//------------------------------// // Chapter 6 Owwie from Ahui // Story: In Search of a Rainbow // by Aswad Zeev //------------------------------// *2 Days earlier* Rainbow Dash was whistling a little tune as she trotted upstairs. She'd got it all planned out. She was going to take a shower, then spend half an hour writing her letter back to Daring. Suit up in her Wonderbolt Uniform hanging in the closet, and then drop off the letter for Twilight to check it, and then ask her to post it for her before she rushed to HQ, and make it with seconds to spare before Spitfire yelled at her. Meanwhile, Outside, Lightning Dust was hovering with her "partner" if she could call "it" that. It was a changeling and it made her feel uncomfortable, but "it's" employer was paying her well to get her sweet revenge, so she couldn't complain. From what she understood, this changeling had been disassociated from the Hive. But, they still had some unique skills the queen required occasionally as some kind of bounty hunter for hire. The kind of changing equivalent of a pony whose job it would be to spy on an enemy after a war, to see how the enemy rebuilt, to help plan for the next war. It gave her the chills when she thought about it too much. Lightning quickly pulled her head out of the window as she saw Rainbow enter the bathroom, so that Rainbow didn't see her. She nodded to the changeling, and once they heard the water begin to run, they burst through the window on to the unsuspecting Rainbow Dash. The fight lasted several minutes, causing a mess all over the bathroom. Rainbow Dash had managed to inflict quite a few bruises and a couple of minor cuts before they finally got her pinned down. The changing tied Dash's back legs together while Lightning sat on her, while she was still winded from the fight. "Why are you doing this?" croaked Rainbow. They tied Rainbows front legs together and her wings down before Lightning replied. She held Dash's face in her hooves "I'm supposed to be the lead pony. I'm supposed to be the Wonderbolt! I'm just taking my rightful place on top!" They then put a muzzle on Rainbow and put her in a sack to carry. The changeling's wing had been broken in the fight, but by transforming into a pegasus, it seemed to help to heal the wing, but it still hurt. Lightning Dust observed "You seem to be changing color a little.” The changing shrugged and said "Side effect of a broken wing, also means the transformation isn't stable, but no-one really notices if we don't stay in a place too long. Stop looking at me like that!" The changeling then helped Lightning dust put their "package" on Lightning's back and they flew South. *1 Day earlier* The Changeling, now in its true form, dumped the bound Rainbow in the cellar under Apple Loosa, before leaving Rainbow locked in the cellar while the pair of kidnappers rested. Having been left there, tied up overnight. Rainbow had heard them close the door, leaving her locked in. She had quickly scrabbled around to bump into the wall, and some struggling later found a stick. She wasn't sure it would work but despite being blindfolded and tied up, She'd somehow managed to get a scrawl scratched on the wall. The changing had spotted this almost immediately upon entering, having been used to living in darkness on occasion. Closing the door behind her she trotted down to the Prone, and now dirty Rainbow Dash squiring away on the floor, trying to free herself. After ripping off the hood She whispered in Rainbows ear. "Your little message doesn't mean anything, even if your friends do manage to follow us. You'll be safely in the hands of my Queen Chrysalis by the time your friends even know you're gone." Rainbow froze. The mention of Queen Chrysalis sent a cold shiver down her spine. "That is, after a little detour to see that damn Cat, who apparently knows another little friend of yours." Rainbow Dash tried to cry out in protest. A cat? There was only one cat (other than Opal, that Rainbow knew.) No, she couldn't mean... Not Daring, not that damn Ahuizotl. Oh, when the girls found out, there were going to be fireworks lit under someone's ass. And oh Celestia, Spitfire was going to have her hide for not making it to training. She could forget about just being late. The changeling then gave Rainbow a couple of good kicks to the chest and Rainbow felt something crack. And then there was a hard stomp to her hip. She wasn't going to be walking properly for a while. "And that is for the broken wing!" The changeling then put the hood back on Rainbow and re-bagged her ready for the day's traveling. ------------------------------- It was late afternoon when Lightning Dust finally dumped the bagged and tied up Rainbow Dash off her back onto the floor with a thump. "Rainbow Dash heard Ahuizotl say "well what do we have here? Daring's little friend?" Lightning Dust took a step and sounded like she was standing between Rainbow and Ahuizotl. "How about my payment? I brought you this annoying brat. I want my pay!" Ahuizotl huffed. "I need to see the merchandise first to make sure this is Daring's new sidekick. Otherwise it won't be enough to tempt her out and into my trap." The bag was unzipped and the hood removed, so that Rainbow could finally see she was in some kind of cat camp in the clearing. Obviously Ahuizotl's from the description that raced across her mind from one of the Daring's books. Lighting Dust was still standing between her and the overgrown cat, while the Changeling was behind her still holding the hood. "See? As promised, except maybe a few minor injuries. Now about my money!" He clapped his hands together delighted. "Wonderful.” He then pulled a money bag out. "Here is your 1,500 bits like we agreed." Lightning Dust took the money and turned to look at Rainbow on the floor. "Well, have fun playing with your new 'friends', it's a shame your old friends won't bail you out this time, loser." Rainbow tried to yell out to warn Lightning about the Changeling's threat, but it just came out as a muddled moan through the muzzle. Once Lightning Dust had gone, The changeling stepped up and spoke. "When can I take her? How long will this little 'adventure' of yours take, before I can take her to my queen? You know she is impatient." "Oh, it shouldn't take too long. Only another day or two." He then produced a pair of scissors and cut a bit of Rainbow's mane and passed it to a nearby cat. "Take this to Daring's house. If she's not there, you can leave it for her and she'll get the message as soon as she gets back from whatever pit she's crawling through." In a single hand, Ahuizotl swept Rainbow Dash up and carried her across the camp to the far side. Next to his Throne was a wooden cage suspended in the air. Before bundling Rainbow into the cage, he punched both her wings and broke them, leaving Rainbow howling in pain as she was bundled into the cage. Shortly afterward, she passed out.