[bDisclaimer: I do not own the ponies or the main Prompt of this story. I only own the writing and ideas.]
The sound of the tiny shop’s bell rang a couple of times as three new customers entered the shop. It was a small, old fashioned looking store that looked like it belonged to an earlier era. Various nit knacks and other strange abnormalities were seated on rather dusty shelves, though there were some recognizable items such as jars of herbs, lit and sweet smelling incense candles and various gem stones of all shapes and sizes.
Behind an equally dusty counter, an old fashioned cash machine to the left and another glowing candle to the right, a hooded figure slowly turned, the wooden beads attached to their long dark cloak clacking against each other.
“Ahhhh…..hello, hello. Welcome, dear children….” An elderly woman’s voice whispered with a soft chuckle, placing her tanned and slightly wrinkled hands up against the surface of the dirty counter. The ‘dear children’ were already about to turn around and run back.
They looked to all be around twelve years of age, each to be of different races and extreme differences in personalities. One of them looked absolutely disgusted to be in this shop, looking around at each of the dirty items as if she was about to crawl right out of her skin. Her thoroughly conditioned and cared for deep violet hair was in a nearly perfect French braid, the small unicorn horn on the top of her head thoroughly visible. Her sapphire eyes suggested that she felt soiled herself to be in the presence of the shop, and she crossed her sleeved arms.
Another girl looked incredibly excited to be in the store, looking at everything excitedly as if every single thing that she was seeing was like a pirate’s lost treasure, or a fresh baked pastry covered in gooey frosting. Her sky blue eyes lit up further as she looked at the jars and bottles behind the counter, her curly pink hair being held back (sort of) in two pigtails.
Finally, right in the center, a slightly shorter girl stood, her face expressing as if she was about to start crying. Her worried teal eyes scanned her surroundings, her soft and light pink hair pushed behind her ears, long enough to go past her shoulders. Her cream colored wings rested against her back, beautiful to look at but would probably be weak when it came to flying. Despite being short, the pink haired Pegasus seemed to be the oldest. Each of the girls wore a school uniform, making the owner of the shop smile.
“Ah….shouldn’t you girls be in classes right now?” she cooed, causing the violet haired unicorn to narrow her eyes.
“Excuse me, but we ‘YOUNG LADIES’ are on lunch and study period right now,” she stated in a highly elegant manner, or at least tried to be. The magenta haired girl only grinned and giggled in delight.
“Mmmmhm~! Today was ‘Spaghetti and Tomato Sauce’ Day which means that we get to choose a CUPCAKE or a COOKIE with our yummy YUMMY lunch but Rarity said that she heard about this really scary and creepy shop that was run by an old and scary lady that looks like she came right out of that fairy tale ‘Snow White’ but then Flutters here didn’t want to go so we made it like a Truth or Dare game that Rarity had never heard of until right now so-“ a timid and pale hand covered over the girl’s mouth.
“I….I think she gets the point, Pinkie Pie…” ‘Flutters’ shakily pointed out. The older woman quietly stared at the three schoolgirls…before bursting into cacklish laughter.
“Ahahahahaha! Now, this is surely a treat! I did not think that I would receive characters like yourself as my guests!”
“We get that a lot, ma’am…” Rarity said with a sigh as Fluttershy eeped and pulled her hand away in disgust, Pinkie having just licked over it. The owner then smiled slowly at all three times, showing her slightly sharpened teeth.
“So….what can I do for you three? If you have heard about me, then surely you are seeking something….”
“…Well…” Rarity slightly gulped, and Fluttershy whimpered as she glanced to the side. Pinkie Pie, after staring at her two friends for a moment, decided to answer.
“We heard you have occultic thingies in here and so we wanted to ask for a Spirit Board!!!”
“P-PINKIE!” The other two scolded, and the older woman laughed again.
“Ahhhhh, yes….young girls like you are always so curious about what is on the other side, yes? Yes, indeed….I do have what you seek.” The woman slowly turned, glancing towards a door that was behind her and walked towards it, turning the knob and walking inside.
“T-This is a bad idea…w-we should just go!” Fluttershy whispered shakily.
“Y-You’re the one who encouraged me into showing you the way…” Rarity whispered back hastily, looking worried.
“B-But you didn’t tell me that it would be in the Everfree Forest!”
“Well then you would have never come with me! What was I supposed to do!?”
“IIIIIIII love whispering!!!” Pinkie Pie chirped at nothing in particular. Both girls turned to look at their rather crazy sounding friend when the back door opened once again, the woman returning with a smile.
“Ah….here we are….” The hooded figure held out a leather bound box, the symbol of the sun and the moon, a rather large eye in the center of the two being etched onto the old looking surface. All the girls remained quiet, staring at the box in awe, curiosity and fear. The woman smiled in a creepy fashion, shoving the box into Rarity’s hands. “I have no more use for this old relic of mine….but tell you what. Because you are my very first customers, and you got me to laugh in who knows how long…it is free of charge.”
“YESSSSSS, WE CAN GO EAT!!!!!” Pinkie cheered with joy as she turned, quickly sprinting out the door. Rarity sighed at the uncaring nature of her friend, quickly saying her thanks to the owner of the shop and walking off with the box, wanting nothing more then to go and take a long, hot bath. As Fluttershy began to turn, a wrinkled hand was held up.
“Wait, little one…yes, you of wings but child of the Wood….” She whispered in a strange tone, causing the timid Pegasus to turn around.
“Y…Yes…?” she shakily asked. The hooded woman could not help but smile again.
“You are one most peculiar…it has been a long time since I have felt an ‘Old Soul’ such as yours…”
“O-Old…Soul?”
“A warning to you, dear girl….” Without warning, the hood was slipped off of the woman’s head…revealing long and scraggily white hair and many strange markings all along the ancient skin. But, the most shocking aspect of her…was the pupiless eyes ‘staring’ back at the now frightened child.
“Some things….are better left unseen.”
Fluttershy squeaked out in terror and quickly turned around, running out of the shop as soon as possible and heading straight to her friends, who both looked at their friend as if she had seen a ghost.
And the owner of the mysterious shop only laughed…and laughed…and laughed.
Author's Note
Now, THIS is a special gift to all of you. This little one-shot (and yes, it's supposed to be confusing. I want you asking questions!) is a teaser, a mini prequel to a bigger story that I have planned in the near future. :) I think it's going to be something you will all enjoy, and I am so excited for it to be finally uploaded. In the mean time, enjoy!