//------------------------------// // Chapter 6 // Story: Imperfect // by Wheller //------------------------------// Chapter 6 Rainbow Dash looked outside; sitting across from the Library on a bench was the Doctor. The brown earth pony wasn’t doing anything as far as Rainbow could tell, but his presence was enough to irritate the cyan pegasi into confronting him. Rainbow Dash got his attention; the Doctor looked up and smiled at her. “Why do you want the Cloudsdale Weather Engines destroyed?” Rainbow Dash asked him. A concerned look formed on the Doctor’s face. “Now, why would I want the weather engines destroyed?” he asked. “Don’t play dumb with me!” Rainbow Dash said as her levels of irritation skyrocketed. “Talk.” The Doctor made a slight shrugging movement with his shoulders, but stopped. “There are some forces in nature that we’re not meant to have dominion over, and no matter what, no matter how hard you try, no matter how close you come to the illusion of total control, it’ll course correct at the worst possible time. You ponies are playing with fire, and you’re going to get burned.” Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow at him. “What do you mean by ‘you ponies?’” “I’ll have you know, I’m not big on answering questions,” The Doctor said plainly. Rainbow Dash hit the roof. “Oh, is that so? Maybe I can acquaint my hooves with your face! Maybe then you’ll feel like answering some questions?” “Yes, why don’t you do that? Lose the only friend you keep while you’re at it? Sounds like a well thought out plan to me,” the Doctor said sarcastically. Rainbow Dash stopped, he was right. Rainbow couldn’t beat him senselessly. Twilight wouldn’t approve, and considering she already knew how the future went, she couldn’t afford to lose her friendship, but then another thought dawned on her, if she knew what happened, then beating some sense into the Doctor wouldn’t change that, at least by her own logic. “I know that look,” the Doctor said. “Time can be rewritten. Your choices still affect things to come, you make a choice, and you’ll have to deal with the consequences.” Rainbow scowled at him. “Get out of here. Stop watching me.” “Fair enough!” the Doctor said cheerfully, rising from the bench, he trotted off around the corner, gone from view when Rainbow peeked around after him. How did he do that? “Rainbow? What are you doing?” Twilight’s voice called out to her. Rainbow turned around to see Twilight standing at the balcony of the Library looking down at her. “Oh... nothing, just getting some air,” Rainbow Dash said back to her, she leapt into the air and flew up to the balcony, landing gently on it. “We need to talk.” ... “What in Equestria could Pinkie Pie want with that old rope?” Twilight asked. Rainbow Dash shrugged. “Why do you even have that? I mean, I understand Applejack having some, but you?” “There are plenty of... everyday uses for a six metre coil of rope.” Twilight said, Rainbow could tell that she was blushing. “Oh please don’t tell me that you like being tied up!” Rainbow exclaimed at her. Twilight turned bright red. “I... never have, so I don’t know...” Rainbow Dash facehoofed. “Tell me something, how does the sheltered-social-avoidant- bookworm-type end up being interested in every kink known to pony-kind?” “I... read, a lot,” Twilight said simply, her face glowing red at this point. Rainbow Dash facehoofed again. ... Snap! The branch that Pinkie Pie had attached the rope to had not been strong enough to support the pony’s weight, Pinkie Pie fell to the ground, branch tumbling after her and striking her in the head. The reflection of Pinkie Pie burst out laughing. “You... just can’t... do anything right can you?” She asked between gasps for air. Pinkie Pie buried her head under her hooves, trying to ignore the reflection, which was getting louder and louder the more she tried ignore it. She burst into tears. The reflection’s cruelty had worn her down to the point of breaking. “What do you want?” Pinkie Pie asked. The reflection stopped laughing. “Oh my dear, sweet, Pinkie Pie,” the reflection said, feigning sweetness. “All I’ve ever wanted was what was best for us!” “What’s best for us?” Pinkie asked. “Come, I’ll show you.” Pinkie Pie rose to her hooves, and followed the hallucination before her, unsure of where she was being led to. The rope still tugged at her neck, dragging along the tree branch pathetically behind her. She only hoped that wherever they were going, it would be close to easy means of escape. ... Rainbow Dash made dinner this night. Unfortunately for them both, Rainbow was a far worse chef than even Twilight. Rainbow recalled a time that seemed long ago, after she started living on her own, cooking was a problem for her. Even the simplest dish would be ruined by her touching it. She even messed up salads! How someone could mess up something as simple as that was beyond her, but despite her shortcomings in the kitchen, Rainbow Dash had thrown something together that was at least (somewhat) edible. “Are... these mashed potatoes?” Twilight asked. Rainbow’s heart sank. “That’s a salad Twilight,” the Pegasus reported. “How about I just cook from now on?” Twilight asked. Rainbow grinned at her. “I think both our stomachs will appreciate it.” After a few hours of talking Rainbow Dash helped Twilight into bed, she tucked the injured pony in and bidding her goodnight. Rainbow Dash went back downstairs, upon reaching the bottom, her head began to split. She collapsed at the bottom of the stairs, blacking out. ... “Hi Rainbow Dash!” a cheerful, enthusiastic voice from behind her called out. Rainbow Dash jumped in surprise, causing her to drop the 10mm pistol from her mouth. Rainbow Dash turned around to ream the pony that frightened her while she had an incredibly deadly weapon on her. Rainbow Dash stopped herself from yelling when she discovered that it was Scootaloo. She must have flashed to some point before sabotaging the weather engines. “Scootaloo... don’t do that,” Rainbow Dash said calmly, she pointed to the fallen pistol with her hoof. “These are very dangerous. Do not go near anypony who has one out. Understand?” “Sorry Rainbow Dash,” Scootaloo said with a frown. “I promise!” Rainbow Dash smiled at the Pegasus filly. “It’s okay squirt. What are you doing out here?” “Oh! Me, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Bell are going camping!” Scootaloo said excitedly. “We’re going to try and be Cutie Mark Crusader Wilderness Survivalists! We’re leaving right now, but I saw you and wanted to say Hi!” Rainbow Dash’s heart sank. She’d flashed to the day that she sabotaged the Cloudsdale Weather Engine. She knew exactly what was going to happen to Scootaloo and her friends tonight. Rainbow Dash had half a mind to try and warn them off from doing it, but she chose not to, it wouldn’t have made any difference. Scootaloo was young; the very young rarely do as they’re told. Somepony telling them not to do something was going to make them want to do it even more. “All right, have fun squirt. I heard it’s supposed to be cold tonight, so be sure to bundle up!” Rainbow Dash said, knowing that it wouldn’t help in the slightest. “I will! Bye Rainbow Dash! See you when we’ve got our cutie marks!” Scootaloo said, dashing off. Rainbow struggled to hold back the tears. It wasn’t fair. Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Bell were so terribly young. So full of life, and they were going to die. Rainbow Dash stiffened her resolve. Because she knew that if she didn’t destroy the weather engines that they would die anyway. The gryphons would use the weather engines to kill every pony in Equestria if they could. So not fair. I destroy the engine, Scootaloo dies. I don’t destroy the engine, Scootaloo dies, some choice that is. Rainbow Dash stiffened her resolve; she picked up the 10mm pistol and placed it back in her saddlebag. She had a country to save. ... Standing outside the Library was the Doctor and Derpy Hooves. Derpy smiled at her, Rainbow Dash returned it to her. “Doctor,” Rainbow Dash said, looking at the earth pony. The Doctor smiled warmly at her. “Hello Rainbow Dash!” “Can we go over the plan? Just one more time?” Derpy asked. The Doctor nodded. “We know that the gryphons are moving on Cloudsdale tonight, kangaroo armoured cavalry has reported a large contingent of airborne infantry on its way here. The Cloudsdale militia will do their best to hold them off... but with no training and no possible support from the kangaroos, they’re not going to last long. Rainbow Dash, you have one job, ensure Derpy’s survival, she can’t handle a weapon with her vision and is going in unarmed.” The Doctor opened his saddlebag and pulled out a slender metal rod with a blue tip. “Derpy will use this to sabotage the weather engine... but in case something should go wrong, Rainbow, pressing down on the button on the end will activate it. Point it at the weather engines and it’ll take care of itself from there.” The Doctor frowned. “I’d go and do it myself... but unfortunately I can’t fly. So I’m trusting you. The faster you can get this done, the more likely the gryphons will see that they’re wasting their time and pull back. Good luck.” Rainbow Dash nodded, the sun was setting rapidly, and they had 10 minutes to get to Cloudsdale before it hit the fan at the most. Rainbow thought of Scootaloo again. I destroy the engine, Scootaloo dies. I don’t destroy the engine, Scootaloo dies. It’s not fair. Not fair at all. The two pegasi leapt into the air. They had work to do.