Kimono

Another week passed. One night Kimono sat down next to Cloud Shade in front of a TV. Just after finishing dinner.

The 2 really started to become closer and closer.

Meanwhile in Ponyville.

An officer pony stepped into an office. “Miss Cloud Shade hasn’t been home for 2 weeks. Ponies are getting worried. Shall we start a search party?” The pony at the desk said. “No. He’ll come back. He’s my friend. And I have a good feeling of where he might be. If we need to look for him.” The officer stepped out. “Alright then. Miss Era Somme, call us if you need us.”

Back at Kimono’s House.

Kimono thought. “I want to walk outside. Something is on my mind.” Cloud looked at her and smiled. “That would be great. We haven’t been out in a while.”

The 2 walked outside not too far from the house into the plain hills.

“So tell me. What’s on your mind?” Said cloud. Kimono sighed and said. “I don’t know if it's just. I don’t feel.. Complete yet.” Cloud Shade looked confused. “What do you mean Kimono?” So kimono said. “Cloud I love having you around. These past 2 weeks have been great. And I will admit I’ve been happier lately. But I can’t stop thinking about ‘the incident’ “

Cloud started to understand. “Ok I think I know what you're talking about. You feel like you never ‘dealt with it’ is that it?” Kimono said. “Well I was thinking about it like that. And it just might be. I feel like I need to do something about it now. 3 years later.”

Cloud Shade spoke part of his mind too. “You know Kimono, I’ve sorta been feeling the same way.” Kimono looked with concern. “How? You still have a job & a life in Ponyville.” Cloud decided to speak up “I know but. I guess if I’m going to be completely, perfectly honest. My problem is intertwined with yours. I too have had some regrets about that incident.”

Kimono looked back at him with wonder. Cloud elaborated. “Kimono you know I care about you. A lot. And when you were being blamed I knew what ponies were thinking was wrong. Something told me it just wasn’t true. It couldn’t have been. But I didn’t take that seriously at the time…”

Cloud sighed. “Even though I really should have. Spending time with you has already proven that.” Kimono looked shocked. “What do you mean cloud?” Cloud then looked to Kimono with a smile. Kimono loved it when he smiled. She grew very accustomed and comforted seeing it.

“Kimono. I keep telling you how happy I have been because it’s true. You know how I don’t have anything to do for at least a month? When you left I barely did anything. A machine broke down in the weather factory leading us to literally build clouds in jars for a while. Only the puffer machine worked. And I was laid off.” Cloud said depressingly. Kimono said “So you’ve been without a job?”

Cloud said. “I’ve been without my dream job. I loved working there and it’s still not fixed. And I lost it all. We really do have lots in common Kimono.” Kimono smiled.

“Well cloud. We have each other. You’ve made a positive impact in my life. And I can’t thank you enough.” She said happily while prancing backwards. Cloud shade smiled back and said. “Well you did the same to me. You gave me something to be proud of. Making me happy for the first time in a while.” He said, flapping his wings.

Kimono giggled “The wing flap.” Cloud said with a smug look. “What’s wrong with a wing flap?” Kimono said “because it’s actually really cute.” Cloud laughed. “And you're trotting backwards isn’t?” The 2 laughed away into the night and kimono went back to walking by his side.

Throughout the night the 2 walked along. Occasionally looking each other in the eyes. For once Kimono really did feel at peace. And cloud shade felt the same. The 2 were just outside of ponyville.

And in the distance Cloud Shade saw it. “Oh hey look. That’s my house!” The 2 ran towards it and Cloud shade flew Kimono up to the cloud where it was standing. She stood there and remembered “well that cloud walking spell didn’t seem to leave.” She said with relief.

She walked inside with cloud and looked at the amazing things within the house. As they walked in though, Cloud looked at his mailbox and tried to sort it out.

“You take a look around Kimono. I’m going to look at this mail.” Kimono nodded and headed upstairs. Cloud looked through his mail and found out something interesting. He was apparently successful in securing a delivery job with friend Derpy Hooves. And he knew it would only be a matter of time before he had to leave Kimono and start. At least for a while.

Kimono meanwhile just walked around his room and the 2nd story of his house. She found nothing of any interest except for a scrapbook of her and Clouds old friends together. And happy.

For a while she simply looked at the pictures and pages. Intrigued with her own past. But she sighed “why can’t we be like this again…this whole situation is pointless. It means nothing. What has banishing me done!?” Kimono had a stunned realization. She really was right.

The banishment came with an out of nowhere trial. Based on non-existent fear from ponies who refused to listen.

The banishment did nothing but make at least one of her friends miserable. Even if it was indirect. “I could’ve been here to help him.” Said Kimono. “Nothing would have ever been lost if I stayed!”

She started to get angrier. “It’s been 3 years! How could I be taken away from everypony I knew, and everypony I LOVED!?” Cloud Shade stood in the doorway. Which startled her a bit. “How long were you there?”

Cloud said. “The whole time.” Cloud then smiled. “You know something Kimono? You’re right.” Cloud’s smile then disappeared. “Kimono. I’ve been accepted. Into a delivery job while I was gone.” Cloud showed her the slip and she looked at it. Then at cloud.

“Kimono. It says here I start in 2 days. After tonight. I may have to leave again. For a while.” Kimono didn’t cry or weep. She simply said. “I’ll manage. For you I promise.”

Cloud was amazed. “I guess we really helped each other grow out of our prisons.” They both smiled at each other. It was true. They really needed this and it would only be a matter of time before they saw each other again.

“We still have to walk back to my home.” She said with a determined smile the 2 wanted to make the best of the night as they walked out of the house.

After walking back to Kimono’s house.

The 2 smiled at each other. Cloud said “Tonight was fun. It seriously felt like the good old days. But no matter what, I love spending time with you Kimono.”

Kimono then looked at Cloud Shade as they were walking inside. Then he smiled. Kimono closed her eyes and blushed a deep red. She felt heat rise up to her face.

Cloud then looked at her and then started to realize what he just said. He blushed and started to cry and hugged Kimono. As she returned the hug. She looked into his eyes and he looked into hers.

“You’re right Cloud Shade…but it was better then the good old days.”

And then. They kissed each other on the lips. Tears flowed out of both of their eyes.

After they broke the kiss. Kimono simply said. “I really do love spending time with you. I love you cloud shade.” Cloud shade replied with. “I love you too Kimono.” The 2 then got ready for bed.

More peaceful then they had ever been.

-later that night-

In the middle of the night. Kimono had a brief nightmare that woke her up. She was a little shaken. But she was relieved to see cloud was still there.

She looked around and saw that the bedroom door was open. And she heard hoof steps.

She pulled the covers up in front of her. Then she heard a voice.

“Ka-ka-ka-kamonooohhh”

She then decided to put the covers back down. She saw the shadow figure again. It crawled across the ceiling until it was right above her.

Kimono horrified looked right into the shadows head. And then it fell off the ceiling right onto her.

But then it was gone. Kimono sat up on her bed. As her eye color turned from Green to Black. She got up out of the bed.

And stepped into the kitchen to find it was midnight.

She sat down on the couch and turned the TV on. Where she watched an odd video she never saw before.

It was a strange avant-garde film. There was no sound but several odd shapes would twist and contort. But one of them formed into the shadow figure. It said one spoken word. “I can’t leave. But he can.”

Kimono blinked at that and shed a small tear.

The next morning came and Kimono was asleep on the couch with the TV still on.

Cloud shade walked out of the room and found Kimono there. He looked really confused. Then he looked at the TV and tried to turn it off.

“It’s the cold shaped pump. With MFP fluorite, the maximum fluoride protecti-“ the TV played a weird toothpaste advert when he turned the TV off. He held the remote as Kimono opened her eyes.

“Kimono? What were you doing sleeping out here?” Kimono tiredly responded. “I don’t know. I guess I had a nightmare.” Cloud then asked. “Why didn’t you wake me up?” Kimono replied. “I didn’t want to bother you.” Kimono then got off of the sofa and started getting breakfast ready.

“Now let’s get breakfast ready. Then you can go home…” cloud then sat down at the table. “Alright then. When you sit down can we talk?” Kimono replied “ok”

She got both breakfast plates ready after they finished they had a conversation about what happened last night.

Cloud spoke first. “Kimono. I would love to start a relationship with you. If our kiss makes us a couple.” Kimono replied with. “Why not Cloudy? We already said we love spending time with each other. We love each other. Why not make something better and start a relationship?” Cloud agreed. “Kimono. That’s not my biggest worry. For now I would like to keep our relationship a secret. With you being out of town and all. No offense.”

Kimono said “None taken love. And I would like that too honestly. But my biggest concern is with this new job of yours. Do you think you’ll be too busy to see me again..?”

Cloud’s ears perked up. “Absolutely not honey. I will always make time for you. I promise you I can manage both.” Kimono smiled at that. “You can also tell some of your friends that we’re a thing. The ones that won’t have a problem with me.”

Cloud said. “I don’t think they will. Like you said it was 3 years ago. Ponies aren’t like how they were then.” Kimono wasn’t too sure about that part but for now she was assured enough.

“Ok love. When do you want to meet up again?” Said Kimono Cloud thought about it but he figured it was the only date that stood in his mind. “How about Next Weekend. Derpy usually works full time Friday and Saturday and Sunday is an off day.” Kimono replied “ok Cloudy. I’ll see you then. Goodbye.”

With his bag packed. Kimono stuffed a picture of herself into the bag. And gave him a kiss for goodbye.

After he flew off she closed the door. And shed a tear. “I’ll miss you. You precious thing.”

Over the next few weeks. Cloud Shade’s visits were scattered. There was barely a consistent day they visited. He did however manage to secure a way to visit on weekends but it only lasted 6 weeks. Despite the inconsistent visits. The relationship between the 2 managed to prosper and grow. The 2 grew even more closely.

Back at his job Cloud Shade made the effort to tell a few of his friends at the delivery service. Many of which were enthusiastic for the 2. And kept his secret well.

But whenever Kimono was alone things weren’t pretty. And little did she know. Things would unfortunately get worse.

After a 5 day visit from Cloud Shade. Cloud Shade would not show up for nearly 4 months. Longer than any previous time before. Although he did manage to stay in touch with her via letters from Derpy.

Kimono’s mental health took a toll. She was frustrated from the lack of visits. But she barely had the energy to complain. Even though she knew she would have to at some point.

What frustrated her more than anything though. Is that, so much time had passed and she couldn’t tell anypony about her new relationship. Even if she was in contact with somepony else she couldn’t. So if she ever wanted to talk about it or vent her frustration it had to be with cloud and only him. If she wanted to get the whole truth out.

And cloud was not much better. Dealing with the exact same frustration.

4 months earlier however Cloud Shade had a problem. He was now under the thumb of Era Somme. Someone who became suspicious of his whereabouts ever since his disappearance.

Era Somme came to his home to ask why. But after a heated conversation with Cloud she made an ultimatum that cloud was devastated to hear. “Mr. Cloud Shade. I won’t ask where you have been. But if you disappear again. I will need to ask you.” She then walked out of the house as cloud started to cry.

In the present day, Kimono was of course unaware of all of this.

It got to a point where she regularly cries herself to sleep. She desperately wanted to go to his home to find him. But she was hesitant. Eventually she did try to do it.

Kimono went to the front door. But she didn’t open it. She opened the lock. And then closed it again.

She looked back to her dining table with the most recent letter from Cloud Shade sitting on top.

She opened the lock. And closed it again. This would continue several times. Until she finally closed it and shrugged her body down the door.

Crying

Depressed

Then enraged

Cloud Meanwhile had the same issues. The best he could do was send kimono a letter explaining everything for real.

The letter she got was the full truth.

“Dear, Kimono.

I have some bad news. I don't know how I’m going to visit you now. Nor do I know how you would visit me.

For the past 4 months I’ve been under the threat of Era Somme. The same prosecutor from your trial.

She’s suspicious about my random visits and disappearances and I don’t know why.

But regardless I can’t leave. And I don’t want you coming closer as I now fear police may increase security and spot you or me.

I love you dear. And I promise I’ll make a change to this. No matter how bad it hurts.

-Cloud Shade”