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// A Party 
// Story: OC is Magic! Rewrite 
// by Cloud Shimmers 
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Cloud awoke to what sounded like a heartbeat. He was a little groggy from his nap and wanted to go back to sleep. He slowly got up anyway, wondering what the strange sound could be. He looked around his room, nice and clean, spotless even. He reached over to nightstand and saw that his glass of water was gone. 'That's weird, I always have one.... wait a second, I didn't clean today!' He got up and surveyed the room, a case that he had spread out on his desk was neatly tucked away into its designated folder. That's when he heard it; the humming coming from the kitchen, a soft and sweet melody. He slowly peered into the direction of the noise and saw her. "Uh, Rarity, Why are you in my house?!" He asked nervously.
"Oh darling," She walked over next to him, "You forgot something, something important." She lifted his badge with magic and levitated it over to him. "I came to your house after my sister found it," She leaned a little closer to him, "and you're delightful sister invited me in, she told me I was the first to arrive." She smiled at him and lowered her eyelashes. "We talked for a good while about you, you're so sweet to her, we both figured you needed somepony special in your life."
Cloud turned a bright red color, to nervous to speak.
"And when I remembered that I had this, she told me to go right in." She looked around the room, "I walked in and saw the cutest thing in the world, and I knew you just had to be mi-"
"Cloud, Rarity!" Rhapsody called from the door, "the rest of the part goers are here, hurry your flank down here!"
Cloud snuck around Rarity, "Well, you may have to hold that thought, I didn't even know a party was starting!" He hurried to the door, the hardwood floor making noise with each step.
Rarity pouted as Cloud left, 'fate is so cruel sometimes. I just want my strong, brave stallion!'
As Cloud walked downstairs, he realized that the heartbeat noise that he heard before were the beats of music. He slowly walked down them, trying to avoid much attention. He wasn't much of a party goer, he never had a big birthday party or anything. 
When he went over to get a bite to eat from the snack table, Cloud remembered the one time that Rhapsody had dragged him to a party in order to make more friends. The whole experience was a waste of time.

"Rhapsody, I don't want to be here!" He had said to her, "These are all your friends, what would we have in common?"
Rhapsody smirked, "You both know me, big brother." She walked into the room and instantly became the life of the party. 
Cloud was never the life of anyone's party. He was so enthralled with work that all of his friends were co-workers, and that's how he usually went on. Cloud had seen things, bad things, in his line of work. The only people who would ever understand were the ones who also saw it. t 

Cloud saw Rarity looking for him, he also saw several stallions drooling over her. Cloud didn't want a marefriend, at least not right now. The reason was simply complicated, nightmares; every night, Cloud awoke with horrid visions. He dared not tell Rhapsody the real reason he was off of work, he had been sent to investigate a serial killer. Cloud was familiar with this process, confirm an MO, triangulate the next victim, and finally bag the perp.
What Cloud hadn't been expecting, was that this horrible person had been attacking local law enforcers, and was bored with their 'lack of training'.
Cloud was an Equestrian Agent; receiving training very similar to that of royal guards. But nothing could prepare someone for the spot Cloud was put in. Tied up in a dark place, waiting to die. Cloud woke up screaming every night.
"Is there a reason you don't like me?" Rarity approached Cloud as he was spacing out.
"N-no, Rarity. I just, can't be with someone right now." Cloud sighed, "Its hard to explain, but I'm not brave, I'm not royalty of any form, I'm just a stallion trying to push through every day, okay?"
Rarity nodded, "You are a little young for me, by about a year. I suppose it wouldn't be proper for you to be seeing an older woman." She smiled at him, "Thank you for being honest." She pecked him on the cheek.
"Your welcome." Cloud said, blushing at the gesture.

Cloud tried to shake his thoughts, he knew what had happened; SWAT had busted in and saved him before anything had happened. He had gone to the borough's psychiatrist, who determined that he was suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. He was given two weeks of vacation, which started two days prior to the party. Cloud felt like it was helping, the nightmares were starting to subside, ending before he met the stallion who had kidnapped him. He was sure that by next week he would be fine, and ready to return to work. 
He looked around at all of the ponies having fun, more than a few of them had come and introduced themselves. Along with the introductions, a few mares would give him cute gestures. 'Geez, maybe Rarity was right...' He thought. As the party began to die down Cloud found his sister, "Rhapsody, I'm going back to sleep. Have a good night with your new friends!" He proceeded up the stairs.

The party was now over, and the only ones who remained were a few mares, who Rhapsody was happily talking too.
"So Rainbow Dash, you're training to be a Wonderbolt?"
"Well, I'm surprised they haven't accepted me, I mean; I've only saved Equestria three times." The speedster boasted. 
"W-what about you Rhapsody, what do you do?" Fluttershy asked, she was trying to put herself into more conversations. Her strategy had failed until now.
"Me, oh I'm a baker." She smiled, "I designed the cake for your brother's wedding, Twilight." She smiled.
The bookworm smiled, "I think I saw you around once or twice." She looked at the stairs, "So, your brother is kind of anti social, huh?"
Rhapsody nodded, "He doesn't want anyone to have to worry about him." She sighed, "But I do, every day."
Pinkie patted Rhapsody on the back, "Well, I think he's nice, he rejected Rarity in the most polite way possible!" She smiled brightly.
AppleJack rolled her eyes, obviously annoyed. "Why didn't he just say yes, every other stallion in Ponyville woulda-" They heard a horrible scream coming from upstairs.
Rhapsody looked sadly at her new farmer friend, "That's why." She said quietly.