Running With the wind

by SC14

Happy again

Sweetie Belle stared at Minuette as she happily ate her muffin, This reminded her of the chocolate muffin that lay untouched before her. But, she found it hard to eat as something was weighing on her mind. The problem was, she didn't know what it was that was bothering her. Whatever it was had been gnawing at her all morning.

Minuette looked up at Sweetie and noticed her expression. "What's the wrong Sweetie?" She asked. Sweetie Belle looked up at her.

"Oh, I don't know, Something has been bothering me and I don't know what," Sweetie Belle said. Minuette looked at her with a sad smile.

"Well, I don't really have much experience in your situation but, I suppose it's normal," Minuette said. Sweetie Belle thought about it for a moment, could this just be normal sadness after what just occurred? No, this was more than just normal sadness, something weighing on her, like she needed to do something important. Minuette sighed "Look Sweetie, I honestly don't know what to tell you, I guess we just need to find something to make you happy," Sweetie Belle tried to think about what made her happy, And all that came to her mind was the good times with Rarity. She tried to block out those memories, she knew that it would never be like that again, She tried to think of good memories with school or anything other than Rarity, and then it hit her.

The crusaders, that's what is weighing on her and that's how she will be happy again, She probably caused them a lot of pain and sadness in her absence. Despite being somewhat a cause of her incident she pushes past those thoughts. "I need to see the crusaders!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed. Minuette was taken slightly aback by Sweetie's sudden outburst. "Sorry, But do you mind if I see if the crusaders want to hang out?" Sweetie Belle asked.

Minuette sighed. "As long as you are okay with me watching you," she said.

"What do you mean?" Sweetie Belle asked. Minuette gave her a smile.

"Part of my job is to keep you in my sight at all times," She said. Sweetie Belle looked at the ground for a second as the reality of her life came back to her, nothing was the same. 'I ruined my own life,' She thought, and unfortunately it was difficult for her to argue with herself there, as the reality was that her whole life was going to be different from now on.

"That's fine," Sweetie Belle said, shaking those negative thoughts from her head. She fast-walked out of the door with Minuette struggling to keep up. She quickly made her way to Scootaloo's house.

After a short walk, she approached the red house that Scootaloo lived in. She knocked on the door and was greeted by Scootaloo's babysitter.

"Hi, Sweetie Belle! I assume that you want to speak with Scootaloo," She said. Sweetie Belle nodded and the enthusiastic mare disappeared into the house, only to reappear with Scootaloo moments later.

"Hey there Sweetie, What's up?" Scootaloo asked.

"Well, I was wondering if you might want to hang out?" She asked. Scootaloo looked back at her Babysitter, Who suddenly looked skeptical. She moved to the side a bit to see Minuette who gave her a reassuring smile.

"Go ahead," She said. Scootaloo smiled and jumped in the air, Wings fluttering. She rushed out the door to follow Sweetie Belle as they headed off to Sweet Apple Acres. Scootaloo was apprehensive about asking Sweetie Belle questions about Minuette but, she figured it would be a good way to break the silence.

"So, Is Minuette joining us today?" Scootaloo asked. Sweetie Belle looked at the ground, It was more embarrassing than she had originally thought.

"Yeah, she has too keep an eye on me for the time being," Sweetie Belle explained. Scootaloo decided not to tease Sweetie anymore as she was still trying to find out the stuff she could say around her. "Is that okay?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Of course, Its not like we do anything that could get us in trouble or anything," Scootaloo said with a goofy smile. Sweetie Belle laughed and Minuette gave a little chuckle. "Speaking of which, What did you want to do?" Scootaloo asked. Sweetie Belle thought for a moment.

"Oh gosh, you know I'm terrible at stuff like that, I was honestly hoping you or Apple Bloom had some good ideas," Sweetie Belle said. Scootaloo laughed again, it seemed that Sweetie Belle never had any good ideas.

"Well, I hope Apple Bloom has some ideas because I have no clue," Scootaloo said. "That is, if Apple Bloom is available," She added. Sweetie Belle hadn't thought of that, she mentally scolded herself.

"I guess we could just hang out In the clubhouse and, I don't know talk? Or maybe we could play some games," Sweetie Belle offered.

"I suppose that wouldn't be too fun for Minuette now would it?" Scootaloo joked. Sweetie Belle laughed but deep down, she did feel responsible for making Minuette follow around two, possibly three goofy fillies for a day.

"Oh, I'll be fine," Minuette said. The three laughed before falling to silence. Despite being right beside one of her best friends, Sweetie Belle found this to be a good time to think. Would she ever be 'normal' again, what about all of the foals at school? How would they react? Cheerilee? And she didn't even want to imagine Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, a part of her hoped that they wouldn't stoop that low but she wasn't holding her breath.

Before she knew it, they were entering Sweet Apple Acres, it felt like ages since she had last been inside the orchard. Sweetie Belle smiled as, for the first time in a while, she was flooded with happy memories of her and the Crusaders running a muck, attempting to earn their coveted cutie marks.

"You waitn' on an invitation or something?" Scootaloo playfully remarked. Sweetie Belle shooke herself out of her trance and stared at the door to Apple Bloom's house. She looked back at Scootaloo who was looking at her with a smirk. Sweetie Bell smiled and laughed. She knocked on the door.

The door opened and she was met by Applejack. "Well howdy there Sweetie," Applejack greeted with a hug, shocked by the sudden display of affection, Sweetie Belle managed to make herself return the gesture.

"H-hey Applejack," Sweetie Belle replied. "I was wondering if Apple Bloom could come hang out with me and Scootaloo," Sweetie Belle asked.

"She sure can, Ah'll go get her," Applejack said before disappearing, she soon reappeared with Apple Bloom.

"Hey girls!" Apple Bloom greeted. The three friends exchanged hugs. "So, what do ya'll want to do?" She asked.

"We were kind of hoping that you had an idea," Scootaloo said with a chuckle. Apple Bloom rolled her eyes.

"Why do ah have to come up with all the ideas around here?" She asked. Scootaloo scoffed.

"Oh please, I come up with way more better ideas than you!" She argued. Apple Bloom chuckled.

"In yer dreams Scoots," She said. The three laughed as they headed for the clubhouse. When they entered the cluhose, the three just took a moment to take in their first visit to the clubhouse in months. But, this special moment of silence was interrupted by the ever impatient Scootaloo.

"So, are we just going to stare at each other all day or what?" She asked. Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom couldn't resit laughing at their friend.

"Well, if ya want to do something so bad, lets hear the ideas," Apple Bloom retorted.

"Well, uh," Scootaloo stammered. This illicited another chuclke from the other two crusaders. "What about kite flying?" Scootaloo asked. Apple Bloom rolled her eyes.

"Already did that," She answered. Scootaloo muttered curses to herself.

"Um, maybe we could try," Scootaloo stooped for a moment. "Apple kicking?" She offered. This time, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle busted out laughing. "Hey! I don't hear any ideas coming from you guys!" Scootaloo yelled. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were too busy rolling in the floor laughing to respond. Scootaloo sat, arms crossed until Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle stood up and wiped the rears from their faces.

"Are you two done?" Scootaloo asked. Sweetie Bell nodded while Apple Bloom tried to prevent herself from going back into a fit of laughter.

"Lets give it a shot Scoots," And with that, the crusaders (And Minuette) Set off to kick some apples.

---

Lyra burst through the door of the police station, catching the eye of the mare at the front desk. She started to speak but Lyra cut her off.

“I need to speak to Blue Streak right away!” She unintentionally shouted.

“He’s in the office at the end of the hall,” Lyra practically galloped down the hall, past interview rooms and holding cells, She was eventually met with a door, she didn't bother knocking.

“Hey Lyr,” Blue Streak was cut off by Lyra.

“I know someone involved!” She shouted. The two fell into silence as Blue Streak stared at her in awe, trying to figure out what just happened.

“Lyra, let's take a step back,” He said, taking a deep breath for emphasis. “What happened?” He asked.

“You were right, Some guys did come after me,” Lyra explained, she tried to continue but was cut off by Blue Streak.

“Oh my gosh, Are you alright? Did they harm you in any way?” Blue Streak asked.

“Never mind me! I have a name!” She exclaimed. Before Blue Streak could say anything she continued. “There were two stallions and I don't think I was supposed to hear them but I did and I recognized one of their voices!”.

“Alright, Alright! First, What were they saying?” He asked. Lyra thought for a second.

“Uh, well all I heard was something about me talking to you about the case, and then he told him to get rid of me,” She said. “But the guy he sent in told me that it was too messy or something and he let me go,” She finished. Blue Streak, who was still trying to comprehend what Lyra just said to him.

“What’s the name?” Was, all he could ask.

“Dark Horse!” She blurted. Blue Streak sat there for a second, dumbfounded, She wasn’t talking about who he thought he was.

“The guy we went to high school with?” Blue Streak asked. Lyra nodded. He sat there, trying to make sense of what he had been told.

“What did the mystery stallion ask you?” Blue Streak inquired.

“Asked me to discredit you,” She said. Blue Streak tensed up, He knew that Lyra could very well completely ruin the public perception of him.

“What did you tell them?” He asked, slowly. Lyra couldn’t help but internally chuckle at his nervousness.

“Don’t worry, I’m not sure that that stallion wanted to be involved because he let me go with Your several off-campus fights,” Blue Streak raised his eyebrow.

“He let you go with just one thing?” Blue Streak asked. Lyra nodded. “Did it seem like he was double-crossing Dark Horse or something?” He added.

“I wouldn’t rule out the possibility, He somehow convinced Dark Horse to let me live and then made a very half-hearted attempt to get me to reveal some dirt on you,” Lyra said.

“Huh, I just hope he doesn’t turn up dead,” Blue Streak said.

“I hope so too,” Lyra agreed. The two fell to silence for a brief moment.

“Hold on, Why would Dark Horse need someone to try and find dirt on me?” Blue Streak asked.

“I don’t know, he was two years younger than us, and it's not like you two were friends or anything so I don’t see why he would know anything about your personal life,” She said.

“I guess so,” He agreed. “Does this mean that he works for Rarity?” He asked. Lyra took a minute to ponder it.

“I guess so,” Lyra said.

“I guess I have to find out,”

Author's Note:

That didn't quite take as long as last time, but still longer than I had hoped. If I'm being honest its just a lack of motivation, I have time I just lack the motivation and inspiration to write. Oddly enough it was me watching Nicholas Cage's 1983 classic, Valley Girl that inspired me to finish this chapter.
Sorry, It took so long, and thanks for reading!