Summer In Cloudsdale

by Marli_Lin

Chapter 1

“No, I'm still on the road……yeah, just back from work……yes! I know it's ten o'clock…yes, ten o'clock and eighteen minutes. Whatever.”
Rainbow Dash walked slowly. One hand holding a cell phone onto her ear, and the other hand, swinging a small bag. She let out an annoyed sigh and frowned. At this time the last person she wanted to she talk to was Thunderlane, but he actually called her and started to act like an overprotective boyfriend.
“Listen, Thunderlane? I'm really tired." Rainbow Dash interrupted Thunderlane and quickly ended the call. Once again she let out a sigh, then looked at her cell phone with an annoyed expression.
Why did today have to be with so many problems? This morning she had a problem with the client company, then her boss snapped at her and told her to work late. Rainbow Dash was upset when she remembered what had happened during the day. But she was just simply too tired to be angry. Every single bone in her body ached and her brain can't even think straight. Again she sighed.
This was not the first time Rainbow Dash had to work until late at night, but today she has decided to stop working for the fashion designer, permanently. This job was seriously time consuming and labor, so that no more energy had been left to concentrate on her studies in the morning.
She stopped and groaned. "I’m going crazy," she muttered to herself.
Rainbow Dash looked around. Couldsdale was still not showing signs of drowsiness. The buildings along the street were lit as if they were competing to illuminate the whole city, persuading the people to enjoy the beautiful atmosphere of a summer night in the capital of South Equestria. Although she had been living in Couldsdale for quite a while, she was still amazed at the atmosphere of the city. It was nearly eleven o'clock, but the streets were still filled with residents and cars passing by. The smell of food wafted from the Japanese restaurant ahead, disco music heard faintly from the store right next to it, the sounds of people talking, shouting and laughing.
Suddenly Rainbow Dash felt a headache. Then her gaze landed on a small grocery store across the street. After a moment's pause, she nodded and muttered, "All right," as if giving up the debate against herself.
Rainbow Dash crossed the road at a brisk pace, as fast as possible for a pair of legs that have not rested for the last eight hours, and entered the store. After greeting the aunt shopkeepers who she had known for a long time, Rainbow Dash immediately walked to the shelf chips.
"Well, Dash, what's bothering you this time?" Asked the aunt shopkeeper after seeing five large packs of potato chips that Rainbow Dash placed on the counter.
She smiled shyly. "It's nothing, I'm just a little stressed." She opened her handbag and look for the wallet. Where was the wallet?
"One moment, Aunt. I'm sure I know where wallet is…" She rummaged through her purse and spilled the entire contents onto the counter. Now, in addition to five bags of potato chips, there was a small comb, small books which were rather shabby, a pen without its lid, compact powder, lip gloss, keys, a folding umbrella, three coins, a red handkerchief, cell phone, two receipts that were muddy, empty candy wrappers, and hair clips.
"Why is not there?" Rainbow Dash muttered to herself as she continued searching. Was it still at home? This means that she did not realise she didn't have her wallet the whole day?!
Suddenly she heard a cell phone ring. She glanced at her cell phone lying on the counter. Oh, it wasn't her cell phone that had rang.
"You've arrived at home?…Yes, I'll be there within a few minutes."
Rainbow Dash turned her head to the sound. That voice belonged a man who standing right behind her. Apparently phone ringing was the man's cell phone. She saw him close the phone and put it into the pocket of his trousers. The other hand being occupied by a small basket containing five bottles of beer. The bespectacled man was young, maybe in his late twenties or early thirties, his face was handsome and had a tidy appearance to it, like someone who had important jobs in large companies.
He looked at Rainbow Dash and give a friendly smile.
O-oh…
For Rainbow Dash, it was the first time seeing a smile that was so appealing. And the tired smile evaporated without a trace. The smile was very charming…
Rainbow Dash shook her head to clear her mind and refocused on her belongings scattered on the counter.
Suddenly Rainbow Dash felt someone pat her shoulder. She looked up and saw the aunt shopkeeper was smiling and said, "Dash, how about you let him pay for his things first?"
Rainbow looked at the aunt shopkeepers, then turned to the man standing behind her. "Oh, uhh, yes. Sorry." Rainbow stepped aside and the man stepped forward.
"How much?" Asked the man, placing the basket in his hand on the table. Suddenly she heard the sound of the phone again. Rainbow's head began to ache once again. She was very tired and now the sound of the man's cell phone almost made her lose control. The man pulled his phone out of his pocket and glanced at it. Then he put the phone down on the table and reached into his other pocket. He issued a different phone, it turns out that the second mobile phone was the one currently ringing.
Gosh, quickly answer the phone dude! One phone has already given her a headache, why have two? Rainbow Dash thought as she massaged her temples.
The man paid for groceries while he was still talking on the phone, then walked to the door. Suddenly he turned around and took the second phone that was placed on the counter. "Sorry." He muttered with a smile to the aunt shopkeepers and Rainbow Dash.
Again that smile……a smile that could warm the frozen heart. Rainbow Dash firmly shut her eyes and when she opened them again, the man had walked out and got into a white saloon car parked in front of the store.
Because Rainbow Dash still couldn't find her wallet, the shopkeepers allowed for her to pay tomorrow. Rainbow reassembled her belongings that were scattered on the counter while repeatedly bowing deeply as a sign of gratitude as well apology.
Once out of the store, Rainbow Dash directly opened a bag of chips and started eating. "Now to go home." She said to herself, relieved. After saying that, her cell phone rang. At that time she also condemned the phones were ever created. Actually, she did not want to answer her cell phone because she felt should save energy for the return trip, but the phone keeps screaming to be appointed. Dash finally gave up and rummaged through her bag with the malignant cell phone to find the damn thing before she would be screaming in the middle of the road.
"Heeloo!" Rainbow Dash wanted to be angry, but her voice sounded desperate.
No audible response from the other end. Was the man dumb or what?
"Hello? Who is this? Please speak…Hello? Haloo?"
When Rainbow Dash was about to disconnect, the sound of a man who hesitated spoke up.
"I'm sorry…isn’t this Soarin's phone?"
Who is this guy?
"You have the wrong number. This phone belongs Rainbow Dash." She said curtly and hung up her cell phone with a loud flap.
Rainbow Dash looked at her cell phone, biting her lip full of resentment. "Can you not shut up for a moment?" She was about to pull out the phone's battery when she felt the urge to call her mother to tell that she would soon be home. Although Rainbow Dash lived in Cloudsdale and her parents were in Ponyville, they often called and checked up on her whereabouts. Her mother had already called to inquire why Rainbow Dash had not reached home yet.
She opened her phone back up and dialled the numbers of her parents home, but she was surprised when she saw the writing on the screen of the cell phone after she punched in the numbers. Instead of "Home of Ponyville" listed as usual, the writing said "Ben Bear". Rainbow Dash quickly disconnected and was stunned.
She noticed the phone in her hand. It was indeed her cell phone, at least the same shape and color of her cell phone. She opened the mobile phone's contact list and gawked at the unfamiliar names. Her weary brain was forced to think.
The aunts had been in the store, all the goods were scattered on the counter, including the cell phone. When a phone belonging to the man standing behind her had rang for the first time, he thought it was his first phone, which was not, but t was the second one.
Then the phone rang both same. The man who first put the cell phone on the table and pulled out a second cell phone. So, at the counter the man's cell phone and her phone.
Rainbow Dash remembered the man's phone that was placed on the table, it looked just like her own cell phone. Before getting out of the store, he turned to take the first mobile on the left of the table. Now Rainbow Dash holding the phone with a list of unfamiliar names.
Her brain began to digest what had happened. That meant…that meant…the man had taken the wrong phone! The phone which the man took was Rainbow Dash's! Rainbow pounded her head and groaned in despair. "What about now? I'm going crazy." She looked to the right and left. The man's car was nowhere in sight. Rainbow Dash felt her body almost collapse on to the ground. She felt like crying. Where to look for him?
Suddenly an idea appeared in her brain which almost left her paralyzed, and left her wondering why she hadn't thought of it before. She didn't have her own cell phone, right? She could call her own cell phone and he would answer. A pang of hope reappeared. She called her phone for the man's cell phone in her hand.
Rainbow Dash paced back and forth on the roadside feeling restless, while waiting for him to pick up. "Quickly…quickly…please…qui-Hello?"
__________________________________________________________________________________________
"Oh, Ben. What took you so long?"
Ben Bear smiled apologetically to a tall man who opened the door and stepped into the house that he had seen so many times before. "Sorry, the streets were somewhat stalled," he said as he walked into the spacious sitting room.
"Hey, Soarin. Wanna have a snack? I've bought a drink."
Soarin follow Ben Bear into the sitting room. He ignored his question and asked in return, "Soarin have you heard the gossip?"
Ben Bear watched his friend as he flopped onto the couch. Soarin's gaze looked dreamy yet anxious. As a manager, Ben Bear understood the reasons for his concern.
"Where did the rumor from?" Asked Soarin. Ben Bear just smiled a little and held out a bottle of beer. Soarin opened the lid of the bottle and sipped it. "It says I’m a gay." Soarin gave a bitter laugh. "Why did they even think like that? Is my attitude like a woman? Or did I ever get too close to man? Tell me, Ben. Lest all this time you also think like them? " Ben Bear sitting in a chair in front of Soarin, sipping beer come directly from the bottle. "You know I never thought of you like that," he said quietly. "The problem is, the tabloids and magazines were looking for gossip. You also know they often write articles that are a no-no. You asked me why they could ever think you're gay? Perhaps because so far you've never been seen close to a woman in public."
Soarin shrugged. "Then, whatever they'll think what they want to think. If we don't respond, the rumors will subside on their own course."
Ben Bear shook his head. "In two weeks your new album will be launched. I'm afraid this rumor could affect your album sales. One little gossip can cause other rumors. Even the old problems can sink. Your producer will not be happy. Plus, what about your fans? What will they think? You could lose the market."
Soarin looked up at the ceiling and exhaled heavily. "Then, how?" Ben took another drink and said, "For the gay gossips, I think it's time for you to introduce a woman to the public." Soarin heads sprang rapidly towards Ben.
"What did you mean?"
"Simple. Why not start dating?"
"What?"
Ben Bear closes his eyes and continues in a serious tone. "The important thing is not a relationship with an artist. It could be a scandal. Too risky. We can not immediately make an official announcement to the reporters that you're in a relationship with a woman because they're certainly suspicious and would suspect it's an act to circumvent the gay gossip."
Soarin frowned and deep in thought. Finally he turned and found Ben Bear awaiting his decision.
"All right." He says, smiling. "We suppose that your 'girlfriend' will not have to be exposed, so you will be forced to keep your relationship. That way, no one knows who she is and no one has ever seen her."
Soarin frowned in confusion. "Someone nobody has ever seen and no one knows of. What good is that? People will not believe in just mere words."
"But we can give evidence."
"What evidence?"
"Photos of you with her."
"Her, who is her?"
"The girl who will become your 'lover.'"
"Who?"
"Everything can be arranged if you want."
"Meaning?"
Ben smile grew wide. "We're looking for woman who is not known to anyone and you must ask her to be your lover for sometime. You just have to flaunt it in front of the reporters. Smart, is not it?"
Soarin pondered, then said, "What if the reporters begin investigating the origin of the woman? Anyway where would we even find a woman who is willing to aid us and would able to be trusted to work with? We can't just choose randomly!"
Ben sipped his beer again and looked at Soarin. Whom seemed to consider his friend's proposal with a very worried expression. His brow furrowed, and occasionally bit his lower lip.
After a while, Soarin sighed and continued. "Who would we choose? Can I chose at random, and go with it? Or should we select the first woman to walk through that door?" He pointed to the front door of his house. Ben Bear exploded with laughter. Soarin looked at him with a puzzled expression.
"Ben, what?" Ben put his arm slowly on Soarin's shoulder. "Gosh, Soarin. I was just kidding. Why are you so serious?"
"What?"
Ben shook his head. "I'm just kidding about that last bit. Anyway, don't worry about it. There must be a way out."
Soarin snorted, then chuckled. "Ah, nuts! I'm going out for a little walk. Ya wanna come?" Asked Soarin, as he laid his head on the back of the sofa and looked at the ceiling lounge.
Ben shrugged. "Okay."
Soarin swung beer bottle he was holding and asked, "Oh, Ben, has my phone been fixed yet?" Ben Bear pulled out two cell phones and distributed it to Soarin. Suddenly he remembered the call he received on the way to Soarin house earlier. The woman who called herself Rainbow Dash said their phones were swapped. Ben asked her to come to the Soarin house, to take her phone back. The request confused the rather outrageous girl because the swap was not the girls fault, but whatever. Ben Bear was grumpy and when he was grumpy, he didn't like to wait long.
He was about to tell Soarin, when the doorbell rang.
"Who came up this time of night?" Muttered Soarin surprised.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Rainbow Dash really didn't understand why today was so wretched. Maybe she could've gotten home and showered, whatever it was too late now. She stood at the door of the large white house. The man who was named Ben Bear told her to come here to take her cell phone. Dash was irritated. Why she should come? She wasn't the one who took the wrong phone first. She even had to borrow money from the shop owner's so she could ride the bus, plus had to walk to reach this elite residential area.
Rainbow Dash exhaled. Never mind that, it's okay. The most important thing now was to get her phone back. After this she will rushed home. It was getting late and she almost fainted almost four times in the last fifteen minutes.
The door opened and Rainbow Dash recognised the face of the man who opened the door. He was the man in the store. Although it was rather difficult, Rainbow Dash imposed a polite smile. Her cheeks felt a bit stiff, but she hoped her smile looked natural.
"Hello, how are you? I’m Rainbow Dash who called earlier. I wanted to give your phone back. Here." Rainbow Dash gave the cell phone to the man.
"Oh, thank you very much." The man said smiling. "I really am sorry if it caused inconvenience. Please come in. Your mobile phone is inside."
Rainbow Dash knew she shouldn't go into the house of men she did not know, especially at a late hour like this. But her brain could not function properly and she just wanted to quickly resolve the problem so she could go home and sleep. He looked like a very nice man, anyway.
She stepped in and let herself be taken to a spacious living room with luxurious furnishings. In a long sofa that dominated the living room sat the man who was talking on the phone. His face was handsome, nice, although she had seen the man. But where?
"Maybe you have the wrong number," Rainbow heard him say on her mobile. "There is no one named Rainbow Dash or Dashie here."
Rainbow Dash stared Ben Bear with a questioning look, pointing toward the phone was being held by the handsome man on the couch.
"Yes, it's your phone," said Ben, smiling a little.
The man who was sitting on the couch was still distracted, not aware of the arrival of Dash. He furrowed his brow and seemed rather annoyed. He said, rather angrily. "Sorry, Thunderlane, I really do not know who you are. I also do not know Rainbow Dash. How can I ask her to answer the phone? Your got wrong number."
After saying that, the man's cell ended the call. "Weirdo." He grumbled to himself.
"Hey…" Dash heard Ben call to him. "That cell phone belongs to this young lady here."
The man on the couch was turned toward Ben, then toward herself. Dash then realised who he was.
Soarin was puzzled to hear the explanation that Ben Bear had said. His gaze moved from the manager to the girl standing in front of him, then returned to the manager again. At first glance, he observed a stranger who stood in his living room: a smallish girl with rainbow coloured hair and hand carrying a large plastic bag and a handbag. The look on her face was muddy, tired and pale. The girl was silent and noiseless while Ben Bear explained what had happened.
"Oh, so this is your phone?" Asks Soarin, getting up from the couch. He reached the phone he was holding. "That…was-what's his name, sorry, I forgot-called looking for Rainbow Dash. You is Rainbow Dash or Dashie?"
She smiled faintly and said. "Yes, Dashie is my nickname though."
Suddenly the phone rang and startled Soarin. "Please answer it." he said quickly.
Rainbow Dash took the phone and immediately open its flap. "Hello?"
Then Soarin and Ben Bear were stunned when they heard her speaking in a foreign language. Soarin was sure the conversation was not in English nor Japanese because he has mastered both languages. He wondered what language is being used here, she spoke it fluently. Soarin turned to his manager to ask and as an answer Ben Bear shook his head.
The conversation did not last long. After hanging up the girl looked at Ben and Soarin with awkward posture. Smiling stiffly she said. "Well, thank you very much. I am going home now."
"Wait," Ben interrupted. The girl looked at him with a puzzled expression. "If you don’t mind, what was the language you spoke earlier?"
"Indonesian," she answered immediately.
"Oh, I see." Ben smiling and nodded because it seemed like she did not want to explain further. "You can speak Indonesia apparently."
"Excuse me." she said again as she headed for the door. "Wait." Ben holding back the girl once again. He glanced at Soarin, then looked back at the girl. "You didn't come by car, right? I didn't see any cars outside. Tell you what, coincidentally we want to go out. How about we take you go home? I feel bad because you had to deliver the phones here."
She smiled stiffly and shook her head. "No need. I can take the bus."
"We can take you to the bus stop," said Soarin. He was not sure she could go home alone, because when viewed from the current situation, the girl seemed to almost faint at anytime. "Think of it as a gift of gratitude and a sign of our apology."
The girl looked at the two of them alternating with large eyes. And she was contemplating it. Her brain was spinning, looking for ways to reject the offer. Soarin could understand. A girl who was immediately offered to be taken home by two unknown men was wrong.
"Don't worry. We won't do anything. Believe me." Said Soarin, chuckling, although he knew the sentence didn't sound very convincing.
"Oh, no. I didn't mean that." She said, shaking her head again.
"Come, let's go outside." Interrupted Soarin, grabbing the car keys on the table. He turned toward Ben Bear. "Ben, can we use your car?"
He nodded.
Throughout the journey she was more silent. When spoken to, she simply answered accordingly. Soarin glanced into the rearview mirror to look at the backseat. The girl sat relaxed and looked out the window with a blank stare. Soarin wanted to know what made her look so tired.
Suddenly she spoke up. "I can walk from here."
Soarin turned around a little bit so he could see her. "Here? You sure you don’t want us to take you home?"
"Yes, we do not mind." Ben added.
The girl flashed a smile that seemed forced. "No need. Stop here I will walk alone."
Ben stopped his car on the side of the road, near the bus stop.
"Thank you," the girl said, getting out of the car.
When she bent down to say goodnight to them both, Ben looked from the window and asked, "Ms. Rainbow Dash, there something I want to ask. Do you know my friend here?"
Soarin realized his manager was pointing at him. Rainbow Dash blinked, then nodded. "This guy? Soarin, isn't it? Soarin Skies the singer?" Then as if she just realized something, she looked Soarin and said. "Your songs…your songs…are good."

Author's Note:

Thanks for the one who help me
SOARINDASH1

Comments

[SuicidalAngel]

Cute!! I bit of mistakes made here and there, such as missing words in sentences but that's not too noticeable and doesn't take fron the actual story. This was great to read, definitely earing a fave
.....once I finish reading all the other chapters...

[Soriandashforlife]

You said Sorian mastered English and Japanese

What's his home language