//------------------------------// // Ch 4: A Missing Rainbow // Story: Trapped! // by rainb0w_dash //------------------------------// The sky was glowing with a grayish tint as the clouds were covering pretty much the entire sky except for a few open patches of the blue sky shining here and there. The Weather team was frantically working on the sky, trying their best to clear it up since the Pegasus that usually takes care of the weather for Ponyville hadn't come and worked on them. There was something truly off about this day. Even though Rainbow Dash hadn't come and worked on the clouds in the sky like she had every day it looked like no pony really noticed. While the Pegasi were trying so hard to clear away all the clouds Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle were running around Ponyville doing their usual crusading business wherever it took them. ''And she did a Sonic Rainboom and she even told me that she'll teach me how to fly! I can't wait for her to teach me!'' Scootaloo was excitedly telling the other crusaders about how the day before Rainbow Dash was showing off her incredible flying tricks. As they ran back to their clubhouse in Sweet Apple Acres. All three of them were wearing their Cutie Mark Crusaders Capes as they stepped into the dark one room clubhouse. They took off their capes and Apple Bloom turned on the light. Light filled the entire room as they stood in their usual Crusaders thinking spot and started discussing on how they would get their cutie marks like every other day. ''I know! Lets try something completely new!'' Sweetie Belle exclaimed. ''What do ya have in mind?'' Apple Bloom replied with a quizzical look on her face. ''How about helping Fluttershy taking care of her animals?'' ''Okay that sounds like a pretty good idea.'' Apple Bloom said in reply to Sweetie Belles suggestion. Since she has helped her big sister Applejack a few times before in the barn with the animals. Scootaloo was a little skeptical about this job it didn't really seem like her thing but she thought that if it got her her Cutie Mark then she was up for the task. It took about a while to walk all the way to Fluttershys cottage outside of Ponyville, They were all exhausted from all the walking that they just did. Finally there stood before them was the front door to Fluttershys cottage. Sweetie Belle knocked on the door. They waited there for a few minutes but there was no noise from inside the house. No pony answered the door. ''Oh come on!'' Sweetie Belle shouted. It was obvious that she was very angry, she had to walk all the way out just find that she wasn't even home! They started walking back when suddenly Fluttershy came flying down from the sky with a saddle bag on her back. ''Yes! Fluttershy! I'm so glad to see you! Can we help take care of the animals for you for just a little bit?'' Sweetie Belle asked with delight. '' Oh, umm... I guess you cou-'' "Cutie Mark Crusaders Animal Caretakers!!!" the three fillies eagerly shouted. Fluttershy was a little taken back by the sudden scream that the 3 fillies had made. She walked inside with the 3 crusaders following close behind. She told them to wait in the living room as she flew upstairs. The 3 fillies sat quietly and patiently in the middle of the living room. Ready to do just about anything that would get them their cutie marks. Fluttershy returned downstairs a few minutes later with her saddlebag off. Still sitting in the middle of the floor were the 3 Crusaders. Talking with each other about what they could be doing. "Maybe we'll tame wild crocodiles!" Scootaloo said with excitement in her voice. "I doubt it, but that might be fun!" Apple Bloom replied hesitantly. "It's okay, we're not taming wild creatures." Fluttershy reassured Apple Bloom. The Crusaders followed Fluttershy outside to start working with the animals. Fluttershy had a bag of food for all the squirrels, birds and other creatures the likes of that. She took out a bowl to put the food in. Looking at the crusaders who were just following her lead. She noticed that Scootaloo kept looking up in sky with an expression that looked like she was looking for something. She walked over to Scootaloo and asked, "Hey Scootaloo? Why are you looking up into the sky? " "I wanna see if Rainbow Dash is flying around!" Scootaloo was looking up into the patchy grey sky. "Oh I dont know if your gonna see her. In fact I haven't seen her all day either. I wonder where she is. Hey girls? If you wanna come with me to look for Rainbow then you can." A few minutes later Scootaloo was the only one who agreed to come with Fluttershy Apple Bloom and the others decided to just go back home since they came to the conclusion that this was not their calling. Fluttershy and Scootaloo went down to Ponyville to look for Rainbow, they asked quite a few ponies to see if they had seen her sometime that day and every pony that they asked told them the same answer, "No." "Hey Scoots?" "Ya?" "I'm going to see if Rainbow is at her house, do you want to come?" Scootaloo jumped with joy as her wings fluttered with much excitement. "YES!" She was pretty sure that Rainbow Dash was just at her house sleeping in. Fluttershy arrived at Rainbows cloud house while carrying Scootaloo in her arms, "My my Scootaloo your getting pretty heavy for me to carry you? Why did you even come with me in the first place?" Fluttershy questioned the tan Pegasus filly. "I want to say thanks for yesterday, she showed me some pretty awesome flying tricks!" Scootaloo replied to the yellow Pegasus. Fluttershy acknowledged Scootaloo and walked into cloud house. After calling Rainbows name a dew times and getting no answer she decided to go to her room. She looked into the room and saw that Rainbow wasn't sleeping in her bed. Her eyes widened and she ran out of the room in search of her cyan friend. "Where is she WHERE IS SHE!?" Fluttershy looked through the entire house and was now in a full blown panic attack. She couldn't find Rainbow anywhere. Scootaloo noticed the worried look on Fluttershy's face and asked what was wrong? "I can't find her anywhere!" Fluttershy said as loud as she could. Scootaloo was kind of worried but then again she reassured herself because she knew that wherever Rainbow Dash was she was probably not in a lot of trouble that would probably endanger her life.