//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 // Story: Tomorrow is Always a New Day // by Wheller //------------------------------// Chapter 3 Rainbow Dash touched down in the centre of town, Spitfire lagging just behind her. “Ha! Told ya!” Rainbow Dash said grinning. “Well I did always know you were something special,” Spitfire said with a chuckle, causing Rainbow Dash to turn a bright pink. Spitfire gave her a hug in accomplishment, smiling brightly at how far the young Pegasus had come. “I’ll see you ‘round kiddo, we’ll have to do this again sometime!” “Heck yeah! I mean, if you can stand another whopping!” Rainbow said with a wink. Spitfire merely chuckled, leaping into the air, and giving the young Pegasus a wave goodbye. Rainbow waved back, and the yellow Pegasus disappeared from view. Pinkie Pie came skipping around the corner, stopping when she saw who was standing in the town square. “Dashie!” She cried out, leaping forward and tackle-hugging the young Pegasus. Dash was brought down to the ground, but didn’t care, she hugged Pinkie Pie back. Just as glad to see Pinkie as Pinkie was to see her. “Oh my gosh! Do you know what this means!?” Pinkie Pie asked excitedly. “That you’re going to throw me a welcome back party?” Rainbow Dash asked, figuring that she knew the answer. “Well duh!” Pinkie said. “Come on!” Pinkie Pie grabbed Rainbow Dash, carrying her off towards the Ponyville Library. Despite Rainbow’s objections to being carried. ... Nopony was really sure how she did it. But Pinkie Pie had only forced them to wait outside for like, two minutes, at the most. When she finally let them come in, the Library was covered in party decorations and a banner that said: “Welcome Home Rainbow Da” “Sorry about the banner! I ran out of room,” Pinkie said explaining. Rainbow didn’t care. She was just happy to be back home with her friends. “Hit it Spike!” Pinkie called out to the baby dragon that was standing at the turntable. But as he reached to lift the needle onto the record, he burped, and a magical fire brought a sealed letter from Princess Celestia. Twilight frowned; this always seemed to happen at the most inopportune times. The lavender unicorn crossed over to the scroll, picking it up and reading it. “I’m sorry everypony. But we’re going to have to cut this short.” Twilight said with a frown, showing the others the letter. My faithful student Twilight Sparkle: I have a task that I need you to accomplish, earlier this month, we received reports that Gryphons have moved into the Hoofson bay area, in direct violation of our treaty with the Twin Gryphon Kingdoms. As you should know, I attempted to solve the issue with diplomacy, sending Ambassador Lightdew to speak with the Hoofson bay Gryphons. As far as I can tell, Lightdew never arrived, and I sent a small detachment of the pegasi guard to investigate. They too, have gone missing. And so here I ask of you, my most capable, and trusted confidant to travel to the Hoofson bay and discover the fate of Lightdew and the pegasi guard who went after her. I understand that your friend Rainbow Dash is a foremost expert on Gryphons, and I would ask that you take her with you; her knowledge of Gryphon culture would be of great use to you. Gryphons are natural predators Twilight Sparkle, please be careful. -Princess Celestia Twilight looked to Rainbow Dash, who merely grinned at her. “When do we leave?”” Twilight smiled at her friend. “Thank you Rainbow Dash. Go and pack enough food and warm clothes to last you for a couple weeks. We’ll need to travel light. We’ve got a long walk ahead of us.” Rainbow’s eyes narrowed. “Walk? WALK? Egghead, if we walk to the Hoofson bay, it’ll take us a month! I can fly us there in a few hours!” Twilight nodded in affirmation. “Yes, yes you can Rainbow. Ambassador Lightdew and the pegasi guard flew too... Look what happened to them.” Rainbow frowned and looked at her wings. I just got these back... ... Rainbow Dash and Twilight met back up at the edge of town, each of them had packed two weeks’ worth of food, enough for them both to get to Manehattan, where they could resupply and follow the Hoofson River up into the bay area. They each bid their goodbyes to their friends, and departed at a good trot. “Twilight... I’m not sure how useful I’m going to be, I’ve only known one Gryphon in my entire life.” Rainbow Dash explained as she trotted alongside her unicorn friend. “You’ll be fine Rainbow. You know more than I do. There was only one book on Gryphons in the Library, I brought it with me, but I haven’t had a chance to look in it yet.” Twilight said with a shrug. The two mares continued on for a better part of the day, before coming into a fork in the road. To their surprise, another pony was trotting along the road that met with theirs, a pure white unicorn with a blue mane, wearing a pair of goggles and sporting a quaver quite mark. “Hi there!” the unicorn mare said politely as she trotted alongside Twilight and Rainbow Dash. After a few minutes, of walking together, Twilight turned to the other Unicorn. “Are you... following us?” Twilight asked. “Nope,” the mare said with a grin. “I just happen to be going the same direction as you. The name’s Vinyl Scratch, by the way. Though you might have heard of me as DJ Pon-3.” Twilight didn’t recognise the name, but Rainbow Dash did. Her mouth dropped open in surprise. “No way! I thought you looked familiar! I just didn’t want to say anything... This is so AWESOME!” “I tend to have that affect on ponies.” Vinyl Scratch said. “So tell me, what are two mares doing walking north north east on a heading of twelve degrees?” Rainbow Dash opened her mouth to explain, but Twilight shushed her, they had been asked to keep their business confidential. Twilight checked her compass and discovered that they were in fact travelling on the exact heading that Vinyl had talked about. Twilight looked at the mare and discovered she didn’t have one. “I could ask you the same question... and I could also ask how you know where we’re going.” “I’m good at that kind of stuff man. Real good, only place worth going north north east on this road is Manehattan. Not to mention you seem to be carrying a lot of cold weather and camping gear. Don’t take a genius to figure out that you aren’t planning to stay in the city.” Vinyl said with a grin. “I’m going to the Hoofson bay.” “Us too!” Rainbow blurted out, causing Twilight to facehoof. “Far out!” Vinyl said, grin still on her face. “You want to camp with us come nightfall?” Rainbow asked excitedly, Twilight facehoofed again. “Sure thing! Walkin’ the roads is always more fun in groups!” Vinyl said. The trio walked along the road for a couple more hours, Rainbow engaging in casual conversation with Vinyl Scratch. Twilight kept eyeing their new travelling companion with suspicion. They just happen to come across somepony else that happens to be going to the same place that they were? Too convenient. Rainbow didn’t share Twilight’s suspicions. Nightfall came, and they set up camp alongside the road. Twilight got a fire started and the three ponies sat around it, glad for the warmth. “So Vinyl? How come you’re going to the Hoofson bay?” Rainbow asked excitedly. “’Cause I can!” Vinyl said grinning. “Vinyl Scratch is a free spirit! I decide I want to do something, and then I go do it! Best part is that my job lets me set my own hours and I got plenty of money to do it. Regardless of how ridiculous it may or may not be!” “That’s so awesome!” Rainbow said, squealing like a fangirl, which to be honest, she kind of was. Twilight was not impressed. “Rainbow, can I talk to you for a minute? Alone?” Rainbow nodded and the two ponies got up and went behind Twilight’s tent. “What are you doing Rainbow! You know how important this Gryphon problem is! We were asked to keep it quiet and several times you’ve almost given it away to somepony you don’t even KNOW! I don’t trust this pony. Her story is a little too convenient. She just happens to be going to the Hoofson bay, where we’re going to deal with the problem of Gryphon occupiers?!” “Gryphons are occupying the Hoofson bay?” Vinyl Scratch called out from the camp fire. Twilight and Rainbow Dash looked back to see the goggle-clad unicorn still sitting by the fire, grinning at them. “I tried not to listen, I really did, but I can’t help it. I got really good hearing!” “And you have the nerve to yell at me for almost giving it away!” Rainbow Dash said with mild annoyance. “You just gave it away entirely!” Twilight frowned, mentally kicking herself. “I’m sorry Rainbow, you’re right.” “If it makes you feel any better, you’ve got every right to be suspicious... My friends have always described me as... a little out there.” Vinyl said, still grinning like a madpony. “I can assure you. Vinyl Scratch had nothing sinister planned for ya. I’ve seen things, pretty much everything Equestria’s got to offer. So I figured it was time to take a look outside it.” “So why are you walking to the Hoofson bay in November? You could have flown in!” Twilight said. “Why are YOU walking to the Hoofson bay in November? You could have flown in.” Vinyl said, turning their question around on them. She had a point. Twilight wanted to walk because everyone else who’d flown in went missing. Vinyl Scratch was walking for fun. “I want to help you guys with your Gryphon problem,” Vinyl declared. “We’re both going to the same place, and let’s be honest; I really don’t have anything better to do when I get there.” Rainbow looked at Twilight, Twilight looked at Rainbow. Vinyl Scratch looked at both of them. “All right,” Twilight finally agreed. Vinyl Scratch grinned brightly at them. “Cool!”