//------------------------------// // Dracula Has Risen from the Grave // Story: A Story of Love (Among Others) // by TheMareWhoSaysNi //------------------------------// Two days after, I was back to school. Miscarriages are a very frequent medical intervention, nothing special for doctors and gynecologists. It wasn't something that meant nothing to me. I knew almost everything there were to know about the topic. Still, it felt strange each time I thought about what was going on in my body without me knowing it and I started to feel a little guilty because I was supposed to be sad and I was just feeling very awkward. I wanted to send Soarin a letter, so he would know but I told myself that was something a girl needed to say face to face, not through any kind of intermediary. My friends were the only ones who knew what had happened to me on this particular morning. I didn't really want the others to be aware of that. It was my private life. And so, this good old routine took over again, despite it all. The way it always did, whatever was the drama or the joys of our lives. The class was already over but with the girls and a few other students we were still in the room, chatting while putting everything away. On Wednesdays, there were no traditional classes and everything was dedicated to the practice of music, and in particular to the practice of what we were supposed to play for the end of the year gala. It had been two weeks since I fainted in school. When Big Mac stepped into our class, Fluttershy's smile stretched out and suddenly illuminated everything around her. So much sappiness was sometimes a little too much for me, but not because I was jealous or something - they were my friends and I was happy for them, because they deserved it. It was too much because, well... I am Rainbow Dash. "Hey," he said, leaning over the table. "Flutty and Ah are goin' to a great restaurant with friends, would ya like to join us?" "Are your friends cute boys?" Pinkie asked. She was on an active quest to find her perfect boyfriend and the task was really difficult because boys had to fill a lot of Pinkie's high-standard requirements, such as tall, cute, not too serious, with a sweet smile, beautiful eyes, an artistic sensitivity and many more. "Ah'm not sure. Ya know boys never were mah type of people..." "I'll come only if they're cute." "What about ya, Kitty? I bet ya don't care about them bein' cute or anythin'?" Break. Explanation. Pinkie and I were famous in the CAM for being the best friends in the world, arms linked together and laughing out loud through the corridors, even when the others were a bit embarrassed by our antics. This was how we started to say that we were as silly as the youngest Bennett sisters of "Pride and Prejudice". Ever since, Big Mac has decided that Pinkie would be Lydia, because she was more likely to elope with some random cute guy and I were to Kitty. Hence that strange other nickname, soon adopted by Fire Streak as well and sometimes even by Coloratura. After reflection, I think it would have been better if I chose to be compared to the eldest Bennett sisters. And of course, I would have been Elizabeth... No, I can't picture Pinkie being Jane. Well, whatever! "What type of restaurant is it?" "The type where they serve Mac and Cheese." "Coming!" Yeah, it was that easy to convince me to go to a restaurant. All you had to do was to deliver some magic formulas such as "mac and cheese", "vegetarian lasagna" or "curry". Big Mac smiled satisfyingly before he took Fluttershy's hand and left the room. Of course, if I came that meant Pinkie would come as well, and Rarity too since we couldn't seem to be able to do something without the others for as long as we were within the walls of the school. But once done with our material correctly put away, the obvious popped right into our eyes. It was going to be another crazy journey going through town with bags and heavy instruments. Especially my heavy instrument. One of the disadvantages of playing cello was that you often knocked people as you passed them by, it took a lot of room in the subway train, making people mad at you and it ruined your back when carried around. Thankfully, our teacher was still in the class as well. "Can we leave our stuff here? We go back there after lunch, anyway." "No problem. I'm going to lock that class actually." Though Rarity decided to take her bag anyway because quote such a treasure had to be shown to the world, with Pinkie, we didn't hesitate any longer and left everything we could in the classroom, except our wallets and phones. As we went through the doorstep, I had a glimpse at Thunderlane who was in the back of the class and I saw that he was staring at me. Maybe he wanted also to try and ask Big Mac out and wondered what would I say about it. I didn't know and I didn't care but I also didn't like the way he was looking at me. But no time to react. My phone rang and just like each time, I rushed to pick it up. That could be Soarin, and I didn't want to miss any opportunity to hear his voice, even for a few seconds. "Why can't you pick up the phone immediately? Damn! I always think you're not going to answer at all!" Obviously, this wasn't Soarin. It was Coloratura, the gentlest girl on Earth. "Hi. Yeah, I'm fine, thank you," I answered with a hint of irony. "Yeah, sorry! But you haven't picked up the phone quickly, it worried me. Hanging out with me on Friday? Queenie Yacht club, as usually." "Rara... I like going out with you but it's also stressing me out. I spend way too much timebeing the third wheel, looking at some kind guy French-kissing you. It's totally NOT awesome!" "Oh, come on... Be a deary. I'll pay you tons of mojitos." "I'll think about it," I sighed. "Great, great, I just can't wait! This is going to be amazing. See you on Friday, Dashie!" "Hey, I haven't said yes! And don't "Dashie" me"! Rara!!!" Too late, she had already hung up. It always was the same with her. She knew I had a strong temper, so in order not to let me win the arguments, she cut them short before I could even reply. Sometimes I thought she would be an excellent manipulative psychiatrist. And sometimes, not so much. "This Coloratura has some nerves!" Pinkie told me as we were walking faster to join the others. Caught red-handed with bad faith. There was a saying to illustrate the strange competition that had grown between Pinkamena Diane Pie and Countess Coloratura - the pot calling the kettle back. Deep within, they didn't hate each other, or even were jealous of each other for the friendship I gave them. It was a matter of two egos fighting. I could understand that, I am the champion of ego fights. I hate that when something resisted me and I hated when someone was challenging the loyalty of my friends. But you know what I hate the most, out of losing? Being taken for a fool and having no control whatsoever over any aspects of my life. ==================================================***===================================== Today was the day of the CAM's tradition known as The Blooming of Flowers. The whole school had to dress formally in order to welcome potential students - girls wore cocktail dresses and boys wore suits. A great day for everyone including me. And I was excited but I was also pretty much upset. On the previous day, I had lost something that was really important to me, and which had the potential of a bomb. When I came back home, I emptied my bag like I usually did. I searched and searched and searched deep through it, even spilling everything on the floor and there was no trace of my notebook. You know, this notebook, the one where I've written down every detail of my story with Soarin, where I hid our pictures, his letters, where I copied his emails and his text messages. I finally kicked each of my school items yet it didn't help me finding back this precious notebook. There were many things inside it that couldn't be in anybody's hands. Sold to a rag, it would become an incredible weapon to destroy both my life and Soarin's. I was very scared this time, because if I couldn't get my hands on it, I feared something terrible would happen. It was a day without classes, because everything we were supposed to do was revolving around promoting the school and more precisely promoting our instruments. I had other things to do, things that were at least as important as looking for the notebook. Yet, just in case, I wanted to check whether I wouldn't have forgotten it in the last class I had, where the girls and I had left all our things on the day before, during lunch. Of course, the room was empty. I crouched and started to look all over the place. There was some kind of stairs with music stands and behind that, chairs and seats in the amphitheater style, so we could go from theory to practice more easily. There also was a grand piano at the center of the room, along with a black board on the wall. I tried to make sure I looked in each corner, under each piece of furniture or music stands... Who knew where it could have been now? All that I was sure of was that my teacher hadn't found it. My only problem was that I wasn't fast enough because of the way I had to dress. High-heel shoes and a tight black velvet dress, a type of clothes I wasn't quite used to. I rather wear comfortable shoes and comfortable outfits. Suddenly, as I was half-lying under the grand piano, trying hard not to stain my pretty dress, I felt a presence in the room. Well, in fact, I saw leather luxury shoes, indicated a male presence. "Who is it?" I asked, still crouching under the instrument. A face appeared in front of me, crouching as well, as it answered. "It's Thunderlane." And the devil smiled at me. Never again had I noticed how much I hated his smile. It felt so hypocrite and dishonest. "Are you looking for something, Rainbow Dash?" "I'm not," I answered coldly. "I'm counting chewing-gums under the piano..." He smirked, obviously understanding that I was mocking him. He didn't seem to be much annoyed and I really thought he would just leave after this typical "Munday" response. Yet, he didn't. Instead, he stood up and looked for something inside what I thought was his guitar case. Meanwhile, I tried one more look under the tables. Maybe I'd missed something... "Isn't it this, you're looking for, by any chance?" At first, I said to myself he was going to make some dubious joke or something. But as I looked up, stunned, I could only notice he was serious like cancer. And he had my notebook. I knew I swear to loathe him eternally but I couldn't act ungratefully. He surely didn't know how much what was in his hands was precious to me. So, I smiled warmly at him as I stepped in his direction, with my arm stretched. "You found it. Thanks..." "I haven't found it. I stole it to you!" Wait, what? I thought I was in the middle of a nightmare or just that I had turned completely deaf. Why would that guy steal some random notebook in my bag? How could he know it wasn't just the item with which I composed music, for example? The only thing I was sure about was that the boy was insane. Completely out of his mind. Stepping nearer, I stretched out my arm again, this time trying to snatch it off his hands. Problem, I was too small, even in high-heel shoes, my dress was to tight and those damn shoes, precisely, were the worst enemy that kept on making me wobble. He pushed me a bit farther, keeping me at bay, and opened a page randomly. "This has been very instructing... My favorite page must be the one with the photo booth picture. You can make very good funny faces!" I didn't know what to say. I usually was very verbal about myself but this time, I couldn't utter a single word, or even a single syllable. Thunderlane made the most of it, a jubilation painting his face in a completely different shade of malice. He turned the notebook in front of me, high enough so I couldn't catch it and showed me the pictures, before he started to leaf through it again. "At first," he said with arrogance. "I thought it was some stupid groupie collection. I was disappointed since I didn't think you were the type of girl to idolize an actor. But then I understood I was wrong when I stopped on the letter." He turned the notebook again and showed me the letter Soarin sent me on Hearts & Hooves Day. I clenched my jaws and my fists, cursing The Blooming of the Flowers for having me all dressed up like that, thus preventing me from acting the way I wanted. His manipulation started again, before he finally closed the book, always making sure I would never be able to get it back without a fight. "I've spent a great deal of the night reading it. It was very captivating. I wonder how you managed to get a famous boyfriend, though. Give me your secret, I'd really like to meet that girl from your boo's franchise, that Sunset Shimmer." "Having not enough silly fans at your feet, loverboy? Give it back to me!" His arrogance was at its climax. A little bit, and I swore I would hear him moaning from pleasure. I thought I was the most egotistic person in the world before I met persons like him and Filthy Rich. When noted how much I loved the man, it was easy to guess how I regarded Thunderlane. "Alright, I'll give it back to you... There's one condition, though..." "One condition? How about I smash your head and you'll give it back to me?" "Oh no, that would be too easy. This is no bluff, little girl. I have covered myself with a few photocopies. Who do you think I am?" "Some little bastard?" I was so mad at myself. I should never have let things in the class knowing that creep was lurking around. Now I was in a big trouble and there was nothing else I could do than yielding to his demands, just in case he wasn't lying and really had copies of my notebook, which established clear evidences that Soarin Skies was dating a girl. A not famous girl. Thunderlane didn't wait for my approval and simply said what he had in mind. "You got to convince Rarity to date me!" "How could I do such thing? Rarity doesn't care about you and she's in love with someone, she'll never accept that." "Well, too bad for you, little girl. I'm sure Equestria will be thrilled by the content of this notebook. Or not. Remember, I can ruin your life and maybe even your bae's career. Think about it... But if you're sure Rarity won't accept, make the ultimate sacrifice. Date me and I'll give it back to you." If there was a justice in the world someone would have sent a grand piano right on his head. But we know it, there's nothing like divine justice. Nothing happened to help me and I was cornered. I just had to submit to that jerk's will. Who said blackmail only appeared in Films Noir? I felt like I were Edward G. Robinson in "The Woman in the Window", but more glamourous. "What do you mean by date?" "Just what it is. One date, with me... Restaurant, movies, a stroll, whatever! I could even let you choose. All I want is a date." I tried to think about it, although I knew I had nothing to think about. It wasn't as if I had any choice. There was no way I could avoid what was happening, in true Film Noir fashion. I was at the mercy of fate. "Alright. One date, one single date. And no tricks! I hang out with you and you give my notebook back to me, and the copies. All the copies. Or I swear I'll smash your face so much even your mother wouldn't recognize you." "Got yourself a deal, sweetheart! See you tonight, then." Tonight? I couldn't even have time to get mentally prepared to what I considered to be some kind of cheating. Unable to hold my frustration back anymore, I shot out and hit the wall with my fist. It hurt but it hurt less than my feelings. I hated him and I had to spend one entire evening with him, face to face. And the worse was that, back then, I thought I couldn't fall any deeper, that this was the bottom. Guess I was very naive. ===============================================***======================================== It was lunch break and Big Mac, the girls and I had group reunion. Not that I didn't intend to take on my responsibilities, but I needed their advice. It was impossible for me to take Thunderlane's word for it and I couldn't let that happen. I had to make sure he wouldn't stab me in the back. "Ah can't see what ya can do," Big Mac sighed. "She's very much comforted thanks to you, darling," Rarity replied with her very particular sense of repartee. The cafeteria was packed. There was enough noise around us to ensure that no one would pay much attention to what we were saying. With potential students all around, the CAM had made big efforts to convince them, so today's menue was more refined and tasty that what it usually was. There had been a moment, a little before my miscarriage (even today it feels strange to say that), I had less appetite and I had trouble eating four meal a day. But after I discovered I also had anemia from chlorosis and a lack of vitamin C, I started to eat properly again and now my appetite was back like in the good old days. Except on the precise day. This whole story had me so stressed I could barely have a bite of my carrots and zucchini pie. "Maybe I have an idea," Pinkie Pie suddenly declared, getting out of an usual silence. So if Pinkie had been silent for minutes, it was because she was thinking hard, not sulking. I was afraid something was wrong and I hadn't noticed it because I was too caught up in my own problems. "I hope your idea's not that a grand piano would fall on his head. I already thought about that." "No, that wasn't my idea. It could have been though, I like it," she said, pausing. "But no!" We burst out laughing. We were the only ones of the table laughing, the others looking at us with a collective shrug. Sometimes, they tended to forget that Pinkie and I were very likely to laugh about very silly things. Probably because we are both rather silly. Lydia and Kitty, remember? "Haven't you met another guy who signed a contract with Mr. Filthy Rich?" "Why, Cheese Sandwich? What's the connection?" "Oh, it's very easy. Surely he knows what someone would risk by dilvuging such a secret, wouldn't he?" "Yeah but he's not very famous," Fluttershy said. "Maybe he doesn't know." "Maybe... But though, I can try. Who knows? It could work. Pinkie Pie, you're a genius!" I grabbed my phone inside my bag and did Cheese Sandwich's number. After I had met him in a club, we met again. I wanted to thank him for at least trying to help me and I invited him to join me with Coloratura at a concert. It was cello so they both found it very boring but ever since, we were friends. Or at least, good acquaintances. He was very nice and much fun, and I sensed that if Pinkie and him could meet, they would make an explosive pair. After a few seconds, he finally picked up the phone. "Hello. Who is it?" "Hello, Cheese. Doing fine? I hope I'm not bothering..." "Oh, Rainbow Dash! I'm feeling great! Thanks. And you're not bothering me. What are you calling me for?" "In fact... I'm sorry if that sounds a bit sudden or rude but I really need a favor." "I haven't seen Soarin at all if that's about him. Mr. Filthy Rich is always behind his back!" I swallowed a lump in my throat, but tried my best to push that information in the back of my mind. This was not the topic. Not really. "Well, it's Soarin-related but it's not about, em, seeing him. Actually, I was wondering... When Filthy Rich became your agent, you've signed a contract, right?" "Of course. Everyone signs this, it's the law." "Is there a particular clause about those selling secrets to a magazine or anything like that?" "There's one. I don't like complicated sentences like this but my parents have hired a lawyer who read it entirely and told me the person and the magazine could be arraign and it can be asked a lot of money of them." "It's perfect! Could you send me this part by email? I really need it urgently." "Yes, I can do that... Is there anything wrong?" I couldn't embarrass him with the details. And it was my mistake, I had to fix it myself, though with a bit of help. "Nothing's wrong. It's just for me. Maybe I'll sign such contract one day, but in the music world, see..." "Alrighty. I send this to you as soon as I've lunched." "Thanks. You're the best." "You're very welcome. I'm always happy to help." If I could, I would have screamed of joy and danced all around the cafeteria. I had it. The key to escape the trap I had got into. Everything was not won yet but I was close.