//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 - A picnic with friends // Story: New Toys in Town // by Derpator //------------------------------// What a glorious day. That’s what Rainbow Dash thought anyway. Hardly any time spent cloud busting, clear skies all around, and, like usual, nothing out of the ordinary. A perfect day for a picnic with her friends. By picnic of course, that meant Rainbow Dash lying on her back with her sunshades on trying to nap whenever possible. Today’s topic of conversation wasn’t something she particularly cared for, but all of her friends kept on about it. There was a new craze in Ponyville. Ponies started to disappear off the streets after some new ‘toys’ had been introduced to the town. Not much was explained about what these toys were, but it was known that they required two or more ponies playing with them to get the best enjoyment, or so the ponies who have played with them have said. As with all normal gossip and with her contacts in other cities and towns, Rarity was the first to know of them. It wasn’t long before she shared it with Fluttershy during a weekly spa session. Word spread around, and soon Applejack knew of them. Rarity was quick to propose trying them out with Applejack, who was just as quick to accept. Many evenings of the week, Rarity and Applejack were out of contact with everypony else. After they’d completed their normal day jobs, Applejack would go over to the Carousel Boutique to play with these new toys with Rarity and go home to the farm late at night. Sometime after those experiences, both Rarity and Applejack told Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie about these toys, and suggested trying them with each other. They’d ordered them shortly after. Rainbow Dash didn’t care for them. Or at least, she’s told the others she didn’t want a part of it. She’d told all her friends that she had no intention with trying them out and her friends seemed to acknowledge that. The reason being, that whenever Rainbow Dash actually asked what these ‘toys’ were, she’d only get a single response. “It’s not really your thing.” Rainbow Dash didn’t even know what that meant. She had no clue what the toys actually were, or what purpose they served. Requiring two ponies for ‘ultimate satisfaction’, as the company making the toys stated, was something Rainbow Dash didn’t understand either. And yet, all of her friends kept talking about them. She actually felt like a sixth wheel at a gathering, if that was even possible. “Ooh they’ll be here soon.” That voice could only come from one pony; the pink one full of excitement. “I can’t wait to try them out!” The second voice came from a white unicorn, who introduced these abominations (as Rainbow Dash referred them as) to all of Ponyville. “Oh they’re coming today?” “Yes!” Another voice of excitement. From Twilight Sparkle no doubt. “Pinkie and I are going to try them out when they arrive. She’s actually been rather restless for days. Everyday she’s come to the library to express her desire to play with them. She's come around so much, that I can't stay concentrated on the latest novel I'm reading.” Pinkie Pie couldn’t hold back a blush. “Well yeah.” She pointed a hoof of accusation towards Rarity and Applejack. “They’ve both been playing with them for ageeeeeeees!” “And boy howdy, am I grateful for that!” Applejack’s comment caused Rarity to giggle and look away from the earth pony. The action actually caught Rainbow Dash’s attention as she sat up, not bothering to lift her sunglasses as she did so. “I don’t see the big deal here.” Rainbow Dash lowered her hoof to pick up an apple, digging into it and feeding on the remains of an honest day’s work of Applejack. Gulping down a mouthful, she continued. “I don’t see Fluttershy here wasting any time with these things.” Fluttershy squeaked as soon as she heard her name. From a reassuring hoof on her back from Rarity, she regained her confidence. “Fluttershy has already explained her desires to not get involved, Rainbow Dash.” Fluttershy looked at Rarity. “Well actually. You see, I...” Rarity gasped at what she thought she’d just heard. “Fluttershy, you want to try them out? Oh this is fantastic!” Clapping her hooves together, Rarity felt some warm air by her ear. “You sure that’s the best idea Sugarcube? She ain’t got nopony to share with.” Keeping their conversation quiet, Rarity lowered her voice to a whisper as well. “Then we’ll simply find somepony to play with her. What about Rainbow Dash?” At the suggestion, both ponies turned towards Rainbow Dash in perfect synergy, who jumped from the sudden attention. Her sunglasses fell off and dropped to the ground, resulting in laughter from Pinkie Pie. “Oh Rainbow Dash, you’re so funny!” Rainbow Dash gave Pinkie Pie a dirty look, who didn’t seem at all affected by the devil eyes she was being given. “Yeah yeah, laugh it up Pinks!” Rainbow Dash threw the now ruined (in her opinion) sunglasses away. “Maybe I’ll just have to share the story you told me involving a certain pony and a session of baking. Or the attempts of baking anyway.” With a look of satisfaction, Rainbow Dash sat back in her own accomplishment. It caught Pinkie Pie’s full attention, as evidenced when the pink mare grabbed Rainbow Dash very closely. Her face was filled with a cherry colour. Whatever it was, she was embarrassed. “No Dashie! You said you wouldn’t tell anypony! Please please please. Pleeeeeeeeease!” Pinkie Pie shook Rainbow Dash furiously, desperate for the story not to be revealed. After a few spinning of her irises, Rainbow Dash snapped back to reality, placing a hoof on her head to make sure she’d done so. “Relax Pinks,” she made out, “I’m just teasing you.” Pinkie Pie had another sudden mood change back to her old self. “Okie dokie lokie!” She remained still for a while, humming some tune she’d made up some time ago, not aware of the curious looks she had received. “Oh look. Isn’t that...” Fluttershy spoke up and pointed towards a pegasus approaching the group. The mare in question was a pony that everypony knew as the mailmare. She had a light greyish coat, a pale yellow looking mane and oddly, bubbles as a cutie mark. Everypony didn’t know how bubbles were associated with mail, but they just accepted it. With her, she was carrying two large saddlebags by her side. Pinkie Pie immediately got excited. “Hey Derpy” Rainbow Dash called out. The mailmare smiled back at Rainbow Dash. “Morning girls. Mail call. Two packages for a Twilight Sparkle and a Pinkamena Diane Pie-“ Pinkie Pie snatched the package as soon as Derpy Hooves presented it. As Pinkie Pie held the package to her chest as hard as she hugged anypony, Derpy Hooves said her farewells and continued on with the mail. “OhmygoshohmygoshTwilightweneedtototallytrytheseoutrightnow!” Pinkie Pie didn’t let anypony stop her as she dragged Twilight away from the gathering with her hoof. As Twilight was getting pulled against her will, she gave the watching ponies a wave. “Well, bye girls.” “Think she’ll be ok?” Applejack showed a bit of concern as any traces of Twilight Sparkle were gone from her view. Rarity chuckled and tapped her own hair to constantly make sure it kept its ‘elegant’ style, as she told everypony. “Of course she will darling. I’m sure Pinkie Pie won’t be too hard.” Rarity placed a hoof on her chin. “Actually, she’s always full of energy. Maybe Twilight is in for a surprise. Pinkie Pie would sure love giving her one of those. Twilight just might be in her best mood tomorrow.” Applejack raised an eyebrow. “If ya say so.” Rainbow Dash was trying to figure out what Rarity was talking about. The way she was talking made it sound like Pinkie Pie and Twilight were going to... no. No, that’s absurd. Absolutely ridiculous! Get your mind out of the gutter Dash! Your friends aren’t going to do... that. Are they? “What do you think Fluttershy?” The yellow pegasus was now more confident and could sit up straight without hiding behind her mane. In the openness of her friends, Fluttershy presented a smile. “I think it’s absolutely wonderful.” Rainbow Dash chewed on her apple slowly as she stared at Fluttershy. “I thought it didn’t interest you Flutters.” “Oh. I meant, Pinkie Pie and Twilight...” Rainbow Dash continued to chew as she just sat there with a blank face. “Oh I know, they’ve been waiting so long for this.” Rainbow Dash averted her gaze to Rarity. “So.” Rainbow Dash took another bite. “Pinks and Twilight have waited to play with their new ‘toys’?” “Yes.” “So they’ve gone to play with them.” “Eeyup” the cowpony added. “Together.” Another bite. “Yeah...” “Alone.” “What’re you gettin’ at Rainbow Dash?” Applejack gave Rainbow Dash a quizzical look. “Wait.” Rainbow Dash paused to gulp down the chunks of apple. After waiting a few seconds, she just took another bite. It was a rather worthless pause. “So let me get this in full. Our friends Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie.” “Right.” “They received these so called ‘toys’ that two ponies get ‘ultimate satisfaction’ from.” “Yes.” “As soon as they’ve arrived, they went to either the library or Sugarcube Corner alone.” One more gulp and bite. “To play with their toys. Alone. And they’ve waited to do this for a while.” Rarity grew a little frustrated. “Rainbow Dash, just what is your point? Yes that is what they’ve done.” Rainbow Dash didn’t know if her friends were just naïve or too stupid to see what she was getting at. Staring into Rarity’s eyes looking like a soulless pony, she gave herself a moment to suck in what she thought Twilight and Pinkie Pie were about to do. “Just making sure.” Rarity and Applejack looked at each other. “Uhhhhh... ok.” Rarity shot Applejack a look that only she could read. “I hate to cut this short, but Applejack and I must be going now too.” Rainbow Dash flared her wings. “Where you going?” Applejack cleared her throat. “To Rarity’s workshop. See y’all later.” Fluttershy smiled at the pair as they slowly started to walk away. “Looks like its just you and me Flutters. What you wanna do?” Fluttershy changed from happy to shy again. “Oh. Uh. Well, I actually have to go back and feed... the animals. Yes, the animals.” As Fluttershy tried to give Rainbow Dash a convincing look, traces of apples fell from Rainbow Dash’s mouth as her jaw was hanging open. She was free for the day and all of her friends were bailing on her. “Well, why don’t I come help you?” Fluttershy’s eyes widened in horror. “I got the whole day free and I-“ “NO!” Rainbow Dash froze. “Sorry. I mean, they don’t like strangers.” As Fluttershy attempted to flee, Rainbow Dash dropped her eyelids. “I’ve been to your cottage for years Fluttershy. All of your animals know me.” Fluttershy’s eyes widened even more (if that was even possible). “Yes well.” Her voice was suddenly lower than usual. “I just... I just... eep!” Fluttershy ran as fast as she could as Rainbow Dash just observed her retreat. Rainbow Dash just munched on whatever was left of her apple, reflecting on what had just happened. Now she was alone, with nothing to do for the rest of the day. And of course, her mind went to the gutter again as she flashed ideas about what Twilight and Pinkie Pie were doing. And most likely, what Rarity and Applejack were about to do. Rainbow Dash shook her head to rid herself of the dirty thoughts, and finally stood up. Stretching her rear hooves and wings, she braced herself for take-off. Leaves in the nearby tree fell off as a rainbow blur flew right by them. Feeling the breeze trail through her as she flew, Rainbow Dash took whatever time she needed to get back to her personal haven known as her home. Entering her own home, something was on her mind. She understood why four of her friends acted the way they did, but why was Fluttershy acting more defensive? She always let Rainbow Dash visit or help her around her cottage, but now she didn’t want her to. Rainbow Dash grew one conclusion for the problem and asked herself. “Just what are these ‘toys’ anyway?”