Mare Do Well: As The Sky Falls

by ShadeJak

Arrival

“Finally!” Rainbow Dash shouted proudly as the sky carriage dropped gently on the cloud docks of the floating city of pegasi, Cloudsdale. The place was every bit as beautiful as it had been when she’d left it, though there were several pegasi flying back and forth preparing for the big Wonderbolt show everypony there was looking forward to. Suitcase and saddlebags ready, Rainbow trotted along the clouds, passing familiar sights, from the Skyhigh Department Plaza, a place she’d loved to visit since fillyhood, the weather factory in the distance, the Stargazer Hotel, and the big arena in the center where the show would eventually take place. After a few minutes, Rainbow came up to a decent and infinitely more memorable cloud home. Trotting up to the door, Rainbow gave it a few taps.

The door opened, and an older pegasus stallion with a familiar rainbow pattern mane and tail, but with a darker blue coat answered. “Dashie! You made it!”

“Dad!” Rainbow dropped her suitcase and hugged her dad on the spot. “How’ve ya been? How’s Cloudsdale been without its most awesome flier ever?” She asked eagerly.

“Oh, it gets along just fine, even with as big a loss as that. But your old colt Rainbow Blitz still gets the occasional question of when his daughter’s gonna come by again.” The stallion answered with a laugh. “How’s Ponyville and the academy?” He asked, picking up Rainbow Dash’s suitcase and gesturing his head for her to come inside

“Doing great as ever, they know who the best weatherpony is.” She said with a hoofwave. “I totally blew away the competition at Wonderbolt Academy, originally I was wingpony to this one pegasus, but seriously, she turned out to be a jerk like Gilda did, almost got everypony hurt. Spitfire was impressed with how I helped fix things and appointed me as a team leader.” Rainbow explained, her father simply nodded in approval due to the suitcase handle in his teeth.

After setting down the suitcase, Blitz smirked and gave his daughter a hug. “That’s great, Dashie. Brave, confident, loyal, fastest flier. You take after your mom a lot.” He said, glancing over at a photo of a pink pegasus with a purple mane and a cutie mark featuring a pair of blue lightning bolts. Rainbow smiled a little at the photo, she’d passed away when Rainbow was just entering fillyhood, and the young pegasus swore she would be a Wonderbolt one day just like her.

“Wish I coulda seen her in her prime.” Rainbow said. “She really left it all behind to settle down, huh?” She asked.

“Well, when a tornado the size that one was is on the loose, what are the chances that Cloudsdale’s main weather captain and a wonderbolt would have to team up to get it under control… and wind up hanging out over coffee later?” Blitz asked. “She loved being a wonderbolt, but she loved being your mom way more.”

Rainbow blushed a little. Losing her mom had hurt a lot, but she knew she wouldn’t want them spending their lives grieving over it. After a moment of silence, Blitz spoke up again. “So, how was Manehattan? I heard about a fire down there, the messenger was in a panic, I was worried we wouldn’t get down there in time. Then I saw the paper.” He said, sliding it over to his daughter from the table.

“Oh yeah, heard about that! Somepony in a superhero outfit came in and saved a filly trapped in the top floor! How awesome was that?” Rainbow asked.

“For a moment, I was worried you’d be jealous.” Blitz said jokingly.

“Of Mare Do Well? Nahhh, a life was saved, that’s what matters.” Rainbow shifted a little, remembering the costume was in one of her saddlebags and she’d have to get it into the safety of her room as soon as possible.

“True, well anyway, wish I could stick around longer but I need to get to work, they’ve got a new heap of storm clouds being prepared in the factory that I need to supervise. Let’s at least get this stuff to your old bedroom, huh?” Blitz said, mussing Rainbow’s mane and flying up to the next floor, and dropping Rainbow’s suitcase on her fillyhood bed. “There’s plenty of food if you get hungry, and I’ll be back later tonight.”

“Thanks, dad!” Rainbow answered, giving him a hug. “Be safe and show those clouds who the best weather manager is!” She said, hoofbumping and giving a wave as her dad spread his wings and flew out the window, heading in the direction of the factory. As soon as he was gone, Rainbow unpacked her things, taking extra special care putting the Mare Do Well costume under her bed where she doubted he’d find it. Nothing left to do till dinner…

~

“Come on, Daring, hurry up! This guy’s really bad news!” Rainbow shouted anxiously at the book open before her as she turned the page. "”Yes, I’m sure you’ll scream…” Troht sneered, the heated firepoker levitated right next to him and drawing ever-closer to the frightened earth pony mare…” Rainbow narrated aloud, using an evil and accented voice for the sadistic Iron Hoof agent, and continuing on with her eyes wide in worry. “Suddenly, the door burst open and Daring Do flew in, knocking one of the Iron Hooves to the ground and—“

A siren could be heard outside, the pegasus looked out the window, worried. “What now?” She wondered, trotting over. Somehow reading always seemed to have two effects; passing time faster then she expected, and getting all of Equestria to do everything in its power to interrupt her at the most intense moments.

“The factory! The factory! Hurry!” Pegasi were shouting as they flew past her window.

“What’s going on?” Rainbow called out, now genuinely frightened and knowing her dad might still be there.

“A group of griffons are holding the place hostage!” A red pegasus mare with a spoon and fork cutie mark answered, pausing for a moment. “They got a bunch of the staff there!” Immediately after, she flew away.

Rainbow ran in place for a moment, anxiety overcoming her. The Wonderbolts were still in Canterlot, they’d never make it in time! She took a few slow breaths, trying to calm down, then glanced up at the moon. “My dad’s there! I gotta do something, okay? Don’t judge me!” She said, unsure if the alicorn princess of the night heard her or not. Turning to her bed, Rainbow Dash crawled under and pulled the costume out, pondering how it seemed destiny wasn’t so much calling as it was screaming in her ear with a megaphone. “Just hold on tight, Dad. You’re tough, you can handle yourself till I get there…” She whispered, trying to fight off the worry.

~

“I really am impressed how easy it was to break into this place.” Leo mused with a laugh, pacing back and forth in front of the captive staff. “Seriously I don’t get the wait, we could do this all right here, right now…” He grumbled and looked up at two of the griffons who’d accompanied him who were currently airborne. “How’s things with the sky guard?” He asked.

“Don’t worry, boss. They aren’t gonna make a move. They know how many storm clouds this place has been storing for the spring season…” one answered with a laugh.

“Well go and station yourselves in the front and back. Make sure nopony sneaks in.”

“Got it.” The two flew off in separate directions while Leo paced around the captive staff. “So, I understand you’re the big cheese of this place’s weather management… Rainbow Blitz…” He read, tapping the name tag on the pegasus’ labcoat.

“What’s it to you?” Blitz asked, glaring at the griffon, who just rolled his eyes.

“Alright, really? Why is it hostages are never scared anymore? I mean, come on! I’m a griffon, I’m a terrorist, I made some pretty major threats when I got here, why the defiance? Maybe if I kill one of you, will that bring back the old traditions?” Leo asked angrily, raising his claws at Blitz’s neck and drawing back.

Before he could move, though, he heard a thud and turned. “Skyler… what happened?” He called out, but got no response. Suddenly the lights flickered, he heard faint sounds moving about the room on the catwalks. Suddenly the squawk of another griffon being hit hard followed by another thud was heard. Leo growled angrily, looking about the room. “Alright, whoever you are, come on out before I have to stain my favorite coat with pegasus blood!” The griffon shouted.

He was answered with an unconscious griffon flung his way. The griffon boss weaved out of the way and gazed up in the direction his unconscious teammate came from, spotting a pony in a purple costume of some kind step out of the shadows.

“Leave. NOW.” The pony said in a low, raspy tone, but Leo just laughed.

“Mare Do Well… had a feeling you’d be in the area, read about your little show in the paper today!” The brutish griffon taunted. “Come on down and we can be properly introduced!”

Rainbow Dash grimaced. Getting to the griffons was easy enough, having learned the ins and outs of the factory thanks to Take-Your-Daughter-To-Work Day back in fillyhood, but this guy was gonna be tough, that was certain. In addition to having the most industrialized kingdom in the land due to lack of magic, the griffons were stronger then ponies for the most part, given they were two predators in one. Leaping down, Rainbow Dash took a stance, glaring at the griffon through the mask.

“Bring it.” The costumed pegasus stated, wings flared. The griffon boss sneered and charged at her. Rainbow jumped out of the way, allowing him to go right past her. The griffon righted himself, thrusting his claws out and rebounding off the wall, the factory having that glaring difference of more solid surfaces courtesy of magically-enchanted metals made it easier to work and contain its weather; and Rainbow intended to make the most advantage she could out of it. The pegasus sprung into action, attempting to keep the fight away from the factory staff and weatherponies who’d been captured. The griffon flew straight up and swooped down at her at high speed, and Rainbow, timing it right, leaped over him and ran across his face and back before taking to the air, rebounding off a wall and using her momentum to propel herself at him, hooves out. The griffon, still somewhat dazed from being walked upon, raised his claws up to catch her, but the impact still sent them both flying backwards, and Leo felt himself crash into the neighboring wall and slid down to the floor. Growling, he scrambled back up but was immediately knocked down again by the costumed mare who began hitting him multiple times in the chest with her hooves.

“Did you REALLY think I was gonna just let you get up first?” She asked, the griffon grunted and coughed from the multiple blows and finally found that needed burst of adrenaline to power through them and catch the next blow with his claw, and was struck in the face by Mare Do Well's hoof before he shoved her off of him. Smarting from the blows he’d gotten and upon touching his face noticed his beak had been chipped as well. He’d really underestimated this pony, a mistake he wouldn’t make again once he’d recovered, A tactical retreat was an order and he noticed his bruised up goons starting to wake up again, though they’d be unlikely to do much good now.

“Retreat! Now!” he ordered, making a quick jump to the controls and pulling one of the levers, and in seconds the room began to fill with a thick cloud of mist.

Mare Do Well looked around frantically for the griffons, hearing several grunts, bumps, and their boss thinking aloud in hindsight that a foggy room is actually rather hard to find the way out of. Rushing towards the source of the noise, the costumed pegasus sprinted towards the doors, but upon reaching the next hall saw the griffons escape through a window near the end of it.

Sighing a little, Rainbow shook her head, she had beaten them, but those thugs who’d hurt her dad escaping still made it not really feel like a complete win. Her eyes widened under the mask at the sudden realization of her dad’s safety. Galloping back into the room, she slowed down to a trot and approached Blitz and the others as they finished clearing up the mists.

“You all okay?” She asked in a low rasp, not wanting her dad to recognize her.

“We’re fine, thanks a lot…” Blitz answered. “You were really something else back there.”

“Don’t worry about it.” The costumed pegasus replied. “I’m just glad you’re alright.” She shifted a little, glad she was wearing a mask or her dad probably would have caught on to something. “Well, if you all can take it from here, I think my work’s done.” With that, she flared out her wings and flew off, departing from the factory as fast as she could.

Wow, she’s fast.” Blitz mused, then returned his attention to the weather controls. “Well, at least it looks like they didn’t do much.” He remarked, and looked over at the other weatherponies. “Jetstream, go outside and give the okay, the rest of us, let’s get this cleaned up.”

Moments later, Rainbow Dash waited eagerly outside the factory behind the perimeter, having gone home to change and make a quick return. “Come on, dad…” She muttered, keeping an act up.

“Calm down, Rainbow Dash, your dad’s fine now, he’s just finishing up on weather storage inspection. He’ll be out shortly.” A sky guard assured her. Before Rainbow could answer, her dad emerged from the factory with other staff. “Dad!” Rainbow instantly flew over and wrapped her forelegs around him in a big hug. “You’re safe, I know you’re tough and all but I was so worried when I heard!”

“I’m fine, Dashie. I’m just glad you didn’t get caught up in it.” Blitz answered, returning the hug.

Rainbow tried her hardest not to blush at the irony of the statement, and finally let go. “Dad, I helped stop the god of chaos once! I’m sure it’s something I coulda handled.” She said.

“You’re my daughter, Dashie, I’ll always be concerned about you.” Her dad replied. “Still, it was pretty amazing, that superhero pony who was in Manehattan saved me and the others, she took on the griffons and sent them packing! Quite a pony, that Mare Do Well, and a good thing she got there before they could do any real damage.”

“Sounds like she’s pretty awesome.” Rainbow said with a laugh. “Maybe I should be jealous!”

~

That night, Rainbow Dash paced about in her room, in between the excitement of success and the Wonderbolt show around the corner and the frustration that the griffons had escaped. Had she just gotten another hit in, that griffon brute and his pals would have been on the first carriage to the Canterlot courthouse. Maybe there was something she missed, some sign of them if they were still in Cloudsdale…

Rainbow glanced over at the darkness under her bed, where the costume was hidden. She could feel it, almost like it was calling to her. “Ugh… I must be crazy…” Her dad was asleep, so it wasn’t like he’d know, and she was still a little restless.

In a matter of moments, Mare Do Well snuck out the window of her bedroom and flew out into the city.

~

Down below, the griffons slipped about the alleys of Manehattan, Leo grunted a little, still recovering from the abuse he’d gotten at Mare Do Well’s hooves, but pressed on until he reached a dimly-lit warehouse. Knocking on the door in four successive beats, the door opened, and he lead his companions in.

Within were many more griffons, hard at work. Several powders and chemicals being processed, and several covered boxes stood in a corner. Leo steadied his breath and flew up to the lone, costumed griffon on the catwalks, landing before him and nodding his head.

“Razorbeak, our attack… failed. Me and the others got beat up by that Mare Do Well pony!” He said, a nervous twitch on his face.

Razorbeak turned, narrowing his eyes at him. “Did you get a layout of the factory? Its ins and outs? Details on the weather storage?” He asked.

“Well, yes, but still—“

“Then that’s all I needed.”

Leo raised his head, confused. “E-excuse me, boss?” He asked.

“I suspected Mare Do Well would be here. Pegasus. Wonderbolt show in Cloudsdale. Pegasi from all over Equestria there to see it? What are the odds?” Razorbeak asked, smacking the larger griffon. “We can infiltrate the factory again, when the time is right.” He explained, passing Leo, who rubbed his cheek but seemed relieved he’d not been killed for his apparent failure. “This isn’t just about bringing down Cloudsdale, if we’re gonna get our message across, the break the hopes and dreams of these ponies, we have to perform it at the right time!” The griffon chuckled to himself. “And destroying Mare Do Well in front of them, in the middle of a grand show, is just the way and time to do it.”

“Well, easier said then done. She’s pretty tough and she’s way fast! She pulled this one move on me where I dive-bombed her and she just galloped right over my head, bounced off the wall, slammed into me before I even hit the ground, and beat me senseless!” Leo pointed out, indicating his damaged beak.

Razorbeak paused. “Did she now? …Interesting trick.” The griffon answered. “It’s a Wonderbolt tactic, using speed and momentum in a fight. But they’re still in Canterlot, not due in Cloudsdale till tomorrow night. There’s no way a bunch of Equestria's biggest celebrities would have left early without notice.” He mused.

Leo cocked his head. “Soooo, what then?” He asked.

“Go for another round with Mare Do Well tomorrow, we’ll set a decoy to lure her out and I’ll have some extra eyes so we can see if there’s any other clues to who’s under the mask. I want to be sure…” Razorbeak said; his tone stern. “…before she’s unmasked. It'll make the payoff that much more worth it for us.”

Comments

[InsignificantGryffindor]

Nice story you have going here!

[BenRG]

Looks like this 'Razorbeak' dude is a 'mastermind'-class villain: Always has a plan and a scheme and also has no problem with his mooks getting beaten up because it hasn't happened to him. There will probably be villainous laughter and a lengthy monologue some time in the future.

[Chrome Masquerade]

“I totally blew away the competition at Wonderbolt Academy, originally I was wingpony to this one pegasus, but seriously, she turned out to be a jerk like Gilda did, almost got everypony hurt. Spitfire was impressed with how I helped fix things and appointed me as a team leader.”

Rainbow... you forgot possibly the most awesome thing about the episode! She storms into Spitfire's office, calls out Lightning Dust for being a reckless @$$hole, calls out the Wonderbolts as a whole for siding with ponies like Lightning Dust, and, realizing that her dream wasn't what she imagined, she takes off her badge, places it on Spitfire's desk and says "I quit!"

[EverfreePony]

Oh, the plot intesifies!