everypony down," she said. "I couldn't face Rhapsody after -" Amber sighed and shook her head with a spark. "I couldn't face anypony when I left. I'm sorry that I did that to you all. And to think that it led to all of this," she said, waving a hoof and wincing. "Giving that accursed old mask something to latch onto."

She shook her head. "At least Rhapsody and Symphony will be alright so long as we figure out the rest of the puzzle."

Spoiler

---

Maple was grateful beyond measure for the hug at that moment. Misty was wonderful... this settled it, she'd have to write another letter to her friends Chrystal Empire. - If they got out of this alive.

---

Dining Room:

As team feel-it-out search the room in its messy state, they find themselves too distracted talking about their feelings to actually find anything.

Spoiler

---

"It would seem rather unfair to leave these clues leading to her if they've already killed her," Amber said without much inflection. She cocked her head. "But then I suppose murderous ghosts are hardly likely to play fair."Amber hoped that Night Cap was right and the solution to the riddles would become more obvious with a return to the trophy room. Knight, Light, Darkness, torches - there were so many unidentified elements involved.

Amber started over her search of the room more methodically, but quickly seemed to become frustrated, and began to simply clear the table.

[spoiler: Rolling Perception for an Artifact clue: 1D20+7 => (2 + 7) = 9 lawlz

I'm guessing that both IC and OOC we're set to continue searching the room, so I went ahead with my roll. We still have the ghost check, so if Shadewing rolls a ghost it'll be preempted, but if that doesn't happen, I'd rather save the step of y'all waiting for my otherwise empty post with a roll in it.[/spoiler]

---

Needing to close his mind to all the blood and violence of the night, Static tries to block everything out as he doubles down on his search.

Spoiler

"Hey, guys! I think I may have found something."

---

DINNING ROOM:

As the trio sticks around to further search the room Amber finds her OCD getting the better of her as she ends up tidying the room more then finding anything. Fortunately Static manages to to black his mind, not really a very hard task honestly, and manages to spot a scrap of paper that had been previously overlooked lying in the corner of the floor. "Take a stab in this lowbrow eatery."

Unfortunately for his companions, Green Cap's bumbling around also manages to locate something, as in one of the cabinets he opens in a sleeping spectre, what looks like a very angry bird. "WHAIR!" It seems to shriek from the rude awakening the beleaguered earth pony gives it as it first flies after nightcap but then turns around and disappears into the wall... moments later the whole room begins to shake and rattle as objects get enveloped in an eerie green glow. "WHAIR!" dishes, paintings, and chairs shriek as they fly at the trio intent on causing serious bodily harm, as flying cutlery follows soon after!

Spoiler

---

 

[CoffeeHorse]

Static wasn't sure how much energy he had left for running after such a long night. He felt like he was running on fumes. Still, when cutlery starts flying around, it's time to dig deep. "I got the clue. Let's get out of here!" He starts running, trying to keep the presence of mind not to leave his companions behind.

---

Library:

Rhapsody huffs as she listens to both Scarlet and Misty, and nods a bit. "Alright fine. Let's just get this over with... and someplace with a bit less killer ghosts, shall we?" She replies eyeing the librarian ghost and the dead witness. She shudders a bit and shakes her head. "We don't need anypony else dying tonight..."

---

"Especially more than once." Maple adds, Giving Rhapsody a warm Smile

---

Amber eeeeeeped and cast the stack of plates in her own hooves into the air, levitating them as an impromptu shield to protect herself from the incoming projectiles. She eyed the door as Static made his run for it and sidled in that direction herself.

Deciding two could play at this game, she slung more plates up from the table, flinging their neglected contents into a spray, to intercept as many of the ghost's missiles as she could.

Spoiler

---

Dining room:

The trio try their best to escape from the killer room, Static is almost graceful in his dodging attempts as he tries to get to the door, but as soon as he reaches for the handle... the door flies open with unnatural force and finds himself smashed into the wall, while it sounds like the door is laughing at him. Amber's attempts at trying to counter attack the projectiles only results in doubling how much comes her way as the slung plates boomerang back at her as the ghost gains control of them. "WHAIR! WHAIR!" they scream as they whiz by her head. Night Cap finds he gains speed thanks to his slime covered legs, but the floor rears up from under him as the wood cracks and splits as a wave ripples towards him sending him flying into a cabinet, which opens its doors to welcome him as he crashes into at top speed, and then doors slams closed behind him. They move and rattle around him in a what can be best described as a chewing motion, the poor earth pony getting battered around, before spat out in with what sounds like a 'yuck'. It seems his tastelessness works in his favor for once, though he minds his medallion has lost some of its glow in protecting him from the assault.

Spoiler

---

 

[CoffeeHorse]

The fog starts to edge in at the sides of Statics vision as he grits his teeth and snarls. "I...am so done...with this BUCKING NIGHT!

Spoiler

---

Amber jumped as her own shields came whirling back at her, swinging to either side like a pendulum and leaping over a low-flying plate as if playing a game of jump rope. When the door swung back on Static, she tried to teleport herself into the hallway, but was distracted by a WHAIRing fork near her head.

Spoiler

---

Static holds out his hoof for Amber to grab...but she's just out of reach. "AMBEEEEEER!"

Spoiler

---

In the dining room Amber is daringly dodging of dishes as the diverting door is defeated by the dashing hero, but is distracted by a devilish fork only to disapparite on the ceiling. Consoled by conquering the complexities of a door; Static soon found Amber falling from her failed flee. Static swiftly struggles to save her, but succumbs to slime and slips past. Night Cap confused from cupboard chewing cowardly chances escape but crashes into a collapsed Amber instead.



Spoiler

---

Giving himself a shake and trying to focus back on the present, Scarlet sighed.

[colors=#ff0000]"Let's get out of here. I don't think the Library holds anymore secrets we can find for noe.

So then, where shall we go next. The Trophy Room? The torches there seem to imply a connection to finding Symphony. The Kitchen? One of our clues talks about a knife making pans flench.

Either way, badk to the hall everypony."[/color]

Looking back at the Library and (not completely) suppressing a shudder. Scarlet pushed open the doors and headed out.

---

 

[CoffeeHorse]

"If we can figure out this torches thing our Number goes up by one ...which means I don't have to go back into the kitchen." Maple adds once she's outside with Scarlet

---

Amber found herself at the bottom of a pile of Night Cap, which is not at all where she had intended to appear. She looked up from under the stallion."Mr. Cap," she noted with a nod. It wasn't lost on her that she was now smeared with the same goo that seemed to be making an evening of them all, but she could wait for the hallway to shake off. "Shall we?" she asked, nodded to the doorway before them, and prised herself out from under him to leap into the hallway.

Spoiler

---

"Yeah... I dunno about going back to the kitchen..." Misty frets.

---

Library:

Rhapsody looks to Maple and Misty for a moment as they seem to fear the kitchen. "Alright, Trophy room it is then." She says with a nod as she follows the others out as quietly as she can to not disturb the ghost any more then they have.

---

Scarlet head bobbed between Misty and Maple.

"Are... you two alright?

Ahem

Yeah. Lets get to the Trophy Room."

---

 

[CoffeeHorse]

As Amber and Night Cap finally made it to the safety of the hall, Static slammed the door behind them, still breathing hard. "Thank Luna we don't have to go back in there again! You two okay?"

---

"No. I mean yes... but really I mean no. Let's... let's go to the trophy room..."

---

Amber nodded as moved to swing the door shut behind Night Cap with her magic. She glanced over herself with a grimace. "Yes, I'm ... fine, thank you, Static," she said, haltingly. "Did either of you find anything in there before the room attacked us?"

---

Hall:

Both teams enter the hall, which thankfully after the Dining room tried to dine on one team, was currently ghost free allowing the teams to take there time if needed to get to their next destinations.

Spoiler

---

Static handed her the clue he found. "Take a stab in this lowbrow eatery," he quoted. "Any ideas?"

---