A Dark Cloud Returns Chapter 1

"Thank you, Twilight!" Sweetie Belle bobbed her head in thanks, the perfectly styled pink and purple mane the white unicorn moving in one fluid motion due to the product keeping it in place. "I'm sure these old books on finding a Cutie Mark will be a great addition to our clubhouse!"

Twilight Sparkle waved a hoof dismissively as she kept her nose buried in a book, the purple unicorn's horn glowing to take notes. "That's fine. You're helping me out by also taking that box of old bottles and vases from Canterlot!" Looking up, the elder unicorn smiled as politely as she could. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some very important research to finish up here for Princess Celestia on the effects of migration patterns on the flora of the Everfree Forest!"

The younger white unicorn swallowed hard at knowing that tone all too well from hearing it used by her sister. Gripping the handle of her wagon, she galloped out of the library tree as she pulled the box of books and glass as quickly as she dared. Twilight shook her head and sighed to herself, watching the little unicorn gallop away and wondering when she'd finally find her own path in life.


Sweetie Belle sighed, kicking a spool of thread across the club house in frustration. "It's not fair!" she cried out in a pouting tone of voice. "Applebloom has to help with the chores, an' Scootaloo is off learning to fly with Rainbow Dash! And after I went to all the trouble of getting these books for us!"

The young white unicorn slumped to the floor, crossing her forehooves under her muzzle as she scowled at the box. Furrowing her brow, She shook her head before kicking her left hind hoof at the wagon. "Stupid books!" The wagon bucked forward from the kick, rolling across the floor before hitting the corner of the old wooden table. As Sweetie Belle's face shifted to a look of horror, it felt like time slowed down as the wagon and box began to tip on its side.

The unicorn's eyes grew wide, the filly watching the box's contents of bottles, vases, and books spill out across the whole floor as she began to whimper. "No, it'll take FOREVER to pick all this up! Stupid books! Stupid vases! Stupid jars! Stupid EVERYTHING!" Slamming her hooves to the floor, she stood up as her face returned to its usual scowl. "It's just not fair! Everyone else helps Scootaloo an' Applebloom, but I don't get help at ALL! All I get is yelled at by my sister! It's not fair at ALL!"


Sniffling as tears began to brim in her eyes from the frustrations brewing in her heart, the young unicorn started to trudge slowly to the box and wagon to right it. Then she allowed herself to wallow in the sinking feeling, and she began to pick up each item one by one to return them back into the box.

As the golden rays of Celestia's sun started to illuminate the club house in the windows as it set, Sweetie Belle placed the last book in the now full box before letting out a huff. "There, finally done... That took FOREVER!" Looking around the room, a bit of pride came to the young unicorn as she nodded. "Hey, maybe my special talent is cleaning!" She whipped her head around to look at her flank, then gave another dejected sigh as she saw it still perfectly white.

"Aw, horse apples..." the unicorn said as she slumped back on the floor. "It's likely for the best, I wouldn't want to be a maid pony for the rest of my life." Looking forward, the filly then saw an old glass bottle under the couch near the very back. Frowning, her horn began to glow weakly as she shook her head. "Come on... I don't wanna crawl under there... Come on..."

A faint glow began to envelop the bottle as it started to shake. The unicorn bit her lower lip in concentration; her horn glowing brighter as she worked at the basic magic. The bottle continued to rock slowly, then began to be pushed by the under-practiced magic as the bottle slowly rolled from under the couch toward Sweetie Belle before stopping with a gentle bump against her forehooves.

Panting for breath, the young filly unicorn shook her head. "Wow, magic is hard... I don't know how other unicorns do it!" Gripping her prize, the young filly peered at the old bottle curiously. While the other bottles were empty, empty, this dusty bottle looked like there was some sort of dark, swirling cloud inside of it that was trapped inside by an old cork on the top as ancient as the bottle itself.

Turning the bottle slowly with her forehooves, she blinked questioningly at it. "It... It looks like a rain cloud... A rain cloud in a bottle! Oooh, I want to see if it is! That'd be so cool!" Gripping the cork in her teeth, she held the bottle in her forehooves and began to twist on the cork.

The bottle didn't want to give it's prize of a cork over so easily, but Sweetie Belle kept struggling as the sun sank lower and lower in the sky. Then, just as the last rays of the sun dimmed the room with an ethereal glow, the cork popped out of the bottle as the young filly fell back on her back in shock from the loud noise; causing the bottle to clatter across about the floor.

From the bottle, a small grey plume of smoke began to trickle out and up into the air. As Sweetie Belle peered, the tiny cloud grew two arms of cloud before a face formed on the smoke-like figure. Finally, two dark black puffy eyebrows appeared over the eyes of the wispy figure before the living thunderhead stretched its arms.

The young filly rolled onto all fours, her green eyes blinking as she gasped. "Oh, wow! Are... Are you a genie?"

The floating being turned, looking at the young pony girl as a voice like a masculine rumbling thunder came from its mouth. "A genie...?"

Sweetie Belle nodded. "Oh, yeah! Twilight Sparkle read us foals a story about genies last month at school. Apparently if you free them from a lamp, you get all your wishes!"

The smoke-like creature stroked its chin, its puffy charcoal eyebrows rising in surprise before letting out a joyful laugh. "Oh, yes indeed! I am a genie! The genie Arabus! I got trapped in that bottle long ago, and haven't been able to fulfill the wishes of nice ponies like yourself! So, what is my new master's name?"

Sweetie Belle began to jump for joy, the young filly bouncing around the cloud as she beamed brightly. "I'm Sweetie Belle! Oooh, does this mean you can help me get my cutie mark? Or help me be a great designer like my sister?"

Arabus smiled wider as he nodded. "Why of course I can, little pony! But first..." He looked around the tree house curiously. "Ah, are we alone here?"

The unicorn nodded as her frown began to return. "Yeah, my friends were busy today, an' my sister is working on all her orders for the Grand Galloping Gala... It's not fair..."

The little foal hung her head, tears brimming in her eyes again as she felt the being rest its arm over her shoulder. "Now, don't feel bad, little mare... You have your own genie now to make sure you'll never be lonely again! Would you like that?"

Sweetie Belle looked up and nodded at the cloud, sniffling slightly. "I... I might..."

The dark cloud nodded as a sly smirk began to cross his puffy face. "That's great... Now, before we begin I need your help. Nothing major, I swear! But being in that bottle for so long sapped almost all my power... So, I need to borrow a little from something else. Something that doesn't need it."

Sweetie Belle balked slightly, the unicorn turning away nervously. "What... What kind of power do you need to borrow...?" She turned back to the anthropomorphic cloud as her eyes grew wide with worry.

Arabus just chuckled, reaching out to pat the unicorn's head lightly. "Oh, I just borrow their shadow! Surely you know of someone who doesn't need a shadow anymore? Maybe someone who hurt you? We can use their strength so they can't hurt others and help you at the same time!"

Sweetie Belle paused a thought, her right forehoof tapping her chin as her mind went back over her thoughts. Then, in her mind, she remembered something that'd nearly killed her and her friends. Something that could still be in the Everfree Forest. A wide smile crossed her muzzle as she nodded. "I know just the thing... And if we hurry, we can get it for you and still get back to my house before it gets too late!"

As the unicorn filly trotted out the door, Arabus smiled to himself as he rubbed his cloud hands together. "Soon..." he thought to himself. "This one is so much easier to manipulate than my last servant. Soon, I'll reclaim my former power... But I must have patience. I can't make the same mistakes as last time. This time, if I play my cards right, not even the flutterponies will be able to stop me..."


In the dark of the Everfree Forest, the head of a chicken popped into view from some bushes, its red eyes peering around in the darkness. There, in its territory, stood a unicorn - a unicorn it could turn to stone before feeding off its life energies for quite a while...

The chicken head's beak smiled as it began to creep forward, the remainder of its body revealing a more draconian state as it kept low to the ground. As it crept towards its quarry, it didn't even notice the small thundercloud floating down from the trees above. As the cockatrice felt itself grabbed by strong misty hands, it heard the laughter of a female child getting her revenge.