Starlight Glimmer had worked diligently on the codex since it was first entrusted to her by Queen Crisanna. Act one to three have so far been deciphered and translated. The fourth is underway. Prior to discovering the final definitive clues in the texts, Starlight Glimmer had spent over a year analyzing the codex via all known ciphering methods ranging from the simple alphabetic substitutions to grille mapping to the most complex multi-step mathematical algorithms in attempt to extract its real content.
Even though the good work of safeguarding the kingdom’s security is based upon the realm of myths and legends, the queen herself is truly convinced of the artifact’s existence. Her confidence stemmed from her belief in the local myth that in turn gave rise to the legends surrounding the Precursor Artifacts. Seven Days of Fury is the title and like its Moebian myth counterpart, it falls short of revealing the artifacts’ creation but it did describe the origin of their crystal cores.
According to the myth, the ancient tribe of Umbru once co-existed with Celestia and Luna, a pair of deities that govern the seasons’ annual transition. The pair resided in their temple at a remote location from the Umbru’s homeland. Every early spring, the Umbrus were allowed to visit the temple to make offerings to the deities. In exchange, the deities would then use one of the crystal fruits from the World Tree grown in their temple’s garden to make the lands fertile, for the period between Spring and Fall.
One fateful day, the tribe decided to have the World Tree all for themselves. So they cut down the tree in a night raid on the temple and then brought it back to their homeland. When the deed was made known to Heaven, the Primordial Deity of Creation was enraged. The Seasonal Deities were summoned back to Heaven and the Phoenix was dispatched to punish the unscrupulous tribe. With a vengeance, the Phoenix rained fiery hail continually upon Moebius for seven days.
This event had inadvertently led to something else other than the tribe’s demise. The rich energy crystal deposits found today are said to be the result of seeds from the crystal fruits scattering when the World Tree was destroyed alongside with the Umbrus. Meanwhile the tree itself shattered into the seven Elite Gems.
The Elite Gems are legendary. They are quite different from their lesser (though abundant) counterparts, which currently power all of Crystal Empire’s military assets. Whereas regular energy gems will deplete their magic on every usage over time, Elite Gems defied this convention. It is said the gem’s powers will remain undiluted and eternal. It is also said the gems cannot be destroyed (or at the very least, nearly-indestructible).
Driven by the queen’s firm belief in the aforementioned mythology and the upbringing by Jasmine Flower, both of whom Starlight Glimmer is loyal to, ensure the young Unicorn never questions the viability of the Crystal Peace Tower’s initiative.
But even as Starlight Glimmer is devoted, often a sense of unsettledness crept close behind her while working on the codex. First and foremost, it is strange that the results of carbon dating put the parchments of each dividing acts at different ages, millennia apart with the ink added not long after the parchment’s creation. Yet the materials for the paper and ink, the typesetting and style of handwriting remained unchanged, not even the slightest.
Furthermore, all three translated acts made frequent mention of a single recurring character. It would not be a total surprise should that character appear again in the fourth act. The ominous nature of the character, its ambiguous role in the stories, add with the implication that the codex may have been written by a same being dating back to a period between 60,000 to 18,000 years ago, Starlight Glimmer found all this unnerving to her.
Occasionally while working quietly alone in the archive room, ordinary sounds- footsteps, chattering noises made by students passing through the corridor outside, or birds tapping and screeching on the windowpanes, would easily startle her. Every time that happened, she convinced herself again and again that the tales are no more than stories, that they were based upon real events but greatly exaggerated in some parts and embellished with fanciful elements. And that includes the-
She gave a start at the knock on the door.
“Oh, I startled you,” Crisanna said.
“N-no,” Starlight Glimmer said. “I was being too absorbed in my work, that’s all.”
“Speaking of which, that’s what brings me here,” Crisanna said and as she entered, noticed how glum her favorite student looked.
“Your Royal Majesty?”
“It has come to my attention that all your academic performance has declined of late,” Crisanna said, to Starlight Glimmer’s discomposure. “While it isn’t that poor, it is considerably lower than what you’ve achieved in the past two years. You’ve always been good at maintaining your grades, Starlight Glimmer.”
“I guess I didn’t put enough effort because I was overconfident this time. I’ll surely get my grades up in the next exams.”
Crisanna glanced at the cluttered work desk then at Starlight Glimmer again. “No. You’re distracted. And I feel responsible.”
“It’s nothing really, Your Royal Majesty,” Starlight Glimmer insisted, while trying not to sound too disrespectful. “I have every confidence I can get most of the work done now that there’ll be plenty of free time in the holidays.”
Resting her hands on the student’s shoulders, Crisanna gently said to her, “What you need to do now, Starlight Glimmer is take a short break. I can see it on your face. You’re tired, and pressured. During the day after class, you either come here to attend to the task I assigned to you or help out at your mother’s store when she is ill. At night, you stayed up late, to finish your studies and assignments.
“You tried to manage well your time. You’ve done your best to cope. But at the very end, your body will recognize when it’s time for a break. I’ve been where you are. And even now, juggling between my duties as queen and chancellor still takes a lot out of me. So I can understand how you feel. Take a rest- hanging out with friends, go on a vacation, things like that.”
“Well, I am thinking of going out on a trip actually,” Starlight Glimmer said with reluctance. “To…Dayunguo.”
The Queen Regnant frowned, a hint of disprovable.
“It’s not treasure hunt, I promise,” Starlight Glimmer affirmed. “It’ll be part vacation part scouting mission. While sightseeing, I could scout around for information on locations that might have links to the Precursor Artifacts.”
A fair proposition I suppose, Crisanna thought. “But my whole point was to get it off your mind for a while.”
“Starlight Glimmer said firmly, “I’ll get some relaxation. Their rich culture and natural attractions, it’ll definitely come as a breath of fresh air, compared to bustling Illumina.”
“You can’t speak Qilin,” Crisanna pointed out. “How do you intend to get around the place without breaking the language barrier?”
“I have…a ‘friend’ for that,” Starlight Glimmer stated.
Crisanna relented in the end, deciding to trust the student’s judgment after all. “Oh, all right. I trust you won’t go overboard?”
“I won’t,” Starlight Glimmer promised.
After telling Starlight Glimmer to be careful and wished her a good summer vacation, Crisanna turned to leave. But then she suddenly remembered one last detail. “Oh! Starlight Glimmer?”
“Yes, Your Royal Majesty?”
“Do keep that your friend of yours in the dark at all times. No one else must know about the codex.”
“I promise I won’t tell anyone, by accident or otherwise.” But even as Starlight Glimmer said that, she tactfully crossed her fingers behind her back.
Crisanna stumbled upon Rainbow Dash in the hallway. Greeting the student, the Queen Regnant took this chance to congratulate her on her recent examination success.
She remembered how the then naive Pegasus first came to Crystal Heart to try enroll in Magic Arts. After that, she had kept watch on Rainbow Dash’s progress while under Cadenza’s mentoring. But nowadays, she seldom came across her.
Crisanna left after wishing Rainbow Dash to enjoy her summer break. The young Pegasus watched her queen walked away, then turned to face the direction of the archive room.
Huh, so that’s where Starlight Glimmer spends her time when she’s not pranking me.
Rainbow Dash wondered what kind of advantage could she draw upon from what she knows so far about the Crystal Peace Tower project.
Circling at medium altitude above Grand Forest is a semi-autonomous winged surveillance drone. It was making a third sweep on The Catgirl’s crash site when it came under fire by Godslayer Watterson’s arrows, prompting the drone to alter its course. He eventually brought down the drone to send it crashing into the nearby gorge which runs through the border between Grand Forest and Crystal Empire.
On the ground, Tank and Rosy, both clad in radiation suits, were in the midst of replacing a mini generator that is critically low on power. Timing it perfectly, Tank switched off the original generator at the same time Rosy switched on the new one. During the transition, the yellow-tinted translucent energy dome dimmed down, flickering briefly and then went up back to its full capacity.
Underneath this dome lies The Catgirl’s debris field where Godslayer Kurogane, assisted by E-Sat, was inspecting the damages on the Void Drive.
The size of a small van, the triangular prism structure is merely a protective housing for the actual device inside. The side panels have been removed, a cylindrical engine with magnetic coils running along its length linked to the disc-shaped enclosure in which the drive’s power source resides. A big gash ran through the enclosure’s surface, exposing a dark crystal shard that gives the drive its ability to generate the Void.
The bright, pulsating glow emitted by the shard has grown more intense since the day before, a telltale sign that the power source is becoming critically unstable. Unless Mika could get the containment shield up and running again and the damaged panel replaced in time, the shard’s detonation would inflict devastating effect across the lands of the two neighboring empires.
Prower studied in detail the Death Egg’s schematic displayed on the giant wall screen. He was not interested in the whole weapon, focusing instead on the highlighted parts.
“Can you can build it?” This was coming from Nagato in the inset window next to the schematics.
Prower responded to the question earnestly, “The main connections won’t pose too much of a problem. Only that a lot of customization works will be required to adapt the power feeder system. As for the power source, I discovered an opening we can exploit.”
“Where is that?” Nagato asked.
The schematic’s windows closed to be replaced by video images retrieved from a downed surveillance drone.
“Nanda-” she blurted, having recognized the figures standing guard outside the small yellow energy dome as those who tried to interfere her master’s plan in Mobius. “Ikite no? (How could they still be alive?)”
“Oh? So you know those pesky little pests?”
“You could say we have an unfinished score to settle,” the construct stated.
“I have a squad of Mechanauts standing by at a base eighty-five clicks north of Moebotropolis,” Prower told her. “They along with Boomer and Buns will be coming along with you.”
“My sister and I can handle them,” she balked the offer.
Yet the fox insisted, “You will need the extra fire support to increase your chances of success.”
“As you wish,” Nagato conceded. Not going to argue with someone who made a deal with Ruby.
Before signing off, she signaled to Prower with a slight nod that there is someone else in the room. He glanced at the direction of the entrance. A female fox came in, bringing with her a set of files and discs.
“Who’s the adolescent?” Fiona asked flatly, staring at the screen.
The redhead has an air of sultriness around her, with penetrating blue eyes, shapely body and black form-fitting mini dress.
“You’re supposed to knock first,” Prower said coldly to his secretary.
She handed him the items when prompted. “Can I get you anything to drink...sir?”
“No, thank you. Now please remember to close the door on your way out, Miss Fox.”
His business-like attitude irked Fiona. She headed back to the door but stopped halfway and looked back. “You’ve changed, Miles. A lot…”
Prower was unmoved by her feelings.
He turned away and looking over at the file’s content, he said dispassionately, “I’ve already told you. It’s over between us.”
Jeffrey St. Croix has been feeling relatively uneasy about Prower’s plan involving the new airship and its indiscriminate firepower. To further add to his restlessness, the airship is visually unlike anything else in the empire’s current fleet inventory. He sat musing on the potential problem in his chair, until Hershey the Cat knocked on the door and came into the office.
“Have you found out?” St. Croix asked his secretary.
“Yes. It’s docked at Acorn One.”
Make sense that the warship is sent there, he thought.
Acorn One is a military base located at Big Kahuna Island miles off the western coast of Acorn Empire. Prior to its shut down after Queen Alicia took the throne, it was there that a fleet of destroyer airships was constructed for King Maxx’s campaign against Crystal Empire. He thought it makes sense that the warship was sent there, given the base’s big enough capacity to house a warship of such immense size.
The cat continued, “The base’s anti-air defenses are already online and a battle group consists of frigates and subs is currently en-route to the island.”
“So it’s impossible,” St. Croix sighed.
“Should we really be worried?” Hershey opined. “Surely Alicia won’t risk using such a formidable weapon on her own soil. It’d be stupid of her to destroy the very lands she wants to retake.”
“No, she isn’t,” St. Croix agreed. “But the problem remains that she does not hesitate to resort to genocide to get what she wants.”
His statement disconcerted Hershey. Queen Alicia is cruel and a megalomaniac, but would she really go to such extreme measure against the Moebians?
Hershey was then asked about the intel concerning the next move by the Suppression Squad, to which she replied, “Y-yes, about that. The Mechanaut squad for the planned an assault on Feral Forest was called back and remobilized to Grand Forest instead.”
St. Croix eyed the cat with surprise. “Do you know why?”
“From what I can gather, Prower seems to be interested in the airship rumored to have crashed there.”
St. Croix took the information in. “Good, for now.”
“Yes,” Hershey agreed, in the context the distraction would offer them a short window of opportunity to make extra deliveries of much needed supplies to Rebel Underground.
Aside from governing his province north of Moebotropolis, St. Croix also owns several business fronts. But in truth, along with Hershey, his true allegiance lies with the resistance group that is fighting to replace Queen Alicia’s tyrannical rule with democracy.
Behind the scenes, he operates black market deals involving exporting raw materials smuggled out from Rebel Underground’s strongholds and the swaths of territories under their control in order to supply them arms, commodities and intelligence. On top of that, a number of locations he owns in his province serve as hideouts for those seeking shelter from oppression by the Suppression Squad.
Despite all the efforts to weaken her rule over the years, Queen Alicia still remain in full control. Rebel Underground’s campaign have become stagnant. Any major breakthroughs seemed long way off. Worse, their numbers have dwindled from casualties.
Currently the remaining one left to fight, after all the other resistance groups, most of which were affiliated with Prince Elias, have been annihilated, St. Croix is aware of the great challenge that stands in between them and their goal for a great change.
“It’s time for a game changing plan,” St. Croix stated.
“What do you intend to do?” Hershey asked, noting the serious tone by her employer.
“If we’re going to have a better chance for achieving our goals, we must consider taking the bold step of directly removing the top two heads from the regime,” St. Croix said firmly.
“You are proposing an assassination,” Hershey realized. She reminded him that someone had attempted this before and failed, for which the perpetrator paid the price.
“Yes, the risk is high,” St. Croix acknowledged. “But now that Prower’s weapons development program is back in business, things are only going to get worse from there if we don’t something about it.”
Hershey conceded, though she still worried. Should the assassination plan fails, their treachery could be exposed, thereby potentially crippling Rebel Underground’s future operations.
Two Pegasus, one is from Astronomy class and the other studies Meteorology, were heading towards the Student Affairs and Alumni office.
“I don’t know how you could manage it,” Cloudchaser bickered.
“I didn’t put up with her,” Muffins said back. “It was by order of the chancellor. Had I’ve a choice in the matter, I would not give my cooperation to Starlight Glimmer.”
Rainbow Dash was taking a sip from the fountain sink nearby when the mentioning of the name piqued her interest.
“Exactly what were you doing for her?” Cloudchaser asked, opening the door for her friend.
“Actually I can’t say,” Muffins replied as she let herself in.
Before the door closes, Rainbow Dash managed to catch Cloudchaser pleading to Muffins to let out a little bit of that secret.
Does Muffins know about the Crystal Peace Tower? she wondered. Maybe I should pop by at the Astronomy Faculty later.
Like all the Rainbow Dashs across the infinite space-time continuum, Iris is a total bookworm when it comes to stories involving a brave female protagonist going on an adventure, traversing booby-trapped locations in search of ancient relics and treasures, sometimes even saving the world while at it. But still, it still cannot detract from her need to get out and stretch her legs.
When Rainbow Dash finally returned with takeout foods, Iris stopped reading, sat up on the bed and said, “Hey, I’ve been cooped up in here for days. I’m so in need for a stretch. Any ideas yet on getting me outta here?”
“I hear ya,” Rainbow Dash said in understanding as she sat at her desk. “Where you’re come from, do they have Extreme Gears or the likes?”
“What?”
“Hoverboards.”
Iris’ face lit up. “You got a hoverboard!?”
“So you’ve no idea how to ride one,” Rainbow Dash sighed.
“No,” Iris admitted though she could barely contain her excitement. “But for serious I do wanna give it a try!”
“’kay, then,” Rainbow Dash nodded. “I’ll teach you all the basics to board riding and if you’re anything like me, you’ll master it in no time.”
Sweeeet! It’s gonna be so awesome! I sure wish Skye was- Iris’ mind stopped dead at the thought of her good friend, foster little sister whom she had left worried after by severing all contact with the Peters.
“I have to go to my friend’s place to get it,” Rainbow Dash informed her. “It’s pretty far so you’ll have to spend the night here without me. Think you can manage it?”
“I guess...” Iris shrugged.
“Here,” Rainbow Dash said and passed the food container to Iris.
Iris opened the container to find this time it contains a sandwich so similar to the Gyros- roasted meat added with onions, tomato and sauce served in grilled pita bread wrapping. Gyros is a popular food in her hometown of Skydale. But Crystallites are vegans, so the meat is replaced with hard brined-cheese.
She took a small bite out of the cheese- salty, minty and peppery all in one. Something to get use to but ain’t so bad.
“Rainbow Dash, can I ask you somethin’?”
“Yeah shoot,” the Pegasus mumbled, her mouth full.
“I always thought those wings are only meant for flight,” Iris began. “Does that mean all Pegasus here can do magic?”
Rainbow Dash swallowed her food and wiped her mouth before answering. “Nope. I’m the only one. Or more exactly, the first one in several millenniums. I cast my first magic spell when I was a lil’ filly. Not on purpose. An accident more like. But I knew I didn’t imagine it. It was real. Yet back then everyone thought I was either daydreaming or downright lying.”
“Why?”
“Because I was alone when it happened. And for some reason, I wasn’t able to do it again after that. Me being here right now, I owe it all to Princess Cadence. When I first told her of my story, she believed me! She said I was special because I had the ‘spark’. She told me of how Pegasus tribes were once like Unicorns and Pegacorns. Each pegasi was actually born with magic. But it is largely inert so each individual had to learn and train from foal-age well into adulthood in order to become full-fledged magic casters.”
When Rainbow Dash was talking, Iris could see that the Pegasus was really psyched the moment the princess is mentioned thereafter.
“But, then something happened to make y’all lose it?”
“Five thousand years ago, a war broke out with the Yaks,” Rainbow Dash began explaining. “Everything was in shambles after the old dynasty fell, and all the pony tribes were nearly wiped out. It would’ve ended that way if it weren’t for the effort of one Pegacorn knight. He unilaterally took command of what’s left of the kingdom, had the remaining knights unite all the tribes and rallied them into making a last stand against the invaders. As you can guess, they won at the end. It was a painstaking victory and the Pegacorn knight became the first in line of a brand new dynasty.”
Queen Crisanna’s ancestors, Dash figured.
“The surviving Pegasus after the war were largely the younger generations. So by the time the new kingdom was completely rebuilt, all knowledge on Pegasus magic were forgotten. That is until now, when Princess Cadence discovered the old instruction notes to our long lost ability.”
“But you said you’re the only one so far who had the ‘spark’,” Iris said. “How could the princess have taken you under her tutelage if she can’t do what you can?”
“You’re right,” Rainbow Dash acknowledged. “For years she studied the notes but failed. Yet that didn’t stop her from doing all she could to help me. Without her guidance, I would’ve never learn how to control my emotions. Oh man, you got no idea how hard that was for me.”
Iris shrugged her shoulders. “Search me.”
“I almost wanted to quit,” Rainbow Dash confessed. “But the princess never gave up on me. I’ll always remember that look on her face the day I finally able to channel my inner magic. So it was well worth it in the end. She said one day, I could become an example for other Pegasus to follow in restoring their true potential.”
“Wow, she’s really proud of you,” Iris remarked. “I guess your parents must be too.”
The Pegasus’ mood abruptly darkened, her voice sounded bitter. “Pffft, I wish.”
“They aren’t keen?”
“My dad had something else in mind for me.”
“The Wonderbolts,” Iris guessed.
Rainbow Dash was going to ask how Iris could know but then decided that she did not care after all. “He’s now retired. He always wanted me to become like him, that I’d be the one to break his top record for the Mustang Marathon. Seriously, I was a filly back then, who loves to play around, doing stupid things, saying stupid stuff all the time. I didn’t know what I really wanna be at the time.”
She paused to collect herself before continuing. “My dad was the last pony I expect to object when I said I wanna to Crystal Heart. I’ve had it with his lack of understanding. Once I finished school, I ran away. Came here, and I never look back ever since.”
“So... you never go back to visit him?” Iris asked with alarm. “Not even once?”
“What’s the point?” Rainbow Dash retorted. “He went sour on me first.”
Iris felt she could understand how the Pegasus is feeling. She admitted if she was in Rainbow Dash’s place, she too would be disappointed- no, more like mad as hell, had her own father acted on such selfishness. But Garrett’s death also taught her something else.
“Do you love your dad?” Iris gently asked.
Rainbow Dash shot an indignant glare at her and hissed, “If he really loves me, he should come to look for me first! Yet he didn’t! Two years it’s been. Where is he now!?”
Then she went back to her sandwich, biting and munching it voraciously.
“He’ll come around,” Iris said. “There’ll be a time when you wish you had more time to spend with each other b’cuz, by then you’ll realize how hard it is to cope with loneliness. Please, make sure to appreciate your dad...while you still have him.”
Rainbow Dash was stricken by Iris’ tone. She slowly put the sandwich down, wiped her face clean and cast a quizzical look at Iris. Obvious hints of sorrowfulness showed in Iris’ eyes.
“What happened? Is your father...?”
Iris then told her everything.
“Has anyone seen Princess Cadenza anywhere?”
Kibitz’s question was asked to all the castle servants and royal guards around the citadel.
“Quite odd,” he remarked. “I don’t recall the princess leaving the palace together with Her Royal Majesty earlier today. Or has my age began to affect my memory?”
Rainbow Dash came out the college’s main gate, a backpack slung on her back, ready to go down the sidewalk until she heard someone call out her name from the opposite direction. Recognizing the familiar voice, she turned around to see Princess Cadenza coming up to her. Only Rainbow Dash amongst the ponies around could recognize the princess who is in her civilian disguise and without any makeup on.
Rainbow Dash cleared her throat. “Cadence, hi!”
“Hey,” Cadenza greeted back.
Despite seeing Cadenza in the outfit multiple times when she came looking for her outside the college, Rainbow Dash thought the overall dark color scheme did not suit her. The princess was wearing a black jacket over gray t-shirt undershirt and olive drab cargo pants. Her long hair was tied and neatly hidden under the black baseball cap.
“On, nothing special in particular. I’m just going downtown to pick up some stuffs for the journey home.” That was Rainbow Dash’s excuse when asked where she is going with such a big (but empty) backpack.
“Then do you have the time to spare?” Cadenza asked. “We haven’t spoken for a very long time, since you’ve been doing pretty well here.”
“Sure,” Rainbow Dash agreed. Though concerned that her plans might get disrupted, she kept it as subtle as possible. “What do you have in mind?”
Cadenza proposed a drink at her favorite cafe not far from here.
The Sugar Cube Corner is a unique little gem of a bakery (also a cafe) in Illumina. That is not just because the premise looks like it was built of all sorts of baker’s and sugar confections. The owners pride themselves in offering cakes and pastries of exotic cultural flair, created with the finest ingredients available. The attention paid to the distinctive and beautiful details adds to the testament of the Cakes’ high quality standards and long experience in the business.
After Pinkamena left with their orders, Rainbow Dash opened up of her problems at class to the princess.
“I don’t understand,” Cadenza said in dismay. “Why would they single you out?”
Rainbow Dash sighed. “I dunno. They all don’t seem to like me very much, from day one. Even after my performance got getter, they still poke fun of me. So nothing’s really changed.”
Was she being discriminated on the basis of her kind? Cadenza mused. Or perhaps is there something more personal going on between them?
Either way, it really appalled her that such act could happen right under the chancellor’s nose in Crystal Heart, the same place where the royal sisters graduated from.
“But why did you wait until now to say this?” asked the princess.
“I know about Starlight Glimmer,” Rainbow Dash replied, “how she is close to Queen Crisanna.”
“Starlight Glimmer?” Cadenza frowned. She remembered encountering the Unicorn more than once- quite a chatty pony. “Is she…the instigator?”
Rainbow Dash nodded. “I figured, who’s the queen gonna believe- me or the teacher’s pet? Besides, everypony in class will back up Starlight Glimmer.”
“Can’t be all of them, right?” Cadenza anticipated. “There must be at least someone who isn’t mean to you.”
Now that I think about it. There is one pony but what was her name again? Rainbow Dash nodded meekly. “Yea...”
“Which one? Do you have a name for that pony?”
“I don’t...know,” Rainbow Dash admitted, though did manage to recall the first part of the name. She was going to say it had it not for the unexpected appearance of an Earth Pony by their table.
Cadenza pulled her cap down a little and looked away, upon coming under the grunge mare’s scrutiny.
Rainbow Dash recognized the mare as Maud Pie, a student from the Environmental Studies Faculty, well-known for emerging as one of the winners in the college’s Battle of the Bands two years straight. Furthermore, she was one of two ‘weirdo’ ponies who in the first year tried to recruit her into their group.
“Can I help you with something?” Rainbow Dash asked sharply, offended by the Earth Pony’s rude intrusion.
Maud Pie grinned in realization, “Princess Cadenza?”
“What-” Cadenza gasped. “No, no, no. You got the wrong pony.”
“Oh, I get it!” the Earth Pony winked at the panicked princess. “Gotcha. I won’t tell.”
She then recited her own version of the Pinkie Pie Promise, making appropriate gestures according to the phrases.
“Maud! What’re you- Stop disturbing the customers!”
Pinkamena came rushing back, careful not to spill the drinks on the tray. After serving the cups of hot chocolate on the table, she apologized to the two customers on her sister’s behalf.
“Pinkie!” Maud Pie exclaimed in joy. “How is my favorite little sister doing?”
“Stop!” the red-faced Pinkamena urged in a low voice, resisting her big sister’s overeager attempt to hug her. “Stop it! You are embarrassing me!”
She once again apologized to Cadenza and Rainbow Dash, this time with a deep bow. Then the waitress jostled her sister away from there. It was then that Rainbow Dash saw that Maud Pie did not come alone. It turned out the grey Earth Pony is part of the group that consists of Cloudchaser, a pony in a hoodie and…
Oh hey, it’s her! Rainbow Dash recognized the Unicorn with big glasses and thick eye brows, but always seemed to forget her name. Moon, Moon…Something… Oh, mane…
Moon Dancer, having noticed her from across the floor, smiled and waved a hello. That prompted Rainbow Dash to wave back albeit a little awkwardly, remembering how she reacted to the Unicorn a day before.
“Is she the one?”
“Come again?”
“Is she your friend in class?” Cadenza repeated her question.
Rainbow Dash shook her head. “No, not really.”
“Rainbow Dash, I hate to see you alone,” the princess said in a solemn tone. “Still, try make an effort to make friends, okay? If you let them get to know what a great pony you really are, maybe then the rest’ll start to change their minds.”
She nodded Rainbow Dash to look at Maud Pie’s group. “See them over there? That’s how I imagined part of your life in college. Two years it’s been. You’re already halfway through your studies and you’ve missed half of what makes it so enjoyable.”
“It’s not my fault,” Rainbow Dash defended herself.
“I know it isn’t,” Cadenza said. “Yet I really can’t imagine how you could cope being alone all these years.”
Rainbow Dash had found the solution years ago but... Wish I could tell you, princess.
The princess mused for a minute before continuing. “Listen, I graduated from Crystal Heart too. I really want you to experience what I went through. I can’t say I have a solution in the short term for dealing with your classmates’ behavior but Starlight Glimmer, I might be able to do something about her.”
“Thanks...”
“You should’ve come out with your problem, Rainbow Dash. Know this. My sister is a fair pony. There’s no reason for you to believe otherwise.”
“Sorry for the long wait,” Pinkamena pronounced, serving them a plate of warm white chocolate-filled muffins.
“Come on, Pinkie!” Maud Pie pleaded. “There must be some left!”
“There isn’t any!” Pinkamena said crossly. “The last batches already went to the customers you disturbed just now. And by the way, stop calling me that! I’m not a filly anymore, you know!”
“Aww, you mean we collected all that money for nothing!?” the big sister groaned aloud, eliciting a shush from her younger sibling.
“Keep your voice down!”
“Get zis over vif already,” urged the pony in the hoodie, the cultured accent of hers sound so familiar. “Get her a burfday cake like everypony else.”
“No way,” Cloudchaser protested. “She’s really crazy about muffins.”
Agreeing with her, Moon Dancer looked over at other cakes in the display cases.
“After all, today is her birthday,” she said. “We should get her something she really likes.”
***
From the edge of Moebotropolis plumes of black smoke was seen rising somewhere in the outskirts. Hangars housing the surveillance drones were ablaze. Despite all the security measures taken to secure the military airfield- guards patrolling around the clock, CCTVs and motion detectors and electric fencing, yet still someone had managed to sneak in and sabotaged the drones undetected in broad daylight.
The young viceroy collected himself after his secretary informed of the loss of his drones. “None?”
“All of it,” Fiona said. “Strangely, other hardware was left untouched and all had been accounted for.”
“So they were targeting the drones exclusively,” Prower noted.
“It seemed so,” Fiona agreed. “In addition, no casualties have been reported so far.”
That was of no concern to Prower however. If anyone had died today, they should be counted as lucky. Death is a merciful fate compared to what is to come next. “Do we have any idea on who the perpetrator is?”
“They’re going through the footage as we speak. Nothing suspicious has come up yet. Though, some of the ranks have already pointed their fingers at the resistance as being responsible.”
Or it might’ve been those so-called Godslayers Yuki mentioned before, Prower mused.
His stare disconcerted Fiona. “Sir…? Is something the matter?”
“Nothing,” Prower said dismissively. “What of Her Majesty by the way? Does she know about this?”
“Yes.”
“How did she take it?”
Fiona responded in a cynical tone, “You should already know the answer to that, sir.”
When the news reached Queen Alicia, she reacted to it with fury. She wasted no time summoning Patch to Acorn Castle. Deeming the attack on the airfield to be an act perpetrated by Rebel Underground, the Suppression Squad commander was heavily reprimanded for his past failings in reining back the resistance group.
***
The metal used to construct the Void Drive is of the highest grade of silver steel- hard and strong as diamonds, could resists extreme temperatures, yet very light in weight.
But this is Moebius, not Ethenia. So Mika had to settle for the next best thing available to her, in which case is the very alloy used in the manufacture of Extreme Gears. Due to deep technical know-hows needed in building these airborne vehicles, Extreme Gear builders are thus a rare breed. Fortunately for her, there is one builder who resides in Knothole.
In the meantime, while waiting for Tank to fabricate the plate according to the specifications required to replace damaged part of the drive, Godslayer Kurogane worked on fixing the drive’s shield and coolant system. Super E-Sat kept watch over the generator outside the shielded debris field. As for Godslayer Alkarin and Godslayer Watterson, they had set off to intercept the Suppression Squad before they get anywhere near where Mika and E-Sat are.
On the other side of Grand Forest close to Acorn Empire’s border, the battle with the Suppression Squad had already begun.
Godslayer Alkarin dispatched one group of Mechanauts after another around the battlefield. While doing so, some of the robots have done half of the work for him, though it was purely unintentional. Their slow-witted AI along with the minotaur’s rapid movements around the battlefield, resulted in them constantly caught in each other’s line of fire.
When all the robots have been dispatched (save for the ones engaging Godslayer Watterson), Godslayer Alkarin now faced off against Boomer. He challenged the walrus to come at him first. Boomer taunted back with a flaunt display, boldly declaring that the minotaur’s ‘rugged leather suit’ is no match against his Power Armor.
Godslayer Watterson loosed his arrows, while avoiding incoming fire from the Mechanauts coming in waves. As soon as one wave is destroyed, another moves in from the rear guard to continue the fire support. Eventually the barrage fully drained his SHADE’s energy shielding, forcing him to conjure up his Resist Shield (in the shape of a ‘magic circle’ with a flame symbol in the middle surrounded by mystical markings) to take cover behind it.
“Man, these things really pack a wallop,” he muttered, as the energy shielding started regenerating.
As the frontline concentrated their fire on the seemingly unbreakable shield, the rest of the Mechanauts moved to outflank him. Seeing this, Godslayer Watterson decided to use his fire elemental attack on them.
Inferno.
Flames burst from the ground which then spread out in an arc around him. After the Resist Shield was conjured away, he made a broad hand gesture to send the flames surging and fan out in all directions. The inferno set the grassy surroundings ablaze. Some Mechanauts ceased function after the searing heat fried their circuits.
The surviving Mechanaut scanned the surroundings for the Godslayer via their thermal vision but the hotspots from the fire all around them made the search all the more confusing. Godslayer Watterson appeared shortly afterwards, after he shot down a handful of the robots from out of sight. The first robot to turn and face him had its head cut off and another ended up being sliced in half through the midsection. He proceeded to reduce the remainders to scrap pieces with his swift swords attacks.
Godslayer Alkarin leaped clear of Boomer’s line of fire. Contrary to his robust physique, Godslayer Alkarin is quite fast and nimble on his hooves, whereas Boomer’s mobility was let down by the bulkiness and weight of his armor.
“Hold still, you big bull-crap!” the walrus shouted angrily, even as he struggled to get a fixed aim at the charging Godslayer.
On close contact, Boomer lunged forward, throwing both fists at him. Godslayer Alkarin sidestepped then, with one swing of his axe, chopped the cannon clean off the walrus’ arm. Boomer was furious. Godslayer Alkarin put away his axes. He then fired flurry of powerful punches at the walrus’ metal plated armor while evading his counter attacks at the same time until they caught each other’s fists.
“Ensign.”
“What is it, Watterson?” the minotaur growled, as he wrestled against his opponent’s overpowering grapple.
“Something’s not right here!” the feline said with urgency through the SHADE’s COM system. “I don’t see the constructs anywhere! You don’t think...?”
Realization came over his Ensign in that very instance. “Snowflake! The whole fuck is a distraction! Get back to E-Sat and Kurogane pronto! I’ll soon follow!”
“Yes, Ensign!”
Godslayer Alkarin let out a menacing growl and ended the deadlock by breaking free from the grapple with forceful twists of his muscular arms. He deflected Boomer’s arms away and a push kick from his broad two-toed hoof sent the walrus staggering backwards. Seizing the opportunity, he lunged forward and lifted his opponent high above his head. Boomer tried to twist free of the grasp but could not get away. He was hurled high through the air and slammed against the transparent surface of the dome force field.
Shockblast!
A lightning bolt from Godslayer Alkarin’s fingers incapacitated Boomer and disabled his Power Armor.
“Phew! Looks like my work here is d-” He was seemingly flattened by a giant robotic foot.
Part of the E-series of giant war mechs developed by Prower (the E stands for Elite), the one piloted by Buns Rabbot is officially designated as E-123 ‘Omega’, a heavily armed version. It has a stocky upper body and arms. Roughly the mech resembles a spinning top with arms and legs. The pilot’s cockpit is located inside the hood-cap structure on top.
“HAH!” Buns cried triumphantly. “Not so tough now, are ya!?”
She suddenly a minor quake inside the cockpit. “What in tarnation!?”
Godslayer Alkarin is revealed to be still alive. His muscles flexed impressively as he worked his whole body to resist the weight exerted by the robotic foot. With a loud growl, he shoved the giant foot up with forceful thrust to send Omega toppling on its back.
“That ain’t possible!” Bun’s voice boomed from Omega’s loudspeaker units.
“Yeah you better believe it!” the Godslayer panted. I won’t physically lose to a dumb robot, or I’ll never hear the end of it from my cousin.
Omega got back up to its feet.
“Fight this!” Buns hollered. “FULL BARRAGE MODE!!!”
The mech’s hands retracted inside. The hatches on its forearms and front body, shoulders and waists all opened up. Out came various weapons- rotary guns, missiles, cannons, flamethrowers.
“Say yer last prayers, traitor!”
Godslayer Alkarin responded to the threat by giving her the finger. “Fuck you, bitch.”
Godslayer Watterson stopped in his tracks, being alerted by the loud boom behind him. He looked back. Alarmed by huge fireballs erupting over the distance, he attempted to contact Godslayer Alkarin.
“Ensign, do you copy? Ensign?”
No response. He repeated the call several more times. Finally, a voice barked through his COM, but it was not from the Ensign.
“This is Godslayer Kurogane! We’ve been engaged by the enemy! Requesting immediate assist!”
“Mika, hang in there! I’m coming!”
“Copy that! But hurry!”
No time to waste, Godslayer Watterson sprinted off in the direction of his comrades’ location. He has yet to realize that Omega’s laser-guidance missiles were currently zeroing in on him.
Later, back in Grand Forest inside the dome force field...
Friz peered from behind a bush, a flat hand over his squinted eyes. “Ooh, things are looking pretty intense out there.”
Over at a shallow trench, Jenga was gazing at the same direction with his binoculars. “Dude! This is just like in Brave Blue and the Lost Treasure of Griffonstone, chapter twenty-seven wherein Brave Blue wrestled with a cyclops before both fell into the Abysmal Abyss.”
Rad dropped upside down from nearby a tree branch. “Say, you guys think we could go and give them a hand or something?”
Nero popped his head behind a large boulder. “You go. No way we’re going against those two.”
A stern-faced Rosy came and stood before them. “Trust me, guys. I’ve seen much of the atrocities they’ve committed. You don’t wanna be in the middle of a Suppression Squad ops.”
“Hey, hey!” Friz shouted. “I spotted Rainbow Dash over there!”
His words put Rosy in a state of discomposure. “No. Tell me you’re joking.”
Rainbow Dash weaved through the trees at high speed. A skill in part bestowed to her as a filly by her father. She enjoyed the feel of adrenaline but it was not enough to make her join the Wonderbolts like her father had wanted. She shot out of the woods, was about to dive down into the gorge but stopped dead in midair instead as soon as she saw the translucent energy dome on the opposite side.
Close to the dome was a female armored figure scuffling with a teenage schoolgirl. Another adolescent was clinging on to the back shoulder of a black-and-white robot, whose strange, blocky design makes it look somewhat like a giant bipedal washing machine, in a tantrum.
Super E-Sat thrashed about some more, his arms flailing in all directions, unable to reach Nagato due to the bulk of the Gatling blasters. Upon realizing it was of no avail, he went and slammed himself against the surface of the force field repeatedly, an action so brutal it drew a disbelieving gasp from Rainbow Dash. Then he raised his arms up high and threw himself to the ground flatly on his back. He quickly got up afterwards. and subsequently made a full swing to finally get the construct off of him.
He trained his blasters on the limped construct but to his surprise it would not function.
No matter, he thought.
He still has his giant fists. Just as Super E-Sat was about to deliver a good deal of severe pummeling on Nagato, a robotic hand suddenly grabbed him from behind. He looked and subsequently received a punch across the face by Omega.
As the two mechs fought, Rainbow Dash unsuspectingly glided down next to the girl lying unconscious in a curled up position. Crouching, she put down her backpack then reached for the girl. If by any chance the girl was still alive- even if barely, maybe then something could be done to save her life-
“RAINBOW DASH! DON’T!”
Who the hay-? She immediately looked away.
“GET AWAY FROM IT!” cried the armored figure. She down on the ground, frantically trying to kick her attacker away.
Shock came over Rainbow Dash as the other girl lunged to thrust her firearm’s blade attachment into the armored figure’s thigh. When she felt a stirring movement, she turned back to the girl before her. The girl was getting up, her stoic calmness unsettled Rainbow Dash, even more so at those unblinking eyes. The gaze was hollow, as though devoid of a soul. It did not take Rainbow Dash long to see how impossibly unscathed the girl was either. No blood nor bruises, not even a single sign of physical injuries.
Oh no, Rainbow Dash finally realized, I’m in a lotta trouble, am I?
She took to the air. Asakura shrugged off the injured female Godslayer and was about to go after the Pegasus but gets caught in the subtle glow produced on the ground beneath her by a MagNet whose appearance is identical to Godslayer Watterson’s Resist Shield. Nagato too was ensnared, unable to move in the glow of another MagNet (tribal-stylized outline of a bull’s head).
Watterson and Alkarin revealed themselves to have against all odds survived Omega’s barrage. But then to their utter shock and dismay, Nagato and Asakura started displaying a feat supposedly not possible for human-sized constructs, until now. Through a lot of strenuous effort, the two began moving within the MagNets. Nagato hauled herself up on both feet then trudged out of the MagNet’s confinement.
Meanwhile, a powerful burst from Asakura’s jet boots launched her upwards with a loud boom. She came to a full stop right on top of Rainbow Dash in seconds, taking her off-guard and subsequently delivered a full reverse roundhouse kick to knock the Pegasus cold in midair. As Rainbow Dash plummeted to the ground, she swooped low over the Godslayers, pinning them down with her Spikers.
The cover fire provided Nagato the opportunity to get to Rainbow Dash whom had dropped not far away. She pulled the dazed Pegasus up by her jacket and gave her a sharp stare, momentarily contemplating on the plan and what action she should take next.
The Godslayers’ combined Resist Shields appeared to almost succumb to the continuous onslaught of Ethereal Spikes. Asakura could have finished the three off already, only to stop abruptly at Nagato’s signal.
Then with a smirk, she declared their ultimatum to the Godslayers, “Tell them inside to deactivate the force field! Or otherwise watch as onee-sama dismember this poor pegasus- Cupcakes-style!”
Nagato shoved Rainbow Dash onto her knees, one hand firmly on the shoulder to hold her down, the other holding a double-edged dagger called kaiken, thus forcing the Godslayers to stand down.
“I don’t buy it,” Godslayer Watterson said under breath. “What do we do, Ensign? That thing’s gonna kill her anyway.”
“Let me think,” the minotaur whispered back.
“You all should how know it ended for that Rainbow Dash,” Asakura went on, even as Nagato brought the dagger’s blade threateningly close to her prisoner’s throat.
At that moment, Rainbow Dash was coming to. Iris, so she was telling the truth after all...
“Hey,” she rasped, the same time summoning the remaining strength she had in order to conjure an offensive spell. “You’re pushing your luck.”
“Do not try anything clever,” Nagato warned, unfazed by the threat. “What could a Pegasus possibly do-”
It was pretty subtle but her expression indeed did change to reflect her surprise at the aura that is unmistakably Dark Magic immersing the Pegasus’ wings. She must decide between killing the Pegasus or to proceed with Prower’s plan. The Guardians may have been built as formidable fighting machines by Ruby, still they are vulnerable to magic-based attacks. She opened her mouth, revealing her canines have elongated to become like fangs.
“You’re underestimating me just ‘cuz I’m a Pegasus, huh? Big mistake.” Rainbow Dash clenched her eyes shut and muttered a word: “Corruption.”
Red-black fractal flames exploded about from her wings, blasting Nagato through the air. Asakura shielded herself from the force given off by the explosive aura yet came off unharmed. The aura soon disappeared after which Rainbow Dash dropped into a crouch, wincing in pain.
Watterson, Alkarin and Kurogane were also off their guard, for this is the very first time they have encountered a pegasus capable of such a feat, more so that the aforementioned pegasus is a ‘Rainbow Dash’.
“Come on!” Godslayer Alkarin commanded his two subordinates to follow him. “Let’s take ‘em out once for all!”
As eager he is to avenge May, Godslayer Watterson however felt uncertain about Rainbow Dash. “W-what about her? Should we be worried? Has anything good ever came out of Dark Magic!?”
He was prompted by an angry Godslayer Kurogane with a shove on the shoulder. “Just go!”
Asakura surveyed around for the senpai. But then almost out of nowhere Rosy waded into her with a Super Spin Dash attack. The strike pushed the construct back a little, damage inflicted was apparently negligible. When Rosy returned for a second run, Asakura evaded the attack this time by leaping into side flip. She turned, her firearms brought to bear at the spinning hedgehog. Godslayer Kurogane darted in between them, and used her flying dagger blades to shift the construct’s attention away from Rosy.
Meanwhile, the blast had catapulted Nagato close to the edge of the gorge. She appeared to have suffered a malfunction of sort. Her limbs were all jerky and she was having trouble keeping her balance. Even when Godslayer Watterson and Godslayer Alkarin came charging in her direction, she did nothing, just stood there gawking at them.
Godslayer Watterson skewered her with five arrows released consecutively at point-blank range. Godslayer Alkarin followed up the offence with persistent slashing, forcing the construct back further until she was only one step away from falling off the cliff.
“This is for Proctor!” Godslayer Watterson brought his hands close together and conjured a fireball between the palms. “Fiery Blast!”
Along with Alkarin’s Shockblast, both Tier-1 elemental attacks struck Nagato simultaneously, throwing her off into the gorge.
“Onee-sama!” Asakura shot past them then dived to go after her senpai.
Luckily for Super E-Sat, his arm pistons work just fine which he used to his advantage well, as it turned out Buns have exhausted the ammunitions when it went full barrage on Watterson and Alkarin earlier. Pinned against the surface of the force field, the Omega used its forearms to try block the punches rapidly coming at it. An uppercut from Super E-Sat broke its defense, followed immediately by a flurry of powerful strikes to its torso. Consequently, Omega shattered along the waistline. Its upper half fell off, while the lower torso stood idly, spewing out fuel and hydraulic fluids.
Buns emerged shortly from the cockpit hatch. In a last-ditch effort to beat the black-and-white mech, she fired a rocket at him only to deal superficial damage on his metallic body. Super E-Sat advanced on her, briskly pounding his fists together. His actions intimidated Buns enough that the rabbit dropped the rocket launcher and scurried away from there, without looking back. With that, the battle was over.
Asakura caught Nagato in her arms then twisted to bring herself right side up. The jet bursts from her boots helped deaccelerate their descent until they reached the bottom safely. Nagato’s condition elicited a strong reaction from Asakura. to mull what kind of damage had been inflicted so as to cause such an unusual behavior. She cursed the Pegasus that did this to the senpai and vowed to get back at that pony.
Rainbow Dash held in the sheer pain radiating from between her shoulder blades.
“You picked one helluva time for a visit,” Rosy said, helping the Pegasus up.
“Ain’t exactly my fault,” Rainbow Dash replied sharply. “What’s going on here?”
“Tell you later,” the hedgehog insisted. “Right now, let’s get inside and have Kintobor take a look at you.”
Turning her gaze at the strangers, Rainbow Dash observed the injured female was limping towards her companions. No way she’s still able to walk. Not with a wound that deep. I could’ve sworn that…
She was so certain of what she had saw. The hard thrust should have put the blade right through the bone. Furthermore, impossible as it may seem, bleeding through the sizable gash have stopped.
Who are these weird-looking guys? she wondered. Could they be the friends Iris been talking about?
“Rainbow Dash,” Rosy prompted.
The Pegasus looked back at her friend. “Yeah, okay.”
She rubbed off the temporary stinging pain on her neck before heading off with Rosy towards an opening through the force field. Had Rosy noticed it at the time, there were two small puncture marks on the exact spot where Rainbow Dash had felt the sting. The Suppression Squad’s mission was a success after all.
***
Muffins’ friends came to her room, and surprised her with a load of cupcakes layered with a wide assortment of toppings, each had a different wooden alphabet pick on it that when put together spelled ‘HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MUFFINS’. They celebrated in a simple and hasty manner. There was no time for a party. Muffins and Maud Pie later had to get back to their studies for the last exam tomorrow. As for Cloudchaser, she wanted to turn in early in the night to catch the early morning bus to attend an adventure camp co-organized by the Wonderbolts Academy in Rainbow Falls.
While all were enjoying the last of the cakes on the table, Cloudchaser talked to Moon Dancer about Rainbow Dash, when the latter revealed the rainbow-maned Pegasus they saw at the bakery earlier is her classmate. Cloudchaser could not recall ever encountering that Pegasus around campus, perhaps it was in part due to her not living onsite like the rest of her friends.
“There’s not much that I can tell,” Moon Dancer said. “Apart from being an egghead, she’s awfully quiet in class and unsociable. But that isn’t entirely her fault, I guess.”
“Hey, are you two talking about Rainbow Dash?” Muffins joined in their conversation. “Come on, Moon Dancer. I feel sorry for her too. But let’s face it. She’s just not all that interested.”
Rainbow Dash… “I heard that name before,” Cloudchaser finally remembered. “This is unbelievable. How come neither of you ever mention this to me before?”
“Why?” Moon Dancer asked. “Is it such a big deal?”
“Well, yeah!” Cloudchaser was a little ecstatic right now. “I heard she’s a former champion in the Young Fliers, and also the daughter of Rainbow Blaze, a Wonderbolts legend! My seniors used to admire her a great deal. A talented pony like that could have gotten into the Wonderbolts team easy, if she had wanted to.”
“You know this how?” Moon Dancer prompted for more information.
“It’s all rumors,” Cloudchaser admitted. “Word is that the they became estranged because the father put too much pressure on his daughter to follow in his footsteps. So the next thing she did was quit the Young Fliers, ran away from home and never came back. But they didn’t say anything about the magic part. Someone must’ve missed that last part.”
Moon Dancer was dismayed at the revelation. So Rainbow Dash has family problems too. Then Starlight Glimmer came along and made it even worse. This isn’t right. It’s not right that someone under so much stress should cope with it alone. At least, she needs someone to talk to. Someone she can release to. A real friend.
“But if that’s the case,” Moon Dancer went on to ask, “where had she been staying during the holiday breaks?”
“Who knows?” Cloudchaser shrugged. “Anyway, I could do with a new friend. If there’d still time left, I would’ve tried inviting her to the camp with me.”
Muffins however scorned the idea of making friends with Rainbow Dash, no matter how woeful the latter’s life story sounded. “Good luck with that. It isn’t just Moon Dancer she doesn’t trust. She didn’t even make an effort in befriending the rest of the students in Crystal Heart.”
Cloudchaser mulled on the problem. There might be a way.
She turned to Muffins. “Say, Muff. Got anything fun planned for the summer?”
“Oh!” The grey Pegasus pumped her fist and chuckled. “I’m so glad you finally you asked!”
Keeping her enthusiasm under control, Muffins leaped from the bedside and strode over to a corner where there is a whiteboard stand. Placed right next to it is a large box from which she retrieved what appears to be a handheld tracking device, equipped with a satellite dish.
“I’ve been holding this back as I was still working the final touches on the circuitries,” she said. “But now, it’s ready for your unveiling.”
She made a ‘cool’ pose with the thingamajig and declared, “Me and Maud Pie are going on Moebian hunting!”
The Pegasus went on to claim that the device in her hand is a specially designed to track down Moebians via scanning for their unique genetic traits.
Cloudchaser palmed her face with both hands. “Oh, Luna-Celestia. Muff, I like you. But you can get too weird sometimes.”
“And you, Maud,” she went on, looking at the mare just as appalled. “You must’ve got rocks in your head if you’re willing to go on this merry chase.”
“No, it’s not that,” the Earth Pony mumbled, her mouth stuffed with cupcakes. After swallowing them in one go without choking herself, she let out a loud burp.
“It’s just that I think Muffins’ idea- TOTALLY ROCKS!” she immediately proclaimed, whilst performing an air guitar with her hands. “We are going to rock this word to its core!”
“We are going to get medals for this!” Muffins joined in with her partner.
“We’ll be heroes!”
“Yes, we do!”
As the two friends giggled and got engrossed in their fantasy, Cloudchaser proceeded to ask Photo Finish of her holiday plans. “I don’t suppose you’re free all summer?”
“Nee,” the latter lied, playing it cool. “I am helping my parents at ze studio. Azer zan zat, maybe I vill do some more photoshoots.”
Moon Dancer saw through Cloudchaser, that she is planning something. “Cloudchaser, you’re up to something. What’s in your mind?”
“I am thinking that maybe you all and Rainbow Dash would go out for an outing. I mean, what better way to get bonding than going on a trip together, right?”
“That…might work,” Moon Dancer comprehended. “The Summer Festival in Ponyville is coming up soon. I bet she’s never been there. So maybe…”
“Yeah, go for it!” Cloudchaser said to further encourage her.
But then the latter remembered one tiny detail. “Oh, no, no, no… I can’t ask her. She’ll just avoid me again, like always.”
Cloudchaser let out a smirk. “Not to worry. Lucky for you, I got something up my sleeve.”
Maud suddenly came up from behind, leaning so close that Cloudchaser could feel the Earth Pony’s breath on her face. “What? What’s in your sleeve? Is it a magic trick? Oooo, I love magic tricks!”
“Maud,” Cloudchaser urged, her palms pressed against Maud Pie’s cheek and gave a light push, “please get off my face.”
They were back at the same bakery. Cloudchaser had insisted otherwise, but Moon Dancer nevertheless decided to pay with her own money for the boxset of flavored cupcakes.
“Am I to assume a bribe would convince her to become my friend?” Moon Dancer remained unconvinced of the former’s plan.
“Not a bribe,” Cloudchaser affirmed. “Think of it as a gift basket. Rainbow Dash can turn down all your invitations, but she couldn’t possibly say no to sweets.”
“I don’t know…”
“Hey. As I recall, this was what I did to approach Muff. Look at me now- part of the gang.”
“Okay,” Moon Dancer conceded. “I’ll take whatever ideas I can.”
She took the box, then got on to her scooter.
“Remember,” Cloudchaser reminded her. “Start slow. Small talk, then ask her out.”
“Got it.”
After bidding each other goodbyes, they parted ways. Moon Dancer rode back to the college, whereas Cloudchaser walked home, since the apartment where she lived was nearby.
The door partly opened. Iris peeped from behind and even though the coast is clear she still waited for a minute before coming out.
Better safe than sorry, she thought.
Rainbow Dash had reminded her not to do anything that would expose herself but from the looks of the place, the block is almost devoid of occupants, as the midterm break approaches. She emptied the wastebasket into the garbage bin at the end corridor by the stairway and returned to the room immediately afterwards.
“Rainbow Dash? Are you in? It’s me, Moon Dancer! Rainbow Dash?”
There was no answer despite her repeatedly knocking on the door.
Darn it. Why isn’t Rainbow Dash answering? Is she out? Moon Dancer peeped through the keyhole to see that there is light in the room. Huh, did she forget to switch off the lights?
Not wanting to give up yet, she decided to try the door handle. She gave a nudge, then to her surprise the door was actually unlocked. She peeked into the room.
“Rainbow Dash?”
Iris was in the bathroom enjoying a nice hot shower by the time Moon Dancer arrived at the door therefore did not hear the repeated knocking from the outside. Upon coming out, hair and body wrapped in towel, she bolted back in surprise at the unexpected presence of a pony who is not Rainbow Dash standing at the opened door.
Oh gosh, did I forget to lock the door!?
The pony was just as shock, at what she thought is an ‘Overlander’ intruder, accidentally dropping the box in her hands. She was inclined to scream and ran out of there. It was then that it struck to her that the ‘Overlander’ seemed to bear more than a passing resemblance to Rainbow Dash. She covered her mouth, took deep breaths to repress the urge to scream.
“Ra-Rainbow...Dash...?”
She thinks I’m Rainbow Dash? An idea hit Iris at that very moment, one that she hopes could avert a disaster. She cracked a big, sheepish grin. “Y-yeah! It’s me all right! I’m Rainbow Dash! Would ya believe me if I say it was b’cuz I messed up pretty bad with a transfiguration spell that got me this look?”
She held up her palm and wiggled her fingers. “See? I got five fingers.”
Moon Dancer fainted.