Domino Effect

by Wheller

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash found themselves sitting alone in the corner while Twilight, Vinyl, and Zecora discussed what they were going to do about Surprise. After the destruction of the Bridge over the St. Germain, Twilight and Rainbow Dash had informed Fluttershy, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie about the old world and what had happened in it.

Casually leaving out, of course, the part where Fluttershy had turned into a violent murder and had stabbed Rainbow Dash to death, and Twilight’s subsequent strangulation of the canary yellow Pegasus.

Rainbow Dash would never admit it, but she found it incredibly difficult to be around Fluttershy at all. Something had happened to turn sweet, gentle, Fluttershy into a homicidal psychopath; it could very easily happen again if just the right amount of stimulation was used. Rainbow Dash frequently had nightmares about her old world death, and would often wake in the middle of the night in tears, clutching to Twilight for support.

Rainbow Dash did not, however, know who Surprise was. She had figured that Surprise had showed up in the old world after her death had taken place. Vinyl and Twilight had not told her about her, and Rainbow Dash figured that it was likely because that was one bit of the old world that they desperately wanted to forget.

Fluttershy had asked Rainbow Dash if she knew Surprise. Rainbow Dash had responded in the negative. Not wishing to lie about it to one of her best friends. Fluttershy had begun to question why she did not, causing Rainbow Dash to kick herself; she could not tell Fluttershy the truth, not this time. No matter how much she wanted to, the truth would shatter Fluttershy’s fragile mind... or worse. Bring the psychopath back out.

Fluttershy had begun to press the issue, causing Rainbow Dash to snap at her, that she didn’t want to talk about it. It shut her up. Rainbow Dash couldn’t help but feel guilty, but she told herself that it was necessary, she’d apologise later, and Fluttershy would forgive her, and they’d go on and probably not even remember that the altercation had taken place.

Something was bothering Fluttershy. Rainbow Dash noticed that she wanted to ask her something, but she was too afraid to speak up.

“Everything okay Fluttershy?” Rainbow Dash asked.

Fluttershy nodded her head in the affirmative, though, she was not very convincing.

“Look, Fluttershy, I’m sorry I yelled,” Rainbow Dash said. “You and me? I’ve lost count of how many years we’ve known each other. If something is up, go ahead and tell me!”

Fluttershy squeaked softly in response. Rainbow Dash had raised her voice just a little too much, and Rainbow kicked herself again for it. “... Please?” Rainbow Dash added, with a small smile.

“Um... well, it’s probably nothing... but, have you by chance seen Pinkie Pie at all today?” Fluttershy asked.

“Pinkie Pie?” Rainbow Dash asked, raising an eyebrow. “No, why?”

“It’s just that... I stopped by Sugarcube Corner this morning, and it looked like Pinkie Pie had one of her parties... the place was a big mess!” Fluttershy said.

“What? Pinkie Pie always cleans up after a party... she wouldn’t leave a mess to the next morning...” Rainbow Dash said. Then she remembered. “That BASTARD!”

Twilight, Vinyl, Zecora, heck, even Surprise had looked up and over to where they were sitting.

“Pips Domino has done something with Pinkie Pie!” Rainbow Dash said jumping to the conclusion.

“What?” Vinyl said, raising an eyebrow at Rainbow Dash. “Do you have any idea how ridiculous that is? Pips wouldn’t hurt a fly!”

“Oh yeah? Sure about that? Fluttershy just told me that Sugarcube Corner is trashed. Pinkie Pie always cleans up after a party! Except this time, Pips Domino asks to speak to her privately. Then BAM! Something happens, Pinkie Pie’s gone!” Rainbow Dash proclaimed.

Twilight let out a sigh at Rainbow Dash’s conclusion. “Rainbow Dash... that’s circumstantial at best.”

“Oh yeah? Well I’m going to go check out Sugarcube Corner, if it’s still a mess...” Rainbow Dash said.

“We’ll all go,” Twilight said and turned back to Zecora. “Zecora could you do me a big favour and watch... her?” Twilight added, pointing to Surprise.

Zecora nodded in affirmation, and Twilight, Vinyl, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy departed back for town.

...

Rainbow Dash gently pushed open the door to Sugarcube Corner and discovered Mr. And Mrs. Cake cleaning up the huge mess from the party last night, both of them looked incredibly irritated.

“Let’s see if we let Pinkie Pie have another party here after this mess...” Mrs. Cake grumbled. She looked up to see the four ponies entering the shop. “We’re closed! Come back tomorrow, if you’re looking for Pinkie Pie, she’s not here... and might never be again if I get my hooves on her...”

“Hun...” Mr. Cake said.

“Don’t you ‘hun’ me, Carrot!” Mrs. Cake snapped at him, and the two began to bicker loudly.

Rainbow Dash and Co. took the hint and backed out quietly. Rainbow Dash looked smugly at Vinyl and Twilight.

“Still circumstantial, Rainbow Dash,” Twilight reminded her.

“Exactly!” Vinyl said. “Pips is probably still asleep at the Library!”

With that, the group made their way to the Library, pushing open the door to the smell of pancakes and the sound of footsteps from the kitchen. Spike poked his head around the corner from the kitchen and gave the four an odd look.

“There you are!” Spike called out. “I wake up this morning and find that you’re all gone... Is Pips Domino with you? I went to his room and asked him if he wanted breakfast, and he wasn’t there either. So sorry, I just made enough for me and Dinky.”

Rainbow Dash glanced at Vinyl, who was beginning to get somewhat nervous.

“Still circumstantial...” Vinyl said uneasily, she didn’t like where this was going any more than Rainbow Dash did, but she simply could not believe that her childhood idol had some nefarious agenda for Pinkie Pie. “I got an idea of where Pinkie Pie might be, follow me!”

With that, the four ponies dashed off without another word.

“Hey! Hello!” Spike called out after them. “Humph. Ponies,” he “said in annoyance. He glanced over at Dinky who was sitting at the kitchen table, munching on a pancake. “No offense,” he added.

“Huh? Wha?” Dinky asked, muffled by a mouthful of pancake.

Spike let out a sigh, and added a small ‘never mind,’ and promptly returned to his breakfast.

...

“It’s got to be around here somewhere...” Vinyl Scratch said as the group trotted through the western edge of the Everfree forest.

“What has got to be around here?” Rainbow Dash asked impatiently.

Vinyl Scratch turned back around and offered her a small grin. “Yo momma!” she said, getting only a confused look from Fluttershy, and a look of contempt from both Rainbow Dash and Twilight.

“I regret nothing!” Vinyl said as she stepped around a tree and into a clearing. “Found it!”

Vinyl grinned widely as she looked at the sign before her. ‘Lake of Origin,’ the place where Vinyl Scratch had first met Pinkie Pie in the old world, unfortunately, Pinkie Pie was not here, where Vinyl had seriously hoping that she had been.

Curiously, Vinyl noted that despite being early December and cold as the dickens. The lake was not frozen over at all. She trotted up to its bank and looked in.

Just as she had the first time she’d looked into the Lake of Origin, there was a ruby eyed filly looking back at her.

“Well what the fuck do you want?” the filly said simply.

Vinyl took a step back in surprise; she had certainly not been expecting that. The image was of a younger her, and she had not exactly been expecting it to ask a question. Let alone with profanity. It was appearing as a filly, after all.

“Yeah yeah, talking lake with a mouth like a sailor,” the filly said. “Big fucking deal, what do you want?”

Vinyl looked back at the lake and gave it a grin. “Let me guess, angry personality with old world memory? Possibly hiding access to the Master Archive?”

“Vinyl? Who are you talking to?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Shut up! I got this!” Vinyl said, not taking her eyes off the water.

“Well aren’t you so fucking clever!” the filly said. “How ‘bout you pour yourself a glass of scotch to celebrate? You fucking degenerate.”

That last comment had enraged Vinyl to the point of no return, she was doing her best to maintain rational thought, and she would not allow herself to be bested by a puddle! Vinyl took a deep breath and got on with what she had come here for.

“I don’t suppose Pinkie Pie was here at all?” Vinyl asked, struggling to keep from exploding.

“‘Was Pinkie Pie here?’ She asks. Oh was she ever! Pathetic as always... not quite as pathetic as you, but that’s hard to top, what with you living in a bottle and all!” the filly said. “She was here, not by choice, that older pony wanted her for something. Like I care! I sent him on a snipe hunt to the Divide.”

“Older pony?” Vinyl Scratch asked, fearing the worst.

“Yeah, earth pony, brown coat, touch of grey, black mane, obnoxious sunglasses. Stuck Pinkie Pie’s ugly mug in me a couple times. Tell you what, that wasn’t fun, and... hey!”

Vinyl Scratch had backed away from the lake, without a reflection to display, it became silent.

“Vinyl?” Rainbow Dash asked, taking a step towards her.

“FUCK!” Vinyl cried out in frustration. As it turned out, Pips Domino, her idol, was clearly not the pony she thought he was.

Comments

[Sciura87]

then turn left into the field at the corner of "holy shit" and "what the fuck."

All I can say is "VAT A TVEEST!!!" Pips is gonna be pretty pissed when he finds out the Divide is a crock.

[Apocalypse Pony]

That's a mean lake

[DreadedCandiru2]

I hope at some point in the future, we address the issue of what Pinkie Pie is going to do for a living now that the Cakes have sacked her; we don't need her turning into salespony for cement again.

[Qub3d]

In honor of Vinyl: http://youtu.be/qits3nn73ks (Everything you know is wrong-Weird Al)