,~1 Week earlier~,
It was payday, and as Wonkid walked to the shop, he thought of
things that could make working at the shop less boring. He had told his friend Kolinsky he would buy a new MP3 so he could listen to his favorite music. Kolin was Wonks bestfriend, and had been since they had both been blank flanks. Kolins cutiemark had shunned him from otherponys, as Kolin was a thief. Not just "a" thief, but one of the best thieves in Equestria. He had only been caught once during one of Fancy Pants as a royal guard had caught him stealing jewelry. Now that he was banned from returning to Canterlot, he stayed in Ponyville. But Kolin loved his job as a delivary man, and he had once or twice "missplaced" someponys ruby or emerald. "So whats up with the old hag?" asked Kolin as he paced up next to Wonkid. "She's been gone for weeks. Everpony thinks shes dead," he grimaced, looking towards wonkid as he walked. "No, shes not dead, she just, loony. all she does is sit up in her room," wonk glanced out of the corner of his eyes looking towards the joke shop as he passed. "Are you sure that you didnt, I dunno, help her push daisys? Give her a reassuring pat down the stairs?" Kolin said, grinning darkly.
Kolins humor was often cruel, or gross, but what would you expect from a thief? "What kind of sick fuck would kill an old lady?"
There was a little disgust in Wonkids voice, the mental image of the act of pure carnage made him cringe. Kolin gave him a look of "Hey, you and I both know theres some weird ass ponys right now," He was right. There was the happy, fun loving, charismatic earth pony Pinkie pie who had gone into somekind of depressing, solitary state. Maybe she's Mrs Rainys prodigy? As the two entered the shop, Kolin glanced over the store. Dark, bad smelling, and eerie. The mannequins always sent a shiver up Kolins spine. They were old, stuffed dolls the same size as any pony, their cloth was a rotten yellow. They had all been hand stiched by Mrs Rainy herself. They were meant to show off the clothes in the store, but for some reason, everyday that Wonkid came in their clothes had been removed as they were also moved around. Wonkids reasonable logic quickly granted him a escape route "Its just Mrs Rainy, she lives here after all. And whats a pony like her have to do anyway?". As Wonkid drew closer to the register, he noticed his check wasn't there. He searched the entire area, to check if by some gust of wind it had blown somewhere. But a quick search of the floor and Kolins good vision made it obvious the check wasnt in the room. "What a lazy bitch," Kolin grunted angrily stepping up after scanning the underside of a display stand. "She probably forget what day it was," said Wonkid giving Kolin a reassuring glance, "I'm sure well find her in her room," Kolin gave a quick nod and the two slowly trotted toward the stairs "Mrs Rainy?" Wonkid called at the foot of the stairs. They waited a minute but heard no responce. "Mrs Rainy, its payday again, can I get my money?" again they waited, but to no avail. The two gave eachother worried glances. Kolin took the first step up the stairs, but before he made the second step they both heard a old haggard voice call from the top floor "Come on up sweetys,". Something in her tone wasnt right, she sounded much too didstant, as if the voice came frome another dimension. They both gave each other a quick nod, Wonkid stepped forward and led Kolin up the stares. The boards creeked as they walked, Kolin made a little note of this in his head. As they approached the door to mrs Rainys room, Wonkid heard a small thudder from downstairs. "Eh, must be a customer, they can wait a minute" He said looking at Kolin with a shrug. Wonkid knocked on the door but to his surprise it had glided open, as if to invite them in. Neither ponys had been in this room before. The walls were painted a light violet, there was a single window encased in white drapes, the wallpaper had streaks of water damage on them. What caught both their eyes was the rocking chair. Blank in the middle of the room, faced towards the window so that neither pony could see its inhabitant. It sit there in the dim light of the morning hours, rocking, back, and forth. It was a rythmic pattern that caught the two off guard. "Mrs Rainy?" Wonkid said timidly, still in the doorway. The rocking stopped, but still no responce. Kolin gazed at the chair but gave a quick nudge to Wonkid as to say "Well? Get your fucking money,". Wonkid nodded, edging ever so quietly to the chair. Wonkid gulped as he set his hoove above the rockers shoulder. Something about the mood made Wonkid wonder why he was even here. Common sense told him something was wrong, but his curiosity had overpowered all the common sense that held his mind together. "Mrs Rainy are you alr-AGH!" He gave a sudden scream falling backwards. His back hoove gave the chair a thud that spun the rocker around to face the two horrified colts, and Mrs Rainys cold, emotionless gaze drifted onto them. Her face was as white as the mannequins from below, her cheeks convexed from age. Mrs Rainys corpse stared into the two frightened colts, who were now stumbling into the hall.