Part 12 – Paradise Estate
Through the walk back to Paradise Estate, Genie talked the entire way. At the very least, it took their minds off of the sounds around them, though Bright Eyes noticed Genie would raise her voice above them. Varying points she would stop them walking entirely, the few times she stopped talking.
"I don't think I've ever seen you around before," Streaky remarked, her ears flattening against her head when something whispered nearby.
Genie shook her head. "I used to live in Pony Land, went to school there. I started to show signs of magic and they suggested I come here." She looked around, then added quietly. "I seem to have picked a fine time for it."
"We're glad you picked now to come here," Bright Eyes said. "I don't know what would've happened if you hadn't."
Genie stopped and held up her hoof.
Wind blew and it carried more whispering and howls. The darkness enclosed them like a cocoon, unbreakable and thick. Genie waited, though she did not have to wait long. With another howl, a shadow came from the darkness, a unicorn, its horn looking more akin to a spike.
Genie bowed her head, her own horn lighting up the darkness. The dark unicorn bowed its head also. Genie sent a puff of glowing smoke toward it, the dark unicorn stood motionless, letting it come closer. With a flash, the dark unicorn dispelled the cloud, creating particles and sending them floating through the air. Genie's jaw dropped, nothing had ever managed to counter, let alone destroy her smoke. She conjured more only to receive the same response.
"Run!" she yelled, charging toward the dark unicorn.
Bright Eyes grabbed Streaky and pushed her ahead. She followed, looking back over her shoulder to Genie. The starry unicorn kicked her hind legs, blew more smoke, then sprinted away from the shadow. She caught up with Bright Eyes, the three ponies running through the darkness.
Genie drifted behind them once more, firing clouds of smoke, the shadow running through them. Behind it, more shadows appeared, though they did not follow. They paced back and forth, hissing, howling, yowling.
Genie stood, horn lit up, head bowed, pacing back and forth herself. "You will not," she stated.
The dark unicorn appeared and walked toward Genie.
Streaky looked to Bright Eyes then ran toward the other unicorn. She grabbed her hoof, dragged her forward, away from the shadows.
They ran for what felt like miles, past trees, bushes, sights that should've been familiar to them. None of them were.
Until the shack came into sight.
"What?" Bright Eyes said, "Have we got turned around?"
Streaky and Genie slowed their pace before stopping completely. They walked toward the shack, Genie's horn lit up and she sent a puff of glowing smoke through the window. It drifted through the small, ramshackle building before dissipating.
"It's clear," she told them.
Bright Eyes went first and led them into the house. She guided Streaky to the stool from before and swept away the debris covering the floor.
Genie sat down with a loud sigh, then looked between the two ponies. "My magic should've worked on that thing."
Streaky nodded. "Should we wait till morning? Perhaps in the daylight those shadows will be gone."
Genie shook her head. "I've been travelling for what's felt like days, and not once has the sun rose."
Streaky's eyes widened, and she looked to Bright Eyes. "Has the Sun Stone been stolen?"
"Not that I've heard," Bright Eyes answered. She too sat down on the floor.
Silence fell between them. The sounds from outside were gone, the whispering and howling now sounded distant. At some point, the three ponies fell asleep, huddled together. It was Bright Eyes who awoke first. She blinked in the darkness, sat up and looked around.
Sure enough, the darkness still covered the house, though now birds could be heard outside. It did nothing to ease her mind, the bird song sounding so out of place. She stood up and went to the door.
As she was about to open the door, she heard hooves across the grass. She stopped, backed away, then went back to Genie and Streaky. She nudged them awake, bidding them to silence.
The hooves continued around the building, walking at a steady pace.
Bright Eyes gave the two unicorns a gentle push, directing them by way of hooves. She scanned the room, found it was still indeed safe, and guided them away from the window.
She kept her body close to the ground, Streaky and Genie doing the same. They crept past the window, over to the door. Bright Eyes reached up for the door handle, pulled it down and cringed when it creaked.
The hooves stopped.
The three ponies held their breath.
The hooves moved back to the window, then stopped again. Bright Eyes risked a glance to it, and to her horror, glimpsed the dark unicorn from the night before. The unicorn was in the house with them.
Bright Eyes threw the door open, pushed her friends out of it and ran. The dark unicorn did not follow.
They continued to run, through trees and past bushes. Much to their relief, the shape of Paradise Estate came into view. The pink walls and roof was their beacon of safety, and they broke into a sprint.
Genie halted behind them, turning back to face whatever shadows lurked. She sent a puff of glowing smoke, then turned and joined Bright Eyes and Streaky. The door opened and they ran through.
Raspberry Jam guided them through into the living area, where most of the ponies sat. She hurried through to the kitchen, boiled water and handed out tea.
"I'm so glad you were here," Bright Eyes said, taking the cup from Raspberry Jam.
"What was that thing chasing you?" she asked.
Bright Eyes shook her head. "We don't know. It only appeared last night."
"Well that's rather worrying." She finished handing out tea then sat with them. "What about Baby Bouncy? Is she still safe?"
Bright Eyes nodded. "She's fine. She said there were new baby ponies though, I don't know who."
Raspberry Jam sighed. "Oh no. Moondancer is already worried about Pearly's disappearance." She looked to Streaky. "I'm guessing by your arrival; the Rainbow Nursery is missing some baby ponies too."
Streaky nodded, wiping a tear from her eye.
"All right. Tell us what's happened and we'll see what we can do."