Bad to the Belle

Hey, be best you fillies wake up now, a voice echoed in Sweetie Belle's head as she slowly returned from the dreamworld. We're all in Manehatten now n' they're checkin' all the carriers. A pair of hooves shook her, speeding up the process.

“Ugh...” Sweetie Belle found no comfort within the wooden floor and her backpack pillow. Her limbs were sore as she pulled herself up to at least a sitting position, “...We made it?” The unicorn spoke, still in a daze.

“Yessiree!” Golden Delicious smiled as Sweetie Belle wiped her eyes to get them to focus faster.

“...So how are we sneaking out?” The subject was beginning to sink into the young mare's head. Golden began to stir Cloudchaser from her sleep.

“Very carefully,” he replied, Cloudchaser nearly kicked the stallion as she stretched herself out with a yawn.

“...But what do we do exactly?” The unicorn slowly pulled herself onto her hooves.

“Same way you fillies got in!” Golden answered, helping up a tired Cloudchaser.

“But won't they see us?” Sweetie Belle scratched her mane, trying to keep her balance.

“Not if they're busy unloadin' another carrier!” The stallion scooted the two ponies over to the door. Sweetie Belle Rolled her eyes at the obvious. Cloudchaser batted Golden's hoof away as she went back for hers and Sweetie Belle's backpack. “don't worry, it's an easy getaway from here!” Golden added as he began to undo the door's latches.

Cloudchaser dragged Sweetie Belle's backpack over, already wearing her own, “is it just me or does this feel like we're jumping out of an airplane?” The pegasus joked.

“Who knows, we might still be dreaming...” Sweetie Belle said dryly, too tired to join in the humor. Golden slid open the door carefully, any sounds now would probably give them away. Donning her backpack, Sweetie Belle leaned out to take a peek outside, however Golden stopped her with a hoof. Glancing at him, Golden shook his head and motioned for Sweetie Belle to back up.

Without argue, Sweetie Belle followed orders, stepping back next to Cloudchaser. The duo watched as Golden poked his head out of the door, glancing in both directions before returning inside.

“You fillies are clear to go, there's a door down the building, wide open. But I dunno what's beyond that, so y'all on yer own now. I wish both y'all good luck!”

“Thanks,” Cloudchaser smiled a little as Sweetie Belle was the first to jump out, the pegasus wasted no time following. Constantly checking both way, Sweetie Belle was surprised that the place wasn't crawling around with workers. Either most were on brake or they were dealing with some important cargo... The unicorn didn't even doubt that somepony could have had an accident when unloading the frights.

Almost there... Sweetie Belle gritted her teeth, galloping faster towards the sunlight shining through the exit. The unicorn, with a little magical assistance, stopped on a dime at the doorway. She glanced back at Cloudchaser, who was a half way across, picking up something of the floor. Cloudchaser! We don't have time for that! A stressed snarl rumbled through her lips as he pulled at her mane with a hoof.

“You dropped this...” Cloudchaser spoke softly as she approached the unicorn.

“Hm?” Sweetie Belle dropped her frustration to gawk at what the pegasus carried in her hoof.

My journal! Her eye's shot open, appalled that the journal even flew out of her back pack. Just a day ago, she couldn't have cared less what the fate of the journal was. But this new found love for her recycled journal would flip every stone to find it. “Th-thank you Cloudchaser... Could you put it in my backpack for me?” Sweetie Belle tried to sound casual about it, but her flushed face told a different story.

“Oh, sure,” Cloudchaser practically climbed the mound on the unicorn's back to place it back in. Grabbing the zipper, Cloudchaser sealed the flap shut. Their escape was shortly lived as a worker spotted them.

“You two don't belong here!” The figure galloped towards them. There was no need to tell each other to run as they already bolted out the door. Entering the alleyways, the two fillies navigated the best they could to find the open city.

“I think I know the way,” Cloudchaser took the lead. Sweetie Belle wanted to object, but she knew Cloudchaser probably knew more of Manehatten than she did. Checking back on their tracks, Sweetie Belle assumed that they lost their pursuer.

“Can we slow down?” The unicorn asked, becoming out of breath. Cloudchaser took a quick glimpse back, seeing just a vacant alley behind them.

“Sure...” She slowed to a quick trot. Sweetie Belle heaved for air as she kept the pace. “We're almost there anyways.” Cloudchaser added as an opening came into view. Sounds of purring engines and playing radios grew louder as they drew closer.

“...Wait a minute,” Sweetie Belle haulted before they got too close to the exit.

“What is it?” Cloudchaser slowed to a stop, wondering what her friend wanted this time.

“We're going straight to this Pierce guy's place right?” She asked.

“Yeah... Did you want to stop anywhere else?” Cloudchaser was a little heistant.

“No, it's not that, it's just it's been a day since we've been gone, don't you think the public knows about it by now?” Sweetie Belle didn't want to sound paranoid, but it was better to be safe than sorry.

“There's probably a chance they know,” Cloudchaser shrugged, not really thinking about the matter.

“Well we should at least try to change our appearance just a bit, just so we don't attract too much attention,”

“Sweetie Belle, we're carrying our rooms on our backs, even if we did change what we looked like, we'd still draw attention,” the pegasus countered.

“Just work with me here!” Sweetie Belle grew slightly irritated.

“Fine, fine, what do you have in mind...” Cloudchaser gave in, knowing it wouldn't hurt to let Sweetie Belle have this one.

“Well we can't do anything about our colors... But our manes and tails on the other hoof,” the unicorn took out a bottled water with her magic, opening it.

“No way Sweetie Belle, I've put years into this mane,” she took a few steps back, “there's no way you're hacking it off.”

“I wasn't going to, but that spikey mane of yours is going to make it easy for ponies to spot you from the crowd,” her magic summoned the water out of the bottle, directing it slowly towards the pegasus.

“What are you doing Sweetie Belle?” Cloudchaser backed up as Sweetie Belle drew closer.

“Don't worry, I'm not going to take your mane off, It's just the mane-do's gotta go!” Sweetie Belle tried to convince her friend.

“...F-fine,” Cloudchaser winced and looked away, fearing her mane would be ruined forever. Her fear was slowly drained as the water seeped into her mane, feeling like she was getting a wash down at the spa. She peeked out, unable to see how weird her hair looked being overtaken by weightless water. “Just don't make me look like a clown...”

“I said don't worry,” Sweetie Belle was focusing taking out the anti-gravity in the pegasus' hair.

“Ugggh, you're killing me Sweetie Belle!” Cloudchaser groaned.

“I'm almost done, geez!” The unicorn worked down the last strands of her friend's hair, “...There.” Cloudchase felt up her mane with her hoof.

“Oh my Celestia, Sweetie Belle...” She was speechless, her hair fully natural, let down and parted in between.

“Now, for your tail...” The unicorn motioned a hoof for Cloudchaser to turn around.

“How'd you learn to do all that?” She spun to the side, still amazed with her new hair style, “I've been trying for years to keep my hair down.”

“Uh... I've had experience,” Sweetie Belle wouldn't admit how Rarity styled her mane when there was an important event to attend to.

“Makes me wish I was a unicorn,” Cloudchaser spoke as the water went through her tail.

“Heh,” Sweetie Belle blushed, flattered by the compliments. The process didn't take as long as her mane did. “there, all done... At least you have a good chance of blending in now.

“Thanks,” Cloudchaser examined her flattened tail, still blown away with Sweetie Belle's salon level skills with hair.

“...Now it's my turn,” Sweetie Belle channeled the water into her own mane. Already familiar with it, dealing with tangles and knots was painful, but easy. She didn't need to be gentle like she was with Cloudchaser's mane. Finishing up, Sweetie Belle blew the dead hairs from her eyes.

“...You don't think it'd be suspicious that our mane styles match?” Cloudchaser mentioned as the unicorn started on her tail.

“Not really, I'd rather do this than be noticed from fliers that are probably posted all over Equestria by now,” Sweetie Belle massaged the water through her tail a few times.

“You really think your sister would have done that all by now?” Cloudchaser assumed Sweetie Belle would be passed her paranoia already.

“Yes I do. You just don't know anything!” The unicorn threw the water against the wall, infuriated with her friend's lack of understanding.

Cloudchaser only stood there, dumbfounded with Sweetie Belle's anger. She continued on after a few moments of silence, “Rarity has connections to royalty, if she really wanted to, she'd have the royal guard out here by now!”

“But she didn't...” Cloudchaser tried her best not to make Sweetie Belle any more enraged than she already was.

“How do you know?” The unicorn glared, holding back any urge to hurt her friend.

“Because if the royal guard were called in, they probably would have stopped the train before it hit Manehatten!”

“What if they stopped the wrong train? How do they even know we even took a train?” Sweetie Belle argued back, “for all we know the royal guard could be posted over every city and town in Equestria!”

“Well there's only one way to find out...” Cloudchaser trotted towards the exit of the alley.

“What are you, crazy?” Sweetie Belle gave chase, ready to pull the pegasus back into cover if she decided to make a break for it. The two stood just outside the alley, not a trace of royal guard was seen. Sweetie Belle's cheeks turned red in frustrated embarrassment.

“See, there's nothing to worry about Sweetie Belle,” Cloudchaser smiled, hoping the fact would calm the unicorn's fears. Sadly, Sweetie Belle was more upset with being wrong. Too flustered to speak, she kept silent. “Maybe you were were right Sweetie Belle, maybe your sister's glad you're gone,” Cloudchaser proposed the idea. Chewing on her words, Sweetie Belle's emotions changed.

Not knowing what to truly believe, the unicorn let out a pent up sigh. Cloudchaser could spot her friend's trouble from a mile.

“Come on now, we got the rest of the day ahead of us,” the pegasus embraced Sweetie Belle in a constricting hug. Sweetie Belle returned the gestured halfheartedly, not willing to let go of her emotions just yet.

Spike took in a breath of fresh air, even though his plans were ruined, at least today was a nice day to spend outside. Ponyvillians greeted him from time to time, offering idle chit chat as he went from streetlight to streetlight taping papers. Temptations and distractions beckoned him around every corner, but Spike knew better than to blow off Twilight's instructions. However the biggest one made it's appearance as the dragon strolled by Rarity's boutique.

At first glance, Spike thought it wouldn't hurt to stick a flier on the door. It wasn't until after that he looked back at the boutique, wondering about Rarity's well being. Even though he wasn't the best at cheering anypony up, at least he could be a crying shoulder for her... Anything to get brownie points with Rarity.

Retracing his steps to the door, the dragon pondered a few would be scenarios. Once he was sure of himself, he knocked on the door.

“Rarity, are you home?" And sunddenly the thought occurred that maybe Rarity wasn't home. Spike paced around, nervousness settling in. Another thought told Spike that what if Rarity was in the middle of committing suicide? Worked up, the dragon went back to the door, pounding harder. “Rarity! It's me Spike!”

Wasting no time at all, Spike tried the door knob. Fortunately for him, Twilight forgot to lock it during her last visit. The door gave way, allowing Spike entrance. Readjusting his eyes to the poorly lit room, the dragon searched the room out for the white unicorn.

“Rarity?” Spike called out, hoping for a response. Only a sleeping snore replied. Spinning around to pin-point the source, the dragon spotted Rarity on the couch, passed out. A bottle of wine laid on the floor, still having some swigs left in it. Spike's nose wrinkled as the stale smell of the boutique finally got to him.

Ugh, what stinks in here? Spike held his nose, repulsed by the scent that attacked him. Not willing to investigate much, the naive dragon assumed it was the wine. Even though Spike's worries were put to rest, he began to have regrets barging in. It'd probably be days before he would be able to forget a stench like that.

Taking one huge breath, the dragon held it as he rushed to Rarity's room to retrieve her blanket. He didn't want to leave the broken pony cold, it wouldn't sit right with him if he did. Coming back from Rarity's room, Spike draped the blanket over Rarity's body. He tucked her in, leaving only her head uncovered.

Spike thought about leaning in to kiss Rarity on the forehead, but as he drew in another breath, the stale air convinced him otherwise. Muttering a quiet “Good night,” Spike left the boutique.