“Fluttershy! Fluttershy, over here!” Fluttershy turned, brushing a stray strand of pink hair from her eyes. She smiled and waved as Pinkie Pie raced over to hug her tightly, followed by a far more sedate Rarity.
“There you are, darling. I thought we were going to meet by the soccer field this morning?” Rarity cocked her head slightly as Pinkie Pie released Fluttershy, allowing the slight girl to breathe.
“I-I know I just… was hoping to be here when…” Fluttershy faded off. She looked at her hands, almost scared to finish her thought.
Rarity pursed her lips together and nodded. “You were hoping to find Sunset Shimmer before anyone else could. Is that right?”
A simple nod was Rarity’s answer as Fluttershy lay her hand on the statue base. “We made a promise…”
“You are right, darling. We did promise the Princess. Although I still want an apology for that whole deal with the Spring Fling.” Rarity steamed for a moment before tossing her hair. “But, that can wait until later of course. Now, are you certain she’ll be here?”
Fluttershy nodded again. “I get here really early on Wednesday, you know, to pass out flyers. And even with how early I get here Sunset is always here before me…”
“Except not today? That is sooo weird! I wonder if It’s connected to the school being completely back to normal?” Pinkie bounced from foot to foot at she pointed at where Sunset had ripped the doors off the school. But, there they were, back and good as new.
“Hooey, and don’t that just beat all? Ah was half x’pecting we’d be sent back home today. Why ah even had AB stay home.” Applejack whistled as she walked over to join her friends. “RD will be here soon. She’s just finishin’ an early morning soccer practice.”
“Do you have any idea how such damage could be repaired so quickly? I mean heavens, it’s only been two full days and those were the weekend. Don’t most construction firms mostly work only on weekdays?” Rarity walked over to where Twilight had helped Sunset up out of the crater. There wasn’t even an indication that it had been there. “How peculiar… Fluttershy, darling, you live nearby don’t you. Did you see anything unusual on any of your walks to visit your animal friends?”
Fluttershy twirled a lock of her hair as she thought. Finally she nodded. “Yes. I did see something a little odd… Um on Sunday morning the road was closed off. It looked like normal road closure at first but…”
“But what, sugarcube? Don’t be afraid. We’re all your friends, after all.” Applejack smiled, laying a gentle hand on her shoulder and causing Fluttershy to smile.
“Y-you’re right. Alright, I crept a bit closer just because, well I was curious. I snuck through one of the forest paths I know, and that's when I saw them. A bunch of men… maybe ten or fifteen of them. They were all wearing black suits and sunglasses. They also had those bluetooth radios in their ears… They were all around this part of the school… A-and like five of them were over there.” Fluttershy pointed over at the summer storage unit. “Then I thought one of them had seen me, so I ran away and hid under my bed until late last night.”
“Guys in suits, really?” Rainbow Dash walked over to them, still in her soccer uniform and a towel over her shoulders. “Yeesh! I was so intent on finding you guys that I skipped my shower. So, where's Shimmer? I mean we’re supposed to try and play nice with her, right? Princess’ order?” Rainbow smirked, then blinked. “Whoa. They really worked fast at-hey Pinkie, where are you going?”
Pinkie was already halfway to the storage shed when she turned around. “Well, Fluttershy said A bunch of those men in suits were by the storage shed, right?” She saw a few nods from her friends and grinned. “So, since we’re all here, and Shimmy isn’t, maybe those guys have something to do with it! And since so many of them were over here, Shimmy has to be involved. Hurry up!”
After a moment, the other girls shrugged and joined Pinkie at the storage shed. They watched as she pulled a bobby pin from her hair and worked it into the lock, her tongue poking out of her mouth, until finally they door swung open.
“How did you…?” Rainbow Dash started, then held up a hand. “No, never mind. I don’t want to know.” She wrinkled her nose. “Oh, jeeze! I’d know that smell anywhere. That is bleach and a bunch of it!”
“Bleach? Who would use bleach in the storage shed and why?” Rarity asked as she took a small sniff and covered her nose. “Oh, my. I don’t even use this much when I bleach fabric!”
“Nah, this much is used only to clean up something that people don’t want found.” Applejack frowned. She crossed arms, smell not bothering her. “Like blood.”
“Blood? Wh-why would there be blood in here?” Fluttershy turned to, Applejack her eyes wide. “Do you think someone was hurting some poor animals here?”
“Sure do, if you consider a unicorn a poor animal,” Applejack noted, glancing over as Rainbow Dash’s eyes widened
“Oh my gosh! Those men in suits you saw, Fluttershy, they must be government agents like from ET! Shimmer must have tried to run and they cornered her here and…”
Fluttershy’s eyes widened. “No! We promised the princess! We have to go help her!”
Rainbow Dash wrapped an arm around Fluttershy and grinned. “Don’t you worry for even a second. Here's what we’re gonna do. We’re gonna skip class, track down these men in suits, beat em with those powers Sparkle gave us and bring Shimmer back!”
“Or… you could simply ask someone who might know where Miss Shimmer is. Like, oh, possibly me?”
As one, the five teenagers slowly turned around to see Vice Principal Luna standing there with her arms crossed and a raised eyebrow. “Because I do know where Miss Shimmer is. She is at home. I suspended her along with Snips and Snails for a week. Now I suggest you five head to class.” She paused consideringly. “Except you, Miss Dash. I want you to come with me.”
Rainbow Dash gulped. She glanced at her friends as Pinkie sadly waved to her.
“Now, Miss Dash!” Luna’s voice brooked no argument. Rainbow quickly jogged after her vice-principal as she walked into the school and down the hall, only pausing as she heard a muffled yelp from her sister’s office. Rolling her eyes in a manner she hoped would not be observed, she opened the door to see her niece on the floor She was rubbing her head, a drawer full of papers on the floor beside her. Luna winced as she walked in and helped the young woman up.
“Are you alright?” Luna asked, before bending down to put Celestia’s drawer back in place.
“I’ll be fine, Auntie. Ouch! I should have remembered Auntie Celestia’s obsession with her odd filling...Don’t worry. I won’t make that mistake again.” She reached into her bag and pulled out a laptop with the Shadow Bolt logo. “This should work…”
“Wait a minute, that's the-!” Rainbow Dash quickly closed her mouth as she realised what she had heard. “Heh, heh, I mean, um, hi?”
Luna rubbed her forehead. “Miss Dash, I’d like you to meet Mi Amore Cadenza. She is my niece, and the Dean at Crystal Prep. I’m sure you’ll see much of one another over this week.”
Cadance looked up with a smile. “Dean Cadance is fine. Don’t worry. I’m just here as a favor for my Aunt Celestia. Nothing I learn here will be used against any of you.” She rolled her eyes. “Such a foolish practice.” She smiled. “I hope we can get along at least while I’m here, Miss... Dash, was it?”
“Uh, yeah, Rainbow Dash. And sure, that's cool. But where is Principal Celestia?” Rainbow rubbed the back of her head.
Cadance glanced over to Luna, who sighed.“Come on into my office, Miss Dash. Cadenza, do be careful, hmm?”
Cadance blushed and nodded. Luna led Rainbow Dash to her office, hand on her shoulder. Luna sat behind her desk. She nodded to Rainbow Dash, who closed the door and took her very familiar seat.
“So uh… Have you redecorated?” Rainbow grinned nervously
“Rainbow Dash, I am taking a huge risk in informing you of any of this. However, the Princess did refer to you as Loyalty, did she not?” Luna asked, folding her hands on top of her desk as Rainbow squirmed.
“Uh, well, yeah. That’s me, Loyalty! I’d never leave a friend hanging!”
“And is Miss Shimmer a friend?” Luna asked, watching as Rainbow seemed to slump in her seat.
“I...I don’t know. Sparkle… She asked us to take care of her, you know? And Sparkle she… she really did a lot. I mean look at the school today! I bet it’ll be like you’d never imagine! She changed us! She...changed me. Even if I never see her again, she’ll be my best friend for life.” She frowned “But Shimmer… Shimmer almost destroyed the greatest friendships I ever had.” Rainbow thrust her hands into the air. “Sometimes I don’t know what to do!”
Luna smiled softly “But?” She gently urged the teenager.
“But...I wanna try… I mean… Sparkle seemed to think she was worth the trust...So yeah. Shimmer may not be my friend… yet, but I won’t leave her hanging.” Rainbow finally finished with a smile. “Everyone deserves a second chance, right?”
Luna nodded. She slid a piece of paper over to Rainbow Dash. “Here you are, Miss Dash.”
“Uh? What’s this? It looks like an address?” Rainbow Dash read the the address a few times in her head, wondering if she’d ever seen it before. Nope, not familiar.
“That is the address to Celestia and my home. It is also where Miss Shimmer is staying. I want you to gather Miss Shimmer’s homework each day and bring it to her during her suspension. She’d be devastated if her GPA fell due to this week.”
Rainbow’s eyes widened as she took another look at the address.
“I hope I do not have to say this, but this is very personal information I am trusting you with Miss Dash. Were any other student to learn the location of my home I would be very cross. Am I clear?”
Rainbow nodded. She shoved the paper into her short’s pocket. “Yes, Ma’am! Crystal!”
“Good. I trust you, Miss Dash. Do not give me reason to regret doing so.” Luna paused, then signed her name to a pass. “Give this to your homeroom teacher. Go and have your shower before you head there.” Luna smiled gently as she handed the pass over.
“Thanks, Vice-Principal Luna. I was kinda worried about stinking until lunch.” Rainbow took the pass thankfully.
“Mmm, I do understand. Celestia played soccer while we were in school. Now go on, Miss Dash. That pass is only good for your homeroom, after all.”
She stood up and opened the door to watch Rainbow hurry down the hallway. She leaned against the door frame. “Prove the Princess true, Miss Dash. I know you can.” Luna shook her head and headed back into her office. It was going to be a long day.