//------------------------------// // The Mare Returns // Story: Mare Do Well: The Series // by ShadeJak //------------------------------// ~Months ago...~ “How can you do this, Vinyl?!” the gray unicorn stallion with the spiky black mane demanded indignantly. “Sonic Boom, it’s NOT my fault!” the white unicorn with the wild blue mane answered, levitating up her mirrored purple shades so he could see her magenta eyes and realize her honesty. “They made the decision, Cadence and Shining Armor chose me. We’ve been friendly rivals since we started, you can’t take this personally against me,” she explained. “Easy for you to say, you went with it because they picked you! If you were in my place you’d have been just as mad! When do you plan to gloat about it to the other deejays?” Sonic answered in disgust. “Don’t assume things about me. I’m not a pony who rubs my accomplishments in somepony’s face!” Vinyl said, already getting visibly upset. “Not like you do sometimes...” In hindsight, it probably was better she won this gig for doing the music at the royal wedding, even if Sonic Boom was her friend, boy did he brag. “If you can’t be happy for me, then we can’t be friends,” she explained to the shocked unicorn. “This isn’t over. One day, you’ll see who the real music master is. Who REALLY deserves the recognition of royalty!” Sonic said, turning and storming off. Vinyl sighed and looked down at her food… nothing to do now but get with Cadence and Shining Armor about what songs they wanted. ~Present~ “Maybe this cover duty in Van Hoover wasn’t so bad,” Rainbow Dash mused as she reclined on a cloud after having cleared the weather. With half the team out thanks to a bad Feather Flu outbreak, she was one of the top choices to be sent over to cover. On one hoof she was flattered her reputation earned her that level of esteem, but on the other, it cut into her free time. Still… the huge fee they’d give her for her troubles was worth it. “Hey, Rainbow Dash! What’s up?” Rainbow heard a voice call from down below and turned over, there stood a white unicorn mare with an electric blue mane and a familiar pair of purple shades down on the sidewalk. “Vinyl? Hey, covering for weather duty here; big Feather Flu outbreak apparently took out like half the team. What brings you out here?” the pegasus asked, a little surprised to see the unicorn deejay here of all places. Small world, she supposed as she rolled over on the cloud. She’d become friendly acquaintances with her when Pinkie had introduced them to one-another after helping out with the music for a big party, and had the deejay not travelled so much they’d have probably been closer then that. “Eh, got a few gigs here,” Vinyl said with a laugh. “So! Haven’t seen you since the wedding. How’ve you been?” Rainbow gave a shrug and lowered her cloud. “Been pretty good. Saved an empire, got mobbed by an army of Pinkie Pies—“ “What now?” The unicorn asked. “Don’t ask. Really. Long story,” Rainbow said, cringing at the memory of when she’d been fending off an army of hyperactive Pinkie clones from behind an upturned beach chair. “But I also made it into the Wonderbolts Academy.” “Wow, cool!” Vinyl replied. “Yeah, as if there was any doubt I’d get in sooner or later,” Rainbow said with a laugh, rubbing the back of her head, earning a smirk from the unicorn. Rainbow was a bit brash but had a good heart, unlike some… Vinyl purged the memory. “Well, look, Dash, if you’re free tonight, why don’t ya come to the show tonight. I’m gonna show this city the power of dubstep at the Wild Mustang Club. It’ll be a blast!” Vinyl offered. “Come on, if you’re pulling extra for the weatherponies, you deserve some fun.” Rainbow Dash grinned. “Sounds great! I’ll be glad to!” “Cool, be early. Place fills fast and it’s first-come-first serve!” Vinyl said. “Anyway, I better get ready, gotta set up and all. Catch ya later, Dash!” With that, she galloped off down the sidewalk. Having something fun to look forward to, Rainbow Dash turned over on her cloud and raised it up, taking a nap, both ponies unaware they were being watched. ~ In the basement of an abandoned building, a unicorn stallion worked diligently, the orders he purchased from the gizmonks were coming together perfectly for the big event tonight. Letting out a sinister laugh, the unicorn grinned as blue magic crackled around the armor as it assembled itself. “Tonight’s going to be a blast indeed…” he said. ~ “Come on, let in the pony who made your starry night possible, pal,” Rainbow Dash said to the security at the front. “Ohh, right, you. Vinyl mentioned something about a pegasus with a rainbow mane,” an earth pony with sunglasses and a crew cut mane with a baton cutie mark said. “Yeah? Please tell me she said “Let her in, she’s totally awesome and deserves to see this show”,” Rainbow Dash said, relieved Vinyl had decided to make some precautions to insure she had a chance to make it in. “Something like that,” The security pony said with an amused smirk, standing aside and allowing the pegasus entry. The moment she stepped in, Rainbow Dash was nearly blown away by the sound of Daft Pony and loud pulsing music, magical beams of swirling light, and a purple hue that filled the room. Deciding to take to the air, Rainbow flew above the crowd and saw the white unicorn deejay working her sound table. The unicorn seemed to notice her as she grinned widely seconds after looking up where she was, then used her magic to hover a mounted megaphone towards herself. “Alright, ponies! Ya all enjoy this next big track, ‘cause DJ P0N-3 will be right back!” she said cheerfully, casting a spell on the soundboard and making the music play on its own, then the system glowed and flashed for a second, and the unicorn left the stage to head to the bar and order something. Deciding to follow, Rainbow Dash flew over and found herself a seat. “Glad you made it, Dash,” Vinyl said, levitating a cider the bartender had provided and taking some sips. “Well, not like I had much else tonight. I finished weather duty way early like always. Comes with being the fastest young flier in Equestria after all!” the pegasus replied. “Still, means a lot. I kinda needed a friendly, familiar face the past day or so,” the unicorn deejay explained. “Why, something wrong?” Rainbow asked. “You and Octavia aren’t—“ she began. “No, no way, Dash. We’re still tight as ever, she had a Canterlot concert to attend so she couldn’t make it. When things like the Gala or a royal wedding wind up on your credentials, everypony wants ya to perform for ‘em!” Vinyl replied. “So what’s going on, then?” the pegasus asked, concerned. She may not have been past friendly acquaintances with the deejay but far be it from her to leave anypony in need hanging. “Well… don’t go telling anypony but… I’ve been getting a lotta threatening messages lately. Totally anonymous. I tried takin’ ‘em to the cops but they can’t figure out who sent ‘em either!” Vinyl explained. Rainbow couldn’t see the deejay’s eyes behind the shades but she could tell the normally eccentric and carefree unicorn was worried. “Wow… any idea who might be? Like anypony who might have a grudge or want to hurt—“ Before Rainbow Dash could finish, the music cut abruptly and a male synthesized voice was heard over the speakers, catching everypony’s attention. “Everypony, stallion and mare, time to rise! Tonight is DJ PON-3’s big surprise!” the voice announced. Loud, pulsing music erupted, and suddenly after, the walls behind the soundstage exploded and engulfed in blue magical energy descended a unicorn stallion in some kind of armored bodysuit with electric blue glowing patterns running across it, a visored helmet with a horn atop it, and gauntlets with glowing pads under the forehooves. The moment he landed, he raised one hoof, and fired what appeared to be a shimmering wave that let out an odd synthesized hum that sounded like somepony compressed Vinyl’s sort of music into a single sound beat, demolishing a speaker. “What in the…?” Rainbow muttered as security galloped through the panicked partiers to confront their new visitor. “Alright, buddy. On the ground, now!” they warned, batons levitated as they approached “Name’s not buddy. It’s SHOCKWAVE!” the costumed unicorn declared, rearing on his hind legs and twin blasts of sound blasted out when he announced his name, sending them flying backward into the walls. “Look out!” Vinyl shouted, pulling Rainbow Dash and herself down under the bartable. “Come on out, Vinyl Scratch,” Shockwave ordered in a singsong voice. “I’ve been waiting for this opportunity to finally match the waves with you. Would you say I’ve gotten the upper hoof now?” he asked, pacing back and forth on the stage. Vinyl sighed and looked at Rainbow Dash. “Just get outta here while ya can. Find help. I’ll keep ‘em occupied,” she said softly, and rose up. “What do ya want with me, pal?” she asked, Shockwave let out a sinister laugh. “To give you and yours the show of a lifetime. Your last!” he announced, raising up his hoof again and it began to glow. Rainbow hated having to look like a coward by sneaking out, but she needed to get to her hotel, which was pretty close, thankfully, and fast. Why am I still doing this… she thought to herself. As if by instinct she’d brought something she’d hoped would stay in that box under her bed for the remainder of her life along with her on this trip… ~a week ago...~ Dear Princess Celestia… I don’t know what it is but I hope it’s not obsession. I miss when I could just lay back on a nice cloud and forget the world around me. No work, no studies, nothing but the sky and the peaceful sounds around me to keep me company. But as time went on, I feel less and less of that, and I think about stuff, like the filly I saved from the fire in Manehattan. Do I blame the time I started this crazy idea of trying to be a hero for real? I’m used to being in high places, being able to fly, look down at all that happens in Ponyville. Now though, I keep looking around like I’m wondering if something’s gonna happen, something that’ll need my help. It’s also because whenever I take a nap or go to sleep for the night, I keep having dreams, like one where I’m stopping a hydra from rampaging through Ponyville, and then when I win and the thing’s running back to the Everfree forest, Twilight comes over and points out what I’m wearing, and then suddenly I realize I have the Mare Do Well costume on! Other times, I dream about where I’m visiting one of the bigger towns or cities, flying around in the costume, kicking flank and taking names. Another one I’m back at the academy, but I’m in the costume instead of the cadet uniform, nopony else seems to notice. Then the weirdest one where I think I’ve woken up on my bed, and yup, I got the costume on. I try to take it off, but then I have another one on underneath! No matter how many times I try to take the thing off I have another one waiting under that one! I don’t know what to do about them, or what to make of them! I have weather duty in Van Hoover for a little while thanks to a bad Feather Flu outbreak you probably heard about there, they need their weather and I can’t leave them hanging! I’m gonna bring the costume with me, maybe it’ll give me some kind of closure or I’m worried it’s all I’m gonna think about, I mean, I don’t know when disaster’s gonna strike, and I gotta be there when it happens, SHE has to be there when it happens, right? Your loyal subject Rainbow Dash ~Present~ Maybe it was her need to always be prepared to help others, or maybe it was a growing attachment to this kind of life, or maybe she still, despite all she’d done last she wore it, felt like there was something to prove the moment the need arose. Getting the door open and rushing in, the pegasus opened the suitcase and yanked out the costume and flew off again, the costume’s accessories wrapped tight in her forehooves as her wings beat as strong as they could to propel her to the club and into an alleyway where she quickly got changed… ~ Shockwave drew closer to Vinyl, who had managed to conjure a protection barrier to protect her from the sound blast he’d fired at her, her vocational choice having been all the reason she needed to learn a few basic self-defense spells, and fired again, this time she could not hold out and the blast managed to outlast the barrier, sending her flying off her hooves and into the bartable. “Sorry, Scratch, looks like you’re all tuned out,” Shockwave taunted, but was suddenly struck from behind by a shadowy figure in a costume, knocking him over and sending him tumbling. The costumed unicorn stood up angrily and whirled around, glaring through the visor of his helmet. There, standing in the spotlights was a pegasus in a purple and blue costume of some kind, with a long cape held with a clasp that had an M symbol, a wide brimmed hat covered the top of her head and her face was hidden by a mask with white lenses that held a fierce expression to them. “Beg to differ, one-hit wonder,” the mare said in a low tone. “Some rainbow-maned pegasus told me there was trouble. Looks like she was right! Wanna go quietly or make my night slightly less boring?” Shockwave stood himself up, laughing as he remembered reports of a mysterious pegasus heroine called Mare Do Well who’d saved lives in Manehattan and Cloudsdale not too long ago. It wouldn’t just be her night that’d be more fun. “So the Mysterious Mare Do Well wants to be a part of the show? Well I’m afraid the answer’s a painful NOOOO!” he declared, raising both his hooves and firing an arced, glowing soundblast at her on the last word while practically singing it; Mare Do Well’s eyes widened under the mask as she was hit by the sudden wave of musical sound, sending her into the air and crashing into the ceiling. “That actually hurt,” she mused to herself, grunting as she pulled herself from the pony-shaped hole she’d made and leaping back down. “Time to rock and roll!” Shockwave threatened, raising a hoof and firing another soundwave, which Mare Do Well managed to dodge, but then used his magic to levitate several records and send them flying at her. The costumed mare smacked them with her hooves, knocking away some and breaking others, then leaping into the air, over Shockwave and slamming her hind leg into his back end, sending him flying through the air and sliding across the floor on impact. The two costumed ponies then charged at one-another, delivering several hoof strikes. Shockwave was less skilled at close-hoof combat, but his armor granted him more protection and his gauntlets seemed to add extra power to his blows. Mare Do Well was faster, more experienced, but the physical advantages Shockwave had thanks to his costume made him tougher then he’d have likely otherwise have been for the young athlete. Even when she blocked him, she still felt the impacts as the sound pressure was put into them, his helmet protecting his face from injury as well. “Pretty graceful, pegasus,” Shockwave taunted, levitating a table and sending it at Mare Do Well from behind, then rolled aside to avoid getting hit as well. “But not graceful enough,” he said with a laugh. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a deejay to deal with,” he said, and suddenly the exhausted Vinyl was engulfed in blue magic and levitated off the ground. Raising a hoof up, Shockwave fired a soundblast at the roof and ponies quickly began to clear out as Mare Do Well got herself back up. “Shame I can't stick around, ‘cause that last move’s gonna bring down the house!” he declared, galloping off with Vinyl in tow, then flew away, sound waves levitating him into the air and propelling him and his captive away. “Oh Tartarus…” Mare Do Well muttered, immediately spreading her wings and flying straight for the skyroof as it began to crack apart and tumbled with the rest of the club. ~ “Whoa, where am I…?” Vinyl muttered, rubbing her head and noticing her sunglasses were missing. As she attempted to stand, she found she lacked the energy to do so and fell over again. “Don’t bother, babe. I got you drugged good. No magic. No running. No hope,” Shockwave’s voice said as the costumed unicorn walked into the light. “Remember this place? Let it all come back to you…” Vinyl noticed several old signs and such, recognizing it to be an old sound studio she’d been to a few times. “Saddle Tune Studio?” she asked. “Correct,” Shockwave answered. “The place a bunch of us used to mix music,” he said, tilting her head up, the white unicorn saw only her own tired reflection on the emotionless black visor of her captor’s helmet. “Including the ones you chose to leave behind when the fame got to that pretty head of yours,” The costumed unicorn explained. “But you know, the things you leave behind have a way of… catching up,” he said, his horn glowing and the visor split in half and slid away to either side of his helmet, revealing a face Vinyl knew. “Sonic Boom?!” she asked, surprised. “I told you this wasn’t over, didn’t I?” Shockwave asked with a laugh. “I swore you’d pay.” “Pay for what?! I didn’t think any less of you when I got the job for the Canterlot wedding instead of you, you know!” Vinyl protested. “Don’t lie to me, Vinyl!” the other unicorn snapped. “I’m not. And I didn’t betray you! There’s your problem, you think only of yourself when stuff gets too good or too rough for you! It’s why it was hard for me to stay friends with you in the first place!” Vinyl said angrily. Sonic Boom had taken that incident rather personally, but she figured he’d blow off the steam and move on like usual, but this… “Heh, like you’re in any position to talk to me like that,” Shockwave said, his helmet visor closing again. Vinyl could see there was no getting through to him. “When this night’s over, I’ll be sure to give your fans your regards… and whatever else of yours left that I can salvage.” ~ “Ugh, this is getting me nowhere…” Mare Do Well groaned, flying about and looking for any sign she could of where Vinyl’s kidnapper may have been, landing back on the street and regretting not having Twilight’s vast array of magical spells for tracking or Pinkie’s sense of intuition. Sitting down she growled in frustration. “There’s gotta be a clue. Something. They make this so much easier in those comics!” she grumbled, flying back up and perching on a rooftop. At least the griffons and the Cloudsdale threat had a wider intended target. This was new ground for her, but she couldn’t give up. That suit of his, it allowed him to fire blasts of sound or something like that, eggheads would probably have explained it better to her and she’d still just smile and nod. She’d never seen a unicorn invent that, let alone need to. He had to have gotten it from somewhere, or something that had the know-how for it… Gizmonks! They had them in Van Hoover! Usually for repairwork and such but they sometimes helped make machines for pegasi and earth ponies to use due to lacking magic. Grinning, she flew off to her hotel again, she’d need some bits before heading to a shop she knew a few to reside at. ~ Entering the store, the costumed pegasus looked around and found a lone gizmonk sitting atop the counter, reading a book, he had tool belts and pouches of all kinds strapped to his body and a pair of goggles on his head with several lenses. “Hey,” Mare Do Well said in a low tone, her voice disguised. The gaunt simian jumped in surprise and fell from the counter. “You ponies! Do you always gotta do that?” the creature asked indignantly. “And what’s with the costume? “I’m not here for business, I’m here for information. Devices that can amplify sound, something that can be worn,” Mare Do Well answered, approaching. “Sorry, we may not have the best reputation among you ponies but even we don’t betray our customers!” the gizmonk answered. “How much is that promise worth?” Mare Do Well asked, sliding off her saddlebag and pushing it open with her hoof, allowing a small bag of bits to slide out. The gizmonk grinned and scurried forward, counting them, even adjusting the lenses on his goggles as he studied each one. “Oh, about this much I’d say!” the gizmonk said with a laugh. “Now that I think about it, I do remember one customer who stood out! Some gray unicorn with a spiky black mane. I don’t get many unicorns since, you know, the whole magic thing. Never gave his name but he paid loads. Ordered me to make a way to have hoofheld sound projectors with feedback insulation. It was gonna be like having your own soundboard as a suit! I just sent it to him today!” “Well, he’s gone and used it to trash the Wild Mustang Club and kidnap its deejay,” the costumed pegasus explained. “As glad as I am to know it works well, it doesn’t sound like my problem. He should be careful though, the soundfeed gets reversed he’s gonna have a really bad day…” the gizmonk answered, only to promptly be hoofed in the face. “If you want it to remain someone else’s problem, AND not get arrested when I deal with him, you’ll tell me where you sent the order to,” Rainbow threatened, raising a hoof again. “Eek! Okay! Okay! Some old building. Ironshoe Lane, fifth building on the left when you get on there. Figured he wanted to revive it or something, but that’s all I know!” the gizmonk said, panicking and trying to get away from the pegasus. “Are you sure?” the pegasus asked, preparing to hoof him again. “It’s on the records, right on the counter!” the gizmonk said, pointing behind him. Mare Do Well flew past him and moved a few slips, finding one that matched the address. Without another word, she flew off, leaving the creature behind with his pay. ~ Flying through the city, passing buildings and slowing down only momentarily to check signs, Rainbow Dash finally found the otherwise abandoned-looking building the gizmonk had told her of. “Hold tight, Vinyl. I’m coming,” she said quietly, taking a breath, and flying into the open entrance. Inside, Vinyl was now strapped to a bomb of some sort that had several large speakers on it. “Really?” she asked. “Aren’t we going just a little extreme here, Sonic Boom?” the unicorn mare asked. “No chance. When that bomb goes off, it’s gonna play the song this city will never forget. I told you I’d be the true master of ponykind’s music!” the unmasked Shockwave said, unaware of the shadowy figure that slowly descended behind him, and before he even saw it coming, he was bucked off his hooves and across the room. “Think again!” Mare Do Well stated, Vinyl let out a cheer as the costumed mare galloped over and slid her mask up enough when she got behind her to bite away the straps. “I guess the collapsing building didn’t finish you off after all,” the white unicorn said with a grin as she got up. The costumed villain grit his teeth angrily, his horn glowing and the helmet’s visor closing again as he stood up. “No matter, prepare to catch the waves!” he declared, rearing back and firing twin soundblasts at the pegasus. Rainbow weaved out of the way just in time when the projectors lit up, flying along the walls and dodging the stream of soundwaves that tore into them as she readjusted her mask, then flew right at him before he could charge up again, knocking him to the ground once more and pinning him down, preparing to strike him in the face. “Sorry, pegasus! I’m no one-trick pony!” he taunted, his horn glowing and suddenly his whole body seemed to vibrate and a wide burst of techno-sound emitted from him, blasting Mare Do Well off him and getting up. “Neither am I!” Rainbow declared, glaring through the lenses of her mask as she stopped herself in the air and flew in circles around him at great speed. The unicorn could feel the wind pressure building, causing him to lose footing and he attempted several soundblasts but could not seem to hit the costumed mare. “That does it! Time for the show stopper!” Shockwave declared, his horn charging and raising his hooves as he began to charge up magical energy. “Get ready, Mare Do Well, because this next hit’s about to blow you away!” he said, rising up the increasing funnel Rainbow Dash was forming. Now! Right as he was charging up, the costumed pegasus swooped straight at him at full speed, hooves forward, and striking him in the helmet, sending him flying backward and into the speakers of the bomb. Crashing into them, the stored energy discharged on them, and the costumed unicorn cried out as loud dubstep music burst from the speakers and shattered the visor of his helmet. Mare Do Well and Vinyl covered their ears as best they could until the music died down and Shockwave collapsed to the ground next to the inactive bomb. “Show’s over, Shockwave,” Mare Do Well said proudly as she approached, grinning under the mask. “What?!” Shockwave asked, all he could hear was indistinct mumbles and a faint high pitched ringing. “I can’t hear you!” he shouted. She did this to him! He couldn’t hear the music anymore! He was deaf! Struggling, he raised his hoof to fire a soundblast at the costumed pegasus, but only sparks came out. Staring at it for a moment, the unicorn barely had time to register as Mare Do Well struck him in his now unprotected face, knocking him out for the count. ~ A halfhour later, the Van Hoover police were carrying away the unconscious stallion in a stretcher. “He’ll need to be treated for the injuries first, then next stop will be Alkatrot Prison,” the earth pony officer explained to Vinyl. “Thanks. Shame he turned out this way,” the deejay said, relieved after the report was finally over. “So, Mare Do Well’s back, huh…” a unicorn with a magnifying glass with an eye inside for a cutie mark said, recalling the stories about Manehattan and Cloudsdale, and some rumors about a rural place called Ponyville some time earlier then that. “Well that’s hardly a bad thing!” Vinyl said with a grin. “If she didn’t show up when she did, I’d be toast! Most awesome pony ever.” As soon as the police left, Vinyl knew she was still not alone. “Had a feeling you were there,” the deejay said, smirking. “Wasn’t about to miss out on making sure the coolest deejay in Equestria was okay,” Mare Do Well remarked, taking all the restraint in the kingdom not to break character about the compliment regarding being awesome. “Well, I don't normally brag but I’m told I'm in the top five,” Vinyl said with a bashful laugh. “Now that I know my psycho-stalker’s gone, I can get the rest of my gigs done here. Gotta say, ‘Tavi’s gonna hear quite a story when I’m back in Ponyville.” “Well, you stay safe, Vinyl,” Mare Do Well said, spreading her wings and taking to the air. “You too,” the unicorn said. “And if you see my shades, bring ‘em back to me when you get the chance!” "Sure thing," the pegasus said with a nod and took to the air, flying off into the night sky. ~ “Sure ya can’t stay longer, Rainbow?” Vinyl asked two days later as they sat at a diner for lunch. “Nah, some of the weatherponies recovered sooner then expected, so the skies should be fine. I’ll be heading back to Ponyville this afternoon,” Rainbow explained. “Come on, don’tcha think the place has gone on long enough without my awesome weather skills?” The unicorn deejay laughed, Rainbow would always live up to her brash rep it seemed. “Well I’ll be returning eventually, myself. Thanks again for finding Mare Do Well, by the way.” “Hey, pure luck. That reminds me!” Rainbow reached into her new saddlebag and pulled out a familiar pair of mirrored shades with her teeth, dropping them onto the table. Vinyl grinned widely as she levitated the sunglasses onto her face once more. “She swung by and dropped these off for me. Found ‘em near the club apparently… what’s left of it anyway. That crazy supervillain unicorn kinda leveled the place.” “Thanks, Dash,” Vinyl replied. “Shoulda asked for an autograph or somethin’ ‘cause by the moon, ‘Tavi’s gonna be hearin’ quite a story once we’re both back home.” Rainbow laughed, recalling when Vinyl had said that to her alter-ego. “Wish I’d seen it. All the stuff you described sounded way awesome.” “Yeah, it was. You and her are kinda alike though,” The unicorn remarked with a smirk as she levitated some bits on the table, gazing up at the clock tower. “Well I need to get going, I’ll seeya around, Dash!” With that, Vinyl trotted off to her hotel, leaving the pegasus with her thoughts. Rainbow watched as Vinyl departed, then looked at her other saddlebag pouch, where a certain costume lay hidden. She’d really thought this whole Mare Do Well ordeal had ended with the griffon invasion in Cloudsdale or at least wouldn’t come back for a good while, keeping the costume as a reminder and a possibility. It seemed those assumptions were wrong… who knew when another crazy in a costume would pop up to terrorize everypony, another crazy she’d need to be there to stop, ponies needed an image that could be counted on for her loyalty towards protecting them when they needed her most. “Great… guess I’m a superhero for real, now…” she muttered, looking up at the sky as if for answers. Finding none at the moment, Rainbow Dash signaled a waiter over, left some bits on the table, and flew off, not sure how she felt about this new direction in her life, the changes it’d have on it, or the letter she’d have to give Celestia when she got home. ~ Stupid Mare Do Well… she’ll pay for this! Shockwave thought to himself, the ringing in his head his only company. His hearing had been slowly on the recovery thanks to healing spells, but it’d still be awhile before he’d be having conversations with anypony. Sitting on the cot in his cell on Alkatrot Island, the defeated unicorn noticed a few griffons present in other cells as well, though they payed him no notice. As he lay back on his pillow and dug his hoof underneath he felt a crinkle of parchment underneath. Sliding the pillow over, the unicorn levitated it before his face, reading the vague statement upon it. Your attempt did not go unnoticed, perhaps we can one day be of use to one-another against a potentially common threat. We’ll be in touch. Signed, Big Shot