//------------------------------//
// Chapter 20 
// Story: Are You Ready? 
// by Dirty Bit 
//------------------------------//


Chapter 20


P. V. Noire


Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were soaring along Ponyville, asking questions left to right dealing with Dr. Facilier and his current activity. The cyan pegasus was determined to expose Dr. Facilier (Obviously still sore about the race *cough*) and see what he was hiding. They first decided to talk to the lovely couple Lyra and Bon Bon about what they've seen him do.

Lyra scratched the back of her head "Well...We've only seen so much of him since his welcome party. And even if I did, he hasn't really done anything other than buy flowers and dolls. I never expected most of the mares in Ponyville to even fall for him as he passed by! I'd hate to be him when mating season starts..." Bon Bon looked away "He really does seem kind of shady when he walks around like that." She flinches with wide eyes "N-Not because he's a zebra or anything, I'm good with that! I'm more tolerant around them ever since Zecora came around. But it's just the way he dresses and how he grins with that smile of his. It doesn't really set well with me..." She looks down, while Rainbow Dash was not amused at this useless information, Fluttershy smiling as she looked at the ground "His collection is very nice...He even made one of me, and it looks so good." The cyan pegasus was well aware that Dr. Facilier had a surprising fondness of dolls that would put a filly to shame, and knowing the flowers, he is probably making potions and medicines for later use. She was less than amused about them stating his appearance, already aware of his hat and suit and how gapped his teeth are when he smiles. With a sigh, she trots away from the couple "Thanks for the information, you two. C'mon, Fluttershy! Onto our next witness!" She took to the skies, as Fluttershy bowed before following "Thank you for your time!"

Twilight stood in front of her house with a deadpan look on her face as the two explained their reasons for questions "You're REALLY going through with this, are you??" Rainbow Dash had her look of determination as she replied to the bookworm "You bet! That zebracorn's hiding something, and I won't rest until I figure out what it is!" Twilight sighed at Rainbow's foolishness and decided to explain what she saw in terms of the Shadowcolt's activity "Well...He hasn't been borrowing books lately, and it's been bugging me. I thought I'd meet another pony who would share a fondness in books like me, but all he does now is buy ingredients for potions. I wonder if he ever got hired at Ponyville Clinic...Or if he ever took the time to talk to Zecora at all." Fluttershy stepped forward "He talked with her a couple times, but I can't help but feel hostile vibes as they trade words and smile..." Rainbow turned to Fluttershy at this small bit of information, grateful that she had her along on her investigation. Maybe they could talk to Zecora later. She turned back to Twilight, thinking she could squeeze more stuff out of her "What else did you see him do? Was he plotting anything sinister?" Twilight only stared at Rainbow in exasparation, then donned a fake smile and said in a cheery tone "Goodbye, Rainbow!" She went inside and slammed the door, leaving the cyan pegasus to inch away from it and sneering at how she was left "Sheesh, you'd think she'd know a lot since she's Celestia's student...But, whatever! Next witness!" Fluttershy sighed at how silly she felt trying to expose the one she had feelings for, then took off with Rainbow Dash as the two flew.

The dynamic investigation duo stopped Carousel Boutique, where Rarity arched an eyebrow at the two "And just WHY exactly do you feel that wonderful gentlecolt is hiding something? He has a lucrative business future helping the other pony folk, for Celestia's sake!" Rainbow scoffs at the remark and gets down to business "Just tell me what you saw him do, please!" Rarity rubs her chin "Well, he has been rather silent around ponies other than those he buys items from. He hasn't really made any kind of chitchat with anypony otherwise, not even me." She begins to pout "I really wanted him to model for more of my clothes! I'm aware of his medical prowess, but he could at least take his time to visit once in a while!" Rainbow groaned in defeat as she left without saying goodbye, leaving Fluttershy to bow "Goodbye, Rarity! See you soon." Rarity only went back inside, muttering more reasons why Dr. Facilier should visit her as she shut the door.

They go for Town Hall, inside the mayor's office as they were met with the same results "Oh, I am so sorry, girls. I really haven't witnessed much sinister activity from Dr. Facilier lately!" She shifted her eyes a little as she spoke "I certainly also haven't seen much problems regarding to those lies regarding my times with Big Macintosh!" She chuckled nervously "Er...so to speak..." Rainbow waved a hoof "Yeah, yeah, yeah! But you've GOT to know something about that stallion! He just seems shifty!" The mayor laughed at this "Oh, Rainbow Dash, you sound exactly the way you did when Twilight first came into Ponyville! Pretty soon he'll be one of the best additions to this town, I'm sure of it!" She goes through a closet and pulled out some files "You simply worry too much!" There was a faint glimpse of a skeleton coming from the clost, causing Fluttershy to gasp and ask "Wh-What's inside there!?" The Mayor quickly slams the closet shut with a defensive stare at the two "Just a closet..." she says in a quick and firm tone. Rainbow stands for a minute, then sighs as she trots out of the office "Carry on. C'mon, Flutters!" Fluttershy bows and follows after Rainbow. When they left, a certain red stallion crept out from Mayor Mare's desk and turned to the mayor "Are they gone yet?" Mayor Mare sighs in relief "Yes...All of this stress is killing me..." She trots over to the red stallion smiling seductively "You really have come at a good time..."

Rainbow was groaning in frustration as she and Fluttershy trotted along Ponyville "I can't believe this! We've searched high and low for any leads on Dr. Fa-silly-a-" Fluttershy quietly corrects "Facilier..." Rainbow then barks "Whatever!" making the timid mare cringe as she continued talking "-and so far we've got NOTHING! No leads, no dirt, no evidence, no help!" The cyan pegasus turns to her friend "Are we looking in the wrong places, Fluttershy? Because this is really wanting me to tear off every hair on my mane!" Fluttershy looked away "W-Well...we could always-" They were interrupted by a call "Rainbow Dash!!" The two looked ahead and saw the Cutie Mark Crusaders speeding towards them with Scootaloo pulling on the wagon with her scooter. She stopped in front of them and smiled up at the cyan pegasus "Rainbow Dash, what are you doing right now? Do you need any help!?" She beamed at the thought of helping her role model and idol. When it came to Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo was willing to do whatever she wanted, no matter how surprising it was to other ponies. Rainbow Dash thought about this, but then had an idea of having the crusaders see if they could get some tasty info on Dr. Facilier, looking down at the three with a smile "Actually, yes! You three came at the right time!" Scootaloo gasped and grinned "We have!?" Fluttershy winced at how Scootaloo projected her happiness towards Rainbow Dash while the cyan pegasus continued "Yeah! You know that zebracorn that's been living in Ponyville, right? I need you three to try and see if you can find anything shady about him!" Sweetie Belle heard this and spoke up "You mean like detectives? It sounds kinda dangerous..." Scootaloo turned to Sweetie Belle with a glare "Are you kidding me, Sweetie Belle? If Rainbow Dash says there's something shady about that new doctor in Ponyville, then she's gotta be right!" Sweetie Belle only shook her head at Scootaloo's blind loyalty to Rainbow Dash, then turned to Applebloom, who thought about the offer to see if they could find anything sinister about the Shadowcolt "...Ah'm for it. The thought about Dr. Fa-cee-lee-ae and what he's been doin' is kinda messin' with mah head." she turns to Rainbow Dash "Y'all sure about him bein' up to somethin', Rainbow Dash?" The cyan pegasus looked down at the yellow filly "Of course I am, squirt! Would I ever lie to you all??" Scootaloo said "Of course not!" the same time Fluttershy muttered "Yes..." Rainbow Dash smiled at the three "Then it's settled! You three are gonna be helping me try and expose that stallion for who he is!" Sweetie Belle, who was still reluctant about the idea, slowly began to smile about the thought of having a cutie mark were she successful in her efforts. The crusaders then looked at each other with determined smiles on their faces and yelled in unison:

"CUTIE MARK CRUSADER ZEBRACORN DETECTIVES! YAY!"

Fluttershy gritted her teeth at how loud the three were, never wondering why they choose to yell out their current goals at every turn. But then the three junior detectives zoomed off on their way, leaving the two pegasi behind. The timid mare looked down, worrying for the safety of Dr. Facilier were Rainbow Dash were to be wrong. But what if she was right? What if there was something sinister that the doctor was planning that she doesn't know about? Rainbow Dash simply grinned "This is great! With this extra help, we'll sniff out evidence on that doctor in no time!" Before she continued to cheer about her efforts in recruiting more assistance, they were met with Pinkie speeding and stopping right in front of the two "There you two are! I've been looking for you everywhere! We gotta head to Sugarcube Corner pronto!! I've got a party ready for Doctor Fa-silly-a!" Rainbow Dash widened her eyes at this "A party? For HIM? For what?" She was more than curious, disbelieving the very idea that the shady doctor got a party. She growled to think if it was a 'Dr. Fa-silly-a beat Rainbow Dash in a race' party, but her jaw dropped when she heard the real reason "He just saved Nurse Tenderheart from another pony! He's a hero!" Rainbow Dash was speechless, whereas Fluttershy gasped in surprise and was more than happy about the news "Oh, how amazing! That is so incredibly wonderful, I-" She began fluttering as she hovered in the air with a smile "I just don't know what to say!" Rainbow Dash couldn't believe this, but then asked "Shouldn't you be inviting everypony right now?" Pinkie nodded "Yeah!" She tossed them invitations "I need you girls to head over to Sugarcube corner and help decorate while I get the invitations out!" Fluttershy then touched the ground "What about Dr. Facilier? What if he knew about this?" Pinkie looked smug "Taken care of..."

Meanwhile, Dr. Facilier was galloping as he was being chased. AGAIN. This time, it was a pegasus. He turned back and yelled to his pursuer.

"Leave me alone! Y'all heard me say
I don' have any muffins! Now go away!!"

The grey pegasus mare with opposite moving eyes and a slew of bubbles for a cutie mark did not listen as she continued her chase on the Shadowcolt, a look of determination and hunger on her face "LIES! Pinkie told me you had a secret stash of muffins inside of your suit! Relieve them at once!" The doctor galloped faster as a response, angering the mare "THEN PAY WITH YOUR BLOOD!" This made the doctor scream as they continued running around. Why did this one have to get in his way when he wanted to go back and get rid of his heartburn?

Pinkie giggled as she hopped off "Well, I better get moving! You should, too! See ya, girls~!" Fluttershy sighed in relief as she turned to her bemused friend "You see? He really isn't all that bad...just misunderstood like Zecora. Let's go, Rainbow Dash..." she trotted calmly with a smile, wondering what to say when she sees the Shadowcolt. Rainbow Dash, on the other hoof, was less than pleased with what has been said. The Shadowcolt being a hero? Preposterous! Perhaps she or her new recruits could find out more about him at the party as she followed after Fluttershy, lost in thought.


End of Chapter 20