Chapter 15- Evil Schemes
My bed is soft and fluffy, almost as if it’s a cloud, and my room has a scent that is familiar but it is not the regular scent I receive every morning. My eyes shoot open and I glance around to find that I am in a room with Wonderbolts posters stuck proudly around it. A feeling of déjà vu hits me, and I realise that I’ve been here before. I’m in Rainbow Dash’s house.
The events of the night before rush back into my mind. Rainbow promised to take care of me until my parents return, she promised to protect me from social services, which may try and take me away. Beside me, on the bedside table, the alarm clock reads half past ten in the morning. Slowly, I slide out of bed and trot out into the hallway to find Rainbow Dash walking downstairs herself.
“Good morning, squirt. Did you have a good sleep?” Rainbow smiles brightly at me.
Nodding enthusiastically, I jump into my idols arms. “Yes, Dash, I did! What are we doing today?”
Rainbow catches me and places me on her back. “Well, I thought we could go and get your school supplies ready so we don’t have to worry about that, and then we can go for a flight if you want?”
“Okay, let’s go then,” I grin as I grip onto her rainbow mane, making sure I don’t interfere with her wings.
We soar out of the secluded cloud home, out into the warm skies of Ponyville. Rainbow Dash performs some of her safer tricks whilst I hold on tightly to her mane. My wings stretch out unconsciously as the cool wind breezes through them. A bubble of giggles escapes my lips as I cling onto my idol.
Rainbow Dash slowly begins to descend towards Ponyville’s town square and she glances back at me with a warm smile on her face.
“Did you enjoy that, kid?” She asks as she lands gently on the cobblestone path.
I hop off of Rainbow’s back and land beside her, buzzing my wings excitedly. “Yes I did, it was so fun!”
The older Pegasus chuckles as she begins to trot towards the Quills and Sofas shop. I follow behind happily as I look around the town. The sun is shining more than usual today, and the air is warm around us. I arrive in the shop a good few minutes after Rainbow Dash, and find that she is already at the till with a pile of about 6 quills sitting in front of her.
Rainbow turns to me once I stop beside her. “Are six quills enough to get you started for the year?”
I nod. “Yep, but I’ll need some parchment and a folder to store them in too.”
She rolls her rose eyes before scooping me up on her back. “I know that, we’re going to the market to get them now...” She pauses to find that my stomach has involuntarily grumbled. “It looks like we also need to get some pony some breakfast.”
I cringe slightly but try and hide the fact that I’m embarrassed because well, I can’t let Rainbow know that. What would she think of me if she knew I got embarrassed that easily?
Just as we’re walking out of the Quills and Sofas shop, we bump into the one and only Cloud Chaser. Rainbow Dash glances back at me in worry before allowing me to slide down off her back, leaving us to talk alone. But I can feel her worried gaze on the back of my head constantly.
“Hey Cloud Chaser, what’s brought you up around here?” I ask nonchalantly.
A smirk crosses the dark blue Pegasi’s face. “I was looking for you, silly.”
“Why were you looking for me, we arranged to meet up later on in the week I thought?” I frown and take a step away from the colt.
Cloud Chaser laughs a cruel laugh, a laugh that sends chills to my bones. “No, I’m here to show you something.”
I glance over at Rainbow Dash, who is at the Apple family stall talking to Applejack. “Okay, well what do you want to show me?”
He walks us away from the public eye, and brings me down an empty alleyway. Not trusting him at all, I stand as far away from him as I possibly can, my flank ends up being pressed up against a wall.
“What do you want?” I ask, my voice shaking slightly.
Keeping my body tall and my head high, I try and look as if I don’t fear him whatsoever, but in reality I am shaking in my horseshoes.
He walks towards me with a smile which I cannot unpick the meaning of is spread across his face. He puts a hoof on my shoulder and pushes me up against a wall, giving me no way of escape. Suddenly, his lips are against mine and his grip loosens around my shoulders, giving me the option to escape if I want to. A million thoughts fly through my mind in the space of one nanosecond. What is he planning? I thought he hated me. I thought he was with Apple Bloom.
A loud bang echoes through the alleyway as my hoof connects with his cheek, I didn’t even have to think about what I was
doing, I don’t even remember doing it. He stumbles backwards and looks at me, his eyes as wide as saucers.
“What the hay was that for?” He demands as he gently touches his face with his hoof.
“You’re with Apple Bloom, what are you doing?” I yell, stepping away from him.
Cloud Chaser laughs awkwardly. “Horseapples, you knew about that did you?”
Frowning, I take a step away from him, towards the exit of the alleyway. “Of course I did, she’s my best friend.”
“I’ve warned you before; they aren’t your best friends.” He sneers at me, “You better stay away from them or else.”
“I can tell Apple Bloom what you did, she’d believe me! Then they won’t want you near them.” I hiss, taking another step back as he steps towards me.
Cloud Chaser laughs, “As if, they know how much you hate me, they’d just think it’s a plan to get rid of me. Anyway, I’ll tell Apple Bloom that you came onto me first. If you utter a word to any pony about what happened, you’ll have me to answer to, got it?”
My heart is pounding in my chest and my brain is yelling at me to walk away. For once, I actually decide to follow my instincts.
“Okay, got it.” I mutter as I walk away from him.
Rainbow Dash is waiting for me by the Apple family stall, with a worried look on her face. The moment she sees me appear she gallops towards me, throwing a load of questions at me.
“Are you okay? What did he say? Are you hurt? Do you want me to beat him up?” She crouches in front of me, examining me to find that I look okay.
I laugh at her fretting. “I’m fine, he didn’t say much really, just wanted to arrange our next crusading session you know. You don’t have to beat him up Dash, it’s fine.”
Rainbow Dash frowns slightly, it’s obvious that she can see right through my lies, nonetheless, she decides not to push and begins to walk us towards the parchment stand.
All the while, I wonder what Cloud Chaser is planning and what mess I’ve gotten myself into.