//------------------------------// // Dash is Done!? // Story: Tales from Tinies. // by MrAquino //------------------------------// Rainbow Dash leaves Twilight’s castle still very depressed, feeling she failed Stacy as a friend. With a sigh she takes off, flying off to go nap off her troubles, she lands in her favorite tree, on the wide branch she tends to rest on. She kicks back, relaxing and eventually falling to sleep. Dash is flying through the air in one of her favorite dreams, fighting changelings without a problem, when suddenly a gargantuan wheel shows up. A giant hand reaches down, grasping the entire group pulling up to the face of the being it belongs to. “S-Stacy!” Dash exclaims fearfully. “Wha- Wha-” She starts with a stutter. “I wonder if she’ll taste like skittles...” Stacy spoke with a smirk that was anything but good on the poor mare’s side, it being heard before when she was in the somewhat same situation. But instead of being just being quick and sudden(and with Lindsey taking longer), in the nightmare, Stacy took her sweet time, only looking at the fear in Rainbow’s face. Dash looks around to see that the changelings have disappeared and gulps, looking back to Stacy in fear. “Please Stacy, don’t eat me!” She screams, struggling to get out of the giant woman’s grasp. “Why are you doing this?!” She asks, continuing to scream in fear and struggle. “Cause ponies like you are why tinies are always in fear!” She said, suddenly angry glaring at the tiny pegasus. “So I’m doing a huge favor of keeping ‘The Gulper’ in check.” She smirked evilly, before she tossed the mare in her mouth, no warning before she closed her mouth and started tasting the mare, humming in satisfaction. “Tinies will be much happier without you around, so I hope you enjoy your new home.” After that, she swallowed the mare, even tracing her finger to follow the bulge that was on her neck for a moment. As soon as Dash enters Stacy’s stomach, it goes transparent, as if she were trapped in a jar. She flies around smashing against the “glass” in her desperate attempt to escape. She keeps ramming the sides, more and more, as tinies now her size gather around. Eventually, she gives up, floating down to the bottom of the “jar” and the people around her start cheering, taunting, jeering, and laughing at her. Rainbow Dash wakes up, breathing harshly. She looks around, clutching tight to the branch in fear. “I was eaten!” She gasps, realizing what had happened earlier. The mare may have reacted sooner, had things not gotten so hectic after being let out, but in the quick turn of events she hadn’t had the time to be fully impacted by what happened to her. Now, however, she had time to think and the event found itself in the forefront of her mind. “S-Stacy ate me, a-and Lindsey!” She exclaims to herself. She backs further into the trees, hyperventilating quite a bit. She gulps in fear, before realizing something. “I-is that what I put tinies through? I-is that how Stacy felt when we first met?” She looks down at herself in guilt and shame. She knew what had to be done. She jumps out of the tree and glides to the ground, trudging her way back to the castle. As she makes her way back, she passes by groups of tinies who get ready to bolt, before puzzling as she didn’t even give lick her lips at them. Instead she continues to trudge passed them, whether she’d ever eaten them before or not, hurrying passed the groups containing her tiny fans until she gets to the castle and goes in. She makes her way around the oddly quiet, almost seemingly abandoned castle, looking for Stacy. Eventually finding her in a room by herself. “Hey, Stacy. Um, we need to talk.” She says cantering over and laying down to get more on Stacy’s level. “Oh, uhm, s-sure.” Stacy seemed a little tense when Rainbow approached her, a little worried that the mare might try something to get back at her for her little ‘prank’ if that’s what you would call it. Rainbow Dash looks down shamefully, seeing Stacy’s fear. “I’m sorry for what I’ve done, I’m part of the reason you are so scared of ponies. It took finding out what it’s like to be eaten to figure that out.” She says tearing up. “Some loyal friend I turned out to be.” It was Stacy’s time to feel guilty, seeing that Rainbow was hurt by just her tense movements. “N-no, it’s okay really. I mean, I’m nowhere near being a good friend with how I seem to act every day.” She admitted, rubbing her arm as she turned her head away from the teary-eyed mare. “But… I guess I can see why you’re so addicted to it. Maybe not as bad as you, but I can see in your point of view.” “It’s okay. I didn’t know just how scary that I really was until you and Lindsey, well, showed me what it’s like. I don’t want to make someone feel that way ever again.” Dash replies, still feeling very guilty. “I’m never going to eat a tiny again.” Dash vows to herself, not wanting to cause any more fear. ‘I highly doubt that’ll last.’ She thought, recalling the rumors that once a pony tastes one tiny, they go ballistic. And that it happened to Dash the first time she ‘tried’ one. “Even if you hold up on that promise, there are more ponies in the world that eat more tinies than you. It’s fine, really. Maybe just give them a heads up instead of scaring them for life… or just the first few days in Equestria apparently.” She mumbled the last part. “It doesn’t matter, it causes people fear anyway. I’m can’t stop anypony else, but I can at least stop myself.” Rainbow Dash replies, her memories of her time within the two giant stomachs bubbling up in the back of her mind. “It’s no wonder tinies go running away from ponies.” “Yeah, that’s one of the reasons.” She lightly shrugged. “But I don’t think we can change all the ponies minds unless Twilight actually swapped the spell from tinies to ponies in this whole town. She may be an alicorn, but I don’t think even Celestia could do that.” She said, not helping by picturing the scene, and almost seeing it as some kind of tiny purge where the roles are reversed and ponies will see the errors of there way… or just have a new reason to eat tinies. “I’m not trying to change everypony’s minds. I’m just changing mine.” Dash replies. “S-so, once again, I’m sorry for what I did, for what everypony has done because of me, and that because of me ponies like snatchers exist. It’s all my fault, if I’d never tasted a tiny, then none of this would’ve happened.” She apologizes again, as she realizing that this whole thing is her fault. “Well, even if you somehow didn’t start this in some alternate reality, it’s not like no other pony would be curious, clumzy, or bold enough to try it themselves, and just start this whole thing again.” Stacy said, plainly saying that if it wasn’t Rainbow, somepony else would make this happen. “And who’s to say that Twilight would study the magic to a point where she might try it on her own and just start it herself?” “Yes, but at least it wouldn’t have been as bad.” Dash replies glumly. “And it’s not like it matters because it is still my fault. So now I’m finally going to try to make up for my mistakes, I’m going to stop eating tinies. If it gets other ponies to stop then that’ll be great, if it doesn’t then at least I’ve stopped. At least I won’t be the terrible pony I am now.” Dash stands up. “I’ll see you later Stacy, thanks for showing me how wrong I was.” She says before she turns and starts to head out of the room. Stacy stayed quiet, thinking for awhile before she let out a small sigh. “Dash wait.” She simply said, looking at the pegasus who was halfway out the door. Dash stops and looks at Stacy. “Huh?” She asks, wondering what Stacy wanted to tell her. “What is it?” Stacy was rubbing the back of her neck while she spoke the next few lines. “If you’re going to completely give up on tinies. I mean, someone should make sure that you’re keeping your promise. And since Lindsey is, ya know, looking for a house… I mean, one of the two could make sure you won’t hold up on your promise or anything.” She was avoiding eye contact while speaking, but she hoped the mare would get what she was saying. “You don’t have to worry about me keeping my word. After what happened, I don’t want anyone to feel that way, the way I’ve been making people all over Ponyville feel. But, if you’d like to come live with me, you’re always welcome at my place.” Dash replies. Stacy was a little peeved that she did get what she was saying, and rejected it, but not completely. She wanted to say ‘I’ll only come if you stop being a Debby Downer’, but for some reason her mouth wouldn’t open to make that a reality. She only said, “Fine...” “So, you want to come live with me?” Dash asks, not really sure as she only slightly heard Stacy’s quiet voice. Her ears perk up and she canters back over to Stacy. “Do you?” She says a little happily, glad that she might not have scared away at least one tiny. “I mean, if you stop being such a Debby Downer.” She finally said. ‘I wasn’t even that depressed after almost getting snatched… but mostly cause I was terrified.’ She thought, not choosing to say that out loud. “What’s a Debby Downer?” Dash asks, not to clear about human terms. “Just another word for someone who’s so upset or depressed that it might spread onto others… just another term for being a sad pony.” She simplified it. “Oh, um, okay. So, you want to pack? I can make my place friendlier for your wheelchair.” Dash says excitedly. “What do you want to do first? Want to ride Tank? Read some Daring Do?” She asks, hoping to have fun with Stacy again, only this time in a way that she’d like. Stacy was still rubbing her neck when Rainbow was starting to act like a giddy schoolgirl that was about to spend the weekend with her bestie. “Well, we can leave whenever, but I think Twilight may have something to discuss with you… something important.” She said, recalling the alicorn needing to tell everyone who lived in the castle, and the other pony who may or may not be in trouble. “Oh, okay.” Dash replies. “Um, so, I’ll be back. Unless you want to come with me?” Dash asks. “I don’t mind either way. I mean… I was just sitting in a room by myself.” Stacy shrugged, but more turning to wanting to join in, even though she knew what was coming. “Alright, let’s go.” Dash replies, carefully grasping the handles of Stacy’s wheelchair with her teeth and heading off, looking for Twilight. Stacy was quick to buckle herself on the chair before she slipped off or anything, holding on as she didn’t realize how close she was to actually being eaten, but just close enough to get the weird tiny scent that the magic gave off as well, almost tempting anypony to eat a tiny depending on the ‘flavor’ they were. Dash smells Stacy’s flavor, but ignores it, not wanting to ruin their mending friendship. She continues making her way around the castle, finding Twilight worriedly hurrying about her study. She sets Stacy down on a desk. “Twilight! Stacy says you want to talk about something.” Twilight stops, startled by Dash’s “sudden” appearance. “Oh! Yes, it’s terrible Rainbow Dash!” She starts. “I just got news from Celestia that a group of tinies have killed a couple snatchers. I don’t know how but they did, and Celestia is concerned that they may also target ponies that had something to do with the ‘First Tasting’!” She informs the now stunned pegasus worriedly. “Wh-what?” Dash gulps nervously. “Some tinies killed someponies?!” She backs off a bit. “No! No, no, no! This is all my fault! If I’d never tasted that guy, none of this would ever have happened!” Dash exclaims somewhat angrily now, angry at herself. She stomps, letting out a horse-like snort. “At least some snatchers got what they deserve, I suppose.” She lets out a sigh. “I can’t blame them for wanting to come after me, after all, I’m the cause of this mess.” “Dash, you shouldn’t be so hard on-” Twilight starts. “Hard on who? Myself. Of course I should. If it hadn’t been for me, none of these tinies would have any reason to fear us! If it hadn’t been for me, Stacy wouldn’t be absolutely terrified of her best friend! If it hadn’t been for me, Lindsey wouldn’t even be threatening to eat Stacy at all! If I hadn’t tasted a tiny then we’d all still be friends with them, instead of completely ruining it for the fun of feeling them struggle in our stomachs! So, yes, I think I should be hard on myself!” Dash replies, interrupting the alicorn, now quite livid with herself. “Dash, I know that you’re upset, but that doesn’t give a reason to lash out on one of your friends.” Stacy tried to reason with the mare, but knowing that her reaction was justified. “You’re one to talk!” Dash replies angrily. “You lash out at all of your friends without any rhyme or reason! You did it all the time with me! You do it all the time to Lindsey! And now you’re telling me that I shouldn’t lash out at anyone, especially when the pony I’m really lashing out at is myself!” “Sheesh, for someone who wants to be a better pony, you sure aren’t acting like one...” Stacy said under her breath, clearly peeved at what the mare said, and even thinking of rescinding that acceptance in being in the temperamental pegasus’ cloud home. “What was that?” Dash asks, still miffed. She moves closer, getting mere inches from the wheelchair bound girl. “Come on, I can take a little criticism, unlike someone I know. Go ahead, speak your mind! Or are you too afraid now that we’re face to face!” She says as she moves closer still, her head blocking the girl’s view of anything other than her angered face, her eyes focused on the girl. Stacy only glared at the mare before she repeated herself, this time much louder. “I said, for someone who wanted to be a better f**king pony, you sure ain’t acting like one!” Stacy didn’t show a hint of fear. “Look, I know you may think it’s your fault, and that ponies are in danger or whatever, but you didn’t make ponies start snatching people up, now did you. You didn’t make other ponies start tasting people. Just like you said you can’t stop them, goes the same way as those ponies starting to.” She jabbed her finger on the mares muzzle while she spoke. “They could’ve brushed off the news, even said it was a rumor and never dare risk the lives of their human friends, but they didn’t, okay? And just think about it, tinies killing snatchers. Not innocent ponies, but snatchers. These tinies may not know who started the whole tasting thing in the first place. They may not know who you are. And if they killed ponies in Canterlot, how long do you think it’ll take for them to get here without being seen or eaten themselves? I know they can’t simply walk into town with whatever they used to harm the pony, and without it, they are just normal tinies on the street. So why don’t you suck it up, and listen to one of your pony friends instead of just doing things without thinking… just like how you weren’t thinking about the tinies feelings until it was too late.” Dash backs of and sighs, sitting down at the table, resting her head on it. “Fine…” She replies, giving up. Twilight smirks a bit. “Well, I’m glad you got through to Rainbow Dash. Although, I think I know someone else who should take your advice.” She says with a bit of a giggle. “Maybe it’ll make her friendships less, tenuous.” “Who you talkin’ about?” She asked, not sure who exactly she was referring too. Twilight remains silent, simply staring at the tiny girl. ‘I wonder if she’ll take the hint. After all, Dash was right about one thing during their fight.’ Stacy stayed quiet as she figured out who she was talking about right after she asked that, but didn’t want to look more like an idiot than she already seemed just by not taking the hint sooner. “Now then. Stacy’s right, if they are after us then it’ll still take a while for them to get to us. For now, you can stay here, head home, continue on with life. Just be careful okay? Keep an eye on what’s going on.” Twilight informs the pegasus. “Okay.” Dash replies, before looking to Stacy. “I’m sorry I got upset. Still want to come live at my place?” She asks. At first, she wanted to say that she’ll think about it, just to get under the mare’s skin, or even saying no at the risk of being in this mess, though she already was as soon as Rainbow found her. “Maybe after Lindsey moves out. I don’t know if your cloud home would support non-pegasai.” She said, not really sure now that if she could live with someone that was now wanting to rid herself of eating tinies, and with no one else around in case Rainbow did break her vow. “Huh? No, you’d be fine going around the house. You just don’t want to go out the front door.” Dash replies, before thinking a bit. “Though, maybe I could get a helicopter attachment for your wheelchair, just like I got for Tank.” “Uh, no, I think I’m good.” Stacy said, not really sure how she would be able to pilot a helicopter wheelchair since helicopters are mostly flown by people who can… walk on their legs. “You sure?” Dash asks. “You wouldn’t have to worry about falling if you went out the front door by yourself. Just like Tank. We could even fly around together.” Dash replies. “Well, anyway. You said you’re going to stay here until Lindsey moves out. So, want to just hang out for a while?” Dash asks. “Sure, why not?” She shrugged, really up for almost anything… almost. “Alright, so what do you want to do?” Dash asks, letting Stacy decide, since Stacy would know what activities could participate in. She thought about it for awhile, but for some reason, her mind went blank on what the two should do, her only answer being another shrug. “What do you want to do?” “Hmm, how about we read one of the Daring Do books?” Rainbow Dash asks, getting up and picking up Stacy’s wheelchair, the handles in her teeth again. She canters to the door out of Twilight’s study, waving goodbye before heading out into the hallway and making her way toward the castle entrance. Stacy couldn’t help but feel a little bit uncomfortable(and nervous) being so close to the mare’s mouth. But she knew there was no other place she could carry her unless she considered the mare’s stomach. But she had a feeling that Dash wanted to do nothing relating to eating tinies for now. Dash leaves the castle and takes off, flying up to her cloud mansion, taking it a bit slower than she usually does not sure how Stacy would feel if she flew at her top speed. She starts to regret her promise for a bit, but she figuratively shakes off the thought, as that would just turn her back into the tiny eating monster she used to be. She makes it to her mansion and opens the front door, she canters in and sets Stacy down on a table, heading off to grab her set of Daring Do books. “I’ll be right back, want any snacks?” She asks. “Maybe a snack wouldn’t hurt.” She shrugged, locking her wheelchair in place in case she may slide off or something while she was on the table. “Okay, what kind of snack?” Dash asks to clarify what Stacy wants. “Chips, vegetables, fruit, pretzels, cookies?” “Whatever you bring is fine by me, I don’t have a preference at the moment.” She answered, deciding not to shrug for the second or third time. “Okay.” Dash heads off for a while, coming back with one of the Daring Do books, and a bag of chips. She sets the book on the table and opens the bag, setting down so Stacy could get some easily. She pulls the top book off the stack. “Alright, ready to start?” She asks, opening the book to the first page, and standing it up on the table so they could both read it. “Ready as I’ll ever be.” She answered, unlocking it just to get a little closer to the book. The two sit there reading through the book, enjoying their time together and snacking on the chips.