E.Q.U.E.S.T.R.I.A Spies: The Witch of Darkness (10#)
Chapter 1: Getting into Trouble.
"The Islastone…"
~A young prince was having an unusual dream. He awoke with a start and found himself lying on the floor of his bedchamber. Trembling slightly, he rose and crossed to the window. His room was on the third floor of the palace and faced south over the royal gardens. Beyond the starlit lawns and shadowy trees the sleeping city of Asteral lay quiet and still. The prince gazed thoughtfully at the shimmering starry skyline of the homeland he knew and loved so well. He glanced at the gold ring on his second finger. It was set with a silvery fragment of stone that flickered in response. He breathed the night air deeply and felt a thrill run through his body.~
"My destiny calls me. It has spoken." He uttered the words quietly but firmly to himself.
~In Canterlot City, on an early Saturday morning, the Rainbooms were out at the park for some exercise and fresh air.~
"Pinkie, catch!"
"Got it!~"
"Oh, be careful, you two…you might spook the neighbouring amphibians…!"
~Rainbow Dash threw a football at Pinkie Pie and she jumped and caught the ball with both hands. Nearby, Fluttershy was crouching over the nearby pond, and shielding a few frogs with her arms. Lightning Star was beside her.~
"Don't worry, Fluttershy! Me and my raccoon tail will be ready in case the ball rolls anywhere NEAR that pond!" Lightning said optimistically while pointing to herself.
"T-Thank you, Lightning…"
~Lightning playfully swings her tail around in protection as Fluttershy peers over the pond. She waited patiently as one frog after another popped its head out of the water. The flakes of fish food drifted across the surface and she willed them to eat it. Her cowgirl friend, Applejack, watched her before she looked back up at Rainbow and Pinkie, a feeling of worry was across her face.~
"Rainbow Dash, I know this football tournament is important to ya, but, y'know that sports games ain't allowed in the park…" Applejack pointed to a 'No Sports sign' just above her head.
"Calm down, AJ, it's just a game. Me and Pinkie will be careful, I promise." Rainbow retorted.
"Yeah, what could go wrong?!" Pinkie shrugged.
~Pinkie rolled the ball across the ground like a bowling ball to Rainbow's foot and, with a lot of force in her leg muscles, Rainbow Dash kicks. The ball begins to head in Rarity's direction. She was sitting on a bench with Twilight Sparkle and Sunset Shimmer, doing makeup and staring at herself in a pocket mirror. She spotted the ball zooming towards her and screamed. She ducked and the ball just misses her head by a margin. She then turned to Rainbow Dash, a mixture of shock and anger flashed across her face.~
"Rainbow Dash!"
"Oops, Sorry, Rarity!" Rainbow apologised. "I was aiming for the goal…"
"Well, you can aim for the goal over there! Meanwhile, I am trying to look as fabulous as I can for the opening of the new boutique in Canterlot. It will be Stylish! Glamorous! And Perfect!" Rarity proudly stated, while continuing on her makeup.
"I take it that it's YOUR brand new boutique, Rarity?" Lightning asked with genuine curiosity.
"Indeed it is." She said, then she asked with a hint of joking sarcasm. "However did you guess?"
"Uh…lucky guess, I think." Applejack giggled as Lightning gave her a thumbs up and a smile. "After all, we 'll got an invitation from ya."
Lightning's smile suddenly disappeared. "It's a shame Karly can't come." She sighed. "Or even come with us here to the park right now. The Chief can be so overprotective."
"Yeah, but, like ya said, Lightnin', we can't do a thin' 'bout it."
"I'm sure Karly will be alright. I'm also sure this night will be alright." Twilight stated. "Actually, better than alright. It will be perfect! The whole opening was organized and planned out nicely by this gal!" She proudly pointed at herself.
"That...must have been tiring…" Sunset said, thinking about it.
"Not at all! You'll be able to find anything in 3 seconds flat! It was some of my best work…" Twilight reassured.
"…Lucky enough it's done. When is the opening anyway?" Lightning asked, turning to Rarity.
"This evening." She answered, not taking her eyes off her mirror.
"So…Why are you getting ready now?"
"Darling, it pays to have time for makeup in the morning than in the evening. Besides, I have to do more for the opening…!"
"Then, what are we doing here? We'll help get these opening preparations done and over for the evening!"
"Rainbow Dash. Pinkie Pie. I think it's 'bout time y'all stop playin' with that football now before we 'll get in trouble with park warden…" Applejack called out once again.
"But, I want to show you guys this one last trick!" She said, ignoring Applejack.
~Rainbow Dash spins the football on her foot then kicks. Then it happened. The ball flew at intense speed towards the flats. Horrified, Lightning shot off the ground to catch it, but it was too late. The ball spun and whistled and with a sickening, horrifying clunk smashed into the fourth floor window of the flats. There was a moment of shocked silence. Time seemed to slow down as the eight girls stared and froze in fear. Then they heard a woman scream and a baby's cry.~
"UH-OH!" Everyone gasped dramatically.
"That's not good…" Sunset said as panic settled inside of her immediately.
"Quick, let's get outta here!" Lightning yelled.
~Rainbow didn't need to be told. She activated her power and sped off. Everyone else follows her out as quickly as they can before they are surrounded by the crowd of people, who has seen everything, and are shouted at and scolded for their stupidity by them. A grim-faced park warden strode across and took charge, he watched the girls escape before he examined the window from afar and made sure no one was hurt. He pulled a serious stare at them.~
~At the hideout, everyone was sitting around the table, all displaying equal amounts of anxiety and looks at Rainbow Dash in disappointment. They didn't know what to do. Applejack puts a hand to her brow, exasperated, but attempts to be understanding.~
"Rainbow Dash, what were you thinkin'?"
"It was an accident, honest! That wasn't the shot I was going for at all!" Rainbow panicked, shamefaced, and almost crying.
Lightning suddenly stands up, slamming her fist on the table. "Forget the blooming shot! If my dad and the chief finds out, we're all TOAST for sure!"
Twilight, still pale from the shock, also stood up. "Honestly, I don't think we should have run away...We should go back." She admitted.
"What?!" Rainbow gasped.
"I agree." Sunset nodded. "I'm sorry, Rainbow, but it's the right thing to do. We should march back down there and tell the flat's owner and everyone else we're sorry."
Rainbow let out a sigh. "Ok, but can we not tell the Chief about this? I don't want to get into double trouble."
"That I can stand for." Lightning said. "Come on. He doesn't have to get involved, does he?"
"I guess not...Okay." Twilight nodded silently.
"Great! Now, quick, before he comes in, let's go back!"
~The gang all bolted for the stairs, but at that exact moment, Steven Secret, the Chief, and Nimbus Star, Lightning's father, were coming down into the room in which they were gathered. Much unlike the rest of them, they appear to be so relaxed that their brains took 5 seconds to register that they're even there.~
"Morning, Agents." Chief greeted them in auto-pilot mode.
Lightning suddenly panicked. "What football shot?! We don't know anything about any football shot through the window…! I mean, morning Chief…! And dad!"
~Lightning smiled to hide the pure amount of anxiety building within her, however the anxiety causes the smile to come out very lopsidedly. Even the unsuspecting kiss she gave her father was a bit sloppy.~
Nimbus rubs the salva off his cheek. "Glad to see you're up and at 'em, girls." He said.
"Are...there any missions for us?" Lightning asked, crossing her fingers in hopes there aren't.
"No, actually. The city has been pretty peaceful." Steven answered. "Just a couple of papers that need to be filed, but I'll take care of them myself."
"Great! So, uh, we're gonna go now, gonna enjoy our day off. Then prepare for Rarity's Boutique in the evening, and all that- Okay, see ya!"
"Wait, hang on a min..." began Nimbus.
~But before he could continue, the girls were gone. They made it outside to the statue/portals to Equestria and the UK, and were about to leave for the park when suddenly they were startled by the sound of roaring. They whirled around and saw the crowd from the park, including the park warden, coming straight towards them, and they were not pleased.~
"There they are!" cried the man standing beside the warden.
"Uh oh…" Lightning whispered.
He walked up to them, waving his finger. "You are in big trouble, young ladies!"
Lightning suddenly felt Nimbus behind her. He placed his hands on her shoulders. "Whoa, what's going on here?" He demanded, indignantly.
"Are you this girl's father, sir?" The warden asked, pointing at Lightning.
He nodded. "Indeed. Why? What happened?"
~The Warden reached into the inside pocket of his green jacket and brought out a notebook and a silver ball-point pen.~
"Your daughter and her friends here were playing sports in a prohibited park." He explained sternly. "Not only that: They were playing dangerously; Ignoring the signs; and damaging property around them." He sucked in a breath between his teeth. "You can thank the lucky stars that the people inside were far away enough from the window. I dread to think what would have happened if they had been close."
Nimbus was at a loss for words. "Lightning, is this true?" He asked, glancing down at her.
"Well, yes, but- "
"We didn't mean it." Sunset blurted out.
"You doubt you didn't. But you didn't think about other people, did you?" The warden replied. "That's the trouble with you kids these days. You've no sense of responsibility."
Nimbus' face changes and he speaks back at the warden with noticeable indignantly in his voice. "Right. Well, thank you for telling me about this, warden. I think we need to talk about this alone now."
The warden put his pen and paper away. "I believe you will. Have a good day." He tipped his hat and went away.
~A lot of serious talking took place in the E.Q.U.E.S.T.R.I.A hideout for the next thirty minutes. Nimbus telling Steven what had happened then the girls fessing up was just about the worst thing they had ever had to do. Never they had felt so ashamed of themselves, or so stupid.~
"I'm disappointed in you, Lightning." said Nimbus. They sat on the orange table, opposite each other, while Steven and the Rainbooms stood aside, heads down in shame.
"B-But it wasn't my fault!" Lightning frowned. "It was Rainbow Dash!"
Rainbow looked up at Lightning, her face filled with disbelief. "WHAT?"
Applejack then folds her arms, and puts on an appearance of integrity at Rainbow Dash. "I told Rainbow Dash to stop and watch out, but she didn't listen!" She said.
"Where else am I supposed to practise?! Also, how on Earth did you expect me to know that the WIDE open park was private?" Rainbow yelled, attempting to defend herself.
"You know that sporting isn't allowed in any of the parks anyway." Steven spoke up. "That's bad enough, but you must have been playing like a lunatic not to stop and think." The Rainbooms stared at the fire in his eyes.
Nimbus agreed. "Exactly. You should know better at your age. You're 17 years old! I mean, for crying out loud, what's gotten into you girls?"
"Rainbow just got too into the game, I suppose. I did try to stop it though, I swear-!" Lightning panted.
"That's right, she did." Twilight said. "And we were going to go back and fix it before you came."
The Chief huffed. "That's all well and good, but, Agent Dash, you must learn to control yourself."
"Hmm." Nimbus nodded. "Life's not all about winning a football competition and being the best at it. You can't go charging around like a madman because of it either. You could have injured somebody, or worse. Then what would have happened? It doesn't bear thinking about."
"Do you know if they're alright?" Sunset asked, lifting her eyes.
"Thankfully yes. I made enquiries." Steven answered.
"Man, I'm very sorry, Chief. And Mr. Star. I won't do it again!" Rainbow ventured.
~Although he had been very cross, Nimbus Star was a kindly man and he was mostly relieved that no real harm had been done. As did Steven.~
"Well, I hope not," Steven said. "But it's no use us just letting you off, is it?"
Lightning turned to her dad. "Are you going to forbid us from seeing each other?"
"No, I can see that Rainbow Dash still has goodness inside her and that you are teaching her things to make her better. So, I'm not going to separate you. But what Steven and I am going to do is call your parents, Rainbow Dash, and send the flats owner a cheque to cover any damages, but you girls will be paying that back out of your own money for a good long while. Is that fair and understood?"
"Yes, dad." Lightning agreed glumly. The others did too.
Steven sighed. "Just be more careful in the future next time, Agent Dash. And for goodness sake, grow up! Now, off with you. I've had enough."
~Gloomily, the girls went up the stairs, all in a terrible mood. Rainbow Dash especially.~
"Well, that went well…" Lightning said sarcastically.
"Great, Now how am I supposed to practise…? I have the big game tomorrow!" Rainbow cried.
"Dash, have you seriously not been listening to what my dad has just been saying?! Football isn't important right now!"
"Now, now, Lightnin', let's not start fightin' about this…" Applejack sighed. "That's the last thin' I wanna do right now."
Lightning breathed in, then out. "You're right. We need to calm down."
"...How about we take a walk? That'll take our minds off of all that's just transpired." Sunset ventured.
Fluttershy smiled at Sunset. "Can we walk in the forest when the animals will be bright and early out…?"
"I don't see why not." She answered, softly smiling back.
"It always helps me calm down from excitement…"
"Alright. It's this way, isn't it?" Lightning asked, pointing right as they exited the school doors. They nodded and ventured off.