Blackhoof Mountain

by DeskManiac

Chapter 3: Abduction (9 hours Until Dawn) Part 1

10:27 p.m.
~ 9 Hours Until Dawn

Pinkie sat alone in the kitchen, staring at the accursed board. What she imagined would be a fun night of jokes and laughter now ended with the separation of her two friends. The kitchen, which was previously filled with excitement and anticipation, was now filled with the loneliness of the pink party pony.

She sat there, accompanied by three candles, two of which belonged to her friends. Both have gone to their rooms after the ‘ghost’ scared the wits out of them. Pinkie sighed. Did she go too far with that joke? She didn’t want to scare anypony, she just wanted her friends to have fun talking to a ‘ghost’. After Rainbow and Applejack went off she had been sitting idly at the kitchen table, rethinking the things she did.

She understood why Applejack would be upset, but Rainbow Dash? The Ouija board was her idea to begin with. She was the one who wanted to spook some ponies with it. Pinkie couldn’t have imagined that the prankster Rainbow Dash would end up being terrified by her own joke.

Pinkie glanced once again at her friends’ unfinished drinks. To the left was apple cider belonging to Applejack and to the right Dash’s Pony Cola. Pinkie felt really tempted to take a sip from both their drinks, but resisted in case they came back for it.

Pinkie slumped onto the table, sulking at the turn of events tonight has brought. She and her friends were supposed to be having fun at their winter getaway. But so far, no one seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Pinkie decided some time later to return the Ouija board to its rightful place. She’s had enough of scaring ponies for one night. After going down to the basement and keeping the board, she wandered aimlessly around the halls. She tried asking to join in on whatever Discord and Fluttershy were doing, but Discord said it was a ‘private party’ and she couldn’t join. Rarity was already in bed, and Pinkie wasn’t quite in the mood for reading that night, despite encouragements from Twilight.

After walking through the same halls a dozen time, Pinkie at last decided to check in on Rainbow Dash and Applejack.

She knocked gently at the door, hoping her friend would talk to her again.

“Applejack? Sorry about just now. The entire ‘ghost thing’ was me. I thought it’d be fun to pull a prank but you don’t seem to have enjoyed it very much. Just please don’t blame Dash for it. Ok?”

No response. She must have went to sleep already.

Next she approached Rainbow’s door, which was just across the hall, and knocked gently also.

“Dash? Hey, can we talk? About just now?”

No response also. She assumed that Rainbow just wanted to cancel plans for tonight, which was a bummer. She and Rainbow were gonna have the most fun night tonight too. Whatever. Pinkie thought, hanging her head low.

As she returned to the kitchen, still feeling sad about her failed party, she walked passed the library. Why there even was a library in this place was a mystery. It wasn’t like anyone would want to read those dusty old books anyway. Except Twilight. That pony collects old books for a living.

As she walked pass the library, she noticed something out of place. A book, lying on the middle of the study table. She looked around to see if anypony has left it there, but she remembered checking just moments before, and everyone was in their rooms.

Pinkie went over to the table and sat down. The book was somewhat familiar to her. The Hoofington Case read the title on the cover. There was a particular section of the book that seemed to bulge out, and Pinkie flipped to that page.

Immediately, several photographs fell out of the book onto the table. They were many shots taken from different places, but all had the same familiar face in them. Rainbow Dash.

In each photograph, Rainbow was unaware of her photo being taken. Most of the photos were also taken from afar. Arranged in order of date, the photographs were:

November 22
A picture of Rainbow waiting at the train station. She seems excited to be going somewhere. She has her best scarf and boots on.

November 31
A photograph of Rainbow taking a shower. Her wet mane formed streams of color flowing down her face. Taken from her window, the photo captured Rainbow from the side.

December 4
A few pictures of Rainbow sleeping. One was taken from her closet. Another was a close-up of her sleeping, and the last one was taken from the edge of her bed, capturing her naughty bits.

December 15
Rainbow in squad formation in the Wonderbolts. She is seen saluting her captain with a serious face.

The last photograph had no date on it. It was just a photo of Rainbow looking straight at the camera. Perhaps an ID photo? Pinkie turned the photo over and on its back was a big red 1 written in… ink?

There was also a paragraph highlighted on the page in the book. It read:

The blue pony squirmed and struggled to release herself. The man in the mask approached her, a scalpel in one hand. He sat down quietly next to his struggling victim. Blindfolded and tied to the bed, the blue mare could only struggle in her position. The stallion leaned closer and licked her face. The mare desperately cried for help, but her mouth was gagged by cloth.

“Who’s a good girl?” The stallion asked. To which he received more cries and screams.

The stallion wasted no time to continue with the main event. Slowly, he stuck the scalpel up the blue pony’s marehood. The mare screamed, but it only encouraged him to go deeper.

“sshhhh” he whispered, “We are gonna have some fun tonight.”

The rest of the page was torn of. So were the next few pages.

Pinkie did the first thing she instinctively could. Find Rainbow. She ran down the halls until she got to Rainbow’s room, and started banging loudly on her door.

“Rainbow? It’s your friend Pinkie Pie! We need to talk about something!”

No answer.

“Rainbow?? Rainbow!”

Just then a door opened, but it wasn’t Rainbow’s.

“What in tarnation are ya screaming for Pinkie Pie? Can’t chu' see some ponies are tryin’a sleep?” Applejack scolded.

“It... It's...I just… I really need to talk to Rainbow.” Pinkie’s voice grew softer as Applejack approached.

Applejack moved Pinkie out of the way. She tried opening the door to Rainbow’s room but it was locked. She understood if Rainbow didn’t want to be disturbed at this hour, but locking herself in seemed ridiculous.

“Rainbow.” Applejack gave two polite knocks. “Rainbow?”

Applejack sighed. “I know y’all mad because of that Ouija board thing but locking yerself in ain’t the solution.” Applejack softened her tone. “Now why don’t you come out here so we can talk this out like a bunch of grown-ups?”

Still no response.

Applejack has tried being patient, and it didn’t work. “Alright Rainbow! Ah’m sick and tired of you actin’ like this. You come out here this instance!”

She felt Pinkie's hoof rest on her shoulder. “Applejack? Maybe it’s best we leave her alone…”

Applejack pulled away from Pinkie. There ain’t no way Rainbow was gonna act like a little filly and get away with it.

With one kick she knocked the door down, making Pinkie jump. Applejack stepped into the dark room and pulled the covers right off the bed.

“Alright Rainbow, you get up this-”

But there was no one there. All she found was an empty bed.

“How… what…” She panicked and found herself at a loss for words.

“Applejack look!” Pinkie pointed to the window. It was broken, and there were strands of hair caught to the glass.

“Rainbow’s hair…”

She turned to Pinkie. “We need to tell Twilight. NOW.”

Pinkie seemed less than sure of what to do. Looking at Applejack again, she realized she had no choice but to follow her orders. After giving a quick nod, she disappeared into the halls, leaving Applejack alone in the room.

Applejack examined the crime scene. The room looked too tidy for there to have been a struggle. And knowing Rainbow Dash, she would always put up a fight. The only way she could have been taken was if she was out cold, which only raised concerns to where Rainbow Dash was now.

Applejack studied the broken window again, but this time, she noticed drag marks in the snow outside. Staring out into the direction of the drag marks, Applejack held onto what remained of her friend.

Comments

[kurusagi16]

I'm hoping that there are some survivors after this ordeal. (And even though I like Fluttershy, I'm hoping she gets abducted so that Discord will feel guilty over dismissing her worries and goes into hero mode to rescue her. Resulting in a heartfelt reunion!)

[Berry Delight]

Why is AJ thinking she'll find the 'killer'? They don't know if she's dead, or just knocked out and ponynapped. Also, you might wanna think about bumping the rating to T. E is for stuff that could be in the show.... this doesn't seem like it.

Besides that, glad this is continuing! You're really good with cliffhangers....

[DeskManiac]

7854267 Oops ok. I'll make adjustments to rating. I didn't think so much of it at the beginning but yeah, should have changed that sooner.

[DeskManiac]

7854267 I'll just take out the last line. Not sure what other word I would use...

[DeskManiac]

7853830 *maniacal laughter* Ehem. Of course. Did you think I'd kill everyone? *Laughs maniacally again* Of course not.

[kurusagi16]

7854528

Well, it's just a harmless question. (Looking forward to what you've come up with.)