Chapter 14: A Truce
"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea."
It was Mare Do Well who spoke.
She sounded nervous, and stopped in her tracks in the snow.
The two of them – the masked mare and Rainbow Dash – had only left Ponyville a few minutes ago, and were now apparently making their way over to the cliffs by Whitetail Woods. Actually, Rainbow Dash wasn't exactly sure where they were headed, but Dash figured that since the mare appeared to be guiding her to the cliffs, it was probably a safe bet to assume that the cliffs were, in fact, their destination.
When Mare Do Well had first started running, Rainbow Dash couldn't help but recall the autumn when she'd first faced off against Applejack in the Running of the Leaves. Dash might have been the fastest flier to ever come out of Cloudsdale, but on ground, she was nothing special – a natural athlete, but nothing phenomenal. Mare Do Well, though, was downright scary in how quick her reflexes were and in how easily she seemed to make those jumps. Rainbow Dash felt that familiar rush of competitive spirit wash over her, forcing her to pick up speed as she followed the vigilante, suddenly wanting to be able to outrun her opponent at any cost.
Once they'd reached the outskirts of town, though, Mare Do Well's gallop slowed to a trot and finally to a lazy stroll. They still hugged the edge of the forest, bordered by the shadows that the trees cast in the moonlight, as if Mare Do Well was afraid to leave the cover of darkness for even a moment.
Rainbow Dash fell into step beside her, allowing herself to be led by the mare. Then, and only then, did Dash allow herself to speak up. Before, when her thoughts had been occupied by their imaginary, one-sided race, she hadn't wanted to let herself get distracted by idle chitchat. Once they'd slowed down, though, Rainbow Dash had to admit to herself that she was curious; yet when questioned, Mare Do Well's responses were either intentionally vague or just plain nonexistent.
"You'll see," was all she'd say. And rather cryptically, as well.
After she'd told Rainbow Dash this three or four times, she began to bring up the Spike thing every time Rainbow Dash spoke, prodding Rainbow Dash with questions about what, exactly, she'd been doing that led her to that conclusion. Eventually, after she'd reluctantly confessed to 'investigating' Rarity's room only to get caught, Rainbow Dash just gave up and stopped trying to talk.
It was only when the cliffs were in sight that Mare Do Well had paused. Dash took a dark sort of satisfaction in noting how uneasy Mare Do Well sounded when she voiced her concerns, but only said, "You can't change your mind now."
Mare Do Well pawed at the snow with a hoof before saying, rather hesitantly, "Well, there are two things I want to show you, really. I'm just taking you to the first one, now, but – I don't know if you're going to like it."
Two? Rainbow Dash thought – but out loud, she said, "Even if I hate it, what's the big deal? C'mon, just go get it, or do it, or whatever. I'm gonna go nuts if you just drop the whole thing now without even telling me what it is."
"The first one isn't a thing I can give you, exactly. It's more like something you use? And I sort of cheated, too, because it wasn't initially supposed to be a Hearth's Warming present. It was something I wanted to share with you, but I was just saving it for a good time, and I thought now might be a good time, but..."
Her voice trailed off.
"But what?" Rainbow Dash asked. She was quickly losing patience. Her internal brat wanted to run ahead, search for and tear open the supposed present, shredding the paper with her teeth the way she always used to on Hearth's Warming mornings back home in Cloudsdale, but from the way Mare Do Well was almost trying to apologize for the gift pre-emptively, she was starting to wonder if it was going to turn out to be a terrible grand gesture thing after all. It felt like Mare Do Well was trying to prepare her for a letdown of some sort.
"Maybe this was a bad idea –"
"Okay, seriously. Don't get all whiny and self-doubting. I don't feel like being your shoulder to cry on. You dragged me all the way out here, so go ahead and... do whatever it is you were going to do, or say whatever it is you were going to say," Rainbow Dash interrupted, knowing full well that she was being rude – but not really caring, mostly due to how she was still reeling from the way that Mare Do Well had tricked Rainbow into hugging her. Talk about a dirty, scheming, underhooved move.
"I'm not whiny," Mare Do Well said with mock offense. "How dare you?"
"Is it gonna be awesome or not?" Rainbow Dash shot back. "The only reason I walked all this way was because I like getting stuff and I'm supposed to get a present here. If I'm not, then I'm heading back right now."
"Well, I think that you'll like it. At least, I hope you will."
"If you like it, it's probably gonna turn out to be... uh... dumb," Rainbow Dash retorted weakly, unable to think of a witty reply. Much to her irritation, she just knew that she'd probably only come up with a clever response at a really bad time, like in the middle of breakfast when there was nothing at all she could do about it and she'd be forced to sit and stew on it until she finally forgot what it was.
At some point Mare Do Well had begun walking again, and Rainbow Dash had automatically begun to follow, despite the heated exchange they'd just shared. Although maybe that heat had only been in Rainbow's imagination. Mare Do Well certainly didn't seem very angry, just unsure.
"Look," Rainbow Dash finally cut in, breaking the silence that had fallen over them. "Whatever it is, it's not like I'm going to –"
"We're here!"
Mare Do Well almost gave a little skip, running forward a bit before stopping and skidding slightly in the snow. She had her head tilted upwards, looking at something that Rainbow Dash couldn't quite see, and was doing that antsy little dance from before, jumping restlessly from hoof to hoof. Rainbow Dash almost wanted to chuckle when she saw her, if only because it was so out-of-character to see Mare Do Well act so undignified, but it was probably safe to assume that such behavior was due to her spontaneous burst of anxiety from before.
Rainbow Dash went to join her, and lifted her head as well, trying to find what Mare Do Well was looking at.
And then she saw it: a platform built into a tree.
Once she spotted the platform, her eyes slowly began to follow the line that led from it, hanging low over the gap between Whitetail Cliffs and connecting to a tree on the opposite side.
"Is that a –" Rainbow began, then stopped herself. Instead of continuing, she ran forward, fueled by a sudden burst of excitement, to get a better look, her jaw hanging open. "Oh my gosh... oh my gosh! Is this seriously the surprise? Like, for real? Seriously?"
Rainbow Dash didn't really know what she'd been expecting from Mare Do Well, but she could say with certainty that she hadn't been expecting a zip-line.
"I didn't make it," Mare Do Well said quickly. "I didn't even buy the equipment or set it up. Somepony else did, and I just asked if I could use it. I, I thought that maybe you might have fun with it, because I know you can't fly right now, and... I thought it might kind of feel like flying? Maybe? So I wanted to bring you here, just to show it to you. That's all."
"Oh my gosh!" the pegasus squealed, oblivious to the apprehension in Mare Do Well's voice. "I've always wanted to try one of these things! They're just so awesome, but I mean, when would I have ever gotten the chance to, right? And besides, it probably wouldn't be as fun with wings, but still, oh my gosh, this is so cool! Who do you even know that would have something like this?"
"Um, I'm not sure where they got it, but the equipment belongs to Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom. Apparently their special talents weren't in zip-lining, so they had no further use for it."
"Man, I gotta try it out. Right now," Rainbow Dash declared decisively, preparing to bolt forward and climb the ladder built into the side of the tree, so that she could grab the harness and go sailing, even if she had no idea how to actually use the thing and wouldn't be able to fly away if she lost control.
"You probably shouldn't," Mare Do Well interrupted. "It's too dark. I wanted to show it to you myself, so I brought you here tonight, but you should wait until tomorrow before you actually use it, so that you can see better. Besides, this isn't the gift I had in mind when I mentioned a present before – it was just something I wanted to show you."
Rainbow Dash stared longingly at the device. It was tempting her with the promise of the speed and freedom she so craved. Still, she'd get herself killed on the thing no matter what, so it would probably be better for her to do it during daylight hours, when she'd at least be able to see what killed her before it happened.
"Okay, I'll admit it," Rainbow Dash said, changing the subject rather than concede that Mare Do Well had a point. "I was kind of expecting something lame. But this? This is pretty awesome."
"Really?" Mare Do Well asked after a beat of silence.
The answer was yes, of course, but Rainbow didn't especially feel like having to reassure her. So instead she shrugged and asked, "If that wasn't the main present, then what is?"
"Ah... it should be hidden here somewhere."
There was a cluster of trees surrounding the tree with the platform built into it, and that was where Mare Do Well headed, using her hooves to dig through the bushes and snow until she found whatever it was that she was looking for.
The mask she wore covered Mare Do Well's mouth, so she wasn't able to lift the package with her mouth like anypony else might have. She didn't use magic, either, but that could've been because she was still trying to be careful about revealing too much of herself around Rainbow Dash. Instead, she reached into the tangled mass of leaves and pulled a package out with her front hooves, awkwardly dropping it on the ground before her. She leaned forward and nudged it with her snout, pushing it towards Rainbow Dash.
The package was dusted with flakes of snow, like everything else in this part of the woods. It was small and tidy, neatly wrapped with crimson paper that was dotted with tiny damp stains in spots where the snow had melted.
"I hid it here beforehoof because I knew that I was going to bring you here anyway," Mare Do Well explained. "It just made things easier to have it all set up before we came. And apparently somepony has a habit of ransacking the rooms of her friends, now. It's a good thing I didn't hide it anywhere that you might have dug through for fun."
Rainbow Dash awkwardly nudged the present with her hoof, uncertain whether to rip into it or what. Now that she was actually being confronted with the reality of the gift itself, she felt nervous, possibly more nervous than Mare Do Well had been about bringing her here in the first place. Maybe because, rather than worrying that it would be terrible, she was worrying that it would turn out to be really cool after all, and then she'd be in a fix, all right. She'd have to be all polite and grateful when she didn't actually want to accept anything Mare Do Well had to offer; yet the allure of a potentially awesome present kept her from turning and leaving right then and there.
"I wasn't ransacking anypony's room!" Rainbow retorted. "I was searching for clues. There's a difference."
"And the difference is...?"
"The difference is... well, I've been spending a lot of time in bushes lately, so you never know. I might have camped out here one night and found it totally by accident."
"Mm-hmm."
Again, Rainbow Dash nudged the box. Nothing about the shape gave away what might have been inside, and the wrapping seemed harmless enough. It didn't squeal or hiss when she poked it. Another good sign. In fact, it felt pretty light, like if she tapped it any harder it would tip over. Was it empty? Was this some weird joke?
Mare Do Well was still watching, making her reluctant to actually open it. Rainbow Dash felt weirdly self-conscious under her gaze, the knowledge that the mare was still there causing her stomach to flutter unpleasantly.
"I probably didn't need to wrap it," Mare Do Well said after a moment. "It's nothing big, really. I was joking when I said it would be meaningful and heart-warming."
It occurred to Rainbow Dash that Mare Do Well was trying to cover for herself. She was probably mistaking Rainbow Dash's hesitance for disinterest, and was trying to convince one – or both – of them that she didn't actually care, just in case it turned out that Rainbow Dash didn't, either. It was the kind of thing Rainbow Dash did all the time, making it easy for her to recognize it in others as well.
This moment passing between them, this awkwardness and uneasy silence, felt so natural and so understandable, so relatable, that Rainbow Dash felt another unexpected surge of sympathy rising against her will. It was her weakness for weakness, that protective big sister instinct that made her want to be able to take care of others and be a hero for them, even though she didn't actually have a little sister. Scootaloo didn't count.
She almost wanted to go over and pat Mare Do Well's head, to say, Hey, it's okay, you don't have to be so scared. Calm down. Nopony's going to hate you. Except that Rainbow herself was firmly convinced that she hated Mare Do Well, so any words of reassurance that she might have offered would've been meaningless, even though she, too, knew what it was like to live your life trying as hard as you could to be somepony strong when, in reality, you felt anything but strong.
The very least she could do was open the present.
Rainbow Dash took a few steps forward, approaching the gift set on the ground – pointedly ignoring the way Mare Do Well was fidgeting – and leaned forward. As a pegasus, she had no choice but to tear open the box with her teeth, but that didn't especially bother her, aside from the fact that the paper tasted a little gross. Once she tore it off, she spat it on the ground with a "blech" sound, and gripped the lid of the box with her teeth to remove it.
Inside was a rectangle of paper.
"What is this?" Rainbow bluntly asked, but she didn't wait for an answer before leaning forward to examine it more closely.
It wasn't just a piece of paper; it was a ticket. A ticket of shining silver with a sky-blue border, the words "VIP Pass" clearly written across it in bold blue font. And Rainbow Dash, being Rainbow Dash, immediately recognized it for what it was.
"Oh my gosh!" she shrieked for the fifth time that night, and if she'd been able to think clearly, that might have bothered her, that she was being so open about her excitement. But how could she be expected to control herself when she'd just opened a box holding a VIP pass for the upcoming Wonderbolts Derby in Canterlot?
"How?" Rainbow Dash cried, holding the pass before her eyes like the most precious of treasures. "These are impossible to find! Like, anywhere! Even Princess Celestia wouldn't be able to get her hooves on one!"
"Ooh, blasphemous."
"How?!" Rainbow Dash repeated, ignoring the mare's snide interruption. "How did you get one? And... oh, sweet, if it's VIP, then that means I get to sit in the guest enclosure and everything! I'll get to actually meet them! I'll get to talk to Spitfire!"
"I called in a few favors, that's all," Mare Do Well answered, and although her tone wasn't smug, exactly, she certainly sounded pleased with herself. "You'll be in Canterlot then for the pageant anyway, so getting there won't be an issue. I thought you'd want to attend, just for the sake of seeing the show, but I also thought that it would be good for you to have a guaranteed opportunity to talk to them while you're in the city. The Wonderbolts are going to be at the holiday party in the palace as well, but they'll likely be too busy to hang out then – there will probably be photographers and such keeping them occupied, the way it was at the Gala."
It wasn't a grand gesture. It wasn't sentimental or heart-warming in the least. It couldn't even vaguely be interpreted as any kind of romantic overture, but this, somehow, was the first thing Mare Do Well had ever done for her that actually made Rainbow Dash feel even the slightest traces of gratitude towards her. It was faint and flickering and disappeared almost instantly, but for a brief moment, it had been there – something like fondness. She didn't know what the word would be, exactly; she wasn't Twilight, and didn't just happen to have an enormous repertoire of appropriate synonyms available at the drop of a hat for every possible occasion. All Rainbow knew was that although she'd felt pity for Mare Do Well, as well as appreciation for her sense of humor, she'd never felt anything akin to genuine liking before.
And then, in a flash, it was gone, when something occurred to her.
"Is this you trying to ask me out?" Rainbow Dash asked warily, now eyeing the pass with apprehension. "Am I supposed to go with you, or something?"
"No. There's only one, isn't there? And besides, I wouldn't do that to you. I only gave you the ticket because I knew it was something that would make you happy; I wouldn't try to turn it into something for me. That would be selfish and manipulative," Mare Do Well answered primly, as if she hadn't been selfish and manipulative countless times in the past throughout their relationship.
Relationship. Rainbow Dash had to find a better word to describe what the two of them had. The word relationship never ceased to make her cringe each time she thought it.
"Well," she began. The wariness had replaced any of the temporary elation that she'd felt upon opening the box, only to find the completely unexpected yet totally welcome VIP pass within. "I guess this wasn't too bad. For a present, I mean. It's pretty cool, I guess. And the zip-line thing is pretty awesome, too. But... why did you want to show me that, anyway?"
"I told you," Mare Do Well explained, turning her head to look back at the device. "I feel guilty. It's my fault that you hurt your wings, after all, so it's almost like a substitute. I know that you love flying; you must miss it terribly."
She did, that was true. It wasn't even that flying was obviously far superior to walking, in terms of travelling; it was that Rainbow Dash missed the rush of adrenaline that she got from spreading her wings and taking off into the rushing wind. It was that she missed how easy it used to be to satisfy the itch she had, the itch to move and soar and return to the sky from whence all pegasi came.
"It's an apology, I suppose," Mare Do Well continued, still with her back turned to Rainbow Dash as she observed the line. "If I broke my leg, it would be inconvenient, but hardly a tragedy. Your wings, though... your wings are you. It's not right that you can't use them. You should never be trapped on the ground; you're meant to fly."
"They're getting better," Rainbow Dash said weakly, casting a backwards glance at her still-bandaged wings. They were getting better. She was actually going to get Fluttershy to remove the gauze soon, so that they'd be free before she went to Canterlot.
"Anyway. My answer is no. No, I have no hidden intentions. However, if you wanted me to accompany you..."
"No," came the immediate response, without Rainbow Dash even stopping to listen to the rest of Mare Do Well's sentence. Any fondness she may have felt before was gone now, and any innocence there may have been in Mare Do Well's voice had been replaced with that lilting, enticing tone she only used when trying to coax Rainbow Dash into doing something she didn't want to do.
Mare Do Well's warm breath on her neck. A seductive, breathy whisper. Please?
Well, most of the time it was something she didn't want to do. But whether Rainbow Dash might have secretly wanted it or not was irrelevant – if she said no and pushed somepony away, that should be enough for them to butt out of her life.
"That's all right," Mare Do Well said graciously. "I was just kidding, anyway. Besides, I couldn't very well head out in public like this, could I?"
"You could," Rainbow Dash challenged, then wanted to kick herself. It was her inner contrarian busting out. That, or Mare Do Well was some kind of master at reverse psychology. Whatever it was, she hadn't meant to say it, but once it had slipped out, she found herself continuing despite herself. "Nopony would know who you were. You have a mask, remember? It's not like you'd be revealing your identity or embarrassing yourself or anything. And everypony thinks you're a hero, so they'd be happy to see you. It's not like you're a criminal on the run."
Mare Do Well tilted her head, listening, and Rainbow Dash forced herself to shut up.
She expected Mare Do Well to respond to her outburst by saying something idiotic like so you DO want me to come? but the mare did nothing like that. Instead, she quietly began to approach the edge of the cliff, her steps slow and easy and deliberate.
"I know I said that you didn't have to get me anything in return, but if you wanted to properly thank me, I know what you can do for me," she said, glancing back, and Rainbow Dash felt her cheeks flare with an unwanted blush. Even though Mare Do Well hadn't explicitly said anything creepy, she was getting used to having to leap to conclusions with her, and her mind had immediately gone to something disgusting.
"Get your head out of the gutter," Mare Do Well chided, and Dash could once again practically hear the smile in her voice. "It's nothing inappropriate. It's just... I don't feel like saying goodbye to you yet, and I know that you'll want to leave soon."
"So?" Rainbow Dash asked, voice almost catching in her throat.
"Would you stay? Just this once? We're not going to see each other for a while, after all. We don't have to play – we can call off the game for tonight. We'll talk about something else for once. Just don't leave."
It was a simple enough request, but Rainbow Dash didn't owe Mare Do Well anything, and didn't have to feel compelled to agree – and yet she did. This had been exactly what she'd feared when Mare Do Well had first told her that she had a gift for her; Dash had been afraid that it would turn out to actually be pretty good, and then she'd feel as if she now owed Mare Do Well a favor in exchange. Had that been Mare Do Well's plan all along? Had she intentionally tried to garner sympathy with her vulnerable act, just to make Rainbow Dash feel trapped afterwards when she made her request?
She didn't have to say yes. She didn't have to respond at all. If she wanted to, it would be so, so easy for Rainbow Dash to leave.
Except... she didn't have anywhere else to go.
And she kind of wanted to stay.
What's wrong with me? It was cold and it was dark, and they were right on the edge of the woods. If she stayed, she'd basically be camping out with her current worst enemy. Why the hay would anypony agree?
"Uh..."
"I swear I won't touch you."
Dash gulped. She hadn't been thinking about that. It hadn't even crossed her mind that Mare Do Well might have tried to take advantage of a situation like this, but maybe that was because the pegasus couldn't actually picture her doing so. There was a difference between being overly affectionate and outright assaulting somepony, and it was difficult to imagine Mare Do Well doing the latter.
Rainbow Dash had no obligation to her. But Mare Do Well's request wasn't one of obligation. Despite the way she'd framed the question, she wasn't asking Rainbow Dash to stay because she truly felt that Dash owed her anything; she was asking as a means of testing the water – she wanted to know whether Rainbow Dash had grown to accept and trust her enough to be willing to stick by her. And the answer was supposed to be no.
"It doesn't have to be all night or anything. I'd just like to be in your company another hour or so, and then we can part ways."
"Okay," Rainbow Dash said, speaking quickly so as to get the answer out before her common sense could catch up with her and give her all the reasons why it was a bad idea. "But only if you promise there won't be any mind games or manipulating or anything. We're dropping the game. This is just gonna be like two ponies randomly hanging out. Nothing special. We'll talk about normal things."
Mare Do Well nodded solemnly, but she'd already taken a seat, having plopped down on her haunches like she'd anticipated Rainbow Dash's inevitable agreement.
Dash felt a prickle of annoyance, but brushed it away. She didn't go join the mare, even though she suspected that was what she was supposed to do. If she was the heroine of one of those sappy romance novels Fluttershy and Rarity were always reading, then this would probably be the point where she started looking at Mare Do Well in a new light, only to realize how wrong she'd been about her all along and how she actually wanted nothing more in the world than to be close to her.
But Rainbow Dash was stubborn. Not as stubborn as Applejack, maybe, but stubborn all the same, and she refused to give more than she had to. She'd given in to Mare Do Well's stupid request, but she wasn't about to start acting all buddy-buddy with her because of it, let alone all... lovey-dovey. Or whatever it was she wanted from Dash. What did Mare Do Well even want?
"What do you want?" Rainbow Dash blurted unthinkingly.
"Have I not been clear?" Mare Do Well asked, sounding surprised.
There was an expanse of maybe five or six feet between them. Rainbow Dash had taken up a position against a tree, leaning against it with her forelegs crossed in what she hoped appeared to be a cool, unaffected stance, with Mare Do Well casually seated in the snow. She carried none of that stoic dignity that seemed to dictate her every move on any other ordinary night; it was like she'd meant what she'd agreed to and wanted to relax – to drop the pretense that she usually seemed to wear, if only for a little while.
"I like you," Mare Do Well said firmly. "I want to spend time with you and make you happy. In an ideal world, you'd return my feelings, and then we'd be together. That would make me happy. But for now, I'll settle for just getting to have these nights together, even if you spend most of them acting hostile."
"Hostile?" Rainbow Dash repeated, already bristling, preparing for the imminent confrontation that she knew in her heart would never, ever happen. "There's a reason for that, you know. It's not like I'm randomly being a jerk. It's because you've been screwing around with my life."
"I know," Mare Do Well humbly agreed. She drew her legs close to her chest, hugging her knees. Was she cold? "But I keep hoping that someday it'll all prove to be worth it and you'll forgive me. For now I'm just going to keep trying. Maybe someday I'll know what I should do to fix everything, but for now I only have my instincts to go on."
"And your instincts tell you to stalk me and invade my personal space?"
Mare Do Well didn't say anything for a moment, and then she sighed. "Let's talk about something ordinary. What would be something normal for us to talk about?"
Was she nervous?
This whole night, Mare Do Well had seemed jittery and insecure, first by apologizing again and again beforehoof for the surprises, then by the pathetic way she'd asked Rainbow Dash just to stay a little while longer, but Dash couldn't tell whether this was because Mare Do Well's mask was slipping, or if this was somehow intentional on the mare's part. Or maybe she was imagining it, and only thought so because there was something very wrong with Rainbow Dash right then that was causing her to be more emotional than usual. Whatever was causing it, she didn't like it. She hated the way her mood kept flipping between sympathetic and irritated. It would've been much easier if she could just settle on one definitive way to look at Mare Do Well. It would save a lot of time if Rainbow Dash could just know for sure whether she was willing to try warming up to the mare or not, but as it was, she was indecisive, her mind in turmoil and her stomach knotting whenever Mare Do Well spoke or drew too near.
She'd decided to stay. So what could they talk about to pass the time that was harmless and wouldn't just lead to another argument?
A small wind was rustling the leaves of the trees behind them, and Rainbow Dash shivered. Just a little. Not enough to mind the chill yet. Pegasi ponies were sturdy – she could handle worse than this. She was built for it. Well, maybe not her specifically; more like pegasi in general. Still, it applied to her, too.
With a sigh, she lifted her head, staring at the sky. Rainbow Dash was under the distinct impression that she'd spent a lot of time looking at the night sky lately.
Maybe she was imagining this, too, but the sky seemed especially bright in her eyes. There wasn't even a trace of those wispy gray clouds that usually haunted the night and hid the moon and stars; instead, the sky was clear and a brilliant deep blue. The air was clean and crisp, cool against her skin.
The world itself seemed to have come to a halt. It was utterly silent and still, the only disruption in this perfect night being Rainbow Dash and the mare who sat in the snow just a few feet away from her.
And suddenly, she felt impossibly lonely, standing by herself beneath the tree that she was propped against. For some reason, knowing that somepony was so close by – somepony that she was refusing to go near on a matter of principle – only made this sudden surge of loneliness that much worse.
"Wow," Rainbow Dash said stiffly. She was careful to monitor the volume so that although Mare Do Well would be able to hear, she could easily pass off what she was saying as her thinking aloud. "It's... it's getting kind of cold."
Mare Do Well didn't answer right away, but when she did, she turned to look at Rainbow Dash pointedly, and Dash flushed. It never failed. Even though she couldn't even see what color those eyes were, whenever she felt them on her, there was that heat.
"Would you like to borrow my cloak?" Mare Do Well asked, very deliberately.
Either she fully knew the implications of such an offer, or Mare Do Well was dumber than Rainbow had thought and hadn't yet gleaned that removing her cape would let Rainbow Dash know whether or not she was a pegasus. But Rainbow wasn't going to push it; for one thing, if she pointed it out and it just hadn't occurred to the mare, then she'd likely immediately retract her offer. And Rainbow Dash was genuinely a little chilly. It was winter, for Celestia's sake.
But believe it or not, Rainbow Dash still had her pride, so mustering as much dignity as she could, she haughtily sauntered over to where the mare sat, plopping down beside her. She watched carefully as Mare Do Well clumsily unclasped the brooch that kept her cape fastened around her shoulders, before shrugging it off and wordlessly holding it out to her.
There were no wings.
Their eyes met over the cloak, and Rainbow Dash might not have been able to see her expression, but she knew, right then and there, that Mare Do Well had done it on purpose, removing her cloak with the intention of giving her that vital clue. And she honestly couldn't say whether she was grateful or not. Instead of feeling smugly self-satisfied that she finally knew something for sure about her opponent, Rainbow Dash instead felt oddly hollow, like she'd been caught cheating.
"Do you want it?" Mare Do Well asked pressingly, indicating the cape she was holding out to Rainbow Dash.
"I'll feel bad if you sit and freeze. I don't want your death on my conscience," Rainbow Dash said after a moment. "You keep it."
"I don't want you to be cold, either."
"Uh..."
And wordlessly, without waiting for the flustered Rainbow Dash to organize her thoughts well enough to form a coherent reply, Mare Do Well swung the cape with a flourish, draping it over both of their shoulders.
"What are you, stupid?" Rainbow Dash snapped. "This won't work, it's too small."
"I know," Mare Do Well said sagely. "We'll have to huddle pretty close for both of us to fit."
The meaning behind her words wasn't lost to Rainbow Dash.
But it couldn't hurt to pretend.
Just for a little while.
Because they weren't enemies right then; they were two normal ponies, doing normal pony things. And if the mare beside her had been Twilight or Applejack or whoever, then this would've been perfectly fine. It wouldn't have meant anything that Rainbow Dash was now scooting closer, leaning against her as they huddled for warmth, and it wouldn't have meant anything that it seemed to work especially well, either, as her body heat inexplicably seemed to soar the moment she made physical contact. It didn't have to mean anything at all.
Mare Do Well, to her credit, didn't act coy. She didn't say anything about it at all, actually, instead letting Rainbow Dash pretend that she was still in control of herself and the situation. And Dash would never admit it, but she felt another twinge of something like gratitude towards her then. It was kind of her to not say anything.
When Mare Do Well did speak, she said something very unexpected.
"Can we be friends?" she asked.
"Friends?" Rainbow Dash repeated.
The proximity to Mare Do Well was more distracting than she ever would have willingly admitted.
"Friends," Mare Do Well confirmed. "I know that you hated me, and I know that you're far from genuinely liking me yet, but could we try at least being friends? Just to see what it's like?"
She sounded sleepy when she spoke. Something else unexpected. Rainbow Dash had never stopped to think that Mare Do Well would need sleep. Dash had only ever seen her at night, and had grown to assume that she just... didn't sleep. But that didn't make sense – Mare Do Well was just an identity held by a real pony, and nopony could survive without regular rest. Of course Mare Do Well would need to take a break every once in a while.
Now that she thought about it, Rainbow Dash was starting to feel tired, too.
"Friends," Rainbow Dash repeated for the second time.
Friends? Yeah, we can be friends. Why not? I'm cool with that. Let's be friends.
But she didn't say any of that out loud. Her eyelids were getting very heavy.
• • •
Something was on top of Rainbow Dash, and for a moment she wasn't quite alert enough to see what it was, but then the initial grogginess she always felt upon waking started to fade, and her mind began to clear. The first thing that registered with her was whatever it was, it was very warm. And that was all it took for her eyes to fly open with a start.
She was curled on her side like a foal, lying on the cape, using it like a makeshift bed to protect her from the cold ground, but it was also tangled around her legs like a blanket. The half she was lying on top of was now soaked through and chilly, but the half wrapped around her was still soft and comforting. Mare Do Well was curled up beside her, turned in towards her and apparently fast asleep, her breathing slow and even. Like a filly clutching a beloved teddy bear as she slept, a violet-clad foreleg was loosely wrapped around Rainbow Dash's waist, hugging her.
It didn't feel weird. It didn't feel unpleasant or unwanted. It was just... nice. Like when they'd watched the sunrise and Mare Do Well had leaned against her, it was a gesture of pure affection – and if she was asleep, then it was a purely unintentional one. No ulterior motives. Nothing to worry about. The sky was tinted pink, signaling the coming sunrise; so she would likely wake up on her own soon enough. There was no reason to wake her up now.
If she's not doing it on purpose, it's okay to think she's being cute, Rainbow Dash reminded herself. And it was. Since Mare Do Well was asleep, then obviously this was an unconscious act on her part, one that Rainbow didn't have to pick apart and analyze the meaning of before determining her next move.
It felt kind of nice, anyway.
The breeze blew past Rainbow Dash's ears, and she shut her eyes, just letting herself enjoy the warmth of another against her. It was a new and strange feeling, but it didn't feel unpleasant or frightening. It was kind of peaceful.
Rainbow Dash was thinking, and because her mind was still half-asleep, it was a confusing muddle of jumbled thoughts – thoughts that she'd later either forget or refuse to remember.
But then, right then, she was thinking that she wanted to know who Mare Do Well was, and how it would be so easy to just reach over and tear off the mask while she was asleep, but that she didn't want to, not really, because if she did, then Mare Do Well might move, and she didn't want to lose this comfortable warmth. So instead, Rainbow Dash sighed.
She thought dreamily to herself that this had been the first restful sleep she'd enjoyed in what felt like, oh, a billion years. She thought how it would be wonderful to feel like this all the time. She thought about how whoever Mare Do Well might be, she wasn't that bad, really, and that if she'd just take off that mask...
And then she was drifting once more.
• • •
Mare Do Well had been awake for a while, now, but she wasn't going to let Rainbow Dash know that just yet. She wanted to stay like this for a little while longer, and if the pegasus knew that the mare was now awake, she'd likely shove her away. Besides, although she wasn't certain, she was starting to suspect that Rainbow Dash had fallen back asleep. That was okay, though. Rainbow Dash hadn't been sleeping very much, anyway, so she wasn't about to interrupt the first real rest the pegasus had gotten in what probably felt like, oh, a billion years to her.
When Mare Do Well had first felt her eyelids begin to flutter open behind the mask, she hadn't been sure if she was still dreaming or not. Everything about her current position had seemed to indicate that she was, so she'd stayed perfectly still, waiting to wake up, but time passed, and nothing changed.
Her heartbeat had quickened, a slow fuse lighting inside her, the heat spreading from the pit of Mare Do Well's stomach until her whole body was suffused with it. But still she didn't wake up, and only then had she finally begun to suspect that maybe, just maybe, this was real.
They'd agreed last night to temporarily drop the game and just act like two normal ponies. Maybe Dash didn't realize it yet, but that was exactly what Mare Do Well had wanted for so very, very long. She had made so many mistakes and had done so many terrible things as she'd subjected Rainbow Dash to Mare Do Well's strange and consuming need for her, and all she wanted at this point was to find a way to fix it all.
This, though... this was perfect. This was exactly what she'd been hoping to win from the very beginning. The two of them, bodies tangled together under the stars in a moment of peace, drifting off together and later waking up, greeted by the sunrise.
A temporary truce on Rainbow Dash's part, perhaps. Or maybe the pegasus wouldn't even remember when morning finally came for real. Maybe Rainbow would go into that funny state of denial again once she'd truly woken up, and then she'd insist that none of it had happened, that she'd never fallen asleep against Mare Do Well, before running off. But even if she did, Mare Do Well, at least, would remember.
As cliché as it may have been to think so, if this was a dream, she didn't want to wake up. Whatever it was, she wanted to stay like this as long as possible, closer than she'd ever thought they'd ever be, with Rainbow Dash not pulling away for once – just letting herself be loved.
It made her heart ache to know that it was going to have to end soon, and that no matter what she wanted, there would be a point where Rainbow Dash was lucid enough to realize what was happening, and then she would have to try again.
But until then, she would just let herself enjoy the moment.
It felt kind of nice, anyway.
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I feel terrible.
So...
It's not Fluttershy
*weeps*
Well anyway, I'm sorry to hear that you don't seem to have much muse nor time for fanfics! :c Don't worry, don't rush, and don't stress. The three essential dont's. ;3
Woots! New update
Great chapter, as usual! Good job
Take a break and enjoy touhou :) celestia knows you deserve it!
D'awww...
Definitley NOT Fluttershy then.
D'awww. That is all.
Okay, so no wings... Therefore ruling Fluttershy, Ditsy and all other Pegasus out for good.
It's becoming more and more D'awww... Which is awesome, oh so very awesome...
CAD, don't be stupid. That chapter was possibly one of your best yet! Possibly because it actually eliminated a pony from the suspect list, AND it was touching and sweet without it being overly complicated. I really did enjoy that one. It was cute and sweet and beautiful and...just overall perfect. Writer's block sucks, my evil friend, but you'll get through it. We all do. Until then, deal with your distractions...whatever it is...and work on the next part when you can.
1. Twilight - Nothing much to go on, but she's now one of the four that Mare Do Well can be, and her gestures in this chapter seem to point to her. She was apologizing a lot, and since Mare Do Well has no wings, which other pony would be most socially awkward that isn't Fluttershy? Yep, Twilight. Plus, we know she's caring and would offer her friends ANYTHING. And she could get a hold of anything, too. Perhaps Spike sent her back the VIP Pass? Maybe THAT'S why he was in Canterlot? Well, it's a thought. But, Twilight remains at the top of my list.
2. Rarity - Nothing much to say on Rarity this time; she is a lot like Twilight, so she stays where she is. I don't know how she would get a VIP Pass...unless her "connections" in Canterlot has something to do with it (since we know she has those, thanks to "Sweet & Elite"). So, both unicorns are still, naturally, at the top of my list.
3. Applejack - Ugh...WHY can't we just fully eliminate her yet? Mare Do Well is clearly not her, but...I can't 100% rule her out yet, since there's been nothing to...well, rule her out on! At least Fluttershy is now 100% ruled out, along with Pinkie (at least in my eyes). So...it looks like Applejack is still slightly in the mix, at least for the time being. Maybe...her family from Manehattan gave her that VIP Pass?
4. Pinkie - The only reason Pinkie moved up is because Fluttershy is now 100% done. I dare any idiot on here to make a case for Fluttershy when Mare Do Well DOESN'T HAVE WINGS! It cannot be Pinkie, though, since she was sealed in Sugarcube Corner and couldn't get out, among a ton of other things. But, since there hasn't been definitely one thing that I can say "Yep, she's done", I'm forced to keep her here. She's not Mare Do Well, though.
5. Fluttershy - Uh...it said clearly: "She had no wings" or something like that. So...what, she can somehow remove her wings? Uh, no. So, all you fools who thought Mare Do Well was Fluttershy? Yeah, guess again. Good; I'm glad it's not her.
Other Possible Suspects: Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo, Derpy Hooves, Trixie, All Mane Six (Minus Dash)
I won't bother going into my reasons for those "others" this time; you already know my reasons. But, overall, a nice chapter. *hugs*
Let's go Twilight, let's go! Let's go Twilight, let's go!
ok so lets see the clues we have been given
FIRST the biggest thing is she is not fluttershy
or ditzy 
(not that i thought it was her) or any other pegasus
also rarity has fancy pants but i do think this makes applejack a less likely suspect not sure why but i just think she would be too stuborn to call in that big of a favor but she could just be in character 
thanks for another great chapter hope to see more also i know the power touhou has just be careful it doewsent rule your life ...... thats my little ponies job
SECOND has freinds in high places, this really doesent help seeing how they all know twilight who knows the princess
THIRD and extreamly important, mare do well doesent need her legs in day to day life as much, applejack needs them to buck apples, pinkie pie is in constant motion and is cooking food all the time (as a former waiter i know how much people move in the kitchen) fluttershy(already eliminated), while rarity and twilight do move around for their jobs, they focus on magic more than anything
so all in all my list changed slightly
109962 Ugh, just realized that this eliminates Derpy, Scootaloo, and probably Rainbow Dash herself, too. Okay, forget my "other" suspects...I wasn't thinking clearly. Here's my new list:
Other Possible Suspects: Rainbow Dash (shut up), Trixie, All Mane Six
Ugh, I just can't think of anymore that would make any logical sense! So...yeah, it's one of the mane six. If that wasn't clear by now, it is. This also rules out all the Wonderbolts, too.
AHHH SO GOOD
I laughed when I read the very first line of the chapter just after the author's note xD
This chapter was awesome and full of so much D'awww that it makes me wish the chapter wasn't over so soon :c
I love how the chapters, while not really ending on cliffhangers just leave me craving for more and more and more and more and....you get the point :3
Keep up the great work.
Have a good one. :D
..."She didn't use magic, either, but that could've been because she was still trying to be careful about revealing too much of herself around Rainbow Dash."....
So that nails it that Mare Do Well is a unicorn. If it's one of the Mane 6; it's either Rarity or Twilight.
But I'm more on guessing that it's Twilight. Only she had the connection with the Princess to get something as lucrative as a Wonderbolts ticket.
Sigh... Well, my list is all jumbled up now.
1) Rarity
- I mean, really, how else would Mare Do Well have gotten that ticket? She apparently has connections. Then there was the "whiny" thing, though she seemed to only take mock offense at that.
2) Twilight
- It's not unwarranted to think that Dash was just exaggerating and that Celestia could, in fact, get such a ticket if she wanted to. That said, the only reason Twilight isn't at the top of the list for me right now is because it has not been confirmed that she knows any illusion or duplication spells. If it weren't for that, I'd say that she's the perfect fit for Mare Do Well; but there's that little issue of timing.
3) Pinkie Pie
- I have no idea what kind of connections Pinkie Pie has, but I doubt she's got anything special going for her, especially after her first Grand Galloping Gala. Still, she might could have asked Twilight or Rarity for help with this.
4) Applejack
- Honesty. 'Nuff said.
5) Pinkamena
- Going back up to Pinkie Pie, I think that somepony would have noticed the flat hair. And I doubt she could have left a subconscious urge for Pinkie to do this without somepony getting suspicious. No, if Pinkamena was involved, she'd have to do things directly.
6) Fluttershy
- No wings. 'Nuff said.
Incredible story, i love your take on Rainbow Dash! I read the whole thing for the better part of last night. And then I get treated with a new chapter in the morning :D
Still hoping MDW will SOMEHOW turn out to be Pinkie, just because all of the other candidates haven't shown much attraction towards Dash, yet.
I'm really digging your writing style, it makes for a fun and fluid read, without being to simple. And I have to applaud you for taking the wingboner meme and turn it into something more than a throwaway joke.
Looking forward to the next part, keep up the great work!
NTL
this is so very nice. I hope it works out for these two :3
I liked the way that the presents weren't cheesy or relationship tokens (necklace, ring, dress, etc) and were something Dash legitimately enjoys.
It will be interesting to see who mdw turns out to be, as you essentially have an OC pony who's going to turn out to be a cannon pony acting OoC. Seeing mare do well coming clean as her actual self will be strange, and honestly the only pony I can truly picture in that situation so that part of the story plays out right is Twilight.
There is absolutely nothing in this chapter not to love. For the record.
I love Rainbow's little-kid reactions to getting presents. That feels very, very her. I liked MDW's insecurity and hesitation once they'd finally reached her surprises. And I adored the surprises themselves.
The zipline was something I'd been expecting--not that, specifically, but something to help compensate for RD's temporary loss of her wings. I figured it might be something like that, as MDW's been so distraught over it. I wasn't expecting the Wonderbolts ticket, though, but it was a perfect gift for RD, of course. Well done, MDW. *slow clap*
There were so many "aww!" moments in this chapter. MDW offering RD her cloak, KNOWING it would reveal whether she had wings or not. (Perhaps to help RD feel better about MDW not being Spike? I do wonder. And if so ... awww.) MDW plaintively asking RD to stay for a while longer. MDW asking if they can be friends, and RD silently agreeing that they could. RD realizing MDW is a pony underneath the mask and therefore can get sleepy.
And, of course, the two of them falling asleep cuddled up beneath MDW's cloak. CROWNING MOMENT OF AWWW. I love that we got their awakening from both RD's and MDW's perspectives. I think that was a great choice, especially as there was the lovely parallelism ("It felt kind of nice, anyway."). Plus, RD finally getting a good night's rest--and it only happening when she's wrapped in MDW's embrace.
Ok, so no wings??....
Ugh, great! now my list is everywhere at once! I don't know who it's going to be, only that its not a pink maned, pale yellow bundle of cuteness!!
Now I can't wait for the next chapter to come out.. Oh I know it's gonna be a long road until RD finds out but the suspense is killing me! It's so adorable!
Firstly-shouldnt they be boarding their train to canterlot now? they are onna be late!
Im predominantly thinking twilight due to the wonderbolts tickets and the fact that she reacted to the "princess celestia couldnt get one of these" and said she called in a few favours. ( i dont see rarity or applejack having many connections besides business but pinkie might due to being pinkie.)
Also her interest in the spikes not mare do well.
You know, a pegasus' wings wouldn't be sticking out if she wasn't wearing clothes to accommodate for that. Although I guess that would leave funny lumps under the cloth...It's nighttime and MDW's wearing dark colors.
I was so sure it was going to be Fluttershy! Y U DO DIS TO ME?
110252 Those were my thoughts too, but that argument can be picked apart far too easily.
Loving this story so far, thanks for all of your hard work.
Ok seriously. I think all but Twilight and Rarity have been elimated. The conditions are as follows: Not a pegasus(not fluttershy)very over apologetic and prone to second guessing themselves (Gee who does that sound like(Not applejack)), Not pinkie(She states that pinkie didn't like her putting moves on dash. Pinkie's not weird enough to dislike herself just cause she wears an outfit right?). Furthermore, with the whole 'I know what you did today' thing, she sounds as if she controls her own work time. Rarity had so many orders that she had to fulfil at night means she might be spending her days stalking dash. Twilight doesn't really have any set scheduel.(I don't believe that many ponies in ponyville even read. besides she doesn't really do her librarian work does she?) Either way i'm hoping the next chapter clears things up a little. kindly update soon. 5-stars.
I KNEW it wasn't Fluttershy!
Also, the "I'm not whining" comment makes me think of Rarity. Lately, it seems all the clues point to either Twilight or Rarity. Not to mention Applejack and Pinkie probably wouldn't have any favours in Canterlot to call in to snag that ticket. Twilight almost certainly would, and Rarity...well, possibly, depending on how everything went after "Sweet and Elite".
110292 That would also explain why Mare Do Well disappeared for a few days.. Since Rarity became busy filling the orders of the clients in Canterlot.
But I still think it's an entire different character.. I'd have my mind blown if it was Carrot Top or some other BG pony like that. But the evidence for either Twilight or Rarity does make sense.
If it would be twilight like some say. Then explain how twilight and mare do well where at the same place at te same time xD.
Unless twilight knows some kind of illusion magic.
Anyway how much more untill the ending? I really want to know who it is xD
th03.deviantart.net/fs71/PRE/i/2011/277/0/a/cmc_essay_writers___dawww_by_j_brony-d4bufo3.png
Crusaders are sad because we want more noooooowwwww
Please keep up the good work my good sir
Touhou-lover = Insta-buddy. I'm pretty good at the games; I'm still trying to move from Hard to Lunatic, but there's not really much I can say to help. If you want the easiest game, I'd say PCB or IN - IN was my first Normal 1cc, PCB my first Hard 1cc.
Anyway, now to read the chapter!
...
Okay, read it. Sweet and heart-warming, despite the hostility RD is still showing. Looks like things may be changing in somepony's heart.
And I'm still looking at Twilight as my top suspect.
110333
I thought you were gonna say they were sad because there hasn't been a cameo from the Cutie Mark Crusader Mystery Solvers in a while...
110324 Let's hope there is a lot more after Mare Do Well is actually discovered as to who it could be.
Would be nice to see how the relationship goes after RD finds out who it really is. Not to mention the reactions of the other 5. 
110356
That would be nice as well but i just want to know who mare do well is xD because i really dont have a clue xD
I gotta admit that I absolutely adore this fic, despite my usual hatred for shipping.
But well, who could resist the whole "Mare Do Well is back and it's none of Dash's friends" thing.
Awesome work on every chapter, I found this today and it's all i've been doing.
110252
I had my moment of wondering about that too. In the original episode Fluttershy had a special costume with enclosed sleeves that covered her wings (so their color couldn't be seen) while still letting them extend so she could fly. One can just imagine it would be easy to modify that costume to instead conceal the wings, as long as she had no intention of flying.
However.... I think this is one of those situations where we have to put a bit of trust in the author. Rainbow Dash was right there, and was deliberately looking to see if there were any wings, and was satisfied that MDW doesn't have any. She didn't have any doubts, and we shouldn't either unless AA is completely jerking us around.
It's nearly the same with regard to writing off Twilight. RD has sort of pondered that it might just barely be possible for Twilight to have done that with some kind of magic -- but she knows it's far fetched, and I'm inclined to think that AA wouldn't pull our collective chain quite that much.
And that leaves my money still heavily on Rarity.
Anyhow, MDW has proven to be quite an interesting character in her own right, and I really liked her interaction with Rainbow in this chapter. It didn't seem awkward to me. Keep it coming, please!
110425
You give me too much credit. (Jk.)
Celestia damd it. Been hoping it was Luna. why else would she need to hide herself? Doesn't she deserve at least this
110066
No it doesn't.
It could have been because she didn't want to reveal herself, or it could have been because she doesn't have magic to use. So the earth ponies are still in the running.
Mare do Well's identity. All implications and no facts. Ergh. Another fun chapter. Keep up the good work.
Hurray no wings!!! That leaves just three suspects or does it for all i know the author is being really cleaver and has it to were fluttershy just banded up her wings to make it look like she had no wings. However I am very sure that it is not pinkie pie or fluttershy because I think that AbsoluteAnonymous wont lead us (the readers) that far astray..... right? Anyways another excelent chapter, and my heart is about to explode from the sheer amount of dawwww. Like to bring up a nit pick though WERE ARE THE CUTIMARK CRUSADERS? I would suggest maybe doing a side story for them and have a quick conclusion in this story as to what happend to them. By making a side story you wont have to much so much time into the side plot and you finsh it as you please, of course this is only a sugestion. Ok now for something very much the same my top three picks!!!!
#1
NOOO twighlight go down a peg rarity deservise this spot. Nothing I can say that someone has already said but magic explians everything. She cast cats grace on her self to give herself a dexterity bonus. She cast a high illuson spell to make two of her self. She also has celesita for a high connections.
#2
Cant think of a reason that i did not say already but her connections with fancy pants.
#3
ditto? SHe really has no connections other than her aunt or uncle in manehatten, unless its behind the scenes stuff with sorian. Sorian really did like that apple pie. Though i cant see her being mare do well at all, she still beats fluttershy and pinkie though.
Now excuse me while I'm in denial for a few while saying "HER WINGS ARE BOUND THAT'S IT"
Great, just what I'd been hoping for in this chapter. More sentimental Mare Do Well, probably more in this chapter than any other at this time. It's also good to see MDW get what she wants for once.
To be honest, at this point, I really don't care who MDW actually is. The whole Mare Do Well act seems to have developed her own distinguished personality, and regardless of whoever it is behind the mask, I like to see where things are going from MDW's PoV, rather than somepony who I would assume she is.
Yeah, Anon, I sorta want the CMCMS to come out and be like we totally found out who it was!
...
Scootaloo!
And then laughter. I loved the chapter- dawwww sums it up.
110818
Scootaloo: Rainbow Dash! The CMCMS have narrowed it down, and we can now say with certainty that the culprit is definitely not Spike!
Rainbow Dash: FUUUUUUUUUU-
Mare Do Well: Trololololololol!
And now I gotta go to work. Ciao!
I still think it's Rarity...
It would be a bit anticlimactic to say 'Yes, it's Twilight. She used magic to do everything. Good day sir.
' AJ is possible that there's nothing really to or for her except how MDW got the Wonderbolts ticket 
Unless it's like "THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE HAS ARRIVED!"
img.ponibooru.org/_images/4a07992a453dd765e66afe80bb2f8e38/98620%20-%20Discord%20glasses%20macro%20Neil_deGrasse_Tyson%20parody%20ponified%20watch_out_guys_we're_dealing_with_a_badass_over_here.jpg
110902
Self-Grammar Nazi ftw...
AJ is a possible suspect but there's nothing really to or for her except how MDW got the Wonderbolts ticket
i3.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/035/050/grammar-nazi.jpg
My top suspect at the moment is Rarity. Here's why:
- She's got the connections with not only Fancy Pants and other ponies from the "Sweet and Elite" episode, but has had attracted attention from fashion ponies like Hoity Toity and that singer Saphire Shores, so she could have got the Wonderbolts ticket from any of them.
- Sweetie Belle is her sister. Sweetie only had to mention it for Rarity to gain knowledge of it and Rarity could have asked about using it for sisterly bonding as a cover, whereas it's less likely for Twilight or Pinkie to find out about it. AJ could have found out through Applebloom, but MDW seems to defy AJ's very nature and she sucks at lying. (Dash should totally ask the CMC about this next.... -Waits to see if she does-)
- MDW is friends with the manager of the sofa shop. Rarity teleports sofas to dramatically sprawl herself on them and has an expensive taste in decor anyway. I don't think any of the other Mane 6 would have that connection.
- MDW is fairly fast and agile. While this would point to AJ or Pinkie, Rarity was good enough in the Sisterhooves Social to fool Sweetie Belle into thinking AJ was still with her and complete the course at second place. Twilight is portrayed to be a non-athletic pony.
- Even if Rarity gave the outfit to Spike (It's possible that she lied, because Spike isn't there to confirm it), she can probably make another one whenever she likes; she's probably still got the drawn designs and she can always order more fabric if she doesn't have any more.
If it's not Rarity, then in my mind it's Twilight. Pinkie's jealousy plus the view points of Pinkie her love confession and MDW on the roof don't seem to match up, but she was previously my main suspect before that. It doesn't to be in AJ's style to do the whole MDW charade. Fluttershy's out for the count due to her wings.
New Half-Joking-Half-Serious Theory: Mare-Do-Well is Luna. She magically disguises herself as an Earth pony/unicorn.
It's Pinkie Pie.... I cannot see how anypony else would think otherwise.
The reason Pinkie was so jealous was because Dash chose mare do well over her right? Well like MDW said before, she created that persona to become brave because her true identity was to fearful to show her true feelings. So when Dash choose to go with MDW instead of pinkie then that's when pinkie saw that dash was more interested in her persona instead of her. Then later when she was rejected she continued with the whole MDW charade for a second chance... or some other reason.
Then when somepony, i forgot who, told dash that she should instead try to find out who would be MDW instead of who MDW is. At this point dash has had the most interaction with pinkie and pinkie is the one that shows the most obvious affection and would even attempt this. All other characters have made brief to no shows. Fluttershy was never a thought because she came out like, what, once or something?
Then there's all the jumping and acrobatics. Pinkie just fits that.
Then there is the times where MDW was feeling down in contrast to Pinkie or vice versa. At the first pinkie party where MDW was distressed about the game she suddenly made up. Then a the party Pinkie was in a corner feeling sad. Then when pinkie was rejected MDW was just randomly on a roof in deep somewhat sorrowful thought.
There are a few other things that I suddenly forgot about but that's what i think presently.
I'm not saying everypony else is wrong and I'm right as i feel everyone is entitled to their own thoughts and opinions. This is just what I think.
Great story by the way. lol
It's Cheerilee! How else would she now about the Cutie Mark Crusaders endeavors in zip lining?
And here last chapter I thought I could eliminate Rarity, now I need to move her up my list. I still think it's either Rarity or Pinkie. Twilight is a third for me, and only because magic. Definitely looking forward to finding out who MDW is, when we finally find out in chapter 5284
The fact that you weren't happy with this chapter has me wondering what you expected from it! It's been fun watching watching all the clues pile up. One of the things that stuck with me - MDW believes, correctly or not, that she 'knows Dash better than anybody else'. So, my guesses, in order of plausibility:
<br/>
#1: Twilight. MDW is extremely well-connected, makes note of Dash's 'Even Celestria couldn't', and knows the guy who sells sofas and ... yes, Quills. Even when MDW is 'improvising everything', the scene at the zipline site is the work of an organized pony who remembers details. Twilight's magic has also proven to be a rediculously powerful swiss army knife in the past.
Yes, there was the party scene in chapter four. But we see all five of the Mane Suspects pretty soon after MDW leaves - and none of them look like they've just rushed in from a quick change - either one of the Mane Suspects really is that good a ninja, or it's someone outside the main cast anyway.
#2: Rarity, sure. Kind of like Twilight in a number of respects, just not quite as much so, and we know there've been a string of suspicious all-nighters.
#3: Pinkie. Yeah, I know, probably not. But we already know she's tied up in knots about Dash - it's not completely impossible for her to be sort-of competing with herself in some fashion.
#4: AJ. Unless her 'hidden side' is not just capable of dishonesty but also really insecure, It'd be a bit of a stretch, especially since she knows about (and brings up) Pinkie, and - I'm not sure I could see her undercutting a friend that way without some real work by the author. On the other hand, she does have a bit more on-screen basis for being close to Dash than some of the others - this might put in the perfect spot for the 'you least expected it' face behind the mask.
#5: 'Shy. With the wing thing and 'Shy being shown as a competent wing medic - she's Right Out. The author would have a whole lotta selling to try and do to make this one fit.
#6: Someone else. Possible - it would explain the party scene. My biggest objection is - after all the buildup of clues and mystery, this would sort of make a large chunk of the story pointless. Unless it turns out the story has a ways to go, and signs of an extra mystery guest start showing up soon - it might be *possible*, but not terribly *workable*.
#7: It's All in Rainbow's head. Just No. We've had scenes from MDW's POV, and others have seen MDW with Dash. We're kind of past the point where clever Fight Club explanations work.