I was dragged after Emptiness everywhere. She would just carry me off and then drop me off in some place while she hunted her new victims. Sometimes she just dropped me and left without a word. Sometimes she threatened me if I were to move. Sometimes she was even nice, and smiled, and told me to go play.
At first I never did leave for fear of her. After a few times, I took to wandering around, learning where I was, seeing places and meeting ponies. I soon learned to have my mane the way it is. I… ponies… I’m very shy.
So I covered most of my face up with hair, and tried to pretend I was hidden behind it. It… didn’t work very well. I was still very shy…
But as Emptiness kept taking more horns, a few stayed behind as ghosts. I found the courage to talk to them. We became something like a family, me and the ghosts. I learned how to speak with others anyway…
But it wasn’t until Ponyville that I finally got the courage to try and stop Emptiness from getting another horn. Emptiness dropped me off without a word, and I wandered through the town, trying to spot a unicorn that was tired.
The first day, I didn’t, but Emptiness came back the next morning happy. I asked her why. She told me that Sweetie Belle started The Game. She hadn’t played the game for a while, and was going to enjoy playing it again.
It took me a little bit to find Sweetie. I didn’t know what she looked like, but a few unicorns told me where I might find her. And I did.
I finally spotted her as it was growing late, and she was tired. The normal sign of one of Emptiness’ victims.
“Sweetie?” I called as I went to her.
“Yes?” she said, confused.
“I found you, that’s good. Listen… I… um…”
Sweetie frowned and asked, “How do you know my name?”
“I… I heard some other ponies talking, but listen.”
“Did… I mean were… Did you see… see her last night?” I asked.
Sweetie didn’t have to tell me. The horror in her eyes was enough for me to know. I felt so bad for her… She was doomed. But I wanted her to be not doomed. To be safe. For Emptiness to lose for once. So I took a deep breath.
“Alright… Listen, because this is really, really important.”
“The Game lasts a week. Every night from 9:00 to sunrise. She is very, very good at being quiet and likes to distract you with loud noises. Sometimes she might not be there, but sometimes she will be, so always look everywhere.”
“She can’t touch doors or windows, but she can walk through them. She likes to hide in the room, and wait for you to move sometimes. She won’t ever rush you, but she might run around the house or room from hiding spot to hiding spot.”
“Bright light gets her to leave, but only if it is sudden and shined into her eyes. And no matter what, never ever leave the room when The Game starts. Never go through a door, she will always be on the other side of it. Never ever, ever let anypony else help; she will… do something really bad if they do.”
“And if you have to, turn off every light. She can see in the dark, but not well, and it might buy you a few moments of time.”
“If she grabs you, The Game is over. Did you understand all that?”
Sweetie nodded, fearful and confused. “But how do you..?”
“No time. You need to get home.” I said, heading away from her. “Stay safe, and remember!” I called, and then I left her.
That night Sweetie…
“Hang on, how do you know what Sweetie did during the night?”
“Emptiness told me. I think she knew that I was trying to help Sweetie, and told me everything that happened during every night.”
“She sounds… very strange.”
“She was insane. Very, very insane. Sometimes she was happy and giggling and gave me treats, and sometimes she would try to kill me. There was never any warning whether she would hurt me or help me.”
“But you… helped Sweetie?”
“I tried to. I could only give her hints.”
Sweetie was more prepared that night. She even felt a little bit confident; her nightlight was on, and she had set a lantern under the bed so that she could see the room much better. Her flashlight was by her side, and she sat in the middle of her bed.
Emptiness would have to reach for her, and give her a few precious seconds before grabbing her if she sat there.
She had also moved everything away from the bed, like the end tables. To make sure that Emptiness couldn’t hide near her. Or course, every plan had its flaw, and Sweetie was discovering one of The Game’s worse ways that let Emptiness win.
She was tired. She hadn’t slept much last night, and she was going to have to stay up all night. She kept having a hard time paying attention, and that would get much, much worse later on.
She was awake and alert at the first knock though. Emptiness’ sounds.
Two came from inside the house, and then a third knocked on her door. Sweetie stared at it before remembering my warning.
She saw Emptiness reaching for her from the other side, and flashed the light in her eyes. Emptiness screeched and ran, and Sweetie felt terrified, but she was ready; always look everywhere.
Emptiness left her alone for a few hours, and then scared her by peeking into the room through the door or window. Trying to scare Sweetie into doing something stupid.
Sweetie was good though, and didn’t move. But a loud knock got her to jump and she didn’t see Emptiness enter her closet.
Then there was lots of noise, all around her, making Sweetie try to look everywhere. She got just a glimpse as Emptiness left the closet and slid under her bed, the lantern showing her shadow before it turned off.
She saw Emptiness’ hoof waving at her from the left side of the bed, but when she looked, there was another on the right. She decided that one had to be a distraction; Emptiness wasn’t big enough to be able to do that.
Something made her turn around though, and she saw Emptiness standing behind her, having come up from the back of the bed. She just barely made it, shining her light into her eyes.
And she didn’t stop there. She attacked Emptiness, aiming for her horns, bashing her with the flashlight and screaming as she did so. Emptiness ran, and escaped, leaving Sweetie alone again as she panted in fear and adrenaline.
But she noticed something. She had broken her flashlight in her attack, and it wasn’t working anymore.
She had one chance, and leapt from her bed to smash her nightlight and send the room into total darkness.
Then she almost went under the bed before stopping herself. That would be the first place Emptiness looked, and instead, she got under her pillows and waited. It didn’t take long.
“Hide and seek it is.” she heard Emptiness giggle to herself. Emptiness made sure that she could hear her hoof steps, and after a moment, began singing a song.
“Where are you, little filly… you should know that this is rather silly… I see in the dark, just like it is a day at the park…
“What nightmares lie in your head… I see you, under the bed!”
“No… smarter than you look I see, but you cannot hide from me.”
“Where are you, little filly… you should know that this is rather silly… I see in the dark, just like it is a day at the park…
“Are you standing close, quivering in the dark waiting for me to greet… or are you waiting just for me, shivering under a sheet…”
“No, I see you now, no place to hide from me… it is under the pillow you be…”
Sweetie was terrified, and waited. The pillow was lifted from her and she stared into Emptiness eyes before she paused. And then looked over to the window, and they both saw it.
The first days of the dawn coming through the curtains.
Emptiness faded away and Sweetie stared. She had done it. She had lived another night.
Gentle stopped speaking and gave a little groan. “Only five… more to go…”
Rarity eyed her as she shifted, obviously in pain. But it faded soon and Gentle sighed.
“I remember finding her that morning.” Rarity said. “I was wondering why she had broken that flashlight and the nightlight.”
“She told me that she had a nightmare and she broke one against the other in fear… I didn’t find the lantern though.”
“I had thought she was being bad. I even yelled at her for Celestia’s sake…”
“She kept the secret for your safety.” Gentle said softly.
“That doesn’t make it any better.”
The pair was silent for a moment. Then Rarity looked at Gentle.
“Do you want a drink?” she asked. Gentle nodded, and Rarity went to get a new cup of tea, and gave her it, the filly struggling a little to drink it.
“Thank you.”
“It is nothing. I assume the story continues.”
“It does.”