Thump Thump Thump Thump.
“Hey Sugar-cube, could you please stop doing that?”
Pinkie turned to the other mare, with an innocent expression.
“Doing what Applejack?”
Thump Thump Thump Thump.
“Stop flapping your tail against the floor!” Applejack had not meant to raise her voice. Her outburst disrupted the concert they were watching, far more then Pinkies thumping. AJ looked back and forth. With all the cheering fans, they had not really hurt RaRa’s performance. Apparently she was eventually going to end her soft acoustic phase, and go back to calling herself Countess Coloratura. Either that or Spike had grabbed her from the wrong time period. The concert was very loud, flashy, and not really to Applejacks taste, though all the other ponies seemed to be having a ball.
Thump Thump Thump Thump.
Applejack toned it down a bit, before she spoke again. “It’s getting a little annoying.”
Pinkie turned her head and looked at her tail.
Thump Thump Thump Thump.
Pinkie gasped. “Omigosh, omigosh, Applejack my tail is thumping.”
“I know, it’s been doing that for hours.” This time she spoke with a tone and cadence you’d expect more from Maud Pie.
“And I didn’t even notice. I totally missed it. Do you know what that means?”
“What it means? Wait, is this one of your ‘Pinkie sense’ things.”
“Tail flapping means theres a party.”
“Yes, Pinkie, we’re at Twilights birthday.”
“No, I don’t mean that.”
Pinkie smacked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. “Mouths not dry, so at least it hasn’t started without us.” Next she examined her legs one by one. “The goosebumps are only on my left hind leg.” She hopped with excitement. “That means it’s a wedding.”
“C’mon Sugar-cube, you just made that last one up.”
With her front legs retracted and her hind legs extended, so that her muzzle was close to the ground, Daisy sniffed. At first she would take a few steps, then bend over and smell, now she sniffed with every breath.
“Daisy dear,” said Lily, “you’re a pony, not a hound.” Actually, both of them were breezies for the time being.
“I run, but never walk. I am important, but often overlooked. What am I?”
Daisy was of course repeating the riddle they found on a sign-post at the first fork of the strawberry maze.
Lily thought for a second. “Is it a mayoral candidate?”
“What! No, how does that answer the riddle?”
“Well, you ‘run’ for mayor, it’s an ‘important’ job, and last election we didn’t even vote.”
“I voted. Also, the answer is a nose, so we must have to smell the next clue.”
She turned her head and thought again about the riddle. After a minute of silent wonder, Lily turned back towards Daisy. “I don’t get it.”
“Just smell for clues.”
“Gee that was smart Rainbow Dash.”
At her praise, Rainbow Dash beamed with pride.
“I never would have guessed the answer to the first riddle was a Mayoral Candidate.”
“Oh but I never could have solved the riddle without you Rosie dear.”
It was true. Roseluck was the one who noticed that each path in the maze had signs depicting a different cutie mark. After solving the riddle they simply had to choose the sign with Mayor Mares scroll mark, over the one with Rarity’s gems.
So that’s how the maze game worked. The answer to each riddle told ponies which sign would lead them through the maze, the signs of course taking the form of cutie marks. Soon they came to the next riddle.
‘A rooster lays an egg on the exact tip top of a roof. Which way does it roll?’
“Well, that’s an easy one.”
“Yes, it’ll roll whichever way the wind is blowing.”
Daisy looked to Lily with a deadpan stare. At first Lily ignored the stare. It was one of those stares that just cries out ‘hey look how unexpressive I’m being.’ Lily of course, recognized her effort to express nothing as a call for attention. As she walked onward, Lily could just feel the stare behind her, and the yearning for her to respond. “What?” Lily asked.
“Roosters don’t lay eggs!”
“I know.” She said so without pausing or missing a beat.
“Do you mean you just realized that now? Are you going to change your answer?”
“Oh no! I caught it right away; and why would I change my answer.” Lily spoke in a matter of fact tone.
Daisy shook her head. “Lily, every filly knows this one. The answer to the riddle is roosters don’t lay eggs.”
“That’s ridiculous!”
“Ridiculous? Are you saying that roosters do lay eggs?”
“Of course they don’t.”
“Uh… could you please explain?”
Lily pointed to the riddle posted on the sign. “Look at that,” said she. “Look at it! What does it say?”
“A rooster lays an egg…”
“Exactly! The Jabberwocky is telling you that it happened. Maybe he meant to say hen, or maybe it is an exceptional rooster. Either way you don’t get to cop out of solving the riddle by accusing the Jabberwocky of lying; that’s not a solution, and honestly I think it’s rather impolite to do so.”
Daisy was taken aback. It’s true that she’d heard the riddle before, on schoolyards as a filly. Perhaps she’d taken for granted that the common answer was correct. Or perhaps some mean older colt had laughed at her once when she believed that a rooster laid an egg. Whatever the case, Lily was absolutely right. Daisy apologized immediately.
This time the maze had three forks in it. They chose the path marked with the cutie mark that looked like a pictorial representation of a gust of wind.
“That’s the fifth one you solved Rainbow Dash.” Roseluck just could not believe how quickly Rainbow Dash solved each one.
“Oh I’m sorry. Did you want a turn?” She spoke sincerely, though Roseluck had to wonder if she was being teased.
“I can let you solve the next one.”
“Uh, that’s okay, thanks. You’re really cool Rainbow Dash.”
Rainbow Dash blushed. Scootaloo never called her cool, kind or smart maybe but not… Oh wait she did call her cool, only that was before. The blue mare tried to sort out her many memories, not all of them her own.
“Hey here’s the next riddle.”
“That’s lovely, now Rosie dear, please remember that you have to memorize every riddle and tell them all to Daisy when you get the chance.”
“Sure, thing Rainbow Dash”
Roseluck read the next riddle silently to herself, then repeated it several times in mind, until it was locked into her memory.
“The answer is bubble, so we’ll take the path with Derpy’s cutie mark.”
Rainbow Dash walked by the sign without even looking at it.
“Here’s the next riddle, Lily.”
Lily read the riddle out loud.
‘What has to be broken before it can be used?’
Daisy thought for a second, then her face turned red. She fumed with anger. “That is so… so problematic to ponies everywhere.”
“It’s an egg.”
“Oh an egg.”
“I think so. Why, what did you think it was?”
“Don’t ask.”
The two walked on for a little while.
“You’re really good at this Lily.”
“You think so.”
“Yes, you are. To be honest, I’m a little jealous. I thought I would be the star here. I’m good with puzzles. I do cross words, and sudokus, and mazes, and rubiks cubes, and those japanese box things.”
“Those things are all too logical.”
“I thought riddles were supposed to be logical.”
“Naw, then they’re just questions. A good riddle has to subvert your expectations. The answer should be like the punchline to a joke.”
“Eggs are funny.”
“I didn’t say these were good riddles.”
The two shared a laugh.
As they moved on, Lily kept an eye keenly focussed upon their surroundings. Daisy assumed she was just appreciating the foliage, until the next time she spoke.
“Hey Daisy, I think I found the secret path.” The maze was made out of strawberry plants. Lily found a small spot where a less thorny vine was used to hide a door. The two ponies moved the vines aside and Daisy read the sign upon the door. “Park Staff Only.”
“Lily, I don’t think that’s a secret path.”
“Sure it is.”
“What I mean is, I don’t think were supposed to be using that door.”
“The answer to a good riddle is one that subverts expectations.” Lily gave a sly wink as she took the hairpin that holds a lily corsage to her sunshine mane and used it to pick the lock.
Daisy watched her with suspicion. Solving riddles with ease, picking locks, these were not traits of the friend she new so well. She may not be as good with riddles as she imagined herself to be, but Daisy could still spot a mystery when one was a-hoof.
With a clanking noise, the door opened.
“Shall we.”
“Lead the way.” It would be easier to keep an eye on this pony if she takes the lead, Daisy thought.
They saw the light at the end of the tunnel. It was the way out of the maze. Roseluck became excited and galloped toward the exit. Rainbow Daisy followed at a more gentle pace.
Once outside they saw a breezie dressed in a costume. She wore an eye patch and a fake beard. A ladybug perched itself on her shoulder, because she was too small for a parrot.
“Arrrgh!” said the mock pirate. “Avast ye mateys, I see that you managed to avoid the bobbie traps and escape the deadly Minotaur. But your greatest challenge you have yet to face.”
“Was there really a Minotaur?”
Ignoring her question, the pirate breezie continued on her scripted performance. He took out a lame wooden sword, and pointed it towards a bay connected to a stream. Looking upstream, Roseluck saw that the waterflow was created by a common garden hose, left running. Again she was reminded just how small they were in their breezie bodies.
Next, the breezie pointed to a boat. It was a paper boat, water sealed with paraffin wax.
“This here be a fine vessel, and yours for the taking it is. It will get you through the next step on your quest.”
“So you’re giving us that boat.”
“Aye.”
Roseluck cautiously stepped into the hull and tested the vessels stability by shifting her weight
“These be treacherous waters, they are. Many a sailor have been led astray, and faced grave danger. Answer my riddle correctly and I’ll tell you whether to go left or right when the river branches.”
“So, if we go the wrong way we won’t make it to the wedding?” Rainbow Dash asked. At that moment, Roseluck was exploring the boat, and hadn’t been paying attention to the two of them.
“Sure you will. It’s the same rules as the maze. Answer correctly and take the calmest path. Answer wrong and there will be some excitement. You either prove your smarts or prove your bravery.”
“Hold on a second,” asked Rainbow Dash. “Are you saying it doesn’t really matter which route we take?”
The pirate shrugged and blushed slightly. “It sorta matters, if you don’t like excitement, or you just wanna prove how smart you are then it’s better to solve the riddles. Still we don’t want any of our guest to fail and feel bad about it.”
“Well, then which was is fastest?”
The pirate breezie scratched her fake beard. “That would be the path of the brave.”
“So, it could have been faster and more exciting if we didn’t bother with the riddles.”
“Yes, the challenges are for all ages, and we just want the guests to have fun y’know. It’s not really a game you can lose.”
Rainbow Dash was speechless.
She flew into the boat, and looked into the waters. Again, they were in a small bay (or puddle), and here the water was just calm enough to see her reflection. For a brief moment Rainbow Dash wondered what the heck she had done to her hair. She had done it by habit and barely formed any memory of straightening her polychromatic hair, or curling the tips.
Looking deeply into her reflection, her face shifted between that of herself, and Daisy the flower mare. Then she heard a voice. Previously she had been finding it hard to separate that voice from her own inner monologue, only now it was distinct and she new it as not being her own. It spoke softly, almost lovingly. It said: “Go ahead. I’ve had my fun.”
“Well, do you wanna hear my riddle?” asked the faux pirate.
The village was in sight. Lily galloped, for a bit, only to find that Daisy was falling behind. She turned, and waited for a moment until her friend could catch up.
“Is something wrong Daisy?”
Daisy scratched her hoof against the soil. She tended to pull weeds when she was upset. “Will we have to fight the Jabberwocky? I’m scared. Maybe we should just wait for Rainbow Dash and Roseluck.”
“Come on scardy-mare, it’ll be fine. You’ll have fun, I promise.” Lily moved behind Daisy, and gently pushed on the other mares hind with her forehead.
When they got to the breezie village, everypony was in the reception area, which had a stage, and around fifty tables.
Discord tried to approach them, but then Twilight pulled him back. He was being fitted for a tux.
“Who dares challenge the might Jabberwocky?” He spoke in a booming voice.
He was going to poof our of the tux, and ruin all Twilights hard work, but then Lily flashed him a look. There was something familiar about her expression. She stared at him intently, and Discord found himself gazing back. Soon the two were locked in a staring contest.
There expressions grew more stern, more severe by the moment.
Then Lily just did some funny spiral thing with her eyes and broke all the tension.
‘What was that?’ Daisy wondered.
They were about to continue with the final challenge, when their fight wth the Jabberwocky was interupted by a more dangerous sort of animal. It was a fierce bridezilla.
“You’re the flower mares.” Fluttershy cut in.
“Yes, we are.”
“Oh, thank Celestia that you made it. We have Daisies, Lilies, and Roses. I need you to make center arrangements for all the tables and we don’t have much time.”
“Oh how fun,” Daisy commented without a hint of sarcasm.
The tiny boat sped through roaring rapids. A terrified Roseluck would seem to cover her eyes, yet peek often. From time to time she would scream at Rainbow Dash to watch out for a rock, narrowly avoid a stump, or beware the waterfall ahead.
Rainbow Dash roared with laughter, as she steered the tiny vessel. Whenever there was a fork or branch in the river, some sign would be posted with yet another riddle. Calling upon the skill Daisy had spent the latter half of her life cultivating, Rainbow Dash quickly solved the riddle, then she would purposely go the wrong way. It was quicker after all.
The spray of the water had washed all the curls out from her hair
For once she was not blindly charging in. Rainbow Dash new what lay ahead, at least the parts Daisy had lived through. She new of her memory implants, and how her and the girls never returned to their time. She could clearly remember Daisy having to comfort Twilight, who in those early days since her accident, blamed herself for what happened.
“There’s something with glowing eyes in that storm drain.”
‘Probably better to steer away from the sewer hole!’ Rainbow Dash reluctantly decided.
Daisy was kind to Twilight, and Rainbow Dash was grateful for that. The flower mares had apparently become her first new circle of friends after the loss. Twilight was never much of a florist, but apparently each had side interests they could share with her. Daisy shared Twilights love of books, became a huge fan of the Wonderbolts when Scootaloo joined the team, and started a new fascination for her with puzzles, labrynths, and especially riddles. They played with Discord often. Twilight thought he was a cheat, because Discord would use old riddles everypony would know, but refuse to accept the conventional answers. Eventually Daisy became good at solving them, so good that it irritated the Draconequus.
“Watch out for the waterfall!” Roseluck yelled
The scream and another spray of water broke Rainbow Dash of her reveries. She realized that she had to move quick.
“Thanks Rosie,” she was leaving the ‘dear’ out, but still using the more familiar shorthoof. Dash quickly steered the boat towards the waterfall. If Rosie hadn’t caught that one then she might have gotten stuck on another lazy slow moving stream.