Part 21 – Friends
Baby Bouncy wasn't back yet, and this did nothing but make Pearly anxious. She paced the room, becoming more and more frustrated before Baby Rainribbon caught her. She guided her friend to the bed, sat her down and handed her Mr Stuffings. Pearly took the bear and held it close to her.
"Where can she be?" Pearly said, squeezing Mr Stuffings tighter.
"I'm sure she'd have got word to us if something happened," Baby Rainribbon answered. She hopped up onto the bed and sat with her.
"We can hope Baby Sunribbon is safe too."
Baby Rainribbon nodded.
She pulled Pearly toward her, then let her lay her head on Baby Rainribbon's lap. Absently, Baby Rainribbon braided her mane. They stayed like that for a while, Pearly falling asleep at some point. Baby Rainribbon moved carefully off the bed, tucking Pearly in, making sure she still had Mr Stuffings.
Hurried hooves sprinted past the door that made Baby Rainribbon frown. There weren't any new baby ponies being picked up, not that she'd heard. She glanced to Pearly, still asleep in the bed, then exited the room quietly.
She caught one of the baby ponies, Baby Crumpet, and halted her before she could go any further. "What's going on? Where's everyone rushing to?"
"The leader just brought back a Flutter Pony!" She resumed her hurried escape.
A Flutter Pony? Here? Were they getting desperate, or had the leader discovered some new magic that would make things worse. Baby Rainribbon didn't know, but she was going to find out. Especially when Pearly was asleep and Baby Bouncy was missing. She followed after Baby Crumpet, catching up with the baby pony. They rushed along the corridor and came to the main assembly hall. There the leader stood on the stage, awaiting everyone's arrival, while presenting the Flutter Pony as if she were some trophy.
"Ah, my little ones," she called, a smile on her face that unnerved Baby Rainribbon to no end. "Today is a special day. One of our scouts met this Flutter Pony who wished to join us. Everyone, this is Peach Blossom."
Baby Rainribbon's stomach sunk. She'd heard Pearly speak of her before, and from what she understood, Peach Blossom was instrumental in dealing with Applejack and her powers.
Peach Blossom locked eyes with her, giving the slightest of nods. She was paraded around the stage, as if she were some great achievement. Once the leader grew bored of this, Peach Blossom was ushered to the side and the rest of the baby ponies dispersed. Baby Rainribbon hurried back to her room.
Pearly was already awake, and when Baby Rainribbon rushed in as she did, Pearly was out of the bed and on her feet.
"What's happened?" she asked.
"Peach Blossom has just been brought in," Baby Rainribbon answered.
Pearly's jaw dropped. She sprinted out of the room, leaving the door open and rushed down the corridor. Baby Rainribbon heard her speak to one of the baby ponies, then she poked her head around the doorframe and gestured to her to follow. Baby Rainribbon swallowed hard, and did so, following the grey, glowing shape that was Pearly.
Pearly galloped down the corridor, stopping briefly to question other ponies, then ran on. Eventually she stopped at a door, opened it and hurried through. Baby Rainribbon was close behind and followed her through the door. There they found Peach Blossom, much to Baby Rainribbon's relief, none the worse for wear.
"Oh, little one. I feared something may have happened to you in your time here," Peach Blossom said, pulling Pearly toward her.
Pearly shook her head. "I'm fine. How's my cousin?"
Peach Blossom smiled. "She's fine. They've been staying at Paradise Estate once more, from what I can gather."
Pearly sighed in relief.
"What are you doing here?" Baby Rainribbon asked.
"I came to conduct some reconnaissance, where possible and find out what's been going on."
"A lot, to be brief," Pearly answered. "They're having us dig to find a demon. A powerful one at that."
Peach Blossom frowned. "But demons haven't been seen for centuries."
Pearly gestured for her to follow. "I'll show you them."
Both Peach Blossom and Baby Rainribbon followed Pearly, the rainbow baby knowing exactly where Pearly was leading them to. The room with the mirrors, where they saw the creatures, and where Baby Sunribbon was tormented by the pale ponies. Regardless, Baby Rainribbon trotted on.
Pearly pushed the door open, then stood back to let Peach Blossom enter the room first. The Flutter Pony made a noise, then continued further into the room. Pearly followed, as did Baby Rainribbon.
"They're all trapped," Peach Blossom muttered, going between each mirror.
She reached the last one Pearly broke, and leaned close to it. Her ears went back and she hovered above it. Pearly went to Baby Rainribbon, moving her away from Peach Blossom and stood in front of her. It was at this point, Baby Rainribbon wanted to hug her tightly, if only to reassure her she wasn't alone.
Peach Blossom beat her wings hard, sprinkles of twinkling specks dropped from her wings and aimed at the broken mirror. It glowed briefly then faded.
"Is that good or bad?" Baby Rainribbon asked.
"I'm not sure," Peach Blossom replied. "I'm afraid I haven't encountered much beyond what Applejack inflicted."
Peach Blossom's head snapped around. For a horrible moment, Baby Rainribbon thought the pale ponies were coming. There were a few uneasy moments of silence, though the door did not open. They breathed a collective sigh of relief.
Peach Blossom walked toward the door. "I believe there may be something lurking beyond the door."
Pearly nodded. "Lead the way then."
Baby Rainribbon felt her stomach clench, and she swallowed hard when Pearly and Peach Blossom left the room. Baby Rainribbon steeled herself, then followed the two to the side room where the mannequins had been.
Peach Blossom was already in the air when Baby Rainribbon came into the room. Pearly moved her to the side, letting the Flutter Pony work. Baby Rainribbon watched as she flew around the outside edges of the room, stopped, then landed. She scraped at the floor with her hoof.
"What did you find?" Pearly asked, approaching Peach Blossom.
"I've checked the perimeter, and I can find the residue of magic," she answered. "But there's something more. The magic here is too weak to be what you describe."
Pearly frowned. "It made those mannequins move, though."
Peach Blossom nodded. "Yes. But that only requires basic knowledge. The power these ponies proclaim to have and want, is far more than that."
She went around the room again, checking behind bookcases, moving tables out of the way and under any cloth that had been discarded. The clench in Baby Rainribbon's stomach loosened itself into waves of nausea, and only grew worse when there was a clunk from the other side of the room.
"I've found something!" Peach Blossom called.
Pearly waited a moment, then headed in the direction of Peach Blossom's voice when Baby Rainribbon moved. She could tell it made her nervous just being there, something that was not lost on Pearly. They found Peach Blossom standing at one of the bookshelves, books out of place and a switch hidden behind a particularly large textbook.
"The leader has something similar in her room," Pearly remarked. "I wonder if all the rooms have these and lead back to the mine."
Peach Blossom nodded. "Quite astute of you to notice."
She didn't wait for any further questions, and pressed the switch. It clunked, the bookcase moving out of the way. However, unlike the passageway in the leader's room, this one was blocked up with pieces of wood stretched across the door.
"Step back, baby ponies."
Pearly gently guided Baby Rainribbon out of the way, then waited for Peach Blossom to take to the air again. She beat her wings hard and fast, the wood coming loose then fell completely. The corridor was in darkness, no light touching it.
Pearly stepped forward, lighting her horn up and the rest of her. The glow bounced from wall to wall and down the corridor. It didn't seem to lead anywhere, no matter how far Pearly went down. She returned to the entrance, shrugged and returned to Baby Rainribbon's side.
"How very odd," Peach Blossom muttered. "Come along baby ponies. I should escort you back before your absences causes any suspicion."