//------------------------------// // Act 3: Once Bitten, Twice Dashing // Story: Ponyfinder: Master of the Wind // by Mystic Mind //------------------------------// If the first journey into the Everfree’s depths had been awkward, now it was doubly so. Rainbow Dash was still tearing scraps of leather off her body, while Fluttershy was still spitting out hair from her mouth. Gee, such a brilliant choice I’ve got, Dash thought. Walk around butt naked in the woods or get dressed and mind controlled by talking trees. She shuddered at the thought. If only Fluttershy’s magic would work properly, she could get a warding spell, or conveniently placed fig leaves. Something, anything to hide her bits from view. She thought back to the times she would zoom out of the Carousel Boutique at top speed, racing home to change out of Rarity’s experimental dresses. What I wouldn’t give for that maid outfit right now… No matter where her mind wondered, her thoughts looped back to the battle just past. And each time it did, the feeling of butterflies in her stomach intensified. If Fluttershy went feral again, there was no telling how long she’d have to be petted before returning to normal. “Ugh…” she groaned under her breath, hoping Fluttershy didn’t hear. Unfortunately, she did. “What’s up, Dash?” Fluttershy asked with a concerned frown. “Oh, hehe, it- it’s nothing, really,” Dash lied, forcing a smile. “Just a little worn out after that fight, I guess. I’ll be fine!” “It’s okay, Dash,” Fluttershy smiled back. “You don’t have to hide your worries. I’ll listen if you need.” “W-well, now that you mentioned it,” Dash stammered, trying and failing to stop her cheeks go red. “There is one thing I’ve been meaning to tell you…” “I’m listening,” Fluttershy said softly and sat under a tree, gesturing for Dash to join her. Dash declined the offer, frozen on the spot. “I… you see, the thing is, I l- … I li-” “Yes?” Fluttershy’s smile widened, leaning in with anticipation. “I lied about the spaghetti incident at the weather factory when I was ten!” “Ah, I knew you’d come around even- wait, what?” Dash made a show of burying her face in her hands. “I never dyed my hair orange. I meant to tell you the truth one day, I swear!” Fluttershy blinked, her expression blank. “Well… okay. I forgive you, I guess?” “Oh wow that is a relief glad I got it off my chest can we go now?” Dash grabbed Fluttershy’s hand, pulling her away before she could process what she just heard. “Um, Rainbow Dash?” “What’s up, Flutters?” “Do you mean to take us back the way we came?” Dash skidded to a halt. “Oh,” she said and let out an awkward chuckle. “Sorry, lead the way.” With Flutterhy’s attention back on the road, Dash discretely glanced across her back, looking for any remnants of her cat form. As if on cue, a loud wolf-whistle rang through the treetops, turning Rainbow Dash’s face beat red. The worst part was, this wasn’t just any wolf-whistle. This was a familiar wolf whistle. “Well, well, look who we have here,” the voice said, dropping in front of them. “Never thought I’d catch a bunch of dweebs doin’ sexy times all the way out here.” “Gilda,” Dash said through gritted teeth. “Nice to see you too, Dash,” Gilda replied sarcastically. She was a tall girl, as most of the Griffon Clan were, standing a full head higher than Rainbow Dash. Her simple, form-fitting attire did well to show off her barrel chest muscles and thick biceps. In fact, her outfit was not unlike the clothes Dash had lost: a sleeveless tunic with matching trousers, plus her own, distinctive pair of winged boots. Flicking back her white fringe—a stark colour contrast to her bronze skin—she stood with her hands on her hips and a smug grin plastered across her face. “Never figured you’d be one of those… ‘exhibitionists’, I think you pony clan folk call them. But hey, since your girlfriend is in the buff, I don’t blame you for gettin’ a little frisky!” “She is not my girlfriend!” Dash sneered back. Fluttershy cringed at that remark, though she didn’t know if it was due to Gilda’s presence, or if it was her own rejection of romance. “Oh, please. Don’t give me that cliché bullshit,” Gilda rolled her eyes. “I saw you staring at her butt just now. I’ve known you both since Jr. Flight Camp, Dash. I know bedroom eyes when I see them.” “What do you want, Gilda?” Dash asked with an exasperated sigh. She was starting to grow tired of being mocked for her nudity. “Last I checked, you wanted nothing to do with us ‘dweebs’.” “What, do I need a reason to chat with an old pal of mine?” Gilda retorted, fluttering her eyes innocently. “Oh, drop the act, Gilda,” Dash shot back with a huff. “You’ve never been this friendly, even as a kid. So, cut the crap and give it to me straight: what’s your deal?” Gilda sighed, her expression returning its usual state of mild disgruntlement. “Alright, alright. I hoped we’d get this over quickly, but if you have to make it complicated...” “Dash?” Fluttershy asked meekly, shivering. “Don’t worry, Fluttershy,” Dash replied, puffing out her chest. “I’ll protect you from this old ‘pal’ of mine.” “A-actually, I was wondering if… if maybe I could kick her butt first?” “Sure thing, Fluttershy, you can- wait, what did you say?” Dash and Gilda looked at each other and shrugged. “Huh. Now this isa surprise,” Gilda said. “Seems the cowardly druid grew a backbone after all.” “Fluttershy, are you sure about this?” Dash asked wearily. “It’s okay, Dash. I can handle it.” Fluttershy smiled, a smile that melted Rainbow Dash’s heart every time she saw it. “Alright,” Dash agreed and relaxed her shoulders – though her hand remained on her sword’s hilt. “Just don’t forget, I’ve got your back.” “Ugh, enough with the sappy stuff,” Gilda groaned. “Just hurry up and fight me, you dweebs!” In a single, swift motion, Gilda became airborne. Pulling a pair of axes from her belt, she somersaulted over the duo, slashing her weapons across Dash’s back. Spinning around at the last moment, Dash narrowly parried the blows. She thrusted her gladius forward to counter attack, but only caught a glimpse of her former friend before she rolled underneath. The next strike came from just outside of Dash’s peripheral vision, scraping the edge of her shield. Sweet Celestia! Dash thought. Since when could Gilda move like that?! She blocked more than parried. Dash felt each blow impacting her shield with greater ferocity than the last. She could already feel her arms bruising from the force against the straps, to say nothing of how long the shield itself would sustain such attacks. If she was to survive this, she needed to get clever. Thinking back to her Wonderbolts training, Dash paid close attention to Gilda’s moves. The first step was always to recognize the foe’s attack patterns. Just as Spitfire had demonstrated, Dash dropped her shield and thrusted her sword forward. Her guess was close, but not close enough. Gilda’s blade scraped across the edge of Dash’s arm, drawing blood from a shallow gash. Wincing, Dash pushed herself to turn around and brace herself for the coming onslaught. Instead, she saw Gilda had had run face first into a tree. “Oh no,” Gilda remarked, toppling over backwards. “Not again.” “Oh, um, sorry,” said the tree. “Too much?” Groaning, Gilda looked up to see the tree transforming back into Fluttershy. “Dweebs,” was all she could say before losing consciousness. “I… I… what-” Dash began, only to decide against finishing her sentence. “Ugh, nevermind!” By now, nothing about Fluttershy surprised her. Moving on, the forest returned to its prior tranquillity. Dash had to admit, if she hadn’t been here to witness it all unfold, she wouldn’t have suspected anything was wrong. Whoever this ‘Fashion Master’ was, they were surprisingly discreet. Aside from the whole capturing animals and sending evil sentient trees after them. As the minutes ticked by, a persistent irritation kept flaring on the back of Rainbow Dash’s neck. No matter how much she vigorously scratched it, it just would not go away. “Hey, Fluttershy?” Dash asked. “Think you can give my neck a look over? I can’t seem to shake this annoying itch.” “Sure thing,” Fluttershy replied with a small smile. “Kneel down a moment, please.” Dropping to one knee, Dash drooped her head as Fluttershy leaned over. She kept her eyes on the ground, avoiding even a fleeting glance at Fluttershy’s breasts. The least she wanted was to be caught in another position that compromised her. She had to maintain some level of dignity, at least. “Bend over a little more, please.” Some being the key word. “How does it look?” Dash asked. “Like it hasn’t seen the sun in weeks,” Fluttershy replied dryly. “You know, Dash, being naked in nature can be great for your health. Your skin benefits from the vitamins given by Celestia’s sun.” “Spare me the lecture, Fluttershy,” Dash grumbled back. “Just give me a straight answer. Can you help me, or not?” “There’s no need to be so grumpy, Dash,” Fluttershy’s reply was indignant. “It’s just a leftover strip of leather.” “Terrific,” Dash groaned. “Just get rid of it already.” Fluttershy needed no further prompting. In one swift motion, she ripped it off. “Ow!” Dash yelled. The itchiness was gone, replaced by the rawness of freshly torn hairs. “Strange,” Fluttershy said, examining the strip as it melted in her hands. “This looks more like wax than hide.” “Yikes!” Dash exclaimed, staring at the substance as it oozed off Dash’s hand. “Glad we got it off. Mind control ain’t my style, especially when covered in stuff like that!” “Actually, that reminds me. Want me to try and make your dress again, now that my magic’s warmed up a little?” Dash pondered the question for a moment. Were magical clothes worth the risk? “No thanks, Flutters. I’ll just get my- hey, wait a minute,” Dash paused, narrowing her eyes at Fluttershy. “I thought you said your magic was blocked.” Fluttershy averted her gaze, shoving her hands behind her back. “Oh, um… Well, it kinda was, but… maybe not so much, I guess?” Dash sighed and rubbed her forehead. “Y’know what? I’m just glad your magic’s working.” Between unstable magic and the mysterious Fashion Master, not having clothes was the least of her current worries. “Y’know, if all this fighting is making me stronger, maybe the Fashion Master ain’t all that bad? By the time we find him, my magic will be so powerful, my hair will go all spiky and gold!” “I wouldn’t recommend it,” Fluttershy replied, her posture relaxing. “Tried that once when a breezie got stuck in a hornet’s nest. The poor bugs thought I was stealing their honey!” Dash cringed. “Yikes, that must’ve been painful.” Fluttershy chuckled. “Let’s go. I have plenty of strong words for this ‘Fashion Master’, when we find him.” With a wave of her hand, Fluttershy parted the trees, creating a straight path in the direction of Canterlot. As the pair journeyed uphill, Dash found herself keeping one eye permanently on Fluttershy. She’d initially justified this as remain vigilant in case of another ambush. Yet, by this point, Dash had to admit there was something else she’d noticed about her old friend which captivated her so. Throughout this adventure, Fluttershy hardly ever stopped smiling. If this had been a Wonderbolts training drill, it would have been all frowns and regulated marches. By contrast, Fluttershy was the complete opposite. During any given visit, Dash would rarely be naked for longer than the length of a skinny dip. When Fluttershy visited Ponyville, though, she always tried to dress nicely. Wrapping herself up in flowing dresses of assorted flora, all sown together with her own druidic magic – it was enough to make Rarity green with envy! Yet no matter how much they enjoyed each other’s company, it was obvious to Dash that clothing was not just a restraint on Fluttershy’s body, but on her emotions as well. Forced smiles, tugging at her skirt, hiding behind her hair in the presence of others. Hidden body, hidden desires. All for the sake of a friend and the ‘civilisation’ she lived in. Dash liked this Fluttershy so much more. Always walking with a spring in her step, eyes wide with wonder; the sight left Dash feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. Wow, I’m getting way too mushy here, she thought, scolding herself. This wasn’t the attitude that made her a Wonderbolt recruit, and certainly wasn’t how she felt rescuing her friends from Lightning Dust’s rampage. But she just couldn’t help it. That grin was infectious! A bit like the mysterious leather covering the animals blocking her path. The burning effigies of her and Fluttershy? Not so much. Leaping into action, Dash drew her sword and took her battle stance. “Hey, are all of you crows?” “Caw!” squawked the crows. “‘Cause this is going to be a murder!” “Rainbow Dash!” Fluttershy yelled, stepping in front of Dash with a deep frown. “You promised! Only kill in self-defence!” “But… I… it was just- Oh forget it!” Still, the birds payed Dash no heed. They were too busy throwing their heads back and forth in a bizarre slam dance. Coupled with the constant screaming of ferocious, guttural growls, Dash decided it was better not to provoke them. “So, Flutters,” she asked quietly. “Think we should leave them to it?” “Oh no. We can’t do that,” Fluttershy replied. “It’s still my duty to rescue them, before they hurt themselves!” Dash glanced back at the crows. A few individuals looked to be missing a feather or two, but otherwise their violent dancing didn’t appear to be doing any significant harm. “So, what do you suggest?” “Well, I do know an old trick that’s worked before.” Taking a deep breath, Fluttershy turned to confront the crows. “Just leave it to me.” Dash stared blankly, caught between curiosity towards the ‘old tick’, and fear for her friend’s safety. Though her gut churned at the thought of Fluttershy being the prime defender yet again, she thought better of objecting. Everything had worked out so far, in a roundabout way. What could possibly go wrong? And then, Fluttershy started. Singing. “Well these times are gettin' hard for you little girl I'm a hummin' and a strummin' all over Celestia's world You can't remember when you had your last meal And you don't know just how a woman feels…” Rainbow Dash’s jaw dropped. Was that a thirty-year-old Manehatten Rock ballad she was singing?! “Now it's the middle of the night on the open road Dragon fire don't work and it's oh so cold You're lookin' tired, you're lookin' kinda beat The rhythm of the street sure knocks you off your feet…” Flabbergasted, Dash watched on in awe as Fluttershy’s whole body moved to the beats of her own music. She didn’t know where this music was coming from, nor did she care; too fixated on her friend’s dance moves to care. Hips swaying, eyes closed, wind in her hair… “I said my, my, my, I'm once bitten twice, shy babe My, my, my, I'm once bitten twice shy baby My, my, my, I'm once bitten twice shy baby…” It wasn’t long before Dash noticed herself tapping along to the beat. Never mind her smile, since when did Fluttershy become such a powerful singer? That was it. Rainbow Dash couldn’t take it anymore. There was no way she was going to be serenaded by Fluttershy and not join in herself, no matter how mushy the song was! Leaping in front of Fluttershy, Dash took centre stage and the next verse; “Oh, woman you're a mess, gonna die in your sleep There's blood on my amp and my Les Pegusi’s beat Can't keep you home, you're messin' around My best friend told me you're the best lick in town… You didn't know that rock and roll burned So, you bought a candle and you lived and you learned You got the rhythm, you got the speed Mama's little baby likes it short and sweet…” Fluttershy’s eyes lit up. Entranced by Rainbow’s words and the swing of her hips, she sang louder. Together, they combined their voices to make the performance a duet. “I said my, my, my, I'm once bitten twice, shy babe My, my, my, I'm once bitten twice shy baby My, my, my, I'm once bitten twice shy baby…” Joining hands with Fluttershy, Dash looked longingly into her eyes, seeing her reflection sparkle back with greater clarity the deeper she gazed. In that moment, she forgot all about clothes, about the Fashion Master, about the Wonderbolts, or Ponyville. It was just her and the girl of her dreams, singing a sweet love song, in the buff, in the middle of a forest. And so, together, they harmonized their voices to bring the song to a close in one, grand crescendo: Alright! I didn't know you had a rock and roll record Until I saw your picture on another guy's jacket You told me I was the only one But look at you now, it's as dark as it's gone I said my, my, my, I'm once bitten twice, shy babe My, my, my, I'm once bitten twice shy baby My, my, my, I'm once bitten twice shy baby I said my, my, my, I'm once bitten twice, shy babe My, my, my, I'm once bitten twice shy baby… Breathing heavily, Rainbow Dash pulled Fluttershy into her embrace, her heart beating faster than a Sonic Rainboom. Fluttershy’s hands spread across Dash’s back, pulling herself closer and maximising skin contact. Both were blushing bright red and sweating from their performance, but Dash didn’t care. She had never told a soul before, but this was a moment she had dreamed of for countless years. “Fluttershy…” she began, taking a deep breath. This was the moment. It was time to confess the feelings that had been stewing inside since the day they met. “I lo-” Unfortunately, Rainbow Dash didn’t get to finish that sentence – cut off by an exaggerated hacking cough. She realized that, despite succeeding to get the crows’ attention, this wasn’t a good thing. At all. The crows glared at them. Their beaks opened in a way most resembling a snarl, sputtering a guttural reverb from their throats. “Erm, Fluttershy,” Dash said, gulping heavily. “I don’t think our performance went over well.” As if in queue, the crows took to the air, screaming with a blood-curdling roar that forced Dash and Fluttershy to their knees – the noise so loud that even covering their ears did little to stop the sharp ring. Circling the pair, the crows charged through in a series of vicious hit-and-run attacks – pecking and claw at their targets’ flesh. Fluttershy tried to cast a protective spell, but the crows’ onslaught broke her focus with every swoop. Dash, too, struggled to defend herself. With so many targets flying past at once, her shield counted for nought. “We’ve gotta get out of here,” she said between gritted teeth, her free hand gripping her sword. “Rainbow Dash, we can’t!” Fluttershy protested with a pained voice. “We… we have… to help the animals! They’re being controlled by the Fashion Master! We’ve got to release- Ah!” Fluttershy screamed. A crow wrapped its talons in her hair, clawing at her scalp. Dash swiped it at, but again she was too slow to hit. “That does it!” Dash screamed at the top of her lungs, unable to contain her anger any longer. Leaping to her feet, she swung her sword around with wild abandon. It didn’t matter what the crows did to her now. All she cared about was getting Fluttershy out of there. Wild magic surged around her blade with each swing, sheering apart the flock with powerful gusts of wind. “This is for attacking us!” Dash cried, her voice cracking with volatile emotion. “This is for hating on our song!” Her muscles tensed, lips curled back into her own raging snarl. “And this is for breaking up my only romantic moment with Fluttershy!” “Rainbow Dash! Stop!” With one final swing, the full power of Dash’s spell was unleashed, whipping up a raging whirlwind that sucked in everything around her. “Hang on Fluttershy!” she called, grabbing her crush’s arm. “This is gonna be a bumpy ride.” With a flap of her boots’ wings, Dash took flight with Fluttershy in tow. The extreme winds launched the pair skyward, throwing them around like rag-dolls as Dash fought for control. It was all Dash could do to keep ascending, her vision spinning in a blur of black feathers and other assorted objects. She aligned herself hard against the airflow. Rainbow Dash slowly but surely regained enough control to push herself and Fluttershy out through the top. By the time the dizziness faded, Dash found herself far above the forest canopy, gazing out across the forest expanse. Feeling herself slowing down, she pulled Fluttershy up into her arms, gliding into a gentle descent towards the clearing.