Part 15 - Pony Magic
A day later, Peach Blossom gathered the ponies into the living area of Paradise Estate. They sat around the room, most with blankets around them, to try and protect against the bitter coldness. The baby ponies huddled together, near their mothers, Pearly near her cousin.
"Little Ponies," Peach Blossom announced, "I have concluded my observation of this pony." She sat down on the floor. "From what I can ascertain, Applejack seems to have come into close proximity with dark magic. This is what allows her to perform these acts she has been unleashing upon you all."
"So what can be done?" Moondancer said, her gaze falling to her daughter.
"I believe I can remove the dark magic from her, thus restoring Applejack to her former self."
Pearly stood up and marched toward the door. "All right, what are we waiting for?"
Starglow trotted after her. "Pearly, it may not be as simple as that."
Pearly spun around to face the room of ponies. "What? What isn't so simple? We track her down then remove this magic from her. When we do that, my cousin won't be tormented any more. She can sleep peacefully without waking up in the night expecting some strange pony to be in her bedroom closet or hanging from the ceiling!" She took a breath. "Blossom, and my friends won't have to look over their shoulders any time they're away from the rest of the ponies. What isn't simple about that?"
"Pearly…" Starglow reached out to pull her closer, however the little unicorn batted her hoof away and scrubbed at her face.
"I'm not crying!"
"Oh my little friend," Starglow guided Pearly away from the door, where Pearly let the tears fall and rested her head against Starglow.
Peach Blossom walked over to her. "Worry not, little one. I shall endeavour to rid you of this magic post haste."
Pearly could only nod in response.
She turned back to the ponies in the room. "Now then, is anyone aware of her precise location?"
Sparkler shook her head. "No one's seen her all day."
Dazzleglow glanced to her friends, then stepped forward. "I'll help find her."
Starglow looked back to Dazzleglow and shook her head. Peach Blossom however, nodded once and left the room.
Dazzleglow left to follow, until Starglow caught her. "What are you doing? What if she tries to hurt you?"
"I'll be fine. My presence might draw her out long enough to catch her." Dazzleglow nuzzled her friend's neck, then left the room to follow Peach Blossom.
The halls were silent, everyone together in the main living area of Paradise Estate. Peach Blossom was already in the air when Dazzleglow left the room, and the Flutter Pony landed daintily on the floor.
"If you would be so kind to check one side, I shall conduct and investigation on the other," she said, already at the nearest door.
Dazzleglow nodded and took the opposite side.
Between them, they made their way through the downstairs of Paradise Estate, neither turning up anything to find Applejack. When they met in the middle of the corridor, there was a noise from the stairs. Dazzleglow swallowed and followed Peach Blossom.
At the end of the corridor upstairs, Applejack sat, her back to them.
"Be careful," Dazzleglow whispered. "I don't know what she might do."
Peach Blossom nodded and slowly made her way forward. Applejack did nothing, still sitting with her back to the Flutter Pony. Peach Blossom stood behind her and reached out. That was when Applejack moved.
She turned her head and body to face Peach Blossom, an unnatural sound emanating from her. It groaned from deep within her throat, and she sucked in a breath through her nose and the noise got louder.
Dazzleglow tried to stop herself from shaking, ready to move and aid Peach Blossom if needed. The Flutter Pony had far more courage than what she would've, staring down the pony as she was.
Applejack suddenly got to her feet and shoved past Peach Blossom, darting for one of the rooms. Peach Blossom stumbled, while Dazzleglow went to help her.
"Come, we cannot allow her to get far," Peach Blossom said. She steadied herself, then headed for the door Applejack had gone through.
At first glance it appeared empty. Dazzleglow looked around the room, and noticed the curtains twitching. She moved quietly, creeping toward the curtain. When it was within reach, she pulled it back, only to find Applejack was not there.
The door slammed shut behind them. Peach Blossom galloped toward it and tried to open it, only to find it had been locked. Something thumped against the floor, rhythmic in its motion. Dazzleglow followed the sound, expecting to find nothing there. She was right. The noise continued, unabated, thump, thump, thump.
The doorhandle rattled, the shutters on the windows battered against the building, something had brought all of these things to life. Peach Blossom frowned and flew into the air. She hovered and directed her magic at the windows and where the thumping sound was coming from. Within a few moments, the sounds stopped and the lock in the door clicked open.
"Come, we need to find her," the Flutter Pony told her, then went out the door. Dazzleglow followed.
They did not have far to look, for Applejack was once more at the end of the corridor. She stood this time, swaying back and forth. She opened her mouth and the noise came out once more, guttural, groaning. She took a step forward, then another, and another, and suddenly, she was running at the two ponies.
Peach Blossom flew to avoid her then spun around. She flapped her wings hard, twinkling lights spotting here and there. "Dazzleglow! Move out of the way! I'm about to switch to Utter Flutter!"
Dazzleglow moved to the side and watched as Peach Blossom beat her wings harder, gusts of wing flowing through the corridor as it filled with light. Applejack did not seem phased by this. She stood, staring Peach Blossom down. The Utter Flutter had no effect. Applejack swayed back and forth, her shadow dancing in the lights. She walked forward, still swaying, still unperturbed by the magic.
Peach Blossom flapped harder and harder, and Dazzleglow could hear her breath become ragged. She looked between the two, then ran at Applejack, tackling her to the ground. She took the other pony by surprise and threw her into the room. She shut the door behind her and locked it.
Peach Blossom landed on the floor, her body immediately slumping forward. She took large gulps of air, breathing hard.
"It didn't work," Peach Blossom said. She looked at the door. "I have to try again."
Dazzleglow shook her head and put her hoof out to stop her. "No, get your strength back first."
"My sincerest apologies Dazzleglow, that I could not rid you of this problem."
Dazzleglow hugged her, taking Peach Blossom by surprise. "We'll figure this out."
Behind the door, Applejack threw herself against it, pounding on it and screeched. They had not heard the pony make this sound before, and it chilled them to the bone.