//------------------------------// // Chapter Seven: Lips and Words // Story: City of Shadows // by GuyGalProductions //------------------------------// Chapter 7: Lips and Words “Okay… It’s almost seven, Rainbow! If we leave now, we can make it time,” Fluttershy called to the bathroom. She adjusted her earrings in the mirror once more, then smoothed her hair a bit. “Are you ready yet?” While she knew that Rainbow was going to be wearing a dress (a designer sample), a wig, and some makeup, she kept how her appearance would look a complete surprise. Fluttershy herself dolled a forest green, knee-length formal dress made of silky satin, along with matching ballet flats. Her hair was tied up into an intricate bun, woven with some flower and butterfly clips, while some strands of her bangs framed her face. Light but enhancing makeup donned her facial features, including some very pink lipstick that matched her hair. It had been a pretty long time since Fluttershy was dressed up like this, for a high society party or a modeling party. So while it felt weird, she couldn’t help but feel excited. It wasn’t for keeping up appearances and promoting designers, it was going undercover. Having never done such a thing, especially now that she was going to truly become a detective’s partner; Fluttershy was ready for it. “Ready!” Rainbow called back emerging from the small bathroom. It was hard to believe that this could be the same rough and tumble detective who didn’t step out her door without a concealed weapon. Her short and distinctive hair was seamlessly covered by a pitch black shoulder length wig with dramatic bangs. She had applied dramatic dark silver smokey eyeshadow that highlighted her cerise eyes, and on her lips was a dark cherry lip stain. Her dress was a short off-the-shoulder affair done in black but trimmed in a color reminiscent of her eyes but several shaded darker. The dress simultaneously showed off her legs and managed to expertly showcase her modest bust. “What do you think?” Rainbow said, doing a little twirl, “Figured I’d go dark and dramatic, really sells the whole the whole foreign artsy type thing.” Fluttershy was stunned. She’d always thought of Rainbow as a very attractive woman in a unique and still appealing kind of way. Maybe not what the modeling world would consider beautiful, but she didn’t care what they’d think. Right now, having cleaned herself up and put on a nice dress, she looked so classy and beautiful. Even with her rainbow hair, she would still have looked lovely. At the same time, the wig managed to blend in with her matching dress and tan olive skin. She trembled, all the more tempted to romance her partner, her mind running wild with fantasies galore. “You look… gorgeous,” Fluttershy said softly, finding her voice. “I almost don’t recognize you…” “Well, that would be the idea,” Rainbow said giving her rookie partner a little wink. Blushing quite a bit, Fluttershy approached Rainbow, bringing her arms around her, “I won’t be able to keep my eyes off you tonight~” “That’s what we in the biz like to call a fringe benefit,” Rainbow replied in a flirty tone. “And all the better to sell our story, hmm?” “You’ll be my plus one… we’ll be close together… I think you’re right…” Fluttershy cooed, her eyelids half-amast. “It’ll sell our story…” “Careful tiger, we won’t make it out the door if you keep giving me looks like that,” Rainbow said with her trademark smirk. Since Fluttershy had come to live with her she had been feeling better than ever before, even her swagger was returning. No longer hollow armor used to compensate for her loneliness, this new attitude was build on the firm foundation of a new and fulfilling relationship with her former client. “Hello Pot, this is Kettle. Kettle, Pot,” Fluttershy smiled. “You’re not exactly helping matters, Dashie. Or should I say… Miss Prism~” “Yes you should,” Rainbow replied, “Though I catch your meaning, I’ll try and reel it in for now too.” Fluttershy kissed her forehead upon brushing her wig bangs back, then went to retrieve their purses. While they seemed like normal purses that matched their dress colours, they were far from it. Rainbow’s purse not only held her wallet, but concealed a camera for capturing the evidence, a gun, and a knife. All cleverly concealed for easy reach and disguising. Fluttershy meanwhile had a retractable knife for self defense, a camera of her own and a tape recorder. “Okay, so that’s everything,” Fluttershy said, slinging her purse onto her shoulder, “Let’s get going.” For a little extra teasing, the pinkette purposely swayed her hips as she went toward the door, putting her days as a runway model back into action. “Oh… you little minx, you,” Rainbow said, affecting her false accent and giving a short little burst of laughter before following after her out the door. The Riverside Country Club was located close to the outskirts of Manehattan’s prestigious suburban neighbourhood just south of the heart. It had a view of the river as it ran along toward the main city areas, a lot of lush grass and shrubs, a beautiful garden, and was just off a golf course. Upon arrival, the soiree was in full swing, with many guests still arriving or simply lounging in the cool outdoors. Entering the building, the two women approached a man standing at a desk, who looked up to see them. “Ah, Miss Fluttershy. How lovely to see you again,” the man said, giving a light smile. “Hello, sir,” Fluttershy slid over her membership card to be scanned, along with the invitation, “Tonight, I’ve brought a guest. This is my plus one.” The man looked to the ravenette standing next to her, and rose an eyebrow. Clearly, it was likely that he assumed she was either nouveau-riche or someone’s daughter. “I see. What might your name be, Miss?” “Prism,” Rainbow replied, sounding almost bored and focusing much more attention on Fluttershy, “So this is the Riverside Club, hmm? I can see why you like it darling, the grounds seem quite to your liking.” “Yes, I do,” Fluttershy smiled toward her. “All right, Miss Prism, may I see your identification?” The man behind the desk asked. Rainbow made a show of rolling her eyes to Fluttershy and retrieved false passport from her bag. It perhaps wouldn’t stand up to the scrutiny of a customs official, but it was more than enough to fool a desk clerk. “Here you are.” The man looked it over for a moment, then slid it back to her, “Enjoy your evening, ladies.” “Thank you,” Fluttershy said, taking Rainbow’s hand and guiding her down the corridor. “So far so good~” Rainbow whispered to Fluttershy, her excitement showing plain on her face. This was shaking up to be by far the most fun case she had taken in quite a while. Fluttershy smiled, whispering back, “You’re a natural, Rainbow. You really do come off like a woman who’s an entrepreneur or a nouveau-riche. Okay… so you remember our plan? We don’t approach Fleur, unless she approaches us herself.” “Honey-bunch, I wrote the plan,” Rainbow said with a chuckle. “No worries, this’ll be a piece of cake, we just make sure one of us has an eye on her at all times, then if she sneaks off, we follow.” “Right,” Fluttershy nodded, pointing forward toward an open door, “Okay, there’s the main hall.” “And away we go,” Rainbow said, leading the way into the main reception hall. They entered the main reception hall, where a crowd of socialites all mingled. Waiters were walking around passing some trays of champagne and various kinds of wine. A long buffet table consisting of finger foods and hoer d'oeuvres sat at one end of the room. On a platform beneath some spotlights was a live band playing some classical music. A grand chandelier hung from the ceiling above. Floor-to-ceiling windows graced two of the walls, draped with red velvet curtains with a gold trim. Fluttershy felt a mixture of familiarity and yet out of place. She hadn’t been here in months, as well as the fact that she didn’t come here to party. It was an undercover task, which still made it exciting. She felt giddy, especially since she was now scanning the ground to spot Fleur de Lys. “Okay… so we’re in, she should already be here. She likes to be early for these kinds of things,” Fluttershy whispered, keeping as casual as possible. “Wonderful,” Rainbow said giving Fluttershy a kind smile, “Now let’s mingle, shall we, love?” The term made Fluttershy blush, but she nodded. Squeezing her hand, more for comfort than anything, they walked through the crowd. Unfortunately, Fluttershy saw a sight that made her blood run cold. Some ways off, in a golden gown, with her long fiery red hair tousled into something like a beehive, was Beauty Mark. Her ex-girlfriend. Not only that, but with a gorgeous woman on her arm. Fluttershy recognized her as the new, up and coming fashion model for Photo Finish; Lightning Dust. She was actually a former Equestrian Women Basketball player. Considering that a good portion of the fashion industry was getting into creating stylish clothing that took after athletic uniforms, it was no wonder that more athletically toned women were brought on board to model them. Fluttershy gulped, knowing that this was going to be annoying and awkward. “Um, Rainbow? Can we-can we go over there?” Fluttershy pointed toward a random direction, “I think I saw her over there,” she said hastily. Rainbow leveled her gaze at Fluttershy, speaking very deliberately, “It’s Prism, remember? Head in the game, dear.” A small look of concern crossed her face, “What’s got you so upset?” “Prism, sorry… Nothing! I just think we should go over there… you know, over there?” Fluttershy began to gently pull her away toward that direction. Rainbow pouted, whispering in her usual accent, “Fluttershy, that’s BS, if there’s something bothering you, I need to know. What’s going on here?” Looking away, Fluttershy was uncertain how to tell her that she just didn't want her ex to see them. She opened her mouth to respond, but was cut off. “Fluttershy?!” Came a high voice. ‘Oh no… She saw me!’ Sure enough, Beauty Mark came over to them, alongside her new girlfriend. She smiled, though it was sickly sweet to the point of wanting to puke. “Hiiiii, Fluttershy! Soooo good to see you!” Beauty said, bringing an arm around her in a hug, “I haven’t seen you in ages!” “Oh, hi…” Fluttershy said awkwardly, not returning the gesture. She averted her gaze, unsure of what to do or say. As much as she didn’t want to be rude and run off, she still wasn’t crazy about having a very awkward-and likely one-sided-conversation with her ex. The fact that they hadn’t seen one another in several months didn’t exactly make it any easier. Beauty Mark was a social butterfly, especially when she hadn’t seen someone in a while. Fluttershy felt tense, as if her legs had turned to jelly, and for all the wrong reasons. Seeing someone she didn’t even want to see and meeting someone new was already high on her list of societal anxieties that she wanted to avoid. For the icing on the cake, she was a rookie detective sidekick and didn’t have time for these kinds of things. Already her eyes were darting about, trying to find both a segway out of this conversation and if Fleur de Lys was around. “Well?” Beauty said, giving Fluttershy an expectant look, “Aren’t you going to introduce us?” Pursing her lips, Fluttershy gave a resigned sigh, “Right, sorry about that. Prism, this is my ex-girlfriend, Beauty Mark. Beauty Mark, this is my plus one for the evening, Miss Prism.” “Totally charmed!” Beauty winked toward Rainbow Dash. “And this lovely lady here is Lightning Dust! I’m sure you’ve heard of her, yes?” Rainbow already felt nauseous from the woman’s unctuous tone, but felt her muscles tighten at the mention that this former acquaintance was the completely awful ex that had already heaped plenty of crap onto the plate of Fluttershy’s former life. This same woman who was pleased as punch to flaunt her latest relationship with the famous athlete-come-model. The sheer vanity of it made Rainbow want to vomit. Though perhaps she could get a couple shots in, payback on Fluttershy’s behalf. “Ah, yes, a pleasure,” Rainbow said, putting an aire of high society, “I think I may have heard of you...Miss Dust was it? An athlete… I think…” ‘Starting center of the Manehatten Wonderbolts, known almost as well for her poor sportsmanship as she was for her athletic ability…. less well known for hiring a certain private eye to help blackmail a blackmailing talent agent.’ “...was it tennis you played? What are you doing now a days Miss Dust? Keeping busy, I hope.” Lightning Dust’s eyes went wide, before she smirked, “Well, Prism, I happened to play basketball. And now I’m a model, started off for some sports companies, then moved up the ranks.” “She’s amazing, just beyond anything anyone has seen,” Beauty gushed, waving her arm along for emphasis, “She’s already fully booked with so many shoots this week! And she’s even going to appear on the cover of Equestrian Sports Weekly, as well as next week’s issue of Bikini Wonders. I think Photo Finish is overwhelmed at how much she’s brought in! You won’t be able to check a newspaper or a magazine without her endorsement!” Fluttershy fidgeted uncomfortably, nodding, “That’s… That’s nice. Good for you.” “Hmmmph,” Rainbow huffed, “Sounds a tiresome, I really hope I can find at least on periodical without your face slapped on it, darling.” Rainbow waved her hand a bit dismissively. “But you Miss Mark, I must say it seems as though you must be hard up for work with your girlfriend gobbling up all these gigs. I hope the public doesn’t forget your name… that would be tragic.” “Forget me? Oh contraire,” Beauty laughed, as if she’d heard the silliest thing, “Lightning Dust is exceedingly talented and rightfully deserves to be right there in the spotlight! As she desires to be! What more can even I ask for? We work as a team, a team that stands the test of time, if you will. Besides, she’s amazing in so many ways, like you wouldn’t believe. Cooking, cleaning, engineering… and perhaps other things.” At this, she looked over at Fluttershy, standing closer to the athlete-turned-model. Once more, Fluttershy felt uncomfortable, and could see her ex’s game. Doing everything she could to make every woman she was with look so much better in comparison to her. Despite everything considered, of course. She tensed yet again, wishing she could just walk away and never see her again. Ever. “But aside from that…” Beauty went on, giving Fluttershy a smirk, “You finally have a new woman, huh? Not a bad pick. She’s a looker. Never thought I’d see the day, but I guess life is full of surprises, isn’t it?” Rainbow clenched her teeth, already regretting trying to engage the manipulative cow. Possessively, she wrapped her arm around around Fluttershy’s waist. She debated cutting her losses and turning their back to the women, but Rainbow couldn’t quite quench her competitive streak. “Oh it’s no surprise. I sought Fluttershy out, her modeling career may not have been long but she left such an impression, I don’t think anyone has quite measured up,” Rainbow said off handedly, “Or at least that’s been the buzz around Trottingham society.” Fluttershy blushed, while Lightning Dust shot Rainbow a smirk, but in a knowing way. Beauty Mark, however, was appalled. “Well, yes… But she did make that choice,” Beauty said haughtily, “She could have been more. But she backed herself out and rightfully became forgotten. It could have gone on if she gave it a chance. You would think that even though she knew what she was getting into, she would suck it up and stick it out like any good model would do. Well, she made her bed, she had to sleep in it.” Doing all she can to keep her composure, Fluttershy looked down at her shoes. ‘This is our breakup all over again… Why won’t she stop...’ “This is your own damn fault, Fluttershy! You knew what the modeling industry was like! And yet you STILL complain about it?! You’re in the spotlight, you have millions of people seeing your photos, you have no private life-well, no shit! You know what any good model does?! They suck it up and tough it out! But you are nothing but a coward! That’s what you’ve always done! You run away and hide like a puppy with their tails between their legs! You are a coward! A coward!” She trembled, leaning more against Rainbow than she intended. Rainbow squeezed Fluttershy reassuringly before quipping, “Well I sleep in that bed too, and believe you me it is plenty unforgettable.” At this, she smiled sweetly at Fluttershy and kissed her on the cheek. Seeing the cracks in Beauty’s facade gave Rainbow all that she needed to plaster on her most annoyingly unfazed grin. She was showing her true colors more and more with each passing second, and what Rainbow knew of high society told her that such displays were rarely smiled up. “Burn,” Lightning Dust snickered, winking at Rainbow. Beauty shot her a glare, then made a move to step back, “We don’t have to stand for this. We have things to do, people to see, so much more worthwhile things we could be doing. Especially not with wannabe has-beens.” Rainbow shot Lightening Dust an appreciative grin, before returning to Beauty Mark continuing in her unperturbed manner. “Nice meeting you, though one wonders why you would waste your time on wannabe has-beens...” Surprised, Fluttershy looked at Rainbow with curiosity. Lightning Dust grinned behind her hand, eager. “What?! Just what are you insinuating, Prism?!” The fiery redhead demanded. “Insinuating? Oh darling, please, I thought you were being very obvious,” Rainbow said, unable to keep a smile off her lips, “Either you feel insecure and feel you need to prove to Fluttershy, who was clearly the best thing to ever happen to you, that you have profited since ending your relationship with her… or, well to put it simply, you are just a bitch.” Eyes flaring, Beauty stepped toward her angrily, “Why you insolent little harlot! I’ll have you know that Fluttershy is nothing more than a cowardly little mouse! She’s all beauty but has nothing more to back it up! Especially not in how she carries herself! But you, you are probably just a little harpy flaunting around with Daddy’s Money because you know you can’t make something of yourself! Or maybe you feel that you can’t do better and so you latch onto the next pretty thing that walked through your door! You're probably nothing more than a pathetic, lonely, stupid, desperate little slut who can't even hold down a relationship for even five minutes!” That was when Fluttershy just about had enough. Every bit of her ex's cruel words stung her, but none more so than any of them directed at her partner. She was not about to stand her and let Beauty Mark try to walk all over Rainbow anymore. Enough was enough. Anger boiled inside of her as the very words she wished she could have said long ago rose to her throat. Fluttershy brought her own arm around Rainbow's shoulders, narrowed her eyes, looking right at her ex, “Stop it! What is your problem? Ra-Prism has a point. Every time you see me, you make sure to rub how great things are going for you in my face. It seems like a petty revenge for me breaking up with you. But no… you broke up with me. You cheated on me. You wanted nothing to do with me, you wanted to break up with me… you got what you wanted. So why are you still doing this? I don’t care. I have a life now. I’ve moved on. I'm not jealous of every new girlfriend you get and I have never come crawling to you. As a matter of fact, I don't even want you back. I could not be more over you. I don’t love you. And you know what? Yes. I do have a new partner. She’s been with me for a little over a week. And she… she’s done things to me that you couldn’t accomplish in a month.” Fluttershy turned back to Rainbow, smiling, “Prism, we should go. We have things to do. Lightning Dust, it was lovely meeting you. Best of luck to your career, of course.” Lightning Dust grinned, giving her a thumbs up, then winking at Rainbow again. “Oh, and Beauty? I faked all my orgasms,” Fluttershy stated. She then took Rainbow’s hand, leading her away. “Ouch, that had to sting,” Rainbow whispered in her normal speaking voice. She was frankly amazed by Fluttershy’s outburst. She hadn’t ever seen Fluttershy quite so agitated. It was astounding, she felt stunned and yet unbelievably proud of the oft timid woman. “Way to go Fluttershy, that was awesome,” She whispered, “Way to bring the fire!” “Oh… I had to, I couldn’t let her talk to you like that,” Fluttershy murmured, squeezing her hand, “And you were right. All this time… everything she said to me were things I believed. But you made me realize it. She’s just wasting her time trying to… somehow rub it in my face when clearly she could easily move on and not ever speak to me again.” “Yeah, she’s a real piece of work,” Rainbow agreed, speaking louder and affecting her accent once more, as well as shooting the woman in question a dirty look over her shoulder, “Can’t believe Lightning Dust got mixed up with her, granted she probably knows exactly what kind of person Beauty Mark is.” “I think she does, considering her reactions. Um… you know her? I just-the way she seemed to look at you, it seemed like she knew you,” Fluttershy remarked, curious. “Yeah, she’s a former client,” Rainbow said, smirking a bit at the memory of Dust’s reactions. “I helped her get some dirt on her agent who was blackmailing her during a contract negotiation. I had to try and seduce some information out of the sap. Wore this wig too. That’s how she can see right through my little disguise.” “Oh… I see,” Fluttershy nodded, taking in the information, “Nice. Well, let’s-oh! There she is!” She discreetly pointed, “There’s Fleur… And that man she’s with, she’s really close to him. Hanging off him, practically.” Rainbow scoped out the very indiscreet couple, “Wow, no wonder Fancy suspects, she isn’t exactly being covert…” “That’s just… If she’s trying to keep it secret, this is not the place to do it. She and Fancy frequent to this club, all their friends are here. They know them,” Fluttershy frowned slightly, “So I don’t know what she’s trying to pull.” “Probably just doesn’t care,” Rainbow remarked, “She’s got the money, if she has a good enough lawyer, she could get away with murder.” “...That’s true,” Fluttershy sighed, nodding, “When I was a model, I had that kind of lawyer, who even said that I could get away with murder if I wanted to. A-Anyway… let’s keep an eye on her.” Rainbow whistled, “Good to know one of those, but yeah, we should be looking out for her. Though we should take it in turns, don’t want to arouse her suspicion with two women looking at her together. Wanna take the first shift?” “Yes, I’ll do that,” Fluttershy nodded, “Let’s get a snack… But they’re not very filling, and too fancy. After this, I say we get a pizza.” Rainbow laughed, “Wow, you really are a woman after my heart. Pizza it is.” Fluttershy smiled, “I had to live on these kinds of fancy food for a while to keep my figure. I hated every second of them. When I quit, I spent an entire week eating fast food. I do enjoy organic foods and vegetables and fruits, but… I can’t do without a lot of comfort foods~” “Yeah I know how you feel. I end up eating all kinds of junk, between stakeouts and the late hours.” Rainbow gave Fluttershy’s shoulder an affectionate rub, “And I wouldn’t spend a second thought on your figure ever again. You look even better since your career ended.” Blushing a bit, Fluttershy looked at her with a shy smile, “You really think so?” “Oh yeah, I mean, models are pretty right? But they always look better when they don’t look like they’re starving,” Rainbow said with a little laugh. Glancing back toward their target, keeping her in within her line of vision, Fluttershy hugged her, “Thank you, Rain-sorry, Prism… That really means a lot.” “Just telling you the truth, Fluttershy, love,” Rainbow said warmly, taking a few hors d'oeuvres from the food table and popping them in her mouth, “Mmmnn you’re right about this stuff… too fancy…” “They are,” Fluttershy took a shrimp, dipping it into some sauce and eating it, “But sometimes you might find something you actually like. I just stick to those and fill up as much as I can. Aside from a select few, they don’t always eat very much. It’s the wine or champagne they really want.” “Well with food like this I can sympathize,” Rainbow said, scrunching her nose slightly, “I mean it’s not that I hate finger foods or anything, but this is way too bland. Who knows maybe a bottle of wine turns it magically yummy.” Flagging a waiter over, Fluttershy whispered, “Oh, yes. If you have red wine and then eat a couple of those hors d'oeuvres, crackers with foie gras and some of those...cheeses, they actually manage to taste really good. The white wine tends to be more of a casual drink, same for the champagne. But if you’re hungry, have the red wine with anything.” “Oooh you know all the tips and tricks, don’t you~” Rainbow whispered back, starting to enjoy the party, or more accurately, Fluttershy’s company in the party setting. The two partook in having a drink, while occasionally munching on a couple of finger foods, which the wine made tolerable to eat. For a while, they kept their eyes on Fleur de Lys and the man she was with, but found nothing suspicious. It went on for some time, both of them taking shifts, and were unnoticed. At one point, Fleur exited the main hall. This was usually because someone wanted to go outside or into another room if there was an event being held. Her guest, however, didn’t follow her. “Okay…” Fluttershy whispered, “I know how this works. It’s very likely that they planned it this way. She leaves, then they wait a few minutes, long enough to make sure no one notices, and then he might slip out after her. We should keep an eye on him.” “Sounds like a plan, partner,” Rainbow said, sipping at her glass of wine. She was surprised by how well Fluttershy was able to navigate the currents of the part, and though she was a bit worried about not having eyes on Fleur, she figured Fluttershy had more than earned the right to call a few shots on their case. Five minutes passed, but still nothing. Fluttershy bit her lip, trying to think of an alternative. Maybe by some chance, it was innocent, but they had to be sure. Nothing was to be overlooked. “Oh dear… Maybe one of us should have followed her,” Fluttershy realized. “Maybe,” Rainbow said, but there wasn’t any sign of negativity in the word, she spoke more as a teacher kindly correcting a student, “I always feel a bit more comfortable with a set of eyes on the target, but you had a good theory. Want to try and find her?” “Yes, we-oh! Look, he’s leaving,” Fluttershy pointed to the man as he headed toward the main doors, “...Should we follow him, or try to find her?” “Well, let’s give your theory a little try, and I think it holds water,” Rainbow said with a little smile, “Notice how he hasn’t spoken to anyone since Fleur left? Let’s go after him, chances are he’ll take us to her.” Fluttershy smiled, seeing her point, “All right then, let’s go.” Keeping their distance, as well as keeping it casual, the two headed out of the main hall as well. They followed the man along the hallway, glad for the carpet keeping their footsteps stifled. Slowly and quietly, they went, going around corners, and eventually coming to a row of other doors. Much to their surprise, the man entered one of the rooms. It wasn’t any room, they were lounge rooms, for the members to have a place of refuge and relaxation. Fluttershy whispered, “Okay, those are rooms kind of like in a hotel, they’re meant for relaxation… Either he’s in there alone, or she’s in there. The doors don’t have locks on them, so we’ll be able to check.” “Well then, we should probably be quiet then, try and listen in to make sure she’s in there and then we can try and snap a few photos once they get into things,” Rainbow said with a sagely nod. Quietly, they approached the door, listening in as best they could. There was chatter, between the man and a woman. A nod from Fluttershy confirmed that the woman was indeed Fleur de Lys. They couldn’t make out what was being said, but it was clearly a very passionate discussion. A minute or two passed, before the sounds of moaning and gasping were heard. This time, Rainbow slowly opened the door, quietly, so they could peer inside. Sure enough, on one of the couches, Fleur was lying on her back, with the hem of her dress hiked up past her hips, and the neckline pulled down below her chest. The man was on top of her, half naked, groping her body while thrusting his hips. A clear sight that they were having sex. Fluttershy looked to Rainbow, an unreadable gaze on her face. But she nodded, making sure to give her some room to take the photo. Rainbow retrieved the small spy camera from her purse. She always preferred film for this type of work. Digital photos were too easily doctored, and that was usually the first complaint of the accused party. However if you wave the negative in their face, they started to sing a different tune. She took a moment to make sure the couple was in focus, and started snapping away. Almost a full reel of film later, the pair of women backed away. Once clear of the door Rainbow shot Fluttershy a big thumbs up. “Great work~” She whispered excitedly. Fluttershy giggled softly, “Oh my gosh, we did it! We got the evidence… We solved the case… I can’t believe I helped you like this, I helped you solve a case!” “Hell yeah you did!” Rainbow cheered softly, “You’re the reason things went so smoothly, partner.” The thrill of being called ‘partner’ made Fluttershy squeal softly. She couldn’t believe their success! Granted, it was a simple case, but the fact that it all worked out; she couldn’t have felt happier. Being a rookie detective’s sidekick was really proving to be a great job for her, something she’d never expected in her entire life. Giddy, her body bursting with excitement, Fluttershy just wanted to dance! As they were about to turn the corner, they heard the voices of a few men, speaking fairly loudly. At least, loud enough for anyone within earshot to hear clearly. “-And you’re saying you have no idea?” Came one voice. “No, sir. He’s been laying low for the past few days, now. At least, that’s what I heard,” said a second voice. A third voice spoke up, “I’m not sure what his plan is, but that’s what I heard, too.” Fluttershy covered her mouth, wide-eyed, and drew out the tape recorder from her purse. She set it to “Record”, then placed it onto a nearby statue, where it was obscured, but would pick up the voices of the men. At Rainbow’s confused look, she pulled her aside, whispering, “One of those men… He’s Jackpot. He was one of the men on Sombra’s file that he was associated with. He’s a gambler and seems to have very shady connections.” “He wasn’t on my list of known associates….Either the cops were holding out on me…or, oh damn it, I was working from some of Firefly’s old files...” Rainbow growled, clearly perturbed at herself for not following up on her mentor’s work. Information was the lifeblood of her work, and to have missed something this major was nothing short of shameful. “...but why would he associate with such a loud mouth…” Rainbow mused to herself. This Jackpot was far from being covert. Speaking openly about his associate… and in a country club no less… It didn’t make any sense… Unless… “Oh crap… crap crap crap…” Rainbow slapped her forehead. “Shit, I’ve had this wrong from the beginning. I was working from Firefly’s case, Firefly’s notes! Assuming that your Sombra is that Sombra! It’s just a name though, a reputation...Fluttershy, this changes everything!” Eyes wide, Fluttershy faced her again, whispering in a lower tone, “What do you mean, Rainbow? What-” The voices were coming closer. By the sound of it, they were approaching, coming closer from the hall. Fluttershy tensed, realizing that they would be caught either way. Remaining in place would get them suspicious, trying to run away would get them suspicious, and they wouldn’t be able to make it down the hall without being seen, considering how long and open it was. Rainbow’s eyes darted back and forth down the hall. The last thing they needed was for an associate of ‘Sombra’ to give them a second look, especially now and especially Fluttershy. Acting fast Rainbow and barely thing pushed Fluttershy into a only partially concealed nook in the wall and pulled the taller woman’s face down to her own, their lips meeting in and fierce and passionate kiss. And that was when the two women’s world exploded. ‘Oh my gosh…!’ Fluttershy’s body was melting and bursting, filled to the rim with passion. The touch of Rainbow’s lips against hers were unlike any kiss she’d ever had in her life. Kisses with Beauty Mark had always been nice, but Rainbow’s kiss just charged every bit of her senses. Whether it was the attraction she felt for this woman, or the pent-up desire for her; Fluttershy didn’t care. She wound her arms around Rainbow’s neck and kissed her back, savouring her lips and returning it all with fervency. Their bodies pressed closer together, their lips clashed, there wasn’t a gap between them. Fluttershy moaned, overwhelmed by Rainbow’s kiss, surrendering completely. The location and circumstances were far from ideal, but all of that was rendered irrelevant. Right now, all that mattered was finally being able to share a kiss with her. Fluttershy caressed the wig, careful not to pull it off or jostle it too much. Her heart pounded, her legs went weak, her stomach coiled with excitement and overall, the sensitivity of her lips drove her wild. Rainbow had immediately lost herself in the kiss. Silly trifles, like the original need to conceal themselves or how no one would look twice at a couple of women making out except to maybe give a cat call, just went straight out of her mind replaced by the burning fiery need to Fluttershy again and again and again. Dash pressed into her, wrapping herself around the pinkette, pressing her to the wall. The world fell away from her. Were Rainbow’s eyes open or shut? She couldn’t tell. All she could really see, or sense at all, was their heated passions finally finding release. Minutes passed, and the detective and her client-come-partner continued to make out. Rainbow attention only being snapped away by a snide voice. “Ugh, get a room why don’t you…” scoffed an indignant looking Fleur de Lys as she passed the pair in the hall. A little startled, Fluttershy pulled back a bit, wide-eyed and staring at Rainbow. Mixes of emotions overtook her, her body began to relax, while still heated. She then smiled brightly, dazed with pleasure, her cheeks pink and her teal eyes sparkling. “Oh my gosh…” Fluttershy said softly, enraptured. “No kidding…” Rainbow replied, equally dazed, though after a moment she remember where she was and why they had just kissed. Feeling a momentary twinge of regret that their kiss hadn’t been for just its own sake, her eyes quickly scanned the hall up and down. “No sign of those guys…” “I… suppose they just kept going…” Fluttershy said, looking past her for a moment. They remained silent a few moments, but heard no further sounds. Only the indistinct sound of the music from the grand hall were heard, but nothing more. “So...uh...That was awesome,” Rainbow said, knowing it to me quite the understatement. Sighing dreamily, the pinkette just gazed upon the woman she’d fallen for, still taken aback by her kiss. It had been worth waiting for, it had been a lot better than she ever imagined it could be. “Oh Rainbow…” Fluttershy cooed, bringing her closer, “You’re an amazing kisser. I’ve never felt that way when I was kissed before.” “Yeah, me either,” Rainbow agreed, blushing a bit as she smiled up at her, “It was like the world just imploded or something and just...Wow...and I mean wow… What do I need to tell you for, you were there too!” Laughing, the enraptured ex-model lay their foreheads together, “Dashie… That was the most amazing kiss I’ve ever shared. And it was with you. Not to mention a good idea in warding off suspicion, don’t you think? Although… I just hope you’re okay with the fact that I’m going to kiss you again… I’m not leaving those lips alone anymore~” “Oh I’m not going back to the no kissing rule, that’s for damn sure,” Rainbow replied, bearing her canines in a mischievous grin. “Well good, then I won’t have to make a fool of myself trying to kiss you,” Fluttershy giggled, nuzzling their noses. “You could never make a fool of yourself, Fluttershy,” Rainbow said sweetly, “Not to me, at least.” Fluttershy smiled more, blushing quite a bit. She then leaned in, touching their lips together in a sweet, tender kiss. Rainbow returned the little kiss. It was less heated but made all the sweeter by this. “Oh I can’t wait to get more of these bad boys,” Rainbow whispered against Fluttershy’s lips. “You and me both,” the pinkette cooed back. “Mmmm...Well that is the best way I’ve ever ended a case~” Rainbow grinned. “It was my first case with you, but I think you’re right…” Fluttershy ran her fingers along her back, “Why don’t we go home, get into our pajamas, send for some pizza, and cuddle over a movie? Let’s make it even better~” “That sounds like the most awesome thing ever~” Rainbow said shuddering happily at Fluttershy’s tantalizing touch, though there was an itch at the back of her mind, as though she was forgetting something… They separated, then took the tape recorder, placing it back in Fluttershy’s purse. Going along, as if nothing had happened, the two left the building to head back to Rainbow’s apartment. vero-chanvero-chan It was indeed a job well done. All they had to do was present the evidence to Fancy Pants upon his return and the case would be closed. With the nighttime now upon them, Rainbow and Fluttershy sat curled up on the former’s living room couch, a box of pizza on the coffee table, and a couple of two-litre bottles of soda with some glasses. Donned in their pajamas, cuddling together, they watched the film in the DVD player intently. All while occasionally sneaking some glances and little kisses. Noticing one slice left, Fluttershy giggled and reached for it, taking a bite out of the end. “Mmmmm~” “I can’t believe it…” Rainbow said to herself. “If anyone ever told me I’d be cuddling with a girl watching a movie and eating pizza and that it would be the best night of my life, I would have called them crazy… but it just is!” Giggling, Fluttershy finished her bite, “I’ve always wanted to do this. I never truly had the real chance to just enjoy an evening together in this sort of simple, but fun way. And it feels wonderful!” “How could it not?” Rainbow said leaning back on the couch smiling, “I do this a lot, actually. TV and pizza. But trust me, it has never been this fun. Ever.” “It’s okay on its own… alone, but it’s even better with someone else. Especially someone you care about,” Fluttershy cooed, leaving the rest of the slice for her to eat, as they’d been doing for the past while. Rainbow snatched up the last bit of the slice chewing away at it happily. “The best!” Rainbow said with her mouth full. Fluttershy would’ve reprimanded her, but she didn’t care. She was too busy having fun with this. “Well, I think tonight has been amazing, too~” “Super amazing~” Rainbow said after swallowing and giving Fluttershy a grin. “Better than amazing,” Fluttershy give her a side hug, nuzzling her. Rainbow planted a sweet kiss on her forehead, reveling in their abandonment of the restrictions that kept them apart. The little coo of pleasure coming from the pinkette was a little happy thrill to her heart. “I’m so glad to have you back Fluttershy, and for this to be… I guess ‘real’ is the word I’d use.” “I’m glad to have you back, too,” Fluttershy beamed, stroking her hair, “You’ve done so much, and I can’t even begin to express how wonderful this all is. I finally have my life back, I have a new job, places I can be, and… well, best of all, I have you. There really couldn’t be anything better than this.” ‘Her life back… ‘ Rainbow mused for a second, “That’s it! Oh man I nearly forgot!” Rainbow beamed with pride and excitment, “I figured out the case ‘shy! 100% this time, I got it, I mean I really got it. Sombra, Jackpot, maybe even those thugs who attacked us… oh this is major!” Eyes wide, Fluttershy looked at her with confusion, “What do you mean? What did you figure out?” “I made the connection at the club,” Rainbow said excitedly. “When you mentioned that Jackpot had been listed as a associate of Sombra, but from Firefly’s case notes, and from what she told me when she was still around, Sombra is a classic stalker type. A loner. He wouldn’t work with anyone ever, it’s just the pathology of his particular brand of crazy. “But think about it, what did Sombra do? He made girls disappear, that’s what. Now if we throw out the theory that this Sombra is Firefly’s Sombra who was motivated by his own mental illness, what other motive do you get for making young, attractive girls who nobody would miss disappear?” “...Overpowering them?” Fluttershy asked, blinking a few times, “Just the sheer satisfaction of being able to overpower someone?” “Yes but think on a bigger scale, I mean that Jackpot guy’s a gambler right? Los Pegasus is famous for something other than the flashing lights in my line of work. It’s the capital of the country’s human trafficking operations. Slavery, ‘Shy. All done under the guise of a psycho stalker that half the police force has probably given up on catching!” Eyes wide, it was beginning to dawn on her, then. “Oh… Oh my gosh… So you’re saying that maybe… Sombra isn’t even real? Just… fabricated as some kind of a way to divert the police? By making him into some kind of shadowy, hidden man they wouldn’t know how to find? So that they can slip under the radar and blame all their crimes on him, but because they have no evidence… they get away with it?” “He was real, that much is certain, but he could have died or gotten thrown in jail or something, and someone took over his MO. It’s the games and the fear that make the signature, and the new guy has them down, but his game goes a step deeper. It’s all a game inside another hidden game. This new guy is just as dangerous, if not more so. He is infinitely more calculating than the original.” “Oh…” Fluttershy realized all the more what she was saying, and trembled. Sombra was nothing more than using his name to further instill fear and keep the real crimes under the radar. Someone who was once real, but was now taken over by someone new. “Well… What does this mean? Where do we go from there?” “I don’t know, with any luck though he’ll just move on from you,” Rainbow said, thinking about it, “If this truly does come down to business… and it does make it more likely that the individual the police have might be Sombra… I was doubting it mostly on the basis that I had built up Sombra as this genius level crazy loner, but if he’s part of an organization, well every organization has weak links.” Fluttershy bit her lip, feeling nervous all over again, “They haven’t done anything since the suspect was caught. In fact, I haven’t heard a thing since then, either.” “Best thing I can do is try to explain it all to Twilight tomorrow. She might be the only one who could appreciate these kinds of connections, after all that’s what she said she does,” Rainbow said, pouting a bit in thought. Pouting as well, Fluttershy cuddled up against her, “Dashie… don’t you get pouty on me, now.” “Hey this is my thoughtful pout, not my sad pout, and I happen to like it, thank you very much,” Rainbow said with a little giggle, her pout breaking into a grin. Giggling, Fluttershy kissed her cheek, “I stand corrected. Well, then I guess we’ll go to the station tomorrow and let Twilight know. Hopefully we should get some leads on this. Either way, we may just have a new side to the case, won’t we?” “That’s for sure,” Rainbow said smiling and pulling Fluttershy into a tight embrace, “...and you know what? How about we make some other plans tomorrow too…” Rainbow grinned expectantly preparing to drop a wonderful bombshell, “Like, I don’t know, a date?” Heart skipping a beat, the pinkette beamed at her with a shining smile, “Rainbow… really? A date?” “Oh course!” Rainbow said excitedly, “I’m going to do this relationship right, though I do sort of count tonight as our first date, but it was work too so it only half counts. So let’s do something that’s just you and me. A pure “us” date.” “Yay!” Fluttershy giggled and kissed her lips briefly, “I think you’re right, maybe it was a bit of a date. But since it was for work… Well, then tomorrow, we’ll go on a proper date. That would be wonderful! Um… do you have something in mind?” “Can’t go wrong with classics,” Rainbow said merrily, “How about dinner and a movie?” Smiling more, Fluttershy nodded, “I would love to, Rainbow.” “Then it’s a date,” The detective cooed. “Oh… it certainly is a date…” Said the pinkette in a sweet coo, nuzzling their noses. Rainbow lay her forehead against that of Fluttershy, sighing happily, “I don’t know what I did… maybe it was just one too many drops in the karma bucket… but I can’t believe how lucky I am to have you in my life.” “Believe me, I ask myself the same thing all the time…” Fluttershy murmured, closing her eyes, “While I could do without living in fear and being stalked… I do have to be thankful for one thing in all of this. It brought me to you.” “And me to you,” Dash replied, her own eyes sliding shut as she kissed Fluttershy’s forehead. It had been a long night of first kisses and revelations, or parties and closed cases, of love and exposing infidelity… and the lot of it had left Dash feeling pleasantly drained. “If you hadn’t stopped that robbery at the store, I would never have found you…” Fluttershy kissed her nose. “The first time I saw you, I couldn’t look away. I think it was your eyes and your hair that really drew me in~” “Not my epic badassery?” Rainbow joked with a little laugh. “Oh, there was that, too,” Fluttershy giggled, shaking her head. “I suppose I’m glad my looks didn’t go unnoticed,” Rainbow murmured happily, “Celestia knows I noticed yours straight away...Mmmm… hey Fluttershy, wanna hit the hay?” Brightening, Fluttershy nodded as she stroked her thigh, “Sure, I’d love to…” Rainbow took Fluttershy’s hand and the pair walked together into the bedroom, each more than ready to face the long dark of night with one another at their side. Once they curled up in Rainbow’s bed, pulling the covers up around their necks, Rainbow wrapped herself around Fluttershy with both her arms and a legs. “Mmmm… You’re so snuggly, ‘Shy,” Rainbow said softly. Giggling, Fluttershy cuddled into her, “I love to cuddle. And I feel so safe in your arms, better than I ever did in a long time. You still smell so nice~” Rainbow sighed happily and murmured “You too ‘Shy...Everything about you is so warm and nice and soft…” “Hee… Rainbow, I’m curious. How did you ever find me? By way of when I was still a model?” She asked curiously, nuzzling her. “Well,” Rainbow blushed a bit recalling the memory, “it was a magazine ad, I don’t even remember what it was for… maybe some kinda perfume? It doesn’t really matter. What does matter was the expression on your face! You were timid and yet alluring. Your eyes, that’s what said it all. Your eyes spoke to me Fluttershy and I found myself unable to look away. Being me, I looked you up and found as many pictures as I could, collected magazines and all that. I thought to myself, ‘This woman is the single most beautiful human being ever in existence.’ That’s how I found you, Fluttershy. That’s how I began to fall for you without having ever seen you...” Blushing immensely, but so flattered, Fluttershy kissed her nose and nuzzled her, “Oh… you’re so sweet! I didn’t think I could honestly affect someone on such a level.” “I’d never been so affected by any model like that before…” Rainbow cooed, “But somehow you just did it, your expressions just always felt so real, so special… they always cut to the heart of me.” “Awww…” Fluttershy giggled, looking bashful. “I think I have to thank having become a model. You may never have found me... Oh! I also wore a rainbow-patterned dress in a few ads, photos and spreads. Did you see them?” “Oh yeah!” Rainbow replied enthusiastically, only to blush a bit heavily a moment later, “Those ones… Let’s just say I found them to be very special…” This made Fluttershy laugh as she then rolled onto her back, bringing Rainbow on top of her. “I imagine they must have been. Oh, and I found a few of the magazines you kept of me. They were quite worn… You must use them quite a bit~” Rainbow looked down at her, blushing now at having been found out, and feeling a thrill coil in her stomach about now being practically astride the pinkette.“I did… they accompanied me on quite a few sessions of alone time… if you know what I mean~” “I knew it…” Fluttershy beamed, bringing her arms around her neck, “Rainbow… I’ll be honest. I’ve… pleasured myself to your photos, too… before we met.” “No wonder we’ve had to try so hard to keep out hands off each other,” Rainbow said, feeling herself shudder slightly, at Fluttershy’s words. A hefty blush coated Fluttershy’s cheeks all the more, “I know… I never thought I could be so attracted to someone before even having met them. But really… I’ve been a model, I’ve seen so many models and all sorts of beautiful people. However, they don’t hold a candle to you. I think that… you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen~” It was corny, cheesy, something she knew she’d gotten out of a romance novel. At the same time, Fluttershy wasn’t about to deny it. She’d never met another woman who had such a uniquely attractive look to her, not like Rainbow herself. It wasn’t even just that, it was who she was inside. Strange as it was, her personality and character traits seemed to mesh so nicely with her own. Anyone outside of their lives would think otherwise, no doubt. But it didn’t matter. Fluttershy knew how she felt. She looked into the stunning, cerise eyes of her partner and lover; feeling captivated by them. Her face framed with her short, scruffy rainbow hair. Her face was strong and determined, but soft and feminine enough, despite the hardened features. Holding it together was her athletic tone, from what she could see, and her tan olive skin. Fluttershy continuously felt tingles just looking at her. Rainbow looked down at her, meeting her gaze and staring straight into her beautiful teal eyes. Those eyes, the eyes that had spoken to her so long ago, were now right in front of her face. Fluttershy, her ultimate fantasy, now lay beneath her. Rainbow could feel the warmth of her body radiate off of her, and hear the soft exhale of her breath. Dash knew, knew it in her heart, that what held true for Fluttershy of her, held true for Rainbow’s opinion of the pinkette. She was truly stunning, embodying every ideal of gentle grace that Rainbow could call to mind. Her creamy delicately pale skin, her long graceful limbs, and - despite it being a bit of a rarity in the modeling world - her bountiful curves all seemed to embody an almost mythical archetype of the bountiful open-heated caregiver. Even the bit of weight she had put on since leaving her modelling career only enhanced her beauty, filling out any hard edges the industry had forced on her and replacing them with more soft curves. Looking down at her now, Rainbow saw it more than ever. Even Fluttershy’s long hair was spread about her head, forming a pink halo. “You are, Fluttershy, the single most amazing, wonderful, and… stunningly beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on, and every minute of every day your beauty only seems to grow~” The sweet words jolted her heart. Fluttershy heard this kind of talk many times before, but coming from someone she cared about so much was even better. To think, hearing the kinds of words that she dreaded, as it reconnected her to the life she’d hated; were for once, actually sweet. She blushed, nuzzling their noses. “Rainbow… Come here, come and have the real me!” She cooed with passion, and brought the other woman’s lips down to hers. “Mmmph~” Rainbow moaned softly against her lips, kissing her with all the passion of the moment they now shared while her hands ran over the pinkette’s sides, all too happy to be touching the woman of her dreams. Moaning at the back of her throat, Fluttershy tousled her fingers through Rainbow’s chromatic strands. Their bodies came closer, fueling her desires, especially with the way she’d been teased before. The glimpses of Rainbow’s body, her legs, the tone of her muscles-it was all breathtaking. She didn’t restrain herself this time, not when they could finally be more intimate with each other. Rainbow felt herself giving in to every carnal desire she had ever felt for the pinkette, every fantasy, every image that had ever driven herself to self pleasuring, it all came crashing over her. She lost herself in the pinkette’s lips once more, and once again she felt as though the world apart from her warm tender lips meant nothing. She felt as though she was diving head first into an abyss of pleasure, she could see in her mind where this was going and wanted it more than anything. ...and yet the thinnest of threads held her back... “Fl-Fluttershy…” She said softly, fighting her every instinct, “...can we… wait a sec…” “W-What’s wrong?” Fluttershy pulled back slightly, worried, “Is… everything okay?” “...It’s…” Rainbow began, already hating herself a bit for spoiling the moment, “...I don’t want this to be like every other relationship I’ve had… They all moved so quickly… and if you always do what you always did, you’ll always get what you got... you know?... Just… can we not have sex until we have our real date…?” A little pout formed at Fluttershy’s lips. She wanted this woman so much, especially since right this moment was an opportune time for it. So much of herself wanted to put her seduction to good use, considering how she knew Rainbow wanted her. Easily, she’d be able to subdue her and take her right then and there. So easy. But the other part of her knew that Rainbow was right. Maybe it was truly best to wait until they’d had a proper date, without everything else in between getting in the way. It was probably for the best, to truly make it special. “....Okay,” Fluttershy murmured, albeit reluctantly. “I’m so sorry,” Rainbow muttered, eyes shut. “...I know nothing about this.. about us… has been what you could call normal… It’s stupid, and I’m the last person on earth who would insist on romance, but that’s kinda the point…” Shaking her head, the pinkette nuzzled Rainbow gently, stroking her hair, “No… no. Don’t be sorry for doing the right thing. I’m the one who should be sorry. I-I mean, I keep letting my body and my hormones get the better of me. I know that being impulsive will ruin things and that’s the last thing I want to do. At least you have restraint…” “You have no idea how thin my restraint is wearing, Flutters,” Rainbow said, her body still tensed and ready for more than just kisses. “But you’re worth it.” “You’re worth it too,” Fluttershy’s voice was soft, her lips grazing along her cheek, “I’m just sorry if it doesn’t seem that way…” “I wish it didn’t have to be that way, you have no idea how much I just want to take you right now…” Rainbow said in a soft voice, her resolve wavering only for a moment. A little giggle sounded from the ex-model, “Me too… But, it’s okay. I can wait, Rainbow. There is more to our relationship than just sex and I think we can wait until the time feels more right. Going too fast is… one of those things where it feels like a good idea at the time, but can turn out counterproductive. So… we’ll wait, we’ll make it truly worth it. Hey, at least for now, we have kisses, hugs and cuddles…” Fluttershy cooed, kissing her cheek. Rainbow smiled, snuggling up to Fluttershy’s side once more, and planting a little kiss on her lips, “Oh yes… no one is going to keep me from kissing you, ever~” “Good, because I know I won’t, either~” Fluttershy kissed her as well, stroking her hair. “Mmm… and I don’t want to spend another night out of your arms, you hear me?” Rainbow said with a soft little chuckle. Laughing, Fluttershy kissed her forehead, “Every night, there is nowhere I’d rather be than in your arms.” Rainbow yawned softly, her eyes drifting shut once more, “Then that’s where we’ll both stay.” “Every morning, noon and night…” Fluttershy closed her eyes and cuddled closer. “Mmmm… Goodnight, Rainbow…” “Good night ‘shy,” Rainbow murmered as she slipped off the bonds of the waking world. With the evening having brought them closer than before, both women slept in the comforting embrace of each other. Whatever would happen next would happen, what with their first proper date coming to be. As long as they had each other, they were ready for anything.