//------------------------------// // Chasing Clouds // Story: Canterlot High Magic Club // by Luminous Comet //------------------------------// "You know, sunglasses only make you look suspicious." "Sunset, darling, this isn't my first time shadowing a date. I know what I'm doing." "Wow, should you really sound that proud?" Rarity scoffed and took off her sunglasses. Begrudgingly, she had to admit that she saw a lot more of the lamp-lit streets this way. "I have a younger sister. I am only making sure no boy tries anything funny." She adjusted her headscarf and crossed her legs. She could see Fluttershy clearly, standing in front of the mall entrance in the light dress and cropped jacket that she had picked out for her. Sunset hadn't dressed up, but at least she had changed her style up a bit, wearing a short blue dress and jeans under a lighter jacket. A more casual style she pulled off rather well and that wouldn't stand out too much. Though her hair would stand out as it always did, not much to do about that on short notice. "If she gets wise, pretend we are also on a date," Rarity instructed her while still keeping an eye on Fluttershy from afar. "You're assuming they are. Fluttershy didn't seem sure and maybe Cloudchaser really just wanted to meet with a friend." "And look like that?" She gestured across the street. Cloudchaser came jogging up to Fluttershy in a frilly top and a short skirt over cloud-patterned leggings. "She dressed up for tonight. It's a date." "She dresses up for school. I'm not convinced." Sunset quickly got up when the two of them headed into the mall. They crossed the street and managed to get to the doors just in time for Fluttershy's nervous glance over the shoulder. "The way she's holding her arm? She is trying to make a move tonight." "You sure sound like you're having fun." It was true, the thought of sweet Fluttershy finally getting some romantic attention did excite Rarity. She deserved it, in fact it was long overdue. Of course, the excitement was slightly dulled by the possibility that Cloudchaser and her sister were enchanting random things around school that went on to hurt students, but no one truly came without baggage. Rarity took a seat in the open-door café across from the vegetarian snack bar and Sunset followed her lead, sitting with her. The date - which was absolutely what was happening - was still in direct view of them, but at enough of a distance for their presence to not be suspicious. Fluttershy was talking, even smiling at Cloudchaser's answer. Rarity's chest fluttered a little. "I do hope things turn out alright. Wouldn't this be so sweet?" "Maybe. Depends on what she knows." "Darling, where is your sense for romance?" "I dunno. Back in last year with my ex-boyfriend?" Rarity put a hand on Sunset's and gave her a smile that she was confident was just the right mix of pitying and reassuring. "There is always someone out there for you." "Thanks, but I don't think I'm looking for anything while I'm... in the middle of changing a lot of things about myself." Rarity glanced to her charges across the way, then back at her new friend. "I understand. How is that going, by the way?" Sunset sighed, resting her chin on her palm. "I'm not sure. I'm reevaluating a lot of things. Considering if I should try and fix things up. Not just with Flash, but some other people too. But so much crazy stuff is happening. I thought I could just decide to be better and then go it step by step, but turns out I hurt myself too, more than I realised. And it took Pinkie of all people to make me notice." Rarity settled back, her eyes quickly darting over to Fluttershy every couple seconds again, but staying quiet to give Sunset space to vent, now that she had gotten her started. =====***===== "I should be there, you know," Rainbow said for the fourth time this evening, looking at her phone for any messages for the seventh. Last time there had actually been one, though the report that the date had started only made her more antsy. "Calm down, RD, it's probably nothin' anyway. She'll just ask her and then they'll enjoy the rest of their time." "But what if they don't!? What if she's some evil witch who is just trying to enchant her?" Applejack shot her a firm glare. "You sound ridiculous." Rainbow stopped pacing and sank into the blue beanbag on the floor of Pinkie's room. "Ugh, I know. But why can't I be there spying with them?" "Because, Sugar, you're the least stealthy person I could imagine." She groaned loudly and stretched herself out. "Waiting is killing me. And Sunset's magic lesson totally did nothing!" "Oh, I dunno about nothing!" Pinkie leaned out of her bed, looking straight down at Dash. "I got this all tingly feeling, but different from the tingles that I already had! Like a heart-shaped tingle, but all over!" "Yeah, the tingles, we got it. But I totally didn't get any magic! I did the whole routine, I felt the tingles, and... nothing!" She threw her hands up, her fingertips brushing past Pinkie's curls. "Oh, don't be so upset, RD. I didn't get anythin' neither. Maybe it just takes us longer." "But waiting is killing me!" Rainbow shouted. =====***===== "I mean, I don't think I cried like that since I was a little girl. How is she that sweet? Does she know what she's doing to me?" Rarity hesitated, unsure whether Sunset wanted a real answer. Even if she did, how would she begin to explain the way Pinkie did things? She just hit the nail on the head sometimes, whether by chance or because she just had a knack for it and it was impossible to tell which it was at any given time. While she still wondered what to say, a loud clattering ripped her eyes back across the way to the snack bar. Cloudchaser quickly put her cup back onto its saucer, but she had already spilt tea over the table. Fluttershy had flinched back and sunken into her seat. Cloudchaser was speaking, but she was glancing about now. Rarity quickly pushed a menu in Sunset's face and pretended to be absorbed in her own. Fluttershy relaxed a little again at whatever Cloudchaser was saying and within the next minute, they had gotten up from their table and she was being led away at a quick walking pace. Rarity pulled out the bill she had prepared - enough to pay for their coffee plus a good tip - and left it on their own table as she got up with Sunset, but the moment they stepped out of the café, she had suddenly lost sight of Fluttershy. "They went this way," Sunset said firmly, heading down one direction, "Around this time, there's not a lot of open stores. There's only so many places they could have gone." They briskly walked to the two open stores in this part of the mall, but didn't find their friend in either of them. Sunset quickly went ahead to the exit and Rarity hurried to follow her. The doors opened onto a small plaza, trees planted all around. Rarity glanced around in a near-panic. Every second she didn't see Fluttershy made her more nervous about where she had been taken. She spotted Sunset at a corner and quickly caught up with her again, looking into the small dead-end spot between the mall and an assortment of tall bushes, giving the two girls they were following just enough privacy. Rarity's heart skipped a beat at the sight, before it suddenly sunk. Fluttershy had sunk back, lying in Clouchaser's arms, one wrapped closely around her waist, the other hand resting on her back. Cloudchaser was leaning over her, her lips against Fluttershy's neck. It looked like one of the illustrated covers of one of Rarity's romantic period novels. Except for the blood. Sunset seemed to notice at the same time and they both stepped out of hiding. Cloudchaser flinched, suddenly noticing them, and looked up. Her lips were coated in blood and so was Fluttershy's neck, staining the collar of her dress. "You... what..." Rarity stammered, trying to formulate an accusation. Sunset seemed to struggle in a similar way, but finally composed herself enough to stay firm. "Let her go, Chaser!" "No! Not her too!" Cloudchaser quickly moved one arm under Fluttershy's legs to pick her up. The tall girl just slumped in her arms, passed out. Rarity stood apart from Sunset to cover the exit of the small space better between the two of them. Chaser's light scarf unfurled, spreading into two wide ends behind her back. "Just let me have this!" The ends of the scarf beat like wings and pushed her off the ground and up towards the roof of the mall. Instead of landing there, her wings beat again and she darted across the sky above them. Rarity's mouth was left agape, trying to parse what was happening, until Sunset grabbed her shoulder, shaking her lightly. "Rarity! Where does Cloudchaser live!?" She tried to compose herself, remembering what was at stake. "On the North side of town. So if she's headed that way..." "She's heading back to school," Sunset concluded quickly and fell into a sprint. "Get everyone to meet us there!" =====***===== On her way down the stairs, Rainbow almost slammed right into Marble and didn't even find the time to apologise. She pushed out the door and turned at the gate. AJ and Pinkie were right behind her, but she couldn't wait for them. She was panicking, scared for Fluttershy, angry at the others for not letting her watch her, and blindingly enraged at Cloudchaser. She ran as fast as she could, panic pushing her ahead. Every couple steps, she leapt, getting quite a bit of distance, like she was hovering over the ground, before her feet touched down again. She didn't have time to think about it. She pushed off the ground harder and reached the roof of a car, kicking off that as well and managing to sail up to the roof of a small house. She could cut across streets this way. She'd make it to school in no time. =***= Applejack and Pinkie stood with their mouths wide open as they watched Rainbow leap away, two spectral blue trails behind her back. AJ quickly shook herself out of it. Today of all days she didn't come into town with her truck. She pulled at Pinkie's arm to get her moving and started rushing down the street as well. =====***===== Sunset sprinted almost all the way. It wasn't too far from the mall to the school building, only a few blocks, but she was already winded regardless. But there wasn't much time to catch her breath. Cloudchaser must have made it here much faster and it was a big building to search. She pushed through the front doors and quickly made to head towards the nearest stairs. The hallways were dark, just like the previous week when she had come here this late. And if Flitter had been here then, maybe she was here now. And Chaser took Fluttershy right back to her sister. She found the stairs, but stopped, despite every impulse yelling at her to run up and find her friend. But she stopped and listened, for the steps coming down. She snapped her fingers and held up a small flame in her palm to see the two people coming towards her. "Sunset, you can't be here," the boy said firmly, not stopping as he approached her. "Flash?" She went to snuff out the flame but something stopped her, just holding it aside instead of between them. The warm light danced over his features, bringing back a slew of memories, one more painful than the next. "What are you doing here?" "We're here to keep you out," the girl answered for him, stepping into the light of the flame. "Lyra?" The knot in Sunset's stomach tightened even more. A former boyfriend was bad enough, but a friend she'd lost too? "You're not supposed to be here," Flash said again, raising his hands like he was trying to talk her down, "Just go home." "I can't. Fluttershy is here and she's in danger. I have to--" "She's fine," Lyra interrupted sharply, "She's with Flitter. You're the one I wouldn't trust around her." Staying still was almost painful. She wanted to just push them aside and run up past them, but faced with the two of them, she found herself incline dto argue instead. "She's not fine! Cloudchaser did something to her!" "Like what you did to her?" Lyra stepped closer and pushed Sunset back by her shoulder. "Like what you did to me and Bonny?" Sunset stumbled back, closer to the wall. "That's not... no, not like that! This is so much worse!" "That's funny, I didn't think you could get any worse, Sunny. I can't believe we used to be friends." "Just go home," Flash repeated, but his tone was more stern now and he was closing in on her again. Sunset grit her teeth and went to push past them, but Flash grabbed her jacket by the shoulder and pushed her against the wall, while Lyra grabbed her wrist and held her arm against the wall at the same time. The flame fizzled out. Two pairs of eyes stared down at her, their irises shining in the darkness. =====***===== The door to the roof was open, leading down through the glass dome into the library. Rainbow could see it as she was leaping up, stumbling as she came to a halt. But before she could make a break for it, a figure already appeared in the door, coming out towards her. "Flitter, where is Fluttershy!?" Rainbow demanded right away, tightening her hands into fists. "You can't see her right now. I'm sorry, Dash, I promise she's okay." "Bullshit!" She glanced past Flitter, towards the door. Lights were on in the library. She was so close. Without wasting another thought, she went to run past her, but Flitter's hand reached out and caught her arm, shoving her back with surprising strength. "I'm sorry about my sister, but you don't know what you're doing! I can't let you in there!" Flitter looked at her with a pained expression, but Rainbow had no time to parse that. "I know I'm gonna kick her ass! And yours if you don't move!" Instead of running, she leapt at her, the same sudden burst of speed carrying her against the frail girl. She wrapped her arms around her waist and threw her to the ground with her body weight, then scrambled to get to the door. Flitter reached up and grabbed both of her shoulders, dragging her to the floor and rolling on top of her. In the sparse light from the dome, a pair of fangs glinted in her open mouth before she dove down to bite her neck. Dash quickly grabbed her jaw and held her away, her arm trembling with the effort. "I'm sorry," Flitter repeated, straining against Dash's grip to speak, "But I have to protect my sister right now!"