//------------------------------//
// The Littlest Cowboy Rides Again 
// Story: A day at Equestria Land 
// by The Blue EM2 
//------------------------------//

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy stood outside the entrance of the Wild Blue Wonder. Rainbow Dash's legs were shaking and her face was red, no doubt she had no voice left. Fluttershy, on the other hand, looked calmly at the sky with a smile on her face. "That was actually kind of... fun."

Rainbow Dash chuckled. Totally! That's why I didn't want to get off! I was just saying what you would've said." Her laugh did little to disguise either her nerves or the adrenaline flowing through her veins. "That's all."

Fluttershy flashed a sympathetic smile the athlete's way. "You were very brave."

"You two, by the way."

Just then, Vignette appeared and approached them. "Excuse me, can Butterfly and me speak for a bit? If that's totally cool with you."

"It's Fluttershy," Rainbow Dash told her. "And that ought to be OK."

Vignette looked confused. "I thought you were Rainbow Dash. I've seen that video of you being knocked over whilst-"

"FLUTTERSHY'S OVER THERE!" Rainbow Dash retorted, pointing to her timid friend, who indeed did not look so timid now, in an effort to stop Vignette from mentioning that moment at the Battle of the Bands. Not her finest hour.

"Thank you. See you later!" Vignette walked off and took Fluttershy with her over to a backstage building, whilst Rainbow Dash looked up at the Wild Blue Wonder again, pondering whether to go back on.

Elsewhere, over at the backstage building, out of sight of anybody else, Vignette began speaking to Fluttershy. "So, I have a totally new awesome idea for your band. Hashtag rebrand. It'll totally rejig your fanbase and get you a new user market." Seeing the look of confusion on Fluttershy's face, she paused and then went on with her spiel. "I know what you're thinking. 'But, Vignette, how can I ever thank you for coming up with such a brilliant idea for the parade'?"

Fluttershy still wasn't totally sure what was being asked. "I don't understand. You want me to pretend I'm someone else tonight?"

Vignette nodded so vigorously her head would have gone flying if she hadn't had a neck attached to it. "Everyone in the band has a new role. It's part of my BOLD, NEW VISION!  All caps, Helvetica, sixty five. "Fluttershy: Bad Girl". Spiked hair,  ripped tights. I've already commissioned an A list graffiti/sneaker artist to tag up a custom guitar. How do you feel about skulls? B. Y. B. B."

It was clear by now that Vignette had no interest in actually using the Rainbooms as a band and only wanted to use them as a marketing trick. "Uh, maybe I, um... shouldn't do it. At all."

Vignette looked utterly baffled at the idea of somebody saying no to her. But she sighed and her face softened. "You're right. If collabing isn't your thing, that's your life decision to make. But I just thought of a way for us both to get exactly what we want."

"I don't write fanfiction," Fluttershy replied. "And you did?"

Vignette laughed, a cruel smile on her face. "Of course! Getting what I want is what I do best, sweetie." She held her camera phone thing up. "Now say 'cheese'!"

Seconds later, she pressed the 'take' button, and Fluttershy was reduced to a digital stream of data, vanishing to nowhere in particular. "Sorry, Fluttershy. You'll thank me later."





About half an hour later on the other side of the park, Applejack had suddenly run into Cozy Glow, who looked confused and had a look of surprise on her face. "What's goin' on, sugarcube?"

"I think Equestrian magic's on the loose!" the younger girl cried. "I was over in the Wonderbolt Academy section of the park and heard a strange whooshing sound like a file being downloaded. Then I heard the park proprietor saying something about Fluttershy thanking her later. And now, I can't find Fluttershy anywhere in the park, and neither can Zephyr!"

Applejack nodded. Truth be told, she had not thought positively of Vignette, as Rarity seemed to have forgotten her friendship with her over pleasing her new boss. "Ah'll look inta it," she said. "Thanks fer the info, Cozy!"

"No problem!" Cozy replied, and headed off to join the Crusaders, who were currently trying to win at Wac a Mole and failing horribly. Applejack set off into the crowd.





At the same time, Pear was walking through the arcade section (and she had no clue why that was there, as it completely broke the immersion the park was trying to create) to try and get to the Yakyakistan section of the park (which was where the next ride she wanted to go on was, Prince Rutherford's Yakyakistan Stomp). Seeing all the clearly rigged arcade games, she suddenly heard Sunset shout loudly at Flim and Flam, the notorious pawnbrokers and con artists.

"IT'S NOT ABOUT THE PARAKEET!"

Seconds later, a giant stuffed parakeet flew past Pear, narrowly missing her, and landed in the hands of a young boy who had previously been seen in the mall. Why this is of note is a mystery to me, given that Juniper was firmly in LA at this point. Anyhoo, Pear continued on at this weird scene, and came across her daughter and her friends brandishing hammers and trying to wack moles (and failing, as the moles were vanishing faster than they could react).

"I could just smash this thing!" Scootaloo exclaimed loudly.

"These moles can't be hit! They're moving too fast!" Sweetie Belle added.

"This ain't the most productive use of yer time, is it?" Pear asked them.

The four girls looked sheepishly at her, and promptly put the hammers back. "Shall we go on some more rides?" Apple Bloom suggested, and looked to Pear. "Where are ya headin', Ma?"

"Yakyakistan," Pear replied. "Wanna join me?"

"Let's go!" Scootaloo called, and they headed off toward that area of the park.





Somewhere else entirely, Rainbow Dash had been co opted into talking with Vignette, who was trying the same trick on Rainbow Dash as she had on Fluttershy. Judging from the look of frustration on Vignette's face, it wasn't working. "Rarity told me you're the coolest, smartest friend who knows what's the opposite of down. What's up!"

"The sky?" Rainbow Dash suggested. "But yeah, I know what cool is."

Vignette went on, continuing to be annoying. "I have a bold new vision for the Rainbooms that you are going to love! The Throwbacks! Capital T, HashtagTBT, Throwback Today. Or for short,  T. C. T. H. T. B. T. [T. B. T.], pronounced "ta-ca-ta-ca-ba-ta"! You are going to represent the touchstones of cool throughout the ages!"

Rainbow Dash nodded. "Sounds cool to me. I like it so far, and I assume I'll like what you say next."

Vignette brought up an image showing her vision. Rainbow Dash's face instantly fell. 'Rainbow Dash: '50s Sockhop Sweetheart"! Poodle skirt, adorable blonde hair. How do you feel about shaving your head? I only ask 'cause you'll  definitely have to do it for the wig."

Rainbow Dash looked horrified. "There is NO WAY I am wearing something that long! I used to wear sport skirts, I know, but that would make it almost impossible to move. Besides, there is no way anyone is shaving my head."

"B. Y. B. B?"

Rainbow Dash smirked. "B. I. A. A. T. B. But I already am the best?"

Vignette's face fell. "Well, if you insist on just, ugh, being yourself or whatever, then at least let me take a picture of the real you." Once again, she took a picture of Rainbow Dash, and she was also teleported out of the park, suffering the same fate as Fluttershy.





Pear suddenly saw Applejack darting out of a security booth and heading toward the back of the park. "What's she doin' in the security section?" she asked. "And why are there no guards?"

She, out of curiosity, walked into the security booth, Apple Bloom joining her. On the screen were banks of screens, monitors, and other information for keeping the park running. Suddenly, one screen caught her attention; Rainbow Dash being zapped by Vignette. "Ah knew that woman was no good!" she said.

There was a crash next to her, and she saw Apple Bloom smack into the console. "Are ya OK?" she asked.

Apple Bloom pulled herself back up. "Ah'm good!" she replied. She then pointed to the image. "It's stopped!"

Pear glanced closely at it, and then pressed the same button her daughter had bashed into. The video then began playing again. "We were watchin' a recordin' the entire time. This could have happened at any time!"

"Oh well," said the voice of Vignette, looking at them from the open door with a triumphant smirk on her face. "Care to join them? I can't have you ruining my perfect park, can I?"

She took the image. Both Pear and Apple Bloom vanished into nothingness. But Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo had witnessed the entire scene, and ran off to the backstage area to try and find their siblings.