Appledashery

by Just Essay

An Offer That Couldn't Be Refused

"Well, I have to admit one thing," Lancie said, balancing on Rainbow's shoulder. He folded his granite arms as he stared at the camp full of cretins. "They're organized."

The two watched as the henchstallions, unicorns, and diamond dogs shuffled back and forth across the clearing, collecting various weapons and setting up supplies. Every now and then, a good few of them turned to sneer in Rainbow's direction. All the while, Romulus stood perched on a bent, burnt tree, keeping a watchful eye on the mangy company.

Lancie bore a fanged smirk and looked directly at Rainbow. "Or at least as 'organized' as a bunch of rabid baboons can be."

Rainbow's eyes fell on Sunset Shimmer. She watched as the unicorn placed several pink crystals in the dirt, setting them equally apart from one another.

"Ahem..." Lancie leaned against Rainbow's skull in a casual pose. "That was a joke, Sparky. Y'know. Funny. 'Ha-ha.'"

"Mmmhmmm..." Rainbow Dash hummed, eyes narrowing as she watched Sunset move from one crystal to another, enchanting each shard after another with a faint red glow.

"I figured a modicum of humor would be advantageous," Lancie added with a shrug. "I mean, seeing as we're about to fling our collective skulls at a big flying rock full of pony-burning dragons with only crazed rodents and mouth-foaming psychopaths to call allies."

Rainbow's lips parted: "She's setting up a teleportation spell."

"Whozzawhut?" Lancie blinked.

Rainbow pointed at Sunset. "Miss Wheels-N-Deals. Our arch nemesis from Dredgemane."

"Aye. I remember that arc." Lancie rubbed his stone skull. "What about her?"

"It's not her so much as the thing she's doing," Rainbow said. "I've seen Twilight do this sort of eggheaded experiment before when she needs to teleport something long distance. I'm talking about stuff bigger than Spike can send with his flame breath."

"Okaaaaaaaaay..." Lancie gestured. "And you're leading this where, exactly?"

"Those crystals..." Rainbow pointed again. "Sunset needs them to make a circle, and then she can teleport stuff to and from another circle of the stones that she's got located elsewhere."

"You mean... like back in Equestria?"

"Right."

"Hmmmff... boring magic is so... boring," Lancie groaned. "Predictable too."

"Speak for yourself," Rainbow said, blinking. "All this time, I've been wondering just how Romulus and Sunset got this far out."

"I just figured they trailed you."

"Yeah... but to bring the whole gang with them?" Rainbow shuddered. "With this sort of magic, they could zap Top Dog, Flim and Flam, and the rest of the jerks anywhere. At anytime."

"Are you thinking about how we'll get into Big Boss' castle?"

"No." Rainbow shook her head with a frown. "I'm thinking about my friends back in Ponyville, actually."

"Ah..." Lancie nodded. "And ouch. If they trailed you here, then no doubt they know where all your bestest of best buds live." He cleared his throat. "Including a certain Duchess of Freckles."

Rainbow Dash's nostrils flared. "When all of this is said and done, there's no guarantee that they'll keep to any bargain whatsoever."

"Then why did you bargain with them?"

"Because I still gotta save Apple Bloom," Rainbow said. "I'm just now coming to terms with the cost. Right now... none of my friends are going to be safe... ever."

"Well... I guess you have quite the dilemma on your hooves, Sparky," Lancie said. "Do you save Apple Bloom's life? Or everypony else's?"

Rainbow sensed an orange shape in her peripheral. She glanced over, and a pair of emerald eyes stared back, cold and steely. "...I save everypony."

"Huh?"

"I save Apple Bloom... and my friends."

"Uhm... how, exactly?" Lancie waved a talon. "Considering how deep we are in this mess, somepony is gonna get hurt."

"You're right. They are," Rainbow said.

"Huh?" Lancie blinked.

Before he could say anything else, the crystals lit up.

"Shhhh...!" Rainbow pointed. "She's summoning."

"Yes, but what?"

FLASH! All of the crystals lit up.

Sunset collapsed on her belly, wincing as her injured horn sizzled. Nevertheless, she and the other thugs looked up to see an even larger group of criminals gathered. The thick group stepped out of the circle—henchstallions and diamond dogs alike. In the very center of the criminal gang, surrounded by heavily muscled body-guards, was a thick, thick stallion with a bulging belly and a well-pressed suit. He took a puff on his cigar and glared across the way, his thin eyes eventually landing on Rainbow Dash.

The mare clenched her jaws. "Don Canter..."

Comments

[RoboRed]

[Phoenix Kitten]

so... now that the teleportation array is in Dash's knowledge.. what's she gonna do to escape? Are they gonna leave Sunset behind since she's injured and their only way out due to her array?

If so then nothing is stopping Dash from grabbing the shards, conking all the others over the head and then lying to Sunset about the others biting it in combat, having her teleport them both back to the griffon lands and swiping a crystal from the return array in case the others know how to use it as well.

[Cotton Fluff]

I think Rainbow's gonna try and make a deal with Sunset, she doesn't exactly seem to be completely buddy buddy with this gang here and doesn't seem like the brightest bulb in the box. That, or she'll shank at least one of the crystals while they're getting the shards and then have Lancie teleport them out leaving this group quite stranded with the dragons.

[Leftover of Saikano]

Thankfully Rainbow put some points in the Rogue class, so she can pull a good backstabbing.

[zaponator]

Damn, Rainbow's sounding pretty dark about this whole thing.
...I like it. A lot of those villains could do use a little death in their diet.

[FloydienSlip]

I remember that arc.

It hasn't even been four years, of course you remember!

[viofriedsevey]

I'm not sure how I feel about dark Rainbow, on one hand they really deserve it, and if I was in her shoes I would absolutely do the same, but it seems like it's at the cost of her forgiveness virtue she seems to have in this story. But of course loyalty is stronger.

[BabySkittleMonster]

Uhm... how, exactly?" Lancie waved a talon. "Considering how deep we are in this mess, somepony is gonna get hurt."
"You're right. They are," Rainbow said.

Whoowee. Is anyone else feeling a little unnerved right now? In a good way, of course. I rather like seeing Dash's darker side. It reminds me she's human. Er... Pony. Whatever.

[DrEggnog]

Rainbow pointed at Sunset. "Miss Wheels-N-Deals. Our arch nemesis from Dredgemane."
"Aye. I remember that arc."

I don't much, though I think it's the only arc I've forgotten. I remember Diamond Dogs, and Buffalo, and Photo Finish, and Cider Princess. I don't remember much about Squidgy, though I do remember really enjoying the chess game.

[arancaytar]

Rainbow Dash's nostrils flared. "When all of this is said and done, there's no guarantee that they'll keep to any bargain whatsoever."

Conveniently, Dashie doesn't intend to keep to it either.

[arancaytar]

"Because I still gotta save Apple Bloom," Rainbow said. "I'm just now coming to terms with the cost. Right now... none of my friends are going to be safe... ever ."

Well, Shimmy is their weak link, especially now that she's summoned pretty much everyone to this side of the barrier.

Convince Shimmy to double-cross them, and they'll be up shit-creek without a paddle. I doubt any of their other unicorns can teleport that distance...

[bronyheat]

This arc is going to be this stories Quade/Luminard isn't? Good pony does bad things for the greater good. Personally I'd smash Sunny's horn faster than you can say praise Verlaxion, and leave them all, but I'm not awesome.