//------------------------------// // A Mammoth of a Problem VI // Story: Rainbow Dash's Unstoppable Ego // by MagicS //------------------------------// Larkon’s big feet kicked away the little bits of snow still left on the sidewalk. The streets were mostly absent of snow but that was because they needed to make sure no carts slid about on the paved road. The sidewalks weren’t as big a deal when it came to snow removal and a generous amount of snow and frost was still stuck up on the trees that sat on the sidewalk anyways. Larkon and Dash both saw a couple of mammoths out already, pulling along carts down the street or walking on the sidewalk on the other side. Like yesterday they stopped to gape at Rainbow Dash or wave. Meaning her appearance here in this city wasn’t exactly seen as normal yet. But she spied a few mammoths who were carrying newspapers in their trunks so at least the word about her was spreading. “Give it a day or two and you’ll fit right in,” Larkon told Dash. Before they had left he also put on a red velvet top hat that (in his opinion) made him look quite dapper. “Sure about that? I mean it’s not like you can back that up with any evidence,” she said back to him. “I’m sure,” he nodded. “We’re a naturally curious and friendly people. By tomorrow or the day after everyone will be waving and smiling back to you or stopping you on the road and asking you questions. Everyone will work to make you feel at home. We’re on our best behavior for our first visitor, they all know the importance of showing you the absolute best mammoths have to offer. It’s just still a little difficult to adjust for some of them.” Rainbow Dash flew alongside him quietly for a second, thinking. “Soo… not to be rude or anything but does that mean you guys are… kind of faking it? A little?” Larkon didn’t seem offended, but a sad smile still grew on his face. “I suppose you could put it that way. We know that you’re a traveler and you can spread the word about us far and wide… we—I—just want you to come away with a favorable view of us. Even if it isn’t completely genuine and mammoths are acting nicer to you just because they know it’s important, I want you to see us and our city at our absolute best. I want the rest of the world to know how friendly, welcoming, and peaceful we are.” “I don’t mind,” Dash shrugged. “I’ve got a friend who would say you should just be totally upfront and honest about this stuff but I mean, you guys are definitely nice, so it’s not like you’re lying about that. If you’ve got a bad reputation you’re trying to change then hey, good luck. When I get home I’ll tell Twilight all about you guys.” “Thank you, I suppose it’s a little selfish of me to want that from you since you’re supposed to be our guest, but still,” Larkon awkwardly rubbed his head. “Don’t worry, I know all about being selfish,” she winked. Larkon chuckled. “Really? You seemed to make yourself sound quite admirable when you told us your tale.” “Everything I said was true but right now I’m still just looking for an adventure to have fun on. And seriously, I get it’s a big deal for you guys to change your image. So don’t worry about it. If you want to treat me like something special I’m definitely not gonna complain.” “Hahahaha, very well!” He clapped her on the back with his trunk, gently. “I hope that we can provide enough fun and excitement for you too then, we can both help each other.” “Hope so. Looking forward to it,” she grinned. “And speaking of looking forward to something...” Larkon trailed off and crossed the street, going in the direction of a narrower side street that traveled south. “Going to that first surprise you were talking about?” Dash asked as she flew up to him. He nodded. “Quite. Just a few buildings down and you’ll see.” In fact though, she smelled before she saw. It was a familiar type of smell that you would find in any town or city. A few distinct scents that mixed together into the unmistakable aroma of “coffee shop”. So that’s what the surprise was, he was taking her someplace to eat. She didn’t know what the big deal about that was but she was hungry enough this morning that she wasn’t going to complain. Hopefully whatever food or beverages they sold there came in sizes a little more manageable for her though. Sure enough they soon came to a cozy looking brick building with a smoking chimney on top and a glass storefront. As Dash looked inside she saw a number of mammoths sitting at tables, sipping on their coffee and eating freshly baked bread. That was another thing—there was lots of bread in display cases under the counter. It wasn’t just a coffee shop it was a bakery too. Rainbow Dash breathed in that fresh aroma through her nose and let out a delighted sigh, causing Larkon to chuckle. “I see you’re eager to go in.” “You bet. So what’s special about this place that you wanted to keep it a surprise.” “Hm, it’s my personal favorite place in the entire city to get breakfast, and I also just wanted to get you excited for your first meal in a restaurant here and not my home.” She cracked her neck and hooves in anticipation. “Well let’s see how good it is then!” Larkon opened up the front door and a little bell above it rang, the mammoth working the register looked up and smiled. She was an older mammoth, with heavy eye-shadow and lipstick on her graying fur. Besides that she wore a green apron and a plastic sleeve on her trunk. “Larkooohuuuh?” She let out an exaggeratedly long gasp when she realized Larkon wasn’t the only person who had walked in. The bell and her reaction got the other patrons of the shop to look up from what they were doing and also see Rainbow Dash. Now the whole place realized that the blue pony they had read about in the newspaper was floating right here before them. “Y-You’re that pony from the paper—Rainbow Dash!” She cried in amazement. “I had read that Larkon was taking care of you...” “Yes, yes, but let’s calm down Norma. I’m showing Rainbow Dash around the city today and since I come here practically every morning for breakfast that I can I couldn’t think of a better place to come by first than your shop,” he looked around at the others. “What say we give Rainbow Dash a warm welcome, huh folks?” The screeching of chairs echoed throughout the shop as the mammoths stood up to politely greet their special guest. All of the customers stomped over to her with such gusto that she was worried the whole place would come down. Instead she just got a flurry of trunks and feet thrown into her face that she was forced to shake while the mammoths smiled widely and barraged her with pleasantries. “It’s nice to meet you!” “Rainbow Dash, yes? I read your whole story!” “You’re truly amazing!” “I can’t believe such a thing has happened, welcome to our city!” Rainbow Dash was forced to shoot off rapid-fire thanks to the mob as fast as possible. “Thanks, thanks, glad you guys are excited too, your city is pretty cool so far.” Etc. etc. “Okay everyone, calm down just a little bit,” Larkon stepped between Rainbow Dash and the others. “Don’t need things to get that warm.” Rainbow Dash and the other mammoths laughed in good nature. In truth she was actually having fun since these guys weren’t just staring at her and waving, they were actually coming to talk to her. This was kind of her first opportunity to get to know some mammoths that weren’t around her just because of work too. Just regular mammoths that lived in the city like the average ponies of Ponyville. “These are the regulars here at Norma’s shop. Perhaps you’ll get to know them well during your stay here,” Larkon told her. “I hope,” Rainbow Dash smiled at him and then looked around the shop at the others and Norma. “So obviously you guys all read about me in the paper? If you got any questions just ask—er, after Larkon and I get some food.” She added at the end. The customers happily acquiesced and went back to their seats while Larkon and Rainbow Dash went up to the counter, since she didn’t know what was on the menu she let him take the lead here and decide what they were having. Norma was more than happy to give her her meal on the house and Dash ended up with a piping hot cup of coffee and a roll of bread that had a skin of herbs baked into the top. And her cup of coffee was literally that, a smaller measuring cup that had been temporarily requisitioned for Rainbow Dash’s use so she didn’t have to use one of their huge mugs. The roll of bread had been cut in half for her too. Larkon kept his own cup of coffee black but Rainbow Dash put some cream and a massive amount of sugar in hers. When they sat down she drank half of it in one gulp and boy did that feel good. The other customers were trying not to make it obvious how much they were watching Rainbow Dash but she still saw them excitedly looking over and smiling at her every now and then. For now though she just wanted to eat and talk to Larkon. Even though it was kind of embarrassing to sit on top of a box that had been placed on the chair so she could actually make it to the brim of the table. Taking a big bite out of her bread she savored the taste and the interesting flavors that came with the mixed herbs. “Mmm, this is really good.” “Thank you!” Norma said from behind the counter. Dash nodded in appreciation to her. Did mammoths have really good hearing because of their big ears? She hadn’t even said that that loudly. “She also sells muffins and bagels some days. Maybe tomorrow we can come back,” Larkon told her. “Works for me. Your wife doesn’t get mad you don’t have her cooking for breakfast?” Dash asked. Larkon shook his head. “She’s not an early riser like I am, most of the mammoths you see here are though, just like me. We come to Norma’s to get our fix in the morning since a lot of other places just don’t open up for breakfast at all.” “Makes sense,” she said and bit into her bread again. She had to chew quite a bit to swallow it all down. “So what are these herbs and stuff on it anyways?” “Basil, rosemary, and oregano,” Larkon answered. Pinkie is definitely a fan of sweet stuff when it comes to baking but I wonder if I can get her to make something like this when I come back home? Rainbow Dash thought. She took the last sip of her very sweetened coffee and set the cup down, letting out a pleased sigh and leaning back into her big chair. She glanced back over at Norma behind the counter and smiled. “Hey! The coffee and bread were both great! I’ll totally be back again sometime.” Norma actually did a little hop in excitement despite her age. “Goody! I can’t believe the first pony to ever visit our city came to my shop! Thank you, Larkon!” She waved her trunk at him before walking out from behind the counter and extending it to Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash took it in her hoof and was immediately shaken with enough force that some of her feathers came out. Finally Norma stopped and Rainbow Dash was left a frazzled mess on top of her box. “I really can’t tell you how happy I am that you liked my bread and coffee. Please tell me, what is your favorite food back in Equestria? What do ponies eat?” Norma asked her. Rainbow Dash had the distinct feeling of deja vu but she guessed it was time for her to take some questions and talk with the other mammoths here. “Favorite food is a peanut butter and zap apple jam sandwich. Favorite drink is some good apple cider. And we ponies normally eat oats and hay and carrots and stuff.” Norma nodded the whole time. “Mhm… we have peanut butter and carrots but not the other things. Maybe I can still make you a good peanut butter sandwich one day?” “Yeah, that’d be great!” Dash nodded enthusiastically. No apple cider was kind of a letdown but fruit probably didn’t grow too well up here. “Good one of those and I’ll have enough energy to be extra awesome the rest of the day.” “Just make sure you keep eating plenty of my wife’s food too,” Larkon winked at her. “No problem there,” Rainbow Dash snorted, sarcastically rolling her eyes. “Um, excuse us?” Rainbow Dash and Larkon looked over to see that the other patrons had come up around their table and were eagerly awaiting their turn to talk to Rainbow Dash now. She was probably going to be barraged by questions again. Good. She’d play up her awesomeness as much as possible (not like she needed to exaggerate about how amazing she was or anything) and try to figure out what the average mammoth was like. Whatever they wanted to know or learn about when it came to Equestria she’d be happy to answer and she could hear what their lives were like here at the same time. She might get a little bit tired if it kept happening the rest of the day though. But for now it was still too good an opportunity to pass up, and who knows? Maybe she’d make some more friends?