Part 25 - Return

Baby Rainribbon was tired. No, more than that, she was exhausted. Whatever the creature that now haunted Pearly, it visited most nights, and reduced her friend to a sobbing mess on the floor.

Pearly would scream and thrash before falling out of bed entirely, each time convinced she was awake. Try as she might to put on a brave face, it crumbled almost immediately. Baby Rainribbon would gather Pearly into a hug, and wait for her to calm down enough to leave the room.

They re-joined the rest of the baby ponies in the mine, Pearly going to her usual duty of lighting the way. Where she could, Baby Rainribbon stole her away to a quiet spot, and let her friend sleep. This did little to help, Pearly still being haunted by the creature even when it was the two of them.

Neither of them had seen Peach Blossom for several days, something that worried Pearly to no end. Baby Rainribbon tried to keep her friend's spirits up, however this was becoming a harder task with each day.

The two unicorns returned to the room, Pearly collapsing onto her bed, head under the pillow. Baby Rainribbon went to the window and scraped the gathering frost off of it. It made no difference, the darkness permeated into the room. She took one of the lamps she'd smuggled back, lit it, and put it onto the table. She sighed, rubbing her eyes.

"Why don't you sleep? I'll be fine," Pearly suggested.

She shook her head. "I should keep an eye out for Peach Blossom, or Baby Bouncy. Wherever she is."

"She'd find a way to get word to us if something happened. I hope."

Baby Rainribbon said nothing. At the back of her mind, she hoped Baby Bouncy wouldn't, that it would only send Pearly to try and get her, regardless of the consequences. It bothered her, Pearly's sudden disregard for her own safety and wellbeing, something that seemed out of character in the time Baby Rainribbon knew her for. She was protective, fiercely so of her friends and her beloved cousin. This, this was not right, and it was increasingly obvious Pearly knew Baby Rainribbon had noticed.

They sat in silence until a knock came to the door.

Pearly frowned at it, getting up from the bed. She crept over to it, reached for the handle and opened it. On the other side was Baby Bouncy.

Pearly sighed in relief, moving out of the way for the First Tooth to come into the room. Baby Rainribbon approached her, hugging her briefly, glad she was all right.

"Where've you been?" Baby Rainribbon asked.

"Paradise Estate," Baby Bouncy answered. "I couldn't get away, and Bright Eyes wouldn't let me. It was Genie who sneaked me out to get back here."

Pearly nodded. "How's…"

Baby Bouncy smiled. "Your cousin's fine. So is Baby Sunribbon."

Baby Rainribbon breathed a sigh of relief too.

"Paradise Estate is suffering the same thing again," Baby Bouncy told them. "Weird knocking, thumping. Everything's a mess."

Pearly flumped to the floor. "Has anyone spoke to the Princess Ponies yet?"

Baby Bouncy shook her head. "One of the pale ponies, a unicorn is staying there." At the look on Pearly's face, Baby Bouncy raised her hooves. "It's fine. She saved us. She told us though they want to challenge the Princess Ponies for power."

Pearly frowned. "But how?"

Baby Bouncy opened her mouth to answer, then seemed to reconsider. She offered a helpless shrug in response.

"I'll walk you back to your room," Baby Rainribbon said, already at the door.

Baby Bouncy followed, waiting till the door was shut and they were halfway down the corridor. "What's been going on here?"

"Some…thing is bothering Pearly. It keeps haunting her," Baby Rainribbon told her.

Baby Bouncy nodded. "Makes sense. The pale pony, Winter Night-Sky, said they want to use Pearly against the Princess Ponies." She stopped outside her room, leaned against the wall, and slid to the floor. "I don't know what to do."

"We'll figure something out, stop them from doing anything to her."

"And just how do you propose to complete this endeavour?" a voice asked.

Baby Bouncy was on her feet in seconds, Baby Rainribbon spinning around. Peach Blossom stood behind them, seemingly having heard their conversation.

Baby Rainribbon glanced to Baby Bouncy, her head drooping. "I don't know…" She could feel a lump grow in her throat. Baby Bouncy reached across and stroked her mane.

"Fear not, little ones," Peach Blossom said, ushering them into Baby Bouncy's room. "Come, you can tell me everything in here."

Baby Rainribbon and Baby Bouncy followed Peach Blossom into the room, and sat on her bed along with Baby Rainribbon. Peach Blossom flew up, aiming her Utter Flutter at the frost covered window. It melted away, dripping down onto the floor. Peach Blossom landed once more and faced the baby ponies.

Between them, the two explained the events of both Paradise Estate and Pearly's haunting. Peach Blossom listened, nodding every so often, a grim look on her face. Her mouth tightened into a line, her brow forming into a frown.

"This is most unsettling," she said, when they were finished. "It is obvious we must get Pearly out of here for her own safety, and that of everyone else."

Baby Bouncy shook her head. "She won't go, not when everyone else is still stuck here."

Baby Rainribbon nodded. "She's too stubborn."

Peach Blossom sighed. "Of this, I am already aware."

Baby Rainribbon sighed too, her head dipping low.

Peach Blossom opened her mouth to say something else, then promptly snapped it shut. Footsteps wandered past the door outside, slow and deliberate.

"Pearly…"

Baby Rainribbon's eyes widened.

Peach Blossom approached the door, pressing her ear against it. She listened to the footsteps walk up the corridor before she opened the door and ducked down. Baby Rainribbon moved to the door and poked her head out. She was in time to see a tall figure disappear around the corner. She glanced to Peach Blossom then crept out to follow it.

This was surely the creature that tormented her friend.

"Pearly…"

The voice sent a shiver down her spine, a cold knot tying itself in her stomach. She reached the corner, halted, and looked around it. The figure continued its walk, heading straight toward their room.

She watched as it threw open the door with a bang.

The figure disappeared.

Baby Rainribbon ran toward the room. Halfway along the corridor, she heard the ever so familiar cry of Pearly. She reached the room, stood at the door, finding the figure standing over the bed, holding Pearly down.

Pearly thrashed around the bed, trying to escape its grip.

The figure turned its head to look at Baby Rainribbon, smiled and put its finger to its lips.

Peach Blossom appeared behind her and pushed her out of the way. The figure's smile changed to that of a snarl. It let go of Pearly, striding towards them. Peach Blossom flew into the air, aimed her wings at the figure and hit it with Utter Flutter. The figure groaned, stumbling backwards.

It ran at Peach Blossom, swiping at her. The Flutter Pony dodged it easily, swooping out of the way then aimed her Utter Flutter at it once again. The figure hissed and ran out of the room.

Baby Rainribbon rushed to Pearly's side.

Pearly rolled out of bed, Baby Rainribbon managing to catch her before she fell. Her eyes opened, and she blinked a few times.

"It won't leave me alone," she muttered. Already the tears were forming in the corners of her eyes.

Baby Rainribbon pulled her into a hug, being joined by Baby Bouncy a moment later. Peach Blossom closed the door and sat quietly, refusing to the leave the baby ponies alone.