Rag Doll

by No one is home

Ladybug, Chapter 4: Somepony Watching Over You

“Petal… we need to talk.” The grass green unicorn flinched as he spoke to the sky blue pegasus guardsmare.

“I’ll say!” The teal guard’ mare nodded merrily. “I’ve been watching the security footage for the robberies the night before last… every one of those fillies was carrying the same doll! That same doll you followed here from Bridlewood…”

“They are both at my apartment right now…” Rose Thorn shuffled his hooves nervously in the coffee shop.

“What did you do, Rosie?” Anger and concern argued across the guard’s face.

“I made a deal with the Ragdoll.” The unicorn cloped his hoofs nervously. “I thought it would be safe if I asked for something I already had. The doll showed me how it sees the world.”

-=-=-=-=-

“Look quick in the mirror.” She mocks me. Sickly inverted green fortelling what I always knew was going to happen. It’s my fault for staying up so late. It’s my fault for going to sleep. It’s my fault for having a dream. “For the bounce and spark of the butt you’ve thrown.”

“Don’t turn around,” the cancer ridden mare pleads on her death bed. “You’re a long way from home.”

-=-=-=-=-

“Just breathe Rosie.” The concerned guard placed a wing over her friend’s back. “You’re having a panic attack.”

“It counts me telling you as a betrayal.” The unicorn sobbed, attempting to regain his composure. “It’s just like I theorized, Petal. It’s just like in the classic stories. I know I’m compromised. The Old Magic is dangerous, but this is the closest we are going to ever get to it on any kinda good terms. Trust me. Call the others. We need to move in, we need to make friends.”

-=-=-=-=-

“You want this fight.” The skeleton kid grins, because of course he does. He’s right.

“So swing on me.” I want this.

“Why?” He laughs. This is funny to him. “Why would I swing on someone who never once took a swing?”

“You’re a monster!” It doesn’t matter what I want.

“It’s not my fault you thought the story was about you.” The skeleton boy tells me the truth I should have known. I always had the choice to do wrong.

-=-=-=-=-

“It’s okay Rosie… I’m here for you.” Petal Breeze comforted her friend. “There’s nothing that can ever take me away from you.”

“Every word you said, it can unwrite.” The stallion… I… said?

“You say I don’t understand, but at least I know it.” She means it. This was always there. “Do you see yourself in me and hide away in fright?”

I’m only loyal to one creature. And now so are you.

“Sorry, the doll gets in my head now.” Rose Thorn shook his head hard. “I have to protect the changeling, she is a good kid. She’s in a bad spot.”

“And that doll has your brain in a vise!” The teal pegasus scraped her foot across the coffee shop’s tiled floor. “We were never a threat to her… and we are never going to be a threat to her. A changeling has tried to make contact in friendship. I have royal authority to make that declaration. Your only official duty is to honor your contract.” She went on in a husky whisper. “That was stupid. You’re lucky I had your six.”

-=-=-=-=-

“You gotta buck the tree, girl.” I could see it through Gloomy’s eyes. “That tree is chock full of acorns.”

“Squirrels are making nests in that tree through, Mr Charlie!” More of a memory than a dream. It’s a win because I still remember her.

“It’s a long way back to Bridlewood. If you can’t take food, how are you going to take shelter?” She cried the whole time she ate the acorns. She cried harder over the family of foxes. She needed a place to sleep. As much as I hate that… I just hate that.

“Uncle, he’s back.” I’m drawn back to the present by OC’s unusually stern voice. She’s not taking this well.

I turn my vision back outward and my button eye’s one Mr. Rose Thorn. “Poor little OC thought she’s picked you at random, Mr. Thorn. Notice how I’m using your real name? You should notice that.”

“Why do you have pictures of me tacked up on the wall in your room, Mr. Thorn? I thought you were a nice pony, not some kind of creeper!” She drops her plushy form in a wash of fiery pink underling magic. This pony needs to understand that we’re not playing around here.

“It’s not what you think!” I can’t suppress an evil chuckle as he prances in place. “I’m with a group of ponies that’s trying to study unusual manifestations of magic. We only want to help ponies and other magical creatures readjust to the new magical normal.”

“You lied to me Mr. Thorn!” And damn, she did inherit some of her mom’s aura of menace. It turns out if she flare’s her elytra she is twice as big and regal as nine hells. She’s still only ⅔ the size of a pony. Which is prolly why this little green unicorn isn’t shedding liquid shame right now.

“I swear I wasn’t even following you! I was following Gloomy Sonnet and her doll… though I guess it’s ‘Onyx’ now… she has a jazz band…” Huh… Onyx. Always knew she was about all that jazz.

Author's Note:

And her official name in G5 is Onyx it seems. All hail best Jazz Unicorn!

Comments

[Booster Spice]

Onyx? Except when under pressure, then she becomes Steal Ix?