The Stalker (The Midnight Series)

Chapter 1: Unaware

1

It was a quiet night, no clouds covered the night sky. Unlike it has for the past weeks of endless rainfall. The moon was a crescent shape, like a smiling face, smiling back at the people beneath.

There was a small gathering of best friends inside a barnyard, having a sleepover. Laying in the haystacks, a small portable TV hooked up with a small VCR. They all snuggled in the blankets with the towering barrels of hay stacks above. Their recent movie ended, and they were discussing what to do next.

"What should we watch next?" Apple Bloom asked, kneeling across the way of her friends, set beside the TV. She was a young, free-spirited girl. Her hair was bright red, her eyes were like a precious jasper stone, wearing an orange nightgown. Her friends Sweetie Belle, her dazzling curls of white and purple streaks off in the side, and Scootaloo, her tanned skin, short purple locks, sat together, trying to think of something to say.

"I'm not sure." Sweetie Belle said calmly, her lightened tone, in her fancy white gown. Scootaloo was her rival in most situations, as she would put it. With her high-class attitude, and fancy array of clothing, Scootaloo calls her 'prep.'

"Yeah, me either." Scootaloo added. Scootaloo was often outspoken about a lot of things. She was the toughest one out of all of them. She wore heavy clothing that night, heavy jacket, cargo pants, and brown boots. She was too heated to sleep underneath the covers. The choice of clothing, her hairstyle, and her big mouth, her two worst enemies call her 'tomboy.' She didn't really enjoy a lot of the girly things herself, but she hated that name.

"Oh, well... ah suppose we could do somethin' else?" Apple Bloom suggested, as she crawled near to see what the two were talking about. Both Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo had multiple conversations together alone, but they wanted to keep Apple Bloom's innocence in the group. It was almost too hard to not say certain things around her.

"Let's see..." Sweetie Belle was thinking. "I suppose we could talk about the weird play Diamond Tiara has been acting in."

"Ooh, are we talking smack about Diamond Tiara?!" Scootaloo said with such excitement.

"C'mon guys, she's not that bad." Apple Bloom said, as her brows narrowed.

"Not that bad?!" Sweetie Belle continued, as she looked into Apple Bloom's eyes. "She almost killed us last time!"

"Yeah! She did." Scootaloo added, always had something to say about it too, as she sat up, crossed her arms, and sat criss-cross. "She's been out of control! Especially with all those bodyguards!"

"You don't like her, huh?" Apple Bloom asked softly.

"Well, yeah?" Sweetie Belle questioned.

"She'll never change." Scootaloo said, feeling sure of it. "That act she put on, wasn't even trying to look good. Are you seriously thinkin' she is, Apple Bloom?"

"It looked like it." Apple Bloom said honestly. "Ah think she could... ah do hope her intentions are well."

"Sweet Apple Bloom, you know a person like her will only use people like us to get what she wants, right?" Sweetie Belle said, as she would try to lecture her. "Her begging for our help, was almost too pitiful."

"I agree." Scootaloo commented. "Not only that, but what she did to you Apple Bloom... aren't you a little upset at that?"

"What? About the kiss?" Apple Bloom said, as she held her hand up to her cheek. She blushed on the thought of it, as it came out of nowhere.

"Yeah, I understand your family has been doing business for a really long time, but that... what can we say about that?" Sweetie Belle questioned, as she shrugged.

"Right?!" Scootaloo said.

"Ah don't know what to say really? It was just sudden... didn't have time to react, but it felt genuine, ya know?" Apple Bloom said, kind of embarrassed that she didn't say anything of it.

"Are you confused?" Scootaloo asked, looking directly towards Apple Bloom.

"Just a little." Apple Bloom answered, as she continued to blush on the thought of it.

"You know, now that I think about it... it might make for a good fanfic?" Sweetie Belle suggested.

"Oh yeah, totally! Like it could be like, instead of Apples and Oranges, it will be Apples and Diamonds!" Scootaloo chuckled. Sweetie Belle smiled.

"Oh stop, ya guys!" Apple Bloom blushed and chuckled. "What about you two?"

"Pardon?" Scootaloo said, as her smile went away.

"You two!" Apple Bloom said. "Sweetaloo! Or ScootaBelle?"

"Her and me?" Sweetie Belle mocked, looked at her with discontent.

"Yeah, that wouldn't work!" Scootaloo said. "She's way too high maintenance for me!"

"High maintenance?!" Sweetie Belle yelled, feeling offended. "You're the one who needs maintenance!" Sweetie Belle threw a pillow at Scootaloo.

"Haha, sure... not as much as you!" Scootaloo said, as she threw it back. It knocked Sweetie Belle into the haystack behind her. She rubbed the back of her head, as the haystacks were quite solid.

"See? Ah know what am talking about!" Apple Bloom said, as she was laying beside them with large googly eyes. "Opposites attract!"

"Get real!" Scootaloo said, as she slowly laid a pillow on Apple Bloom's face. "Well, since we are talking about relationships. What have been the ones you've seen recently?" Scootaloo asked, saving the conversation.

"My sister and Applejack is the only I can name..." Sweetie Belle said. "Only because it frustrates me every now and then!"

"What do ya mean?" Apple Bloom asked, as she got up and hugged the pillow.

"Oh... I-I mean... it's great!" Sweetie Belle gestured, with a weak smile. "They're a cute couple!"

"Yeah. Ah just wished ah haven't been so mean to her about it though..." Apple Bloom admitted, as her face became concerned for them.

"Why? What's up?" Scootaloo asked.

"Well, every since ah first saw them... kissing... ah didn't know what to say to it." Apple Bloom admitted. "Ah kinda blame myself that they chose to live elsewhere."

"It's not your fault, Apple Bloom!" Sweetie Belle said, sincerely. "I'm sure it was for... reasons..."

"But, ah never got to say ah was happy for her!" Apple Bloom admitted.

"C'mon Apple Bloom, you can always talk to her about that. It's not like she's far away or anything!" Scootaloo said.

"Yeah, I guess you're right!" Apple Bloom said. Sweetie Belle looked at Scootaloo, as if they both saved the conversation.

"So, how do you feel about yourself and Diamond?" Scootaloo asked. Sweetie Belle elbowed her left arm.

"Huh? Me and Diamond?" Apple Bloom said, as her head perked up. "Ah don't know... okay ah guess...?"

"Do you like Diamond?" Sweetie Belle asked. Scootaloo did the same thing, only Sweetie Belle couldn't hide the pain she felt.

"Uh... am not sure. Am not really into girls, like that." Apple Bloom said, her face started to heat again.

"Oh no, it has nothing to do with that, Apple Bloom. You don't necessarily have to be into girls, just... do you actually like Diamond?" Scootaloo said.

"Ah guess ah do." Apple Bloom admitted. "In a way."

"Well, I guess we'll see if she is legit in changing then." Sweetie Belle added. "I suppose she needs high maintenance!"

"Yeah, for sure!" Apple Bloom smiled, as Scootaloo chuckled.

"So, Apple Bloom... is there anyone else you find, likable?" Scootaloo added. "Or anyone that you know in a relationship?"

"Not that am aware of." Apple Bloom said, as she was in much thought. "Wait... there was this one guy that was almost too into me!" Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo looked at each other, then went in closer, smiling for the fact she may have an admirer. "What?" Apple Bloom looked confused.

"A guy? Someone at our school?" Sweetie Belle asked, with a huge smile on her face.

"No, he was much older! He was tall and wore dark clothing!" Apple Bloom continued. "Ah saw him walk by a few times as ah was at the park by myself once. He looked like he wanted to ask me somethin' but was a little shy."

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle's smiles went away, as they both looked concerned for Apple Bloom.

"We are not talking about the Slender Man, right?" Scootaloo said, as one brow narrowed in concern. Sweetie Belle bumped her head.

"Is that person... still around?" Sweetie Belle asked, as she cautiously looked around inside the barn with her eyes.

"No, not after my brother took care of it, since the guy was following me back home." Apple Bloom continued. "Ah didn't know why? But, my brother was a little upset at me after that."

"Apple Bloom, how long ago was this?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Yeah, and you went to the park without us?" Scootaloo interrupted.

"Shut up!" Sweetie Belle said, as she punched into Scootaloo's arm again.

"Ow, that actually hurt!" Scootaloo whispered. Sweetie Belle looked at her with fierceness that made her shut up.

"It was about a couple of weeks ago, they were having ice cream sales there, and ah wanted to go." Apple Bloom said, as she scratched her head trying to remember. "Ah think, ah tried contacting you, but you were busy. Applejack was with Rarity, and Big Mac had to stay to fix up the fence!"

"Oh, Apple Bloom..." Sweetie Belle worried, as she slowly facepalmed. "You do know, not to talk to strangers, or go out alone, right?"

"But, it was only for a little while, ah really wanted some ice cream! You guys weren't around at the time?!" Apple Bloom said, shrugging as she didn't know what she said caused a little panic.

"Yeah, but it could have been a lot worse there!" Scootaloo said, as she placed her hands down on the hay, confronting Apple Bloom, in which made her jump.

"Are you sure it wasn't just a person who was lost, or needed help?" Apple Bloom asked.

"I don't know? But, there are people out there that aren't necessarily good." Sweetie Belle said.

"What do ya mean?" Apple Bloom asked, she had a little worried look on her face. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle looked at each other. They thought it should be up to her parents or her family to tell her about these things, but they are with her the most to warn her about something she may not know about.

"Sweetheart, there are people out there who are not good people... they are..." Sweetie Belle tried to tell her, but couldn't find the words to say it in a slightly comforting way.

"My folks used to call them 'kiddie-fiddlers'." Scootaloo said.

"Kiddie-fiddlers?" Apple Bloom questioned. "Like they like to play with kids?"

"In a way... in a way that's not fun for kids..." Sweetie Belle said cautiously, as she looked down at the hay.

"Hmm?!" Apple Bloom thought, confused and slightly more worried.

"Look, these are people who want to harm kids for fun." Scootaloo said blatantly, Sweetie Belle pushed Scootaloo a little bit out of the conversation.

"Is that true?" Apple Bloom asked nervously. "And, they hurt kids... or someone like us?"

"Yes... they like to stalk kids. They find out who you are, and they follow you, until they can get you at your most vulnerable." Sweetie Belle said, feeling a bit reserved to tell her.

"You're joking, right? Ah didn't know we were talkin' about ghost stories yet!" Apple Bloom said, nervously joking.

"No, it's not stories, these are real people. And, they are scary because they do want to use you, touch you in places you don't like, and hurt you for fun!" Scootaloo jumped into the conversation. Apple Bloom was a little ticked off. Sweetie Belle was even more frustrated with her.

"Am not sure ah follow." Apple Bloom said, as she looked down, unsure of what to think of it.

"Maybe you should ask Big Mac, or Granny Smith about them." Sweetie Belle suggested. "I'm sure they'll help you more than we can!" Sweetie Belle assured response made Apple Bloom a little lifted.

"Alright." Apple Bloom said, as she held up her head. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo looked at each other, a little relieved from being away from the conversation.

"So..." Scootaloo said, as she scratched the back of her head. "How about Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, am I right?!"

The girls continued the night talking about other people's relationships, having a laugh thinking about how they all can make things interesting in school, in which Apple Bloom was unaware of what they meant by that. However, they joked and laughed until it was late in the night.

2

That very night, they all gathered in the blankets, the pillow sat beneath them, having comfort over the hay. Apple Bloom was covered well, as was Sweetie Belle, but Scootaloo laid uncovered. Still warm under all the weighted clothing. Scootaloo slowly shifted to her side, and she unknowingly was wrapping her arms around Sweetie Belle. Sweetie Belle felt the warmth, and scooted closer to it. She laid close and let Scootaloo wrap her arms around her.

Apple Bloom was shifting in her sleep, she was in thought of what they said earlier about the 'kiddie-fiddlers.' She started to feel scared. Apple Bloom got up, and saw Sweetie Belle laying next to Scootaloo. Apple Bloom smiled, and decided to lay back down and fall asleep.