//------------------------------// // Ends and Means // Story: Dashed Trust // by NightmareDash //------------------------------// Rainbow Dash stared blankly towards the other ponies, speechless. Words could not describe her shock. The last time she had an enemy like Mare-Do-Well was those stuck-up colts at flight school. And for that enemy to end up being not merely a friend, but her five best friends, was... It was inconcievable. The very ponies she would have expected to be on her side only days ago were anything but. Gilda the Griffon stood beside her, just as dumbfounded. The tense silence was broken by Applejack's down-home southern drawl. "Well, I reckon we have some explainin' to do, don't we?" For Rainbow's response, "irrate" would be an understatement. The same could be said of calling her speech pattern "hastened". "Are you kidding? I thought you were my friends, I thought you would stand by me when Mare-Do-Well showed up but then you didn't and I got a little ticked off but then I find out that you're all Mare-Do-Well and you've been upstaging me this entire time..." Twilight interrupted the unintelligible tirade, hoping to bring some of her signature logic into the picture. "Easy there, Rainbow. I'm not going to try to lie to you and say that this isn't what it seems, but we still are your friends. Give me a chance to explain." Dash accepted, grudgingly. "You have five minutes." "Good. Pinkie's Pinkie Sense would tell us in advance that something dangerous was going to happen, and one of us would get suited up and go to make the rescue." At this point, the others chimed in on their own accomplishments. "I stopped the carriage bus with these babies. Bucky McGillicuddy and Kicks McGee." "I saved the construction workers with my Pinkie Sense." "And I used my magic to fix the dam." "Ooh, ooh! And I did the flyby afterwards." "I made the costumes. Fabulous, if I do say so myself!" As Twilight tried to explain the group's actions to the pegasus and griffon, Applejack took Rarity by the hoof and pulled her to the side. "Sugarcube, I'm glad you helped us out, but they didn't know you were working with us. They didn't need to, and they wouldn't have if you had just kept your trap shut! What if something went wrong, and we needed help?" "Sorry, Applejack. But how else would Rainbow and Gilda have known who created such a wonderful ensemble? The costumes were absolutely fabulous, and I would've hated to leave them wondering about..." Applejack cut her off with an irritated glare. After a few seconds, the white unicorn picked up sheepishly: "But it's O.K. now, right, Applejack? This is going to end up just fine for everypony... Right?" But by that time, A.J. had rejoined the group, and Rarity soon did the same. Apparently, Twilight's explanation had done little good, because Rainbow and Gilda were now not so much slackjawed as scowling. The unicorn and pegasus were still arguing. "I still don't get it. If you all really are my friends, I'd think you'd be happy with me being a hero. Why did you have to do all this?" "We were happy, at first, Rainbow. But the fame kind of went to your head." Fluttershy timidly interrupted. "Yes, you were being a teensy bit of a braggart. Only a teensy bit, though. Oh my, I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings, Rainbow." "Teensy nothin'! She was bein' a full-on high horse!" "Yeah. You were really a braggy Mcbragger-brags. Even Gummy thought so!" "Our point is, Rainbow..." "Yeah, I get it, Twilight. And you're right, I was being kind of a glory-hog. But you didn't have to go to all this just to tell me that! A simple "Hey Rainbow, tone down the showboating" would've done just as nicely. But no, you had to steal my thunder, turn all of Ponyville against me, and ruin my life! If you hadn't gone and played dress-up, my existance would be a lot less painful right now!" "Rainbow, wait..." " "Wait Rainbow", nothing! You betrayed me, Twilight. You all betrayed me. I was doing perfectly fine as Ponyville's resident hero, all until you made up Mare-Do-Well to run me off! I don't know if it was really because you couldn't stand my bragging, or if you were jealous, or whatever the real reason is. But I do know that you had the burning desire to upstage me! And now, thanks to the Mare-Do-Well brigade, I'm the laughingstock of Ponyville! Is this what you wanted? Are you happy now?" The questions bit each of them sharply. And not like a Gummy bite. More like a dragon bite. Twilight predictably tried to reason with her, while the others stood back in shame. "I'm sorry it came to this, Rainbow. We never meant for it to go this far. When you had learned your lesson, Mare-Do-Well would have just vanished into the night. We never expected everypony to flock to us the way they did, nor did we expect you to launch a counterattack. And nopony expected you to bring in Gilda." At the mention of her name, the griffon shot Twilight a look that seemed less of a statement and more of a death threat. And Rainbow was barely listening, just enough to know how to make a stinging retort. One came immediately. "Well it did go this far. Mare-Do-Well is now Ponyville's favorite hero, and she can't just vanish from that. Even though she put several innocent ponies at risk while trying to teach me a lesson, everypony still loves her. And Rainbow Dash is Ponyville's favorite joke, if anypony remembers her at all. I guess your genius plan worked anyway, Twilight. I won't be bragging any time soon; I've got nothing to be proud of. Just ask Scootaloo." At this, the pegasus took off into the evening sky. The five remaining ponies started to run off after her, but their attempt at pursuit was met by the flick of a wing. A row of razor-sharp brown feathers appeared in front of them, sticking out of the pavement like darts. Across from the new boundary stood Gilda, who, having kept silent for most of the confrontation, finally took the opportunity to speak her piece. "You've hurt her enough tonight. I would recommend you quit while you're behind." The griffon flew away promptly, following her old friend back to her home.