//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: Investigation // Story: Service for Wings // by warpd //------------------------------// Rainbow Dash standing in front of a boutique happened far more often than she ever wanted in life. “I really hope Squirt is having fun at the library with Twilight. How did I end up raising an egghead? I think I’ll blame Alex. Makes things easier.” “Would also be easier if you just come inside already and not keep me waiting!” The loud whine from Rarity made Dash jump. The unicorn walked past the open window, nose up in the air. The familiar ring of the doorbell beckoned Dash like a horsefly to a spider’s web, or some kind analogy like that. Dash was going to keep that phrase to herself, it sounded dumb and would be dumber said out loud. “No need to frown, dear, I would hope my charming personality would be welcome.” “I’ve been poked by needles so many times, you make it difficult wanting to be back here. Fru fru dress or not.” Dash grumbled as she walked through the door. She didn’t even acknowledge the door slamming shut behind her. “Goodness. Rainbow Dash not even fluttering inside. You are in a foul mood.” Rarity frowned as she double-checked out the window before attending her current subject. “I was surprised when you said you needed a new dress. Out of everypony in our group, you were the second-to-last pony I expected to go back to the Gala.” Dash didn’t even need a moment to figure out who. “Let me guess–” “Fluttershy.” “Fluttershy.”  “Yeah, she would be the last one to even think of going back.” Dash jumped up to the podium to get measured once again. “Sorry, this is not really something I wanted to do.” Rainbow felt the tight tape wrap around her waist, barrel, legs, and so on. Rarity mumbled the numbers to herself before asking her question. “So why are you then?” “Scootaloo asked. Then she begged. Pleaded. Was face on the floor embarrassing herself in front of the whole family. Alex and I were completely blown away. I’m still in shock.” Rarity paused at Rainbow’s answer. It reminded her of a recent request, but remained quiet about it. “So here I am. Getting a new dress for an event I wished would be another bad chapter in my life behind me.” “And yet, you will sacrifice your dignity for your dear daughter. Rainbow Dash, you are a wonderful mother.” The genuine smile from Rarity was infectious enough for Dash’s dour mug to crack with a grin. A knock on the door made both ponies’ ears stand up straight. “Huh, I thought I turned the sign to ‘closed’.” “Rarity! Come on! I ran all the way from the Library to see you.” The familiar voice of Spike all, but confirmed why the knocking was so fervent. “Spike, no need to rush things. If Rarity is busy we can come back later.” Twilight tried being responsible and all it got was a childish whine from a drama dragon. Rarity made no move to open the door, she was dedicated to her task. Rainbow Dash did make an appointment after all. She looked up from her work to see the thinking Dash. A Rainbow that she rarely sees. Not that she would ever say that to her face while sober. “Let them in, Rarity.” Magic sparkled as the door was flung open, Twilight and Spike turned as they were walking away. Twilight tilted her head slightly puzzled, Spike held no restraint and ran in. “Hi Rarity! And Rainbow Dash? Did you get suckered into another bad bet?” “What!? No, I had to make an appointment.” Dash flared her wings as the young drake skipped up to the podium. “Ok fine, I guess Alex Roberts wanted you to look good on a date for once then.” Spike stuck his tongue at her. “Why you little!” Spike yelped as Dash pounced with a predatory smile. His screams quickly turned to laughing as she used her wings to tickle the little snarker. “Har, har, har think you’re so funny. What brings you here outside of drooling over Rarity’s carpet?” Twilight sighed as she watched her companion ruin what was probably a very meticulously  planned event by Rarity. “Honestly, do you two always have to work each other up? Like having two foals. Hello, Rarity, sorry to pop in on you unannounced. Thanks for letting us in.” “Think nothing of it, darling. If anything, you should thank Rainbow Dash. She invited you two in.” Rarity pulled Spike out of Dash’s feathery grip with magic and plopped him on Twilight’s back. “Though if I had to guess, it might be because she wanted a distraction.” “No. I have my reasons.” Dash huffed as she floated off the ground and back up the stage. “What brings you two this way? I thought Scootaloo was at the library.” “Well, she was, but she had to leave early.” Twilight answered, “We had some time, so I thought I could get Spike a new suit for the Gala.” “Yup! So after you're done with Rainbow Dash, I want to look shiny in an all-new Rarity Special.” Spike slicked his head spines back. Rarity resumed her work on Dash. “Of course. Both Twilight and you deserve to look fabulous at the Gala.” “I think I was just going to wear your dress you made for me, back when we went to the Gala.” Twilight shrugged. “No need to make this difficult. After all, it works just fine. Right, Rarity. Rarity? Right?” A single purple strain of mane popped out of place. An eye twitch became more erratic as Twilight continued. Rarity slowly turned around with a thin grin. “Twilight. That dress was destroyed during the Gala disaster.” “It was just a little dirt.” Twilight took a hesitant step back. “Between the falling statues, the screaming animals, and CAKE being thrown everywhere.” Rarity pulled Twilight closer with cloth she magically grabbed from around her domain. “I did not forget what happened. You will get a new one.” Twilight slowly nodes, not saying a word to avoid escalation. Rarity huffed indignantly, turning back to find Rainbow with a needle sticking out of her rump glaring at her. “Oh, sorry,” Rarity muttered with a twinge of embarrassment. “Try to be more careful when you’re feeling dramatic.” Rainbow Dash hissed in pain as the offending object was pulled out. She let Rarity return to her work. “All right, enough beating around the cloud. What’s Scootaloo been reading? This is the first time I’ve seen her so dedicated to a topic.” “Besides you, you mean.” Spike pointed out. “Oh right, make that this the second time she’s been this dedicated to a topic.” Rainbow Dash slightly nodded, just not enough to get reprimanded by Rarity as she worked. “What’s the big deal?” “I mean, a young filly exploring the wonderful world of history is nothing unusual in my book. Perhaps the desire to learn has brought Scootaloo new found joy?” Twilight laid it on thick with a bit of cheek. “Oh, fine, I see you don’t find that funny. She’s been looking into the history of Nightmare Moon and the ponies connected to that event.” “Nightmare Moon? Huh, that’s not what I thought it would be about.” Dash almost shrugged, but remembered where she was. “Not just to look at my books, she’s also getting recent history with the newspapers. She said you got them for her, Rarity.” Twilight sat down on her haunches as she watched Rarity work. Rarity’s ear swerved towards Twilight, but remained on task. “Scootaloo said that? Interesting. Sweetie Bell never gave me that impression when she asked me for those papers.” Rarity noticed Dash’s features tighten, worry seemed to color her thoughts. “She wanted to have the recent papers when Nightmare Moon arrived. Never gave it much thought, after all we had to face that mare, but learning that Canterlot was under siege was frightening.” “Where did you get your stuff from?” Rainbow asked, her eyes seemed focused on something far away. “Sassy Saddles. Lovely mare. She runs my store in Canterlot.” Rarity finished the measurements she wanted and gestured for Dash to get off the podium. “She’s a meticulous mare that keeps a great deal of information about her personal history, as well as what is happening in the area she lives in.” Rarity chuckled, “She likes to make a very detailed resume.” She became thoughtful, “She also remembers that night very well.” Twilight rubs her chin in thought. “You know, I never actually asked my family what happened that night. After I told them my experience all they did was heap praise on me. I feel rather foalish right now.” “I can guess why.” Rarity breathed in, and looked at Spike. “Spike, darling, I need you to make some tea for everypony here. We’ll be in my thinking room.” “On it!” Spike saluted and disappeared in a puff of dust. Rarity leaned her ear in to hear his pitter patters inside the kitchen. “Come with me. Both of you.” Surprised by her serious face, they said nothing as she quickly trotted to a back room. Littered about were drawings of clothes. Many ideas to be revisited in the future, some most likely to be discarded. “I didn’t give Sweetie Bell everything.” “Why?” Dash couldn’t help but ask, matching Rarity’s whispering tone. “Well, it was curious that she wanted that information, but the fact that your Scootaloo was researching it has made me concerned.” Rarity tugged away a layer of fabric to reveal some newspaper clippings. “Look.” Twilight magiced it up to eye level for both Dash and her. It was part of the Canterlot dragonfire warning system. The 2nd notice, to be precise, with pictures. Dash flicked her hoof to the main subject of the picture “What the actual buck is that!?” As if she had practiced it for a newsstand, Rarity presented the information. “Stay indoors, don’t open the door, don’t make your shadow obvious. New information, if you see this mare, be calm and escape. Do not engage.” “That is creepy.” The picture showed a tall alicorn, skin so pale surface veins were easily seen, and a blob of darkness hovering behind her. Reminded Dash of her shared closer encounter with Nightmare Moon. “She’s taller than Princess Cadance.” “That is the most advanced case of umbramancy I’ve ever seen.” Twilight’s jaw was agape as she studied the pictures, more focused on the blob of darkness that stretched beyond the alicorn’s shadow. “I think I know what spells are involved. If the warning about watching out for shadows is to be taken seriously, she must have been puppeting ponies through them.” “Right, so our little fillies are looking into what could possibly be a monster.” Rarity sighed as she started to draw a dress for a pegasus. “Though I haven’t heard anything about this. So I suspect it was taken care of.” “Twilight, you went to an egghead school, do you recognize this mare?” Dash pointed to the cutie mark, a tree under a half-covered sun. “I mean, this has to jog some memory, right?” “Dash.” Twilight gave her friend a deadpan stare. “Please remember who you’re talking to.” “Besides the fact that you were a hopeless non-socialite that lived in books, you had to read something about her. How many alicorns do you know?” Dash rotated her wings in a ‘come on’ motion. “This seems like a big deal. What are we at, four alicorns now?” “I must punctuate just how rare and important alicorns are. There are only three, well two in a half.” Twilight paused before reiterating. “Princess Cadance is a miracle, but she’s not a full alicorn and it remains to be seen if she’ll become one. As for this pony, this is a case of magical alteration.” “Do you have any clues on what Scootaloo is looking into then?” Rarity asked, before drawing her voice to a whisper “We’re out of time, Spike will be done making the tea very soon.” Twilight shook her head. “No, but that is easy to rectify. We even have a cutie mark, so I can figure out who this is. Dash, do you want me to stop your daughter from researching this?” Rainbow Dash sighed, she really wanted to say yes. “No. I won’t assume the worst. However, I’m going to talk with my husband. I’ll tell him everything we know.” The three nod in unison just as Spike opened the door with a tray of tea. — Alex scratched his chin as Dash wrapped up the entire explanation. “That’s crazy.” “I know right, this is all kind of funky. Scootaloo is a smart girl, but you know how sometimes she can get way over her head.” Dash sat down on her favorite kitchen chair. The one that was tall enough so she can look Alex in the eyes easier. “She’s not been hiding it though. Squirt did ask for help from Twilight and Rarity.” “Should we just ask her what’s up,” Alex leaned on the counter, “Or respect her privacy? This all could be a sudden flight of fancy. She’s not acted differently recently, nor has she been bothered by a stranger.” “I would feel better knowing what she’s been looking into. Twilight said she’ll keep us up-to-date.” Dash stopped when she remembered how all this started. “The Gala.” Alex became more focused as he started to put it together. “Why would Scootaloo want to meet these ponies?” They sat there, waiting for an answer to spring up between the two of them. Dash almost wanted to yell out an obscenity. Alex resisted the urge to start tapping the counter. Derpy waited patiently to be noticed. “Wait.” Dash yanked her vision to the sudden mailmare arrival. “Derpy, why are you here?” “Priority mail for one Alex Roberts Dash!” Derpy tossed the startled human an envelope with a royal seal. “No need for a signature. Got to go.” Alex and Dash watched the grey pegasus crash into a wayward cloud before studying their envelope. Rainbow looked up to Alex. “You, ah, know who that’s from? I don’t recognize the insignia.” “Nope.” Alex quickly said before taking out his knife and opening the envelope. A letter dropped out with little fanfare. Alex grabbed it and quickly skimmed it over. “Prince Blueblood?” “What does he want?” Dash’s confusion was clear in her tone. “He wants to meet me to talk about us coming to the Gala.” Alex answered, more than a little curious about the turn of events. “I think I have a date, with answers about our situation.”