The Rainbow Crusade

by TheRainbowDashShow


Chapter 8

Diamond Tiara trotted nervously outside Silver Spoon's door. She had never sought out the company of the pony before. She had always waited for the filly to come to her, but her father had gone somewhere early this morning for the rest of the day without saying a word to her. The abrupt leave of her father made her feel especially alone and she wanted to be close to some pony she cared for and didn't want to wait for the pony to come to her.

Hesitantly she knocked on the door, her cheeks flushing bright red as it was pulled open, "Hi." She said softly.

Silver Spoon nearly gasped from shock at the sight, "What're you doing here?" she blurted out.

"I… I wanted to see you." Diamond Tiara stuttered, "Are you busy? I can always leave."

Silver Spoon grinned and yanked her inside. Glancing around the cluttered house she laughed nervously, "I didn't know you'd be coming over. I mean you've never come over before." She said defensively.

"It sure is…" Diamond Tiara tried to hold a straight face as she looked around, "cozy?"

"Yeah…" Silver Spoon grabbed a book off a nearby shelf then pulled back open the door, "On second thought why don't we go somewhere else." She said trotting back outside pulling Diamond with her. "I need to bring this back to the library anyway."

Diamond Tiara held a groan inside, the library was the last place she wanted to go. However she wanted to be alone even less so she followed silently.

"You're awfully quiet today." Silver Spoon said, "You okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Diamond Tiara said trying to use her usual superior voice.

Silver Spoon shrugged and walked through the library doorway, "Twilight?" she called out.

"Shh!" Twilight hissed from across the room, "Can't you see we're trying to focus?"

The two pones walked over to the crowd that gathered round the table near the center of the room. "Quicksilver?" Silver Spoon asked, "Why are you here? And what's going on?"

"I have to help Rainbow Dash with something in a bit." Quicksilver whispered back, "Right now we're just waiting, so Twilight wanted to play Raven in chess again."

"Check mate!" Twilight squeaked excitedly as she moved her piece.

Raven Flame laughed, "You can't do that or it puts you in check."

An alarm clock began to blare from across the room, "We'll finish this later." Twilight said feeling slightly relieved that it was time to get back to work.

Every pony began to scurry around the room gathering bulging saddlebags and other utensils, "What's going on?" Diamond Tiara asked loudly.

"Not now girls." Twilight called out.

Rainbow Dash grumbled, "Do I really have to wear this stupid thing?" she said holding up the wing clamps in one hoof.

"Yes!" Raven Flame said trotting over to the blue Pegasus. Snatching the bindings from the hoof she slid them around the pony's waist and shut them. Turning the lock with the key and stuck it to a strip of blue painted tape. Plastering the strip to the bottom of Rainbow's stomach, "Okay, you're ready." She said.

Rarity trotted inside from the back room with three thick brown sheets, two of which had camera straps sewn onto the center. She threw the plain sheet over Rainbow Dash and then dropped the others near Applejack. "Now this will only take a moment dear." She said as a wig and various makeup utensils began to float around the orange pony. Puffs of green smoke formed around the two and faded away.

Applejack coughed loudly as the dust cleared from her mouth and nose, "Ah can't believe ah let yah do this…" she said looking down at herself, her coat now a dark leaf green color. Looking towards her flank the cutie mark of apples had been drawn over.

Raven Flame trotted over, "You can't talk like that or he might recognize you."

Clearing her throat, "I do say I am rather skeptical of my decision to have given you permission to do such an act." Applejack said in the Manehatten accent she had learned to use when she was younger.

"Quicksilver!" Raven Flame called out, "You set up the meeting place, right?"

Quicksilver nodded as she picked up a duplicate key for the wing clamps off the table, "Everything's ready." She said.

"WOULD SOMEONE PLEASE TELL US WHAT IN THE HAY IS GOING ON!" Diamond Tiara shouted at the ponies that hurried around the library.

"Ugh!" Raven Flame groaned. She trotted over to the two pones, "I guess you might as well make yourself useful. Just follow me, okay?" she said holding out a camera to each of the ponies.

Silver Spoon trotted over towards Twilight, Diamond following close behind her, "I brought back the book I borrowed." She said.

"Oh, that's nice." Twilight said scooping up the golden pendant and dropping it into her saddlebag, "Just put it on the table I'll get to it later."

"What am I doing again?" Pinkie Pie cried out confused amongst all the chaos.

"You aren't doing anything!" Raven Flame called out from across the room, "I didn't even ask you to come!"

"Okey dokey lokey!" Pinkie Pie said and hopped out the library window.

Raven Flame rolled her eyes and trotted to the wagon parked outside the library. Dragging it towards the door, "Rainbow Dash, come on!"

"Coming!" Rainbow Dash said wobbling awkwardly across the room trying to avoid the dangling metal chain and the brown sheet from being stepped on.

Once the Pegasus was on the wagon Raven did her best to re-conceal the pony beneath the sheet as not to alarm any ponies when they were moving through the streets, "Comfy?" she asked with a grin.

"No." Rainbow Dash grumbled.

"Great!" Raven Flame hopped away, "Is every pony ready?"

"Almost!" Rarity said, taking extra care while doing her own make up.

Silver Spoon tugged on Quicksilver's wing, "Ready for what exactly?" she asked hoping to get a straight answer this time.

Quicksilver glanced around, "I can't really go into details right now." She said, "I guess since you're helping now though I'll have to explain to you once we're finished." She sighed heavily, she had never really expected she'd ever of had to tell her sister what she did.

"Okay…" Silver Spoon said quietly.

Applejack and Rarity trotted outside, Raven Flame and Quicksilver following closely behind. "Remember Applejack, you can't break character." She said as she hitched up the two ponies towards the wagon and then tossed the brown sheets over the two ponies.

"You've absolutely nothing to worry about." Applejack said in her posh voice.

Quicksilver hopped into the back of the wagon next to the brown lump, "Guess we'll see you there."

Raven Flame nodded, "Every pony else let's go!" she called out.

"I guess that's us?" Diamond Tiara asked. Silver Spoon nodded and followed Raven Flame and Twilight.

"Where are we going?" Silver Spoon asked as she caught up with Raven Flame whom was now trotting into the Everfree Forest.

"The castle of the royal pony sisters." Raven Flame said as she rummaged through her saddlebag to make sure she had everything.

"Wait, we're going DEEPER into the Everfree Forest?" Diamond Tiara asked.

"You don't have to come." Raven Flame said almost sounding hopeful.

"No, that's fine, we're coming." Silver Spoon said quickly, not wanting to miss out on whatever was happening.

"Scootaloo!" Raven Flame shouted as they approached the bridge, "Any ponies come by?"

"Not that I've seen." Scootaloo answered from the top of a tree branch near the worn down castle.

"Same here!" Applebloom called out from one of the battered towers.

"Sweetie Belle?" Raven Flame asked. Sweetie Belle didn't answer she was busy humming quietly to herself at the top of the tree she had been stationed at. "SWEETIE BELLE!"

The small white unicorn jumped up in surprise, "All clear!" she said quickly.

"Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon, I guess you'll hide inside with me and Twilight." Raven Flame said trotting inside.

"Hide where exactly?" Diamond Tiara asked staring at the empty stone room. The entirety of the room was visible from the doorway and there was nothing to hide behind.

Raven Flame groaned, "Just come on." She said yanking the two fillies towards the corner of the room. "Ready Twilight?"

"Yep!" Twilight said with a nod and her horn began to emanate its purple glow. Soon a formation of worn stones began to surround them.

"Well great, now we can't see anything…" Diamond Tiara complained.

"Would you shut up already?" Raven Flame shouted nearly about to cry from irritation.

"What are we even doing?" Diamond Tiara asked in grating and whiny voice.

"We're trying to get evidence to hold against this pony so he leaves both Rainbow Dash and Quicksilver alone." Raven Flame explained, nearly ready to clobber the pony upside the head.

The glow on Twilight's horn began to glow brighter and the darkness and the stones in front of them seemed to disappear. Poking the air in front of her with a hoof a ripple formed around her hoof. "Perfect!" she said most pleased with herself.

Diamond Tiara blinked, "Wait, won't we be seen?" she asked.

"Diamond I swear to Celestia." Raven Flame said with a hoof on her face, "If you don't keep quiet I'll put a muzzle on you myself." Both Silver Spoon and Twilight tried to hold in giggles at this.

The clattering of hoofsteps and the squeaking of wooden wheels against the stone outside drifted towards their ears. Shortly after the noise stopped and the double wooden doors creaked open. Three cloaked ponies, a bound Rainbow Dash, and Quicksilver all trotted into sight. One of the cloaked ponies looked around the room carefully, removed his own hood revealing his face was concealed by a black mask. He then proceeded to tip off the hoods of the disguised Applejack and Rarity.

Rainbow Dash blinked as she tried to get a better look at the figure of the pony, "Why are you doing this?" she asked with a fake cough.

"You know why." The pony answered. He made no effort to hide his easily recognizable voice.

"Dad!" Diamond Tiara squeaked, Raven Flame quickly covered the pony's mouth with a hoof.

"Filthy?" Rainbow Dash asked.

He didn't answer though no pony needed him to. Quicksilver cleared her throat, "Where's my money?"

"You'll get your money when we're finished here." The pony snapped.

"Why are you doing this?" Rainbow Dash repeated.

"I told you, you already know why."

"Because I'm a…" Rainbow Dash coughed again, "A filly fooler?"

"What?" The pony cried out sounding as if he were offended by the notion, "No. I don't care about that!"

Rainbow Dash was genuinely shocked, "Wait… then why were you trying to get me to quit?"

"I don't know what you mean." The maked figure said, "But if I did know, it would most likely because you're late for work more than half the time and it works out better for both parties if you had."

"Oh…" Rainbow Dash's cheeks turned red but faded, "If this isn't about me being a filly fooler…" she paused, now she really didn't' have any idea what it was about. "Then why in the hay are you doing this?"

"Stop playing games with me." The pony said trotting over to Pegasus and kicking her in the side. Applejack used all of her self control to restrain herself from moving. They needed him to take off his hood before they could make any kind of movement. "Now tell me what I want to know, and this will be over quickly."

Rainbow Dash groaned in pain, "I don't know what you're talking about."

The pony sighed, "Where is the pendant?" he asked, "And don't lie to me. I know your mother left it for you."

"The pendant?" Rainbow Dash blinked, she had only learned that she hadn't destroyed it just yesterday, "I broke it." She lied.

"You can't BREAK it." The pony said kicking her in the chest again, "Now tell me where it is."

"I... don't... know." Rainbow Dash heaved, trying to regulate her breathing, "What does it matter to you anyway?"

"That isn't any of your concern." The masked pony said then let out a frustrated groan and withdrew something from his cape. Kneeling down next to the Pegasus he held a jagged blade next to her throat, "Tell me where it is. Tell me now." He said calmly.

Every pony froze in place; the situation had escalated far past what had been anticipated. They had expected that at the very least Quicksilver would be requested to do any forms of torture so the pony could avoid getting his hooves dirty. In the event something like this had occurred Applejack, Rarity or Quicksilver were supposed to intervene. However now they were far too shocked to move.

"I don't know!"

The pony jabbed into her leg making a small gash, "That was your last warning." He returned the edge to her neck.

Once again, no pony interfered like they were supposed to. "Please…" Rainbow Dash begged a few tears rolling down her eyes to distract the pony. She decided the plan was completely pointless now and some improvisation was going to be needed. She slowly unraveled her fake bindings. "I honestly don't know."

"Twilight, do something!" Raven Flame whispered behind the wall prodding Twilight, but the pony didn't budge. "Why isn't any pony doing anything?!"

Just as Rainbow Dash felt the knife being pulled up at her throat she weaved from its path and kicked it from the pony's hooves. The blade glinted as it was flung into the air and clattered back to the stone floor. Rainbow Dash sprinted towards the knife. The maked figure tackled the Pegasus to the ground. The two wrestled for a few moments before the pony wa overpowered by Rainbow Dash and kicked off into the stone wall.

As the masked pony recovered himself the sound of crumbling and falling rocks separating from the wall behind him. Within seconds an avalanche of gray bricks came crashing onto him. A bloodied pony emerged from the settling gray dust. Both the pony and Rainbow Dash eyed the knife atop the stones. Both the ponies lunged for the blade. The concealed pony staggered, lagging slightly behind the Pegasus.

The masked pony let out a sudden gasp of pain as he looked down to find the tip of the blade plunged into his chest. Rainbow Dash blinked as her eyes followed the same path to find her hoof holding the weapon. She let go and backed away into the wall staring at what she had just done. Her mind went blank with guilt, regret and horror as she looked at the sight. Simultaneously both ponies collapsed to the floor.

"DADDY!" Diamond Tiara cried out pounding on the invisible wall that blocked her until the mirage shattered. She sprinted over towards her father, pulling off his mask and cradling his head in her small forelegs, "Daddy?" she sniffled.

"Diamond?" Filthy Rich said shamefully, "What're you doing here?"

Diamond Tiara's eyes flooded with tears, "You're going to be okay." She said softly then looked around, "He's going to be okay, right?" The crowd of ponies trotted up slowly, with the exception of Applejack who rushed to tend to the terrified Pegasus curled up against the wall.

"Diamond…" Raven Flame said, "I'm so sorry."

Diamond Tiara's breath sharpened as she squeezed her father tightly, "Do something!" she cried.

Convinced the catatonic Pegasus would be okay for now she cast her gaze at the crying filly, "Sweetie, there aint nothing we can do." She said as she trotted over and attempted to pull the filly away from the bleeding pony.

Diamond Tiara swatted the hoof off her, "This is your fault!" she screamed at Raven Flame then clambered back to her father, "Daddy…"

Filthy Rich frowned as he realized his biggest regret was how little he really knew his own daughter, "I'm sorry." He mumbled weakly.

"Daddy." Diamond Tiara sniffled trying to dry the stream of water running from her eyes, "I love you."

"I love you too Sweetpea." Filthy Rich said with another violent cough.

"Don't leave me daddy." Diamond Tiara whimpered, "You're all I have left."

Filthy Rich ran his hoof against the crying filly, "I spent my life trying to get your mother back." He pulled the filly's head closer and kissed her on the forehead, "I didn't even realize I still had you."

"It doesn't matter daddy. I still love you." Diamond Tiara rubbed her forehead against her father's cheek. With one last cough the ponies eyelids shut and his body stopped moving. "Daddy?" she asked receiving no answer. She began to shake him violently, "Daddy?"

Applejack pulled Diamond Tiara off of the pony for the second time, "He's gone sweetie."

"No!" Diamond Tiara cried, "No he isn't!"

"Diamond…" Twilight said softly, "He really is gone." She said taking the filly into her forelegs and hugging her tightly.

Diamond Tiara stared at the brown saddlebag just inches in front of her. Her dad said he wanted to bring her mother back and he had been looking for the pendant. She glanced towards Raven Flame and Zecora's words echoed through her ears. "No!" she shouted reaching her hoof into Twilight's saddlebag and retrieving the pendant.

"Don't!" Every pony cried out, but they were too late. A dazzling display of golden specks began to hover in the air, one by one dropping into the stallion. Shortly afterwards the knife pulled itself out from the wound and clattered to the floor. The pony gasped as his body began to reanimate itself.

When the golden lights had completely vanished, a swirl of black mist erupted from the evaporating pendant and shot through the room. The sound of thunder boomed from above and heavy hail began to pound noisily onto the stone ceiling. A thick layer of frost began to form around the room on the surfaces of the gray stones. Until finally, the black wisp found its way out into the darkening sky through a hole in the stone walls.

Rainbow Dash snapped herself out of her shock just long enough to realize what the filly had just unleashed, "Diamond, what in the hay have you done?" She cried out.

Filthy Rich looked around slightly confused, surrounded by the faces of unfriendly ponies. He glanced over toward his crying daughter. Quickly he snatched her up in his mouth and tossed her onto his back. Without saying anything he sprinted out of the castle, leaving the other ponies behind and completely speechless except for Silver Spoon whom chased after them.