//------------------------------// // 1: Collateral Damage // Story: Raiders of the Lost Hope // by RDDash //------------------------------// Ponyvile, Central Plaza, early morning. It's been a normal day in Ponyvile, Rainbow Dash was sitting on the park bench waiting for Pinkie Pie. “Hey, Pinks what’s up!” “Oh hi Dashie, you know the usual reading Ponyville Chronicles and spending my time with my best friend.” “Oh shush, you are embarrassing me.” Pinkie shrugged, “so anyway Infestation of the parasprite had been exterminated in Filydalphya!?” “Meh, fake news!” “New shrubbery had been placed in Castle Gardens!?” “Don’t really care! But I guess I give it points for trying.” “Noodles have been named the official food of Viniapolis!” Famous author AK Yearling announced her retirement! Cloudsdale election heating up the clouds! “What, give me that?” Rainbow Dash ripped the newspaper from Pinkie. “That can’t be true?” “What exactly?” “AK Yearling retired, of course!” “Well, why is that seems to be so unbelievable? Is that just your selfish desire as a fan refusing to let go of famous writer when they decide to retire?” “Well no, I am not that obsessive.” “Oh really?” “Yes, really. Now let’s go and maybe you can just give her a retirement party.” “Rainbow, Rainbow, you still have so much to learn,” Pinkie shook her head. Several hours later in the woods. “Okay we are finally here, Pinks you can start operation hype.” Rainbow Dash went to the door and knocked. “You are right in front of the window right, so you can just say a bunch of stuff. Specifically feeding false information to me, or to anyone else who might be watching.” “You mean spies!” “Shh, " Rainbow shushed. “But Rainbow!” “Shhhhhh!” Pinkie Pie tried again, she opened her mouth and... “Shhhhhhhhhhhhhh!” Rainbow shushed at her angrily. “Ahem!” The sound of the voice could be heard. Rainbow Dash as if she finally got it what’s going on, she face-hoofed herself. “She is standing right in front of me, is she.” “Aha!” Pinkie nodded her head. “Honestly do you have to be so immature! Please come on in,” a slightly different version of Rainbow Dash, commonly known as Daring Do, also known as, AK Yearling gestured her new guests to come inside. “I am a mature one, who are you and what are you done with Rainbow Rodriguez Dash.” “Dash?” Daring interrupted her. “Is there something you want?” “Well since I already read the morning papers, I’ll cut to the chase. Daring Do I Rainbow Rodriguez Dash challenge you to the last adventure to Somnambulla.” Daring blinked “What does this challenge specifically entail.” “I am glad you asked,” Rainbow grinned. “By the end of this challenge if I truly fail to remind you of your special talent then go right ahead surrender to your fate, retire! I will leave you in your self-pity.” “Dashie, that’s rude!” said Pinkie Pie. “However!” Rainbow put her hoof down “If, and this is big if, I manage to actually succeed, well then you are going to forget your self-induced self-pity and get your butt back where it should be. So do we have a deal?” Daring sighed “As much as I want to refuse it, I will accept it just to see the look on your face when you do fail.” With that, she took her hoof and hoof bump it with Rainbow’s hoof. Immediately the small lightning flashed in the corner of an eye of both mares. “You! What did you do? You did activate the magic contract. Now I don’t have another choice but to do it.” “My bad, but I had to make sure that you would follow to the letter.” “Magic contract, but isn't that unicorn level?” Pinkie Pie asked “Our magic comes from here,” Rainbow pointed at her heart. “Not from there,” she then pointed at her head, as if to symbolize the possible location of where the unicorn horn should be for unicorns. “I thought it was kind of obvious since all three tribes can do magic. I won’t blame you or anypony else that forget that part. All of us be it pegasi or an earth pony can draw magic circles, incantations and...” “And?” said Pinkie. “Watch” Rainbow clapped her hooves together and the arc of lightning passed through them. “Alright, alright! You can stop now being mini Twilight. Not that we appreciate you being smart and Intelligent.” “So, like what, are we going to do this by train?” Train, I vote train, we don’t exactly have any other method of travel available to us. And before you ask balloon is a bit no go. “Balloons, isn't it like a tourist joy ride?” “Not exactly apparently they can be used for cargo.” Rainbow Dash snorted “inefficient use of resources” After all three of them purchased the tickets they went to the train and went for a long ride to the South of Equestrian Kingdoms. “So how are we going to do this, are you go as Daring Do or you are going to be your other self.”Rainbow sits down on her seat on the train. “Since I am only observing from sidelines, I figured it that I would actually go as AK Yearling. Also, I think when I was there last time I messed up big time.” “Really, like what?” “I ended up destroying the local statue of their national hero!” “Aha!” “Rainbow, this is serious! With everything going on I ended up not paying for the motel.” “Really, don’t they like collect money in advance.” “No, they don’t.” “Well they should, but anyway what a big deal? Just sent money anonymously, or like with the note This is how much money I owed you from Daring Do, also sorry for the statue.” “I didn’t think of that, I was always in such a rush that I...” “I get it we all have different priorities, anyway wake me up when we arrive. I am going to catch some z’s” Rainbow laid down on the chair and closed her eyes. About five hours later. Somnambulla. “Okay, girls we are here! I’ll go to the local motel and I suppose I could use my charisma to get us a moderately cheap room! And I suppose we could all investigate your problems AK.” said Rainbow after they all exited the train station. AK Yearling nodded in agreement. “Okey Dokey Lokey, just makes sure to be civilized about,” said Pinkie. “Yeah yeah!” Rainbow swatted the issue away like it was a flyder.