Part 16 – Baby Sunribbon
Baby Rainribbon was awoken by hammering on her door. She groaned, pulling the blanket down from under her chin.
Pearly was already out of bed, heading to the door. When she opened it, Baby Bouncy barrelled through it, almost knocking Pearly off her feet.
"Where's the fire?" she asked, having just managed to catch herself.
Baby Bouncy shook her head, then turned to face Baby Rainribbon. "Your friend that you came to find, what was her name?" the First Tooth demanded. She spoke fast and was out of breath.
"What?"
Baby Bouncy groaned. "Your friend! What was her name?"
Baby Rainribbon frowned. "Baby Sunribbon. Why?"
"I think she just got taken to the mirror room!"
Baby Rainribbon was on her feet in seconds, heading for the door. Pearly caught her before she could make it out the door, then held her in place.
"Is there any other way in?"
Baby Bouncy nodded. "I followed some corridors. One of the weird mannequins is wandering around."
Pearly went for the door and held it open. "Lead the way."
Baby Bouncy was already out the door.
"We'll get her," Pearly whispered to her.
The three baby ponies rushed down the corridor. A few times Baby Rainribbon was sure she saw something dart from the shadows, or, at one point, skittering up the wall and across the ceiling. She paid it no mind. Baby Sunribbon was here, and she could potentially get her out or perhaps, at the very least, keep her safe. They both knew Baby Bouncy had a contact outside of the cult, who could spirit her away before anyone would even notice. They had to get there.
They rounded a corner and came to a screeching halt. At the end of the corridor, the very one they needed to go down, stood a mannequin. Its long legs bent in unnatural ways as it walked toward them. Its movements were slow, practiced almost. Until it stumbled, then caught itself.
Pearly stood in front of them, her horn lit up, a bright glow lighting up the shadows of the corridor. The mannequin paused, cocked its head to the side. There was a snort before it turned and left them alone, going another way entirely.
Baby Bouncy stepped out in front of them once more, ready to lead the way again. Pearly gave her a nod, Baby Bouncy responding in kind, then galloped down the corridor. She stopped at a room, opened the door a crack, and gestured for them to follow. She pushed the door open slowly, making sure she didn't make a sound. Pearly closed it again after they were through it equally as quietly.
On the other side of the room was another door. They crept toward it, opening it enough to see without being seen.
There, in the middle of pale ponies, stood Baby Sunribbon.
Baby Rainribbon cried out, clamping her hooves over her mouth. She felt tears prick the corners of her eyes, as she stood watching her friend.
Baby Sunribbon was low to the ground, looking around her nervously. She flicked her tail nervously, crying out when one pony approached her. She was dragged to the mirror and pressed against it, the strange creature on the other side of the mirror coming closer and closer.
Pearly grabbed hold of her, pulling Baby Rainribbon close to her, letting her cry silently.
The pony let go of Baby Sunribbon, the baby pony scampering away from the mirror. The creature on the other side stared out from the mirror, watching her, watching the rest of the pale ponies surrounding them. It pressed a hoof against the mirror then disappeared.
"No!" one of the ponies snarled.
It was the leader.
The elder pony marched toward the mirror. "I demand you return!"
There was no response.
She blew an angry sigh out of her nose, throwing the white cloth over the mirror once more. She turned, stalked away from it, grabbing Baby Sunribbon on the way. The baby pony was dragged to the door and deposited to the side of it as the rest of the ponies left.
The door opened and closed once more, Baby Sunribbon crying out and was dragged out.
Baby Bouncy opened the door, poked her head around it then nodded for them to follow. Baby Rainribbon stayed where she was, Pearly still holding onto her. She sunk to the floor, tears streaming down her cheeks. The sobs wracked her, her whole body shuddering with each breath.
"Shh, let it out," Pearly said quietly, still holding onto her, not once loosening her grip. "We'll get her. I promise you; we'll get her out from here."
Baby Rainribbon could only nod.
She managed to console herself enough to get to her feet. She wiped her eyes, scrubbed at her face, and almost broke down once more when Baby Bouncy engulfed her in a tight hug.
The First Tooth let her go, wiping a stray tear from her cheek.
They went into the room, heading straight for the mirror Baby Sunribbon had been held against. Pearly pulled the cloth off of it, surprised to find the creature from before was still gone. She moved away, heading to the mirror she'd broken. It was replaced with a new mirror, this one clear of any presence.
The other mirrors were covered, Baby Bouncy flying around the top of them and pulled the cloth off. The creatures were stationary, still in the positions they had been. All eyes turned to Pearly, however. They watched her every moment, to the point it unnerved even her. She headed to the main entrance of the room, gesturing for them to follow.
They did so, not daring to waste another moment in the strange room.
When they left the room, they heard shouting from further down the corridor.
Baby Rainribbon's eyes widened. "That's Baby Sunribbon!"
She ran, not waiting for her friends to follow. She followed the sound of Baby Subribbon's voice until she reached the end of another corridor. Baby Sunribbon's shouting continued, though halfway down the corridor stood another mannequin.
Pearly walked in front, her horn lit up once more. The mannequin turned its head, an audible clicking echoing down to them. It walked toward them, tilted its head then skittered up the wall. It crawled across the ceiling, rotating its head to look at them before it skittered away.
Baby Rainribbon ran to the door where Baby Sunribbon's shouts came from. She kicked it with her hind legs, surprised when it opened first time. She didn't delay, sprinting into the room.
Baby Sunribbon stood in a crate, bars at the small window. She saw Baby Rainribbon and rushed to the gap. The door held a padlock Pearly and Baby Bouncy began to kick at, eventually managing to kick it off entirely. The door swung open, Baby Sunribbon running out, tackling Baby Rainribbon to the floor. Both sobbed, in relief, in happiness.
Pearly and Baby Bouncy kept their distance until hooves were heard on the other side of the door. Baby Sunribbon and Baby Rainribbon got to their feet, hurrying after Pearly.
The grey unicorn led them out of the room and back to Baby Bouncy's.
"Are you all right? How did you get here?" Baby Rainribbon asked.
"They found me in the morning, after I was star gazing," Baby Sunribbon answered. "I was heading back to the nursery."
Baby Rainribbon hugged her. "Hey. It's not your fault."
"She'll need to stay here, at least until we can get her out," Pearly said.
Baby Bouncy nodded. "That's fine. No one expects anyone to be here anyway."
"Come back when you're finished," Pearly told her with a small smile.
Baby Rainribbon glanced to Baby Bouncy, then nodded. It was well passed time they caught up.