//------------------------------// // Ch. 5 "The View" // Story: The Pond // by Belgian Waffle //------------------------------// The line to get to the top of the Rainboom was undoubtedly very slow. It took Rainbow an agonizingly long time to get to her point near the top of the structure. She had already gone through the majority of the long wooden staircase that wound up and around the supports that held up the platform to where the Rainboom and Filly Flashes speed slides started. She only had one more flight of stairs to go until she reached the top. She was still slightly upset by the fact that other ponies had been on the Rainboom slide before her, but she set that fact aside and looked forward to a new goal to reach. She was going to claim the title of being one of many ponies that rode Equestria’s tallest, fastest, most awesomest water slide on opening day! Sure that title didn’t seem as grandiose as the first title, but she accepted the fact that she couldn’t do anything about it anymore and went with it. Besides, all that really mattered was that she was finally going to be able to ride the slide. Rainbow Dash admired the view from how high up she was on the structure and how far across the Equestrian land she was able to see. She was able to look downwards toward a crevice between trees to where a river full of ponies lazily drifted along in their personal doughnut shaped rafts. Looking further forward, there was a large blue family raft ride with groups of ponies that slid down the wide flume in large yellow circular rafts. Further was the tall fence with big magical probes in it, then there was the forest of green trees that stretched all the way into the horizon. If one looked far enough, they could see the distant sky-scraping buildings of the city of Manehattan. Dash closed her eyes and bathed in the breeze that blew through her mane and past her face. The wind was no longer felt from the ground thanks to the trees, but it was as clear as day when high up above the ground. She was used to feeling the wind while being so high up whenever she rested on a cloud, but it didn’t feel the same when she was on a freakishly tall free-standing structure and unable to fly thanks to the vest she had on. Slowly, the blissful experience died away as that last thought lingered around in her head little longer than she would like to admit. She opened her eyes and turned her head to look at the protective vest that she had on. She made an attempt to tug her wings outwards, but they were barely able to move under the waterproof material that kept them locked to her body. She never thought about this, but she was usually comfortable with high heights because her wings would be able to redirect, slow, and even reverse her direction of descent if she were to ever plummet from the sky. If she were to fall now, she wouldn’t be able to get the vest off in time to save herself. Not being able to use her wings, and standing on a pony-built surface hundreds of feet away from the ground started to take a toll on her and make her feel uncomfortable. Her legs felt a little stiffer and nervousness started to settle in the pit of her stomach. She took a big gulp as she looked over the edge of the railing on the staircase and looked down. She took notice of the colorful ants that slowly grew to look like ponies as she traced the staircase from the ground up with her eyes. She also took a guess at how long it would take to reach the floor if she were to spit, throw something off, or even… even… She quickly pulled her head back and faced forward. Sweat had formed on her head and her eyes were pin pricks. She felt more and more suffocated and claustrophobic the more the vest that was still zipped up on her body stayed on. It no longer felt like a vest meant to keep her wings safe from harm during the slide. It felt more like a device that kept her from saving herself from an inevitable fall. “Okay Rainbow, calm down,” Rainbow Dash softly told herself. “This is ridiculous. You’ll be fine, you’ll be fine. You don’t need your wings. You don’t need to worry at all.” As she continued to initiate self-therapy, she felt herself ease a little. “Yeah! Besides, this thing is completely solid. It would take quite a few ponies to knock down this thing, let alone make it budge.” A stronger gust of wind blew, and the top of the tower was forced 6 inches in the direction of the breeze. Rainbow felt it. It wasn’t strong enough to make her lose her balance, but she did have to brace herself from tilting over and falling on her face embarrassingly. She regained her stance as she began shivering uncontrollably. “… I tried ta pick up playing the violin in school, but I just couldn’t hold the darn thing right.” Applejack held up her hooves like she was ready to play a musical instrument. “I think my hooves were too big ta roll on the strings. Most other fillies that were playin’ it had smaller hooves than me. Course when you’re workin’ in a field buckin’ apples from trees, you’ll need a good set of hooves ta keep your balance and knock even the most stubborn of apples down.” Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Vinyl Scratch, and Lyra were sitting at a wooden table near the tropical themed concession stands and conversing about musical instruments they may have played when they were younger and in school. Pinkie spoke next. “Well, I started playing the drums when I was in school. Oh, and I also started playing the trombone. Oh, and the tuba; and the flute; and the accordion; and the harmonica; and the guitar, which helped me later when I started playing the banjo, the double bass, and the-” “I think we get it, Pinkie!” interrupted Applejack, who had begun to get more irritated as more instruments were listed by the apparently gifted pink earth pony. Vinyl stifled a giggle. “Wow Pinkie, you must have had a lot of time on your hand to learn all those instruments!” “Oh, learning how to play each one was easy-peasy and took no time at all,” she responded with a wave of the hoof. “What wasn’t easy was the time I had to play many of them at once. I was helping my grandmother remove parasprites from the rock farm I lived on when I learned to play them all at once. You should have seen her play them. She was a pro! I guess being able to play musical instruments so easily runs in the family. I even got one of my sisters to play a musical instrument, and she learned it quick.” “What instrument was that?” asked Lyra, who was listening intently. “I got her to pick up a cello one day,” Pinkie answered. “She played that instrument ever since then. She got really good the last time I saw her. I haven’t heard from her for quite a while, but I heard from my mother that she’s really good at it now; even playing it at certain fancy parties.” Vinyl started to get curious to who Pinkie’s sister was when Pinkie explained her sister’s current occupation. “What was her name, Pinkie?” she asked. “I always called her Inky because of her black mane and grey coat. I think she later changed her name though because she didn’t like it. I can’t remember what her name is now.” Pinkie looked up and tapped a hoof on her chin in thought. “Gosh, what was it? It’s right on the tip of my tongue.” Vinyl perked at hearing the description of the mystery pony. “Wait. She has a black mane and tail, and a grey coat? Do you think by any chance she, I dunno, wears a pink bowtie and has a treble cleft as a cutie mark?” Pinkie smiled at Vinyl and pointed a hoof. “You know what, I think she does!” “Does Octavia Philharmonica ring any bells?" Pinkie continued to ponder hard, until she gave up entirely. "No, not really. But if you see her, ask her if she knows me." "Will do," Vinyl responded before she took a swig through her straw from her plastic cup. Lyra then brought up a new topic. "I wonder what's taking Fluttershy so long. She's been gone for quite a while. Her slice is probably cold by now." She looked at a slice of apple pie that was still in the cardboard box on top of a tin pie plate on the table. It had been sitting there untouched for quite a while after the other ponies had eaten their slices. "I dunno," Applejack responded, now also realizing how long Fluttershy had been gone. "It isn't like her to be gone this long... Unless she's... Well, ya know... really busy." Lyra and Pinkie looked towards Applejack with a look of slight disgust at the thought. Vinyl Scratch had a difficult time holding in her laughs as she chuckled out loud and nearly spat out her drink. Obviously she had a different sense of humor. A.J. continued. "Uhh, sorry everypony. But somepony should go check on her just in case." "I'll go," Pinkie volunteered. "I need to use the bathroom anyways. Be right back." At that, she sat up from her soft bundle of hay and hopped off to find the restroom. When Pinkie was out of ear shot, Vinyl spoke up. "Ya know, that description Octavia gave me of a hyper pink pony she once met is starting to sound more and more like Pinkie." "Well, how many hyper pink ponies do ya know?" Applejack asked sarcastically, before following up with a serious question. "Wait, she talked to you about Pinkie Pie?" "If she was the one that messed up her performance at one of the princess' Grand Galloping Galas, then yes she has talked about her. She'll never forget that night, and she’ll never listen to or perform the ‘Pony Polka’ ever again." Applejack remembered the Grand Galloping Gala Vinyl spoke of. She was there selling freshly baked apple flavored food. When she wheeled her food cart into a ballroom, she found Pinkie Pie attempting to throw a rave for the high class ponies to dance to; which they all refused. After an unsuccessful stage dive by the pink pony, and a destroyed ballroom minutes later, the two and the rest of her friends bolted out of the castle. This was something Applejack never wanted to relive, but the images of the gala were still vivid in her head like it happened the day before. Applejack sheepishly avoided eye contact with Vinyl Scratch. “Heh, must’ve been some wild party, huh?” “Alright, dudes! Lay back, cross your hooves across your chest, and wait for me to tell you when to go.” Aqua Splash, a lifeguard with green mane that covered his eyes and a silver colored coat that adorned his body, was in charge of sending ponies down the park’s three most intense water slides. During his shift, he had already seen strongly enthusiastic ponies, ready-to-break-down-and-cry ponies, and calmer-than-a-summer-breeze ponies come up to him in hopes of conquering the slide. Everypony who did make it to the top and made it to where Aqua Splash was standing have ridden the slide; even the nervous ponies who were ready to shamefully walk back down in opposition to facing their fears. He had a very special secondary talent of being able to convince ponies to try things they might be reluctant about trying. His main talent was being able to hold his breath underwater for an ungodly amount of time. He brushed his mane out of the way of his eyes and looked over the edge of the wooden railing. He looked out to the three lanes that were far from reach where the sliders would end up when they went down the slide, and then looked at another lifeguard that sat on a high lifeguard chair at the end of the lanes. A few beats passed before the two outer lanes that connected to the Filly Flashes tunnel slides simultaneously exploded like water cannons, with one pony coming out of each tunnel and making a big splash as they slowed to a stop. Aqua Splash saw them reach the end and glanced at the other lifeguard, who pointed back at him once she saw the riders slowly stumble out of their lanes. He turned around and addressed the ponies sitting in the tubs for the slides they were ready to experience. “All clear, dudes! Go for it!” At once, two ponies that were sitting in front of the small tunnel entrances to the Filly Flashes flung themselves into the tunnel, making sure to ride on their backs with their back hooves leading. The one pony in the tub for the Rainboom gently scooted himself further and further until he reached the edge where he laid back, crossed his front hooves, and let gravity take care of the rest. A fading scream was audible a second after he disappeared over the edge. Aqua then turned to the ponies still waiting in line. The staircase had a rope split it into two so ponies who waited for each slide had their own separate lines to wait in. “Okay, dudes and dudettes. Park your flanks to the slide of your choice.” A teenage stallion and a mare quickly trotted from the left line to the entrances of the Filly Flashes and sat in front of the tunnel entrances, replacing the ponies that were there moments ago. Another mare, who wore a pegasus wing restraining vest and was next in line for the Rainboom, was very hesitant in going towards the tub that connected to the free fall slide. Aqua watched as the prismatic mane, cyan coat colored pegasus trotted near the tub and stared over the edge to try to see where the slide ended. Much to her disappointment, the slide was too high and too steep to be able to see the bottom. Aqua was wondering what was wrong, until he saw her take a step back wide eyed and shiver. He smirked, knowing exactly what fear looked like on a pony. “Excuse me, ma’am?” He said to the pegasus. She turned to look at him and he continued. “I really think you should consider riding the slide. It’s awesome, trust me! I’ve already been on it, like, 3 times.” The pegasus noticeably eased after hearing from somepony who’s already been down the slide multiple times, but she was still shaking a little from her fears getting the best of her. She gave a nervous smile before she spoke up. “Heh, I’m usually not this nervous about heights; with me being a pegasus and all.” “Yeah, but it’s not the height that’s got you is it?” He asked like he was reading her mind. Before he let her speak, he answered his question with another question. “It’s the falling your afraid of, right?” The nervous smile faded from the mare, and she looked down to the wooden floorboards. “It’s my wings,” she said. “This vest I got on just doesn’t feel right. I hate the way it keeps my wings down. I feel like I can’t save myself from falling if I were to drop.” “But you don’t need your wings for this. You’re perfectly safe on top of this thing.” Aqua gave a comforting smile before continuing. “Think of what it’s like to spend the entire day up here like I do. I’m sure you’ve felt the tower sway at least once while you waited.” Rainbow thought for a little, before she softly chucked to herself and put a hoof behind her head. “Yeah, I guess you have it worse than me.” Aqua chuckled a little as well. “Well, I still seriously think you should try it. It sure is a lot less intimidating than the FF slides there.” He pointed a hoof towards one of the two ponies that were still waiting to go down the Filly Flashes slide. “Those things are much more intense than the Rainboom, and they take longer too. I’m not much of a fan of small pitch-black tunneled speed slides. This slide though is quick, gentle, and over with before you know it.” The blue mare looked at the two teenage ponies waiting to go down the Flashes, and wondered what they might think of the slides after they rode it. She looked back at Aqua Splash, who was glancing over the edge of the railing at the lifeguard at the bottom. Aqua looked back at the nervous mare before he spoke. “The slide’s clear. It’s now or never.” He gestured towards the two ponies at the Filly Flashes, who then took off down the yellow tunneled flumes yelling and whooping. The nervous mare looked in all directions, lost in thought whether she should go or not. After she looked down and bit her bottom lip, she looked forward with confidence. “Alright. I’ll do it.” Aqua only nodded, and gestured towards the tub full of constantly gushing water that started the Rainboom. The mare trotted into the tub and sat down in it. “Okay,” Aqua said. “When you go, lie down on your back and cross your front hooves across your chest.” The mare nodded at him, before scooting on her flank across the slippery fiberglass surface. Her rear hooves started pitching downward along with the slide, and at that she laid back, crossed her hooves, closed her eyes, and dropped. Pinkie trotted quickly back to her friends at the wooden table in the concession stands area. She wore an expression of pure worry, and was even starting to sweat. This was unusual for the energetic pink pony, who was usually seen hopping around with a smile on her face. She turned at a familiar corner, before she saw her group sitting around the rectangular wooden table and sitting on hay bundles. She quickened her pace to get to them faster. Vinyl noticed her approaching and was about to greet her, until she saw the look on Pinkie’s face. “Hey Pinks, what’s wrong?” Applejack and Lyra looked at the party pony once they heard what Vinyl asked. Pinkie was breathing unusually heavier than normal and looked very worried about something. “Girls,” she finally said. “I can’t find Fluttershy anywhere.” Lyra put a hoof to her mouth, giving an unaudible gasp at hearing what Pinkie said. Vinyl and Applejack just gave Pinkie a questioning look. “What do ya mean ya can’t find her ‘anywhere?’” Applejack asked. “I can’t find her anywhere!” Pinkie looked on the verge of freaking out. “I’ve looked in and around the bathrooms but she’s not there. I’ve even asked a few ponies if they’ve seen her and they all said no.” “That is odd,” AJ responded. “But I don’t think we should worry too much. I’m sure she’ll show up eventually. Maybe she went back in that lazy river.” “I don’t know,” Lyra spoke up. “I don’t think it would be normal for a pony to leave the bathroom and head straight for a lazy river. Do you guys even know how cold the water is in there?” “So what should we do?” Vinyl asked “Should we go look for her just in case or something?” Applejack gave it some thought before responding. “Well, I guess it wouldn’t hurt. Sun’s gettin’ low, so the park’s probably gonna’ close soon.” Applejack stood up to give orders. “Lyra, you check back at the lazy river. Vinyl and Pinkie, ya’ll head back to the water slide ya’ll said ya rode with her, and check the back side of the park as well. I’ll search around the front-half of the park. When one of us finds her, report back to the other. Understood?.” Everypony saluted and then trotted off to their assigned locations for the search of the yellow pegasus.