//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 - Neither snow nor rain // Story: Daring Do and the Wrath of the Elders // by Pankrazius //------------------------------// MANEHATTEN INSTITUTE Equestrian Union Telegram -------------------------------------------------- ***** -------------------------------------------------- Send the following telegram, subject to the terms on the back hereof, wich are hereby agreed to To: Rainbow Dash Cloudhome at Ponyville Ponyville, RG Canterlot STAYING IN BARNFORD, CONEIGHTICUT THE NEXT TWO WEEKS --- STOP --- ARRIVE ON 3, 1ST MOON --- STOP --- MEET ME AT MAREHALL COLLEGE --- STOP --- YEARLING A.K. MANEHATTEN INSTITUTE -----*****------ "Ohmigoshomigoshomigosh...", Rainbow Dash jumped up and rushed out of the post office, followed by a burst of poststamps and letters and complaining shouts. Once outside the skyblue mare spread her wings to lift off on instant. Rainbow shot through several clouds leaving vague pegasus-shaped holes, flyed loopings, yelled and cheered in joy. The last thing, the confused bystanders, at the train station square witnessed, were the echoing words "BEEEEEST DAY EEEVER!" and a fading rainbow. -----*****------ Derpy Hooves slid gently through the sky. Though it was cold and the ground was covered with snow, but at least the annoying wind had settled and no snowfalls were predicted. After all, she was a pegasus and used to low temparatures. Her post bag was almost empty too and she anticipated a nice, lush and above all free afternoon. One last delivery, she shighed in relief. The days around Hearth Warming Eve tend to be stressfull, as suddenly every single pony throughout equestria seems to remember any living relative. "Rainbow Dash, Ponyville.", the gray mare checked the adress. She looked up and tryed to adjust her vision. In vain, like every time. Clouds. Some bigger, some smaller. Hard to distinct wether they were really smaller, or only more remote. Derpy was used to her walled eyes. More or less. As any pegasus, she could read the wind. Changing air currents - due to weather, clouds or obstacles. Minutes later, she approached a distinctive cloud. Shaped like a form of small temple. Cloud-formed columns supporting a low angled housetop. two small rainbow-falls run down the wall, fading with the wind beneath the base cloud. A typical cloudsdale-house. Only, far away from the pegasus city. More and more details became visible. Small statues, formed out of clouds, glassed, small windows. A turtle with some kind of propeller on her back. Wait a minute. Turtle? Maybe Rainbow Dash had a pet. Derpy wondered, if turtles were like dogs, and therefore love to chase mailmares around. Anyway, how could someone like Rainbow Dash adopt a turtle? Oh - and by the way - a turtle as pet, were a cool thought. Or maybe some other animal. For some blinks the pale yellow haired mailmare embraced the idea, of having a pet. Her daughter would love it. Derpy's mind wandered anywhere. Anywhere, but not to the bigger grewing cloudhouse in front of her. -----*****------ "Come down, Rainbow Dash. Keep calm...", Rainbow told herself, the about one millionth time. She was wandering in circles, psyched like mad in anticipation. She even had managed to dig a visible, circular ditch. Daring Do had invited her! Awesome! Rainbow had packed and was ready to start. Now... actually she had speeded through the sky, dropped by her home, just to run around like crazy, fetch her luggage and filled anything in, she thought to be usefull. Then she throw out half of the things and packed again. That had taken about five minutes. The train wouldn't leave until tomorrow morning! "Gnaaaaaah!", she groaned. Likewise about the millionth time. Rainbow had showered, trained, showered again, made up her kitchen (a real mess after all), trained again and - all over all - runned around, aimlessly. Her eye fell upon one of the Daring Do books, she had packed the first time. Not that she would need them, as she were about to meet Daring Do for real. Reading! A few minutes later she cuddled up in her favorite reading chair. She had made cocoa. So her kitchen was the same mess as ever. And really. As she delved into the first chapter, following poor Daring Do with her broken wing through the jungle, she calmed. Until... A remarkable "THUD" left Rainbows cloudhome to quake. Even her beloved framed Wonderbolts-Academy picture fell off the wall. Luckily clouds were softer then tiled floor - so it didn't break. "What the hay?" she jolted up. A long moaning sound was to hear outside. -----*****------ "Derpy?", a dull, worried sounding voice called her. Derpy Hooves looked up and tried to figure out, wich of the about four azure blue, rainbow-maned mares, had actually spoken. "Ooooohwww. Everything fine.", she murmured, towards number two point five, while straightening herself. Feeling her head, she hissed painfully. That would give a bump. "Oh my gosh. Come on in. Have a seat.", yes number 2.5 realy seemed promising, to be the real Rainbow Dash. Later Derpy sat on a chair in Rainbows living room. Wonderbolt posters decorated one wall, pictures from several other ponies stood upon her fireplace. The most faces were common to Derpy Hooves. Twilight and her friends. And supposedly Rainbows parents were shown. The room itself looked untidy. It seemed as if some burglar had tried to pack anything reachable in a box, just to throw it out again. "Hey. You're reading Yearling. Didn't know that.", Derpy discovered the surprisingly neat stacked books. "Yeah," Dash admitted, balancing a cup out of the kitchen, "Its my favorite." "Oh. I see.", Derpy recived the tea. "You reading too?", Rainbow asked. "Yes. And actually I have read the first few Daring Do books.", she explained. She ment to recognize a particular look on Rainbow Dash face. "You know... I maybe have no three dimensional view, with my eyes. But I am pretty good with details - and before you ask. I can read." -----*****------ Rainbow Dash startled. "I didn't mean to offense you..." "Oh," confusion stood in Derpys face for a moment. Then she blushed "Oh. sorry. I... its just..." "Anypony sees just a clumsy wall-eyed mare and couldn't believe you're more?", Rainbow added, over her cup. She knew at least what a hell live could be with annoying bullies around. Luckily theese days had gone by. "Yes. Its about that. Sorry again," Derpy looked a bit sad. "No offense taken. seriously. Sooo. you read Daring Do, huh?", now Rainbow was curious. "Not lately. Honestly, -" Derpys eyes startet to glow "- I am more into Quarter Mane." It seems, that Derpy was fascinated of fantastic worlds and adventures. To her surprise, authors long before Daring had written such stories. E. Race Buckskin, H.P. Lovedraft - names Twilight surely knew. But not Rainbow. "Ooooh kayyyy. I think I got it," Rainbow Dash grinning interrupted Derpys enthusiastic monologue "Uhm, by the way... why are you here, actually?" "Oh," Derpy looked up, blushing. "Oh my. Sorry. I... got carried away." Then she hoofed in her mail bag. "Here. This is for you." No sender were present on the envelope, but a impersonal printed logo 'Marehall Collegue, Barnford CN' "Huh?", Rainbow grabbed the letter, ripped the envelope open and unfolded the paper. -----*****------ Derpy could see, how Rainbow Dash moved from surprised, to happy, to shocked. At last she let the letter fall of her hooves and sunk back in her chair. The look on her face plain mortified. Under normal circumstances it was none of her buisness as mailmare, to sniff in other ponies letters. But under normal circumstances, the blue, flamboyant and engaging pegasus, wouldn't be that depressed. Hay, Rainbow seemed about to cry! "Everything ok?", Derpy managed on the second try to lay her hoof around Rainbows back. Instead of complaining, she leaned forward and buried her head on Derpys shoulder. Sobbing sounds - the total opposite of her behaviour, just moments before. Derpy feared some really bad news. Home time or not, she just couldn't leave Rainbow Dash in such a state. "Don't you want to tell?", she gently asked. It took a minute or so for Rainbow to get her raised far enough to answer. "Look." Derpy took the letter. "...hmhmhm... .... I regret to have to revoke ...... Sincerily yours, A.K. Yearling.... oh. OH!", the scales fell from her eyes. "Yeah.", Rainbow sniffed. "Oh my gosh. I am so sorry Rainbow.", Derpy replied, unsure what to say anyway. "It wasn't your fault. Its... Ok. But... look. All my friends are out. Visiting parents over the vacancies, or went skiieng to Aspony... Even AJ is in Manehatten by her relatives." "And you?", Derpy asked. "Gnah. I had been, too. Had to be back earlier. Weather patrol, yknow. A.K. Yearling wrote me a few days ago, invited me to join her. Today she even sent me a telegram with last details. And now... THIS," Rainbow hung her head low. Derpy patted the downcast mares back. The letter was a rather harsh and dry written revocation, stating that the author had too much to do, to let Rainbow visit. On second thought, it felt a bit... off. Given Dash didn't lie about being Yearlings greatest fan. On third thought, this story felt outright suspicious. Derpy blinked a few times. "Wait a minute!", she jumped up, nearly toppled Rainbow and her chair over. She grabbed one of the newer books - that one, showing Daring Do and a second mare with intriguing similarities to Rainbow Dash - and opened it. Yes. It was a vague guess at first. But now it was obvious. "Look Rainbow." "Yeah. I can see it. An autograph. And now?" "Gosh. Look at the writing. Look at the letter!", this was so clear. Rainbow held the letter next to the inscription. She panted, her eyes wide open. "Woah! That's not Daring Do's handwriting." "See!", Derpy grinned happy, as she had managed to uplift Rainbow. Now she seemed lesser crestfallen than before. "Do you know, what that mean?!" before she could react, Rainbow clutched her shoulders and shaked her furiosly. "Nnn n nn oo oo oo o?", she wobbled. "Daring Do is in danger. Somepony try to cut her off from us." "And, what should we do?" "Saving her of course. I'll fly to Barnford as fast as possible." Derpy deliberated one moment. Maybe Rainbow Dash was right. The whole thing was fishy at least. And maybe Miss Yearling could need help. On the other hoof - why should somepony do something like this? But anyway - it seems like an adventure to her. "Hey... could I... maybe.. join?", she grinned. "Uh. Why?" Rainbow answered distracted. "Now. First, I have time. The Doctor and the kids are on a " - She looked upwards partially - " field trip. Yknow - he wanted to do me a favor and give me some days rest. Second - the most authors I read are dead and gone since decades. So meet a real writer could be fun. And third - ... ah... but if you don't like..." "Third, without your help I hadn't even recognized the fraud.", Rainbow Dash smiled honestly. "Then -", Derpy jumped with glee "To the rescue!", her heroic flight endet as her hindleg got stuck on the table and a maverick of books buried her.