//------------------------------// // Plans Unfolding // Story: Hidden by Shadows // by Authora97 //------------------------------// Night had fallen over Ponyville. Almost every single pony had fallen asleep under Luna's moon. All except, well, the Stream Sisters. Mainly the eldest. Today she discovered that an old friend had found her. That he made it known the lengths he would go to get her back. And the fact they were old friends made her want to vomit. Authora wrapped her dark link hooves tighter around Dandelion. Dandy always helped her sleep at night, even when she had trouble. After another ten minutes of lying there awake Authora finally felt the call of sleep. Darkness was all around her. She could almost feel the darkness seeping into her skin… Skin? An evil laughter filled her ears, but no matter how hard Abigail tried her hands couldn't… Hands? It was true. In her dream, Authora became Abigail again. It was too dark for her to see her fingers but she felt them. "Looks like someone finally decide to join the party." Came a dark voice behind her. Abigail noticed it slowly got brighter, well, bright enough to see her and him. Jay looked almost exactly the same. His square jaw almost looked a little more square. Abigail could clearly see his muscles straining under his shirt. Midnight blue eyes stared at her, telling her he was slight enraged. "You are one tough lady to find Abby." That name sent a chill up her spine. Abigail wanted run but her fear kept her frozen. Jay knew this and took advantage of this fact. "You forgot I could find you no matter how far you drove, I always found you. Not even changing dimensions could change that fact.” He explained to Abigail. "I came to strike a deal with you." Abigail shook her head fiercely. Jay gave a laugh, that sounded evil on it's own. “Maybe you would like to hear it first.” Jay tool her silence as a yes.He took a few steps closer to her.“The terms are very simple. When you wake up, you go find the lone tree in that park in Ponyville, yes I know where you’ve been hiding, and wait for me to appear.” This deal felt wrong to Abigail, she again shook her head. Jay completed the last two steps needed to bring him face to face with Authora. “Perhaps I should explain what happens.” He grabbed her upper arm and pulled her close. “If you refuse.” It was fair to say Abigail was scared for her life at this point. “I will find that little yellow beast and do to her what I did to her grandparents. I’ll tear your sister’s feathers off one by one until there’s nothing left. For Pipsqueak I’ll cut off that green horn of her’s. Then, once it’s all said and done. I’ll send what’s left of them to the tree you’ve been staying in.” Tears flew down Abigail’s peach colored skin. As much as she hated it her mind was running images of Fluttering with her wings gone, Pipsqueak dying with no one coming to help. And her baby Dandelion... Abigail nodded her head, wanting to keep something from happening to her sisters and adopted daughter. “See you soon Abby.” Jay said with an evil smile. Authora woke with a fright. That couldn’t have been real. It was just her subconscious playing her. But she felt a sharp pain as she tried to settle back to sleep. There, lying on her front leg, was a bruise shaped like a human hand. She didn’t know how it got there so fast but didn’t care. Taking great care, she snuck out of the room from the window placed inside it. Authora looked at Dandelion one last time, knowing that that was what it was. “I’ll miss you.” Authora thought as she ventured off into the night. It took her ten minutes to get to the tree. The moon was still high in the sky so she knew it would be hours til anypony woke up. Authora still hoped that it was a dream, that the bruise was from running into something earlier but she knew better. She was so wrapped up in her little world of worry that she didn’t she an all black alicorn creep up behind her. “Nice to see you Abby.” Authora jumped up to face him, her eyes filled with fear. “How does the alicorn look fit me?” It pained her, but she would have to say it fit him like a glove. “Let’s talk Abby. I know how much you missed this anyway.” Black Jay lied down underneath the tree like anypony else, waiting for Authora to join. “This is the longest I have ever heard you silent. Quiet doesn’t fit you Abby.” Authora kept silent, both out of force and she didn’t want to speak to him. “Are you too scared to speak?” Silence met Jay. “Well maybe if I gave you something to get you to talk. Say a little dragon..." “If you even think of hurting Dandelion I will ring your neck so tight it completely cuts off from your black body and use the head as a tetherball!” Authora threatened, using her personal spell on Jay. This time shocking him into silence. She was looking him right in the eye, her horn glowing a bright shade of white. “Abby?” He asked after a moment of shock. “Yes Abby. Now please do whatever it is you came here to do and leave my family out of this.” Authora told him, her gaze not leaving his. “What happened to your voice?” Jay asked her. “I had to get away from you before you killed Dandy. So I made a wish on the ‘Heart’s Desire Star’, in return it took my voice. It didn’t matter so long as what was left of my family was safe.” Authora explained to him. His face turned from shock to anger. Jay wrapped Authora in a black aura, one that made it nearly impossible for her to look past. “I guess we’ll just have to get it back won’t we?” Authora resigned herself to her fate. A fate that took her from her family but kept them safe.