Ain't nothin' more beautiful to be found.
The door to Carousel Boutique swung open, alerting Rarity to the new customer. The fashionista trotted out of the back room, prepared to greet her guest.
“Welco...Oh, Rainbow Dash, it’s you.” Rarity’s smile faltered slightly.
“You seen ‘Lane?” the pegasus asked, “I was just at the bakery and Mrs. Cake said she saw him here.”
Dash’s frown grew as Rarity fidgeted, “Thunderlane? Oh, I didn’t see him today.”
“No?” Dash’s eyebrow rose, “Berry said she saw him come here and leave.”
“…Well, you know how Berry can be sometimes,” Rarity glanced down as she spoke, “I mean-”
Rarity’s response was interrupted as the door opened again. Cloudchaser trotted in, frowning.
“Rarity have you seen Bulk? He told me he was going to help Fluttershy with her weasels, but when I asked her, she said she didn’t see him…Oh hi Dash.”
“If he went out to help Fluttershy, why would I know where he is?” Rarity’s fake smile returned.
“Because Berry mentioned she saw him come here.”
“…Wait, you too?” Dash turned her attention to the other pegasus.
“What?”
“Thunderlane ran off saying he had stuff to do, but Berry told me she saw him here.”
The two pegasi continued to ponder as Rarity slowly began to back away, the fake smile wavering. Suddenly both pegasi turned their attention back to the fashionista, freezing her in place.
“Rarity, what’s going on?” Cloudchaser asked.
“I am not obligated to diverge information about my customers,” Rarity replied with a straight face, “My clients expect a certain degree of privacy, and I will keep it.”
“…So that’s a ‘no’?” Dash asked.
“Nevermind, thanks anyway.” Cloudchaser cut off Rarity’s response, “Come on Dash, I got an idea.”
The two pegasi turned around and left the boutique, slamming the door behind them. Rarity collapsed onto her rear and breathed a sigh of relief.
“They really need to be more subtle about it,” Rarity shook her head, “Well…they’re going to have to find out sooner or later.”
“…Ok, so Berry,” we got more questions for you,” Dash informed the purple mare.
“C’mon Dash, I’m trying to run a business here,” the mare motioned towards the jars of grape jams, jellies and other produces, “The more time I spend talkin’ to you means the less money I make.”
“You tell us what we want to know and I’ll give you thirty bits.” Cloudchaser interrupted.
“So what do you need to know?” the earth mare bolted upright, “Carrot, you mind watching my stand for a bit?”
“Fine.” The farmer rolled her eyes.
“So what did you see?” Dash began to question Berry Punch.
“Well, I was working my stand, and I noticed Thunderlane went into Rarity’s shop. A bit later he poked his head out and looked around before leaving,” Berry scratched behind her head, “I guess he didn’t notice me, I was busy with a customer. Anyway, he pulled his head back into the shop and trotted out carrying a bag in his mouth.”
“And Bulk?” Cloudchaser interrupted Dash’s response.
“Same deal,” Berry shrugged, “Stuck his head out, looked around and trotted out with a bag.”
“…Thanks.” Dash reached into her satchel and tossed a small bag onto the counter. Berry opened the bag and poured its contents out, quickly counting out the amount. Satisfied, Berry nodded and tossed the bits into another jar.
“Pleasure doin’ business with you all,” the mare flashed the two her best and brightest grin.
“Whatever.”
The two pegasi trotted off, deep in thought.
“You owe me fifteen bits,” Dash grumbled to the other mare.
“I owe you money?” Cloudchaser responded.
“This is for your coltfriend too,” Dash grumbled.
“...You think we’re being misdirected?”
“What do you mean?” Dash asked.
“Look, Berry said they both left with a bag. From Rarity’s.”
Dash came to a stop and turned her attention to Cloudchaser. “…You think they got us a gift?” Dash cocked an eyebrow.
“It’s possible; they might be trying to do something nice for us.” Cloudchaser shrugged.
The two paused, processing the thought. After several moments, the two began to snicker uncontrollably and finally burst out laughing. Passing ponies stared at the two in confusion as Dash collapsed to the ground, unable to support herself.
“What’s so funny?” a voice asked the two.
Dash and Cloudchaser wiped the tears from their eyes to look at the newcomers: Big Macintosh and Ditzy Doo.
“Heh, sorry big guy.” Dash apologized, “Personal joke.”
“Must be awfully funny if it’s got the two of you rolling in the street.” Mac deadpanned.
“Trust me, it’s about Thunderlane and Bulk,” Cloudchaser chuckled, “Its funny.”
“I saw the two of them earlier today,” Ditzy added, “They both had bags and were heading towards Bulk’s place.”
“…Seriously?” Dash’s face changed from amused to business, “CC, did you look there?”
“First place I went. He must have gone back after I left.”
“You said they both were going to Bulk’s?” Dash turned her attention back to Ditzy.
“Eey-” Dash and Cloudchaser took off before Ditzy could finish her sentence, “-up.” The cross-eyed mare watched the two streak through the sky.
“Huh. Whatever’s bothering them must be pretty serious…Why are you looking at me like that?” Ditzy turned her attention to the bemused Big Macintosh.
“ ‘Cause yer’ startin’ to copy what I say,” he chuckled, “What are you gonna do if Dinky starts Eeeyupin’?”
“If she starts copying your mannerism, then I’m sure she’s accepted you as a step-father,” Ditzy giggled.
“Can’t argue with that.”
Dash skidded to a stop, “CC, Wait.”
“What for?”
“Look, we go in head first, they’re gonna hear us, or see us. I mean…” Dash motioned towards her mane, “I’m not exactly stealthy.”
“…good point.”
“So stay quiet.”
The two mares silently glided towards a cloud home and landed on its front porch. Dash motioned with her hoof for Cloudchaser to test the door. The mare trotted forward and pulled a key out of her satchel. Silently she slipped it into the lock and pushed open the door. Cloudchaser motioned for Dash to follow her into the house. The pair trotted in, silently passing the piles of weight lifting and fitness magazines, protein supplements, dumbbells, and other fitness equipment.
“Is that seriously all he has?” Dash whispered.
“More-or-less,” Cloudchaser responded, “there’s a reason I prefer meeting him at my house.”
The two slowly crept down a dim hallway towards a slightly opened door with the lights on. The mares peeked through the door crack, straining to see.
Inside of the room, Bulk remained seated as Thunderlane stood in front of a large, full-bodied mirror. Sighing, Thunderlane continued to look at his reflection in the mirror and at the pastel pink and blue sweet Lolita dress he wore. The stallion rubbed one of the bows on his shoulder, struggling to examine it. Bulk also wore his own sweet Lolita outfit, this one colored a pale, whitish-yellow with a pattern of repeating little shooting stars modeled after Cloudchaser’s cutie mark.
“I don’t know, Bulk.” Thunderlane continued on, “I mean, I do like that Rarity did her own thing with the pattern, but I like the lace better than the bows.”
“I think both would have worked much better,” the muscle-bound pegasus replied, “Besides, I believe Polomare’s style is much too similar to that of Stirrup’s to be worth bothering with.”
“I guess.” The stallion turned around again, “Still…”
The two stallion’s discussion was interrupted by the sound of the door slamming into the wall. Thunderlane and Bulk’s attention quickly turned to the door, where Dash and Cloudchaser had fallen over, knocking the door inwards. Rather than responding, the four ponies just stared at one another in absolute, stunned silence. After a few moments, Dash and Cloudchaser pulled themselves to their feet, turned around and trotted out of the house.
“….Well, it was only a matter of time before they found out.” Thunderlane grumbled, “I thought Rarity said she wasn’t going to tell them.”
“It’s possible that they found out on their own,” Bulk responded, “Either way, I think they took it rather well.”
“Ye-”
“WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?!?!” Dash’s shout drowned out Thunderlane’s response.
“HOW THE HELL SHOULD I KNOW?” Cloudchaser hollered back, “THIS IS NEWS TO ME!”
“…Or not.” Bulk sighed.
“...We have got a lot of explaining to do…” Thunderlane sighed.
Author's Note
I blame Punzil504 for this.
