Appledashery

by Just Essay

The Trineighty Test

"It's almost time, isn't it?" Rainbow murmured.

"Mmmmm..." Listing nodded, gazing at the stretching shadows. "In about ten minutes... roundabouts..." She cleared her throat. "That should be the moment to make my move."

Rainbow glanced at her. "Shouldn't you... like... get a move on now?"

Listing squinted sideways. "You're ready to get rid of me that quickly?"

"I just don't want you to buck this up, Listy."

"Believe me..." Listing Breeze waved her hooves. "I've got this. Me and the Hump Gang are like cookies and butter."

"Which is why they reduced you to crumbs before the Desert Hounds."

"Huh?"

"I just think that if we're to do this sooner—"

"Look, I've got it planned out, okay?!" Listing stammered.

"Don't you wanna be absolutely sure—?"

"Who's not absolutely sure? I'm absolutely sure!" Listing pointed. "Are you absolutely sure?"

"Why do..." Rainbow gnashed her teeth. "...you get so defensive when I so much as suggest reviewing the plan?"

"'Cuz planning isn't your thing!" Listing exclaimed. "It's my thing! It always has been..."

"Yeah..." Rainbow nodded, frowning. "And a lot of those plans tend to end up face-up in the rain."

Listing groaned. "And you wonder why I get so defensive."

Rainbow opened her mouth, fidgeted, and ultimately tossed her hooves with a sigh.

Silence.

"...you weren't always this snippy, y'know," Listing said.

Rainbow's nostrils flared. "You always were." She gulped. "Still are."

"Heh... I'd never describe myself as 'snippy'," Listing muttered. Her face drew long. "...I figure more severe words would cover it."

Rainbow said nothing. She merely stared at the dirt before them.

"I guess that's what shattered it... huh?" Listing sighed. "One of us changed." Another breath. She glanced aside. "In some ways, of course. You're still a miserable bag of limp noodles and—"

"Thanks for trying to be sincere," Rainbow grumbled. "Even if it was for a second."

Listing gazed off. She bore a limp smirk. "Well... here's to trying to 'make every second count.'" She smiled thinly at Rainbow. "That was your schtick for a while, wasn't it?" Her ears waggled. "Doing things in 'ten seconds flat—'"

"I can't remember the last time I ever friggin' said that," Rainbow grumbled.

"Heheheh..." Listing slapped her knee.

Rainbow rolled her eyes. "Must have been... over a year ago. Luna poop..."

"Heh..." Listing sigh. Her smile faded. "I've missed so much." She looked ready to say something else, but either the thought or her tongue failed her.

Rainbow looked over.

Clearing her throat, Listing stood up. "Well..." She heaved the heavy bag over her shoulder. "I've got a front door to knock on." She glanced aside. "And you've got a side fence to shimmy under."

Rainbow looked up at her. "Southwest side. Beneath the barbed wire." She gulped. "Wait for you to distract the Hump Gang. Once there's a gap in the security... rush into the main building, enter the open door of the vault... and grab the bits from the armory."

"Bingo." Listing winked. "I'll do what I'm good at... making ponies' eyes roll. Or in this case, mules." An exhale. "Odds are, they'll get bored with me, spit on my crap weapons, and shove me out of my office so that I land on my butt."

"I'll take the exit to the west and we'll meet up at the junkyard."

"Righto." Listing spread her wings. "Glad you've got more than shebert between your ears."

Just as she was starting to take off, Rainbow fidgeted—then blurted: "Listy?"

"Yeah, booger?"

Rainbow bit her lip. "Take care of yourself."

Listing glanced down. A devilish smirk. "Now I will." Fwooosh! And she was skyborn.

Rainbow Dash sat alone in the middle of the desert. She watch Listing glide off. She hugged herself... and as soon as she realized she was smiling—she lost it.

Comments

[CommanderCuddle]

[Hestia]

Now it's time to watch this plan go off without a hitch. Right?

haha yeah right

[Phoenix Kitten]

...I'm going to hope Dash smiling is because she's actually managing to get a few shots back at Listing.

[Khao]

"I guess that's what shattered it... huh?" Listing sighed. "One of us changed." Another breath. She glanced aside. "In some ways, of course. You're still a miserable bag of limp noodles and—"

A miserable little pile of noodles!

[Sharp Quill]

The Trineighty Test

The Trinity Test.

"I can't remember the last time I ever friggin' said that," Rainbow grumbled.

Within minutes of meeting Twilight Sparkle for the very first time.

[DrEggnog]

Rainbow... don't fall into that hole again. You've done nothing but talk shit about that relationship the entire story.

[zaponator]

Something big is gonna happen, but at this point I'm honestly not sure what.

[BabySkittleMonster]

Here come the fireworks. Extra fire. Little works.

[Salad king]

The moral of this chapter = dash is still being dumb.

[JAK0723]

"Heh... I'd never describe myself as 'snippy'," Listing muttered. Her face drew long. "...I figure more severe words would cover it."

At least she seems to be somewhat aware of her misdeeds.