Chapter 20: Threats and Responses
Light from the rising sun began to seep through the window of the living room. Slowly the beam of light stretched its way across the room passing empty milk bottles and paper until it touched the hoof of the cyan pegasus sleeping on the couch. It inched its way up her leg until it finally shone on Rainbow Dash's face causing her to stir from her sleep.
With a loud yawn Rainbow stretched her hooves and wings as she sat up. A quick glance around the room confirmed her suspicion that she had indeed fallen asleep downstairs which expplained her soreness. "Crap must of had too much to drink last night. Hope Top Notch isn't..." Memories from the previous day flooded back to her. "So that wasn't a dream then." She mulled over what had happened between her and the stallion. "I guess I can't blame the guy, after all he did to try and help me I keep a secret that big from him. Ugh, What was I thinking!?"
As she got up from the couch her hoof touched one of the empty milk bottles that were littered across the floor sending it rolling across the room. She bent over and picked up one of the milk bottles trying to remember what she had done with them. "So if yesterday wasn't a dream then that mean I really did try...oh crap." She grabbed her stomach and bolted for the bathroom door slamming it shut behind her.
Several minutes of painful moaning and groaning passed before a flush came from the bathroom. Rainbow Dash made came out of the room still grasping her stomach with a hoof. "Right, so it is impossible to get drunk from drinking nothing but milk. Nauseated? Oh yeah. Glazed? Definitely a no." She looked at the culprits that littered the floor quickly putting a hoof to her mouth. "Yeah...I think I'm done with milk...for a...oh buck me." Once again the bathroom door was slammed shut.
Making sure that she got the dairy out of her system completely, Rainbow Dash was again reentered the living room making sure not to make eye contact with any of the bottles. She turned her attention to the other objects that were scattered across the floor. She picked up one of the pieces of paper and noticed that it had writing on it.
Dear Twilight,
I know its been a while since we talkedmostly because of the stupid choices you made with out talking to me firstbut how have you been lately? They give you own kingdom to rule yet?-Rainbow Dash
Rainbow Dash looked at the paper and realized that it was indeed her hoofwriting. A quick scan of the room revealed more papers. "Weird, I remember writing only a few of these last night. Then again I only remember drinking two bottles of milk last night so..." A rumble from her stomach made her change her train of thought. "Wonder if any of these are actually good." She made her way over to a crumpled paper on the floor and picked it up.
What's up Twilight? Rainbow Dash here just keeping you updated on my life,
you know that life that you pretty much ruined by shutting down the WonderBolts...
"Right, can't use that one."
Hey Twilight, remember when you made me promise you that you'd be the first one to know if I ever found a stallion I liked? Well I met this pretty awesome guy, his name's Top Notch. He's AJ's cousin and we're doing really well together
until yesterday when I told him about my secret and he pretty much dumped me on the spot for not telling him. I hope you get to meet him one daythough he sorta hates Princess Celestia just to let you know.
"Maybe I can salvage this one." The pegasus tossed the paper onto the couch before moving on the next one.
Rainbow Dash had made her way around the room looking at all the potential letters and being disappointed when they were all pretty much her ranting or complaining. Finally she held the last piece paper in the room up to her face.
JEEZ PRINCESS HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO APOLOGIZE TO ONE OF YOUR BEST FRIENDS FOR PRETTY MUCH RUINING HER LIFE? NOT JUST BY SHUTTING DOWN THE WONDERBOLTS BUT ALSO CAUSING A STALLION THAT SHE LIKED TO BREAK UP WITH HER. WHAT, ARE YOU CONSTIPATED ON THE THRONE? I'M PRETTY SURE TANK COULD DO THIS FASTER THAN YOU!
Without any hesitation Rainbow Dash crushed the paper into a ball before tossing it into a bin in the corner of the room. "Yeah, I really can't use any of these without sounding like pathetic selfish loser or a socialpath. Whatever I guess I cold always write a better one later to her when I'm not under the imaginary influence of milk." Walking back to the couch she inadvertently kicked another empty milk bottle sending it sliding into the wall before cracking in two. "Oops, I guess I should clean all this up before Top's see's the mess I made. Who knows maybe he's already seen it."
"Actually...I don't remember Top's coming home last night at all." Making her way up the stairs Rainbow Dash knocked on Top Notch's bedroom door. When no response came she creaked the door open a little and poked her head through. "Hey Top's...I mean...Top Notch, you in here?" The stallion was no where to be seen with the room looking as if no one had been inside it recently. "I guess he must of found some place to crash in town. Geez Rainbow, you must of pissed him off on a whole new level for him to avoid coming back to is own house."
Back downstairs Rainbow Dash made her way out through the kitchen to the stables. "Hey Top Notch! You out here?" She waited a minute for a response and headed back into the house. Putting the obvious question of where Top Notch was aside Rainbow Dash began to wonder what to do next. "Okay, he's not here but I don't need him here to do work around the farm. Then again...I really should head into town and ask around for him."
A low growl came from the pegasus's stomach that didn't send her running to the bathroom. "I can't think on an empty stomach. Pretty sure I'll think of something during breakfast." Rainbow Dash headed back into the kitchen, got some bread out, and made was about to make toast when a two loud knocks came from the front of the house. "Can't be Top's since, don't think I ever heard of any one kocking before coming into their own house."
Two more knocks came from the front door. "I'm coming I'm coming just a hold on a second." Placing the bread next to the toaster she headed towards the front of the house. "If you're here looking for Top Notch then you're going to have to come back later."
Rainbow Dash froze in place when she opened the door and saw that Thatcher was standing in front of her. "Hello there Rainbow Dash. My you're looking good for a pony who almost lost her life saving the town for a changeling attack." A jumble of conflicting thoughts fought for attention in Rainbow's mind with 'Tackle Asshole to Ground' winning out. Before Rainbow Dash could make a move Thatcher spoke again. "Now before you inflict any bodily harm to me just know that it is in your best interest to listen to what I have to say."
"Oh yeah? Why would I do that?" Rainbow Dash flared her wings as if ready to pounce.
"Simple, it would be a real shame if Top Notch shared the same fate of that other stallion. Oh what was him name? Whisky?" Rainbow Dash backed off after hearing that. Her whole body began to tremble from the fear and anger that coursed through her. "Good, I thought you'd listen to reason. Now I bet you're wondering what I'm..."
In an instant Rainbow Dash grabbed the stallion, spun him around, and pinned him against the house. "Where is Top Notch?" Rainbow pushed Thatcher harder against the wall. "Tell me before I do something you're going to regret."
To Rainbow's surprise Thatcher didn't even struggle. He just allowed himself to be handled by Rainbow Dash. "Funny how even after a month has passed you're still a stupid girl." A blow to the back of the head sent him face first into the wall. "You know the last pony who hurt me didn't end up doing so well. Here I thought you'd listen to reason but apparently I was wrong."
A shove from behind sent him face first into the wall again. Thatcher noticed a small blood stain on the side of the house. "Look if you let go off me then I'll gladly tell you where your little colt friend is. I was going to anyway but apparently ponies in this town are too hot headed to listen to reason."
Rainbow Dash shoved him one last time against the wall before letting him go. "Alright, start talking before I change my mind and decide to turn you into the Sheriff."
Thatcher brushed himself off before putting a hoof to the blood seeping from his nose. "Don't suppose I could trouble you for a paper towel?" A blank expression from the pegasus gave him his answer. "I take it that's a no then. Anyway don't worry yourself over Top Notch. He's not hurt and is being well taken care of courtesy of my boss. No harm will come to him as long as you cooperate with us."
"What exactly do you mean by 'Cooperate'?"
"Just as it sounds. All my boss wants to do is talk to you. To tell you the truth he's actually taken quite an interest in you. All you have to do to is come down to our hide out and..."
Rainbow Dash scoffed at that. "Come down to you 'Hide out'. Right cause that doesn't sound suspicious at all."
"Well what did you expect? That I'd just walk back into my old office in town? I would of been arrested on the spot. Now as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, all you have to do is come down to out hide out alone to talk with my boss. You do that and we won't hurt Top Notch or you. Seems fair enough right?"
"Like you could hurt me but fine. I'll go meet with your boss. Where's your stupid hideout anyway?"
Thatcher took out a piece of paper from a saddle bag at his side and tossed it into the house. "Directions are on there. Just remember that you have to come alone. If you tell anyone else or show up with anyone else then that little stallion you love so much will suffer for it. Oh and before I forget, you've got two hours to comply. If you don't then..."
A nasty stare from Rainbow caused Thatcher to choke on his words. "I'll be there, you just better hope that Top Notch isn't hurt." With that Rainbow Dash went back into the house and slammed the door shut.
With his goal accomplished Thatcher headed back out into the scrub land. He rubbed nose sorely seeing if the bleeding had stopped. "Guess there really was no way that could of gone better. Oh well, either way the stupid girl will pay for messing up the boss's plans."
Rainbow Dash waited inside the house by the front door for a minute before peeking out the door to see if Thatcher was gone. She closed the door, locked it, and then picked up the piece of paper containing the instructions. "Okay lets see here." Her eyes glanced over the paper. "Seems easy enough."
Something curious happened at that moment to Rainbow Dash. For no apparent reason her back left leg began to shake violently before crumpling causing the peagsus to collapse onto the floor. "What the?"
All at once she felt the rest of her body begin to tremble as well. Her hear rate sped up exponentially and she felt an icy chill in the pit of her stomach. The pegasus's entire body began to shake violently forcing her to remain on the floor of the house. "Why...why can't I move?" Rainbow Dash willed her body to listen but she could not manage to move a single muscle. Fear began to build in her as she contemplated what would happen if she didn't show up for the meeting with Thatcher's boss. "They killed Whisky and...and ...they'll kill Top's too if I can't get my stupid body to move! ARRRGH!" Rainbow Dash let out a loud scream before her head fell to the floor.
Her face began to warm up as she felt her whole body continue to shake. "What's wrong with me? I abandon one of best friends over a stupid decision, I leave the rest of my friends to try and be a hero, and I broke the heart of the stallion that did nothing but care for me all these months. I'm such a bucking failure in life." Rainbow Dash felt tears begin to stream down the side of her face but couldn't move a hoof to wipe them away.
"I'm sorry Top's...maybe you would of been better off if I had just left with Apple Jack and gone back home."
Something clicked in the back of Rainbow Dash's mind, her body acting the way it was along with the thoughts of doubt now seemed familiar to her. "Last time I felt like this I guess was at the Young Flyers competition at CloudsDale a couple years ago. I was so nervous of failing and looking like an idiot in front of Princess Celestia and my friends."
"Is that whats happening to me right now? Am I nervous? Nervous of what? I'm Rainbow Dash, I don't get nervous anymore." She willed her body to move but still remained firmly on the floor. "Oh who am I kidding? I am nervous...and a bit scared I guess if I'm going to be completely honest with myself."
Rainbow Dash's body began to tremble less. "Okay so I'm scared, so what? Still doesn't change the fact that I've got a pony to save. There's no way I'm going to let Thatcher and his 'boss' ,whoever that is, win against me. I'll be the slowest flyer in Equestria before that happens!"
All at once Rainbow Dash jumped off the floor almost hitting her head against the ceiling. There was a slight pain in her right wing but she ignored it and flew up the stairwell to her room where she began to formulate a plan. "Okay, so they obviously think I'm stupid enough to actually go alone and meet them. Pfft, Rarity's got a better chance of becoming the EEW Heavy Weight Champ before I fall for that. Read too many Daring Do books to know how that ends but still. If they see me walk up or fly in with the Sheriff then Top's will...hmmm! There's got to be an answer I'm not seeing here. Villains always have stupid holes in their plans!"
The pegasus paced around her room trying to come up with a feasible solution. Every time she thought she had a plan she jumped in the air only to come back down slowly when she realized it wouldn't work. This pattern continued for several minutes until out of the blue Rainbow Dash came up with not one, but two plans. Each that she believed were guaranteed to work. Without any further hesitation she set about making her preparations for both plans.
Glancing at a clock in the farm house Rainbow Dash noticed she had only around thirty minutes left to meet the deadline. She packed up what she needed in her saddle bag before flying out through her bedroom window towards town as fast as her recovering wing would allow her.
There were two stops and two ponies that she needed to meet in order for both of her plans to work. As she flew over the town the first pony came in view just outside of Whisky's restaurant. Rainbow Dash dove down and landed in front of Clover Leaf. "Clover do you know where your dad is? I need to ask him for a favor!"
"My old man? Why do you need to ask him for a favor?" Clover Leaf gave Rainbow Dash a quick look over and noticed that the pegasus was sweating profusely. "Rainbow Dash you haven't been putting too much stress on the wing of yours have you? The Doctor said..."
"The Doctor said that I need to take it easy for a bit, yeah I know but this is important! So come on, do you have any idea where your dad is?" Rainbow Dash knew she had a only small time window for both of her plans to be in motion.
"Well I guess my dad would be in his office in the Town Hall." Clover Leaf pointed down the street. "That's probably the safest bet."
"Awesome! Do you know if he finished that damage report yet?"
"I think I heard him say something about finishing it today but what does that have to do with anything?"
Rainbow Dash perked up after hearing that. She wasn't too late, there was still time to for get both of her plans to work. "Cool now I got to hurry! Thanks a lot Clover!" Rainbow Dash took off down the street but then quickly flew back to her friend. "Oh one more thing Clover. Stay inside the restaurant or your house today and lock the doors. Make sure you don't talk to any one you don't know personally! Got it?"
A nod from the confused unicorn was enough to send Rainbow Dash flying back down the street towards Town Hall
Rainbow Dash pretty much let herself into the Mayor's office pushing past a disgruntled secretary that tried to send her away. "Mayor Bowlorama..."
"That's Mayor Bouvardia to you Ms. Rainbow Dash. You have a reason for storming into my office like this? I know the town of EverGlade see's you as a hero but we do have a procedures for scheduling a meeting with me." The Mayor shuffled some paper work on his desk before lighting up his horn.
"Wait Mayor Boo...Bularian...boova...Mayor Clover's dad! What's that you're about to send?" Rainbow Dash rushed to the side of the Mayor's desk pointing at the papers he held.
The Mayor levitated the thick paper stack in front of Rainbow Dash. "This is the damage report that I've just finished. I was actually just about to send it on its way. Oh and before I forget it's Mayor Bouvardia. Please try to remember my name Ms. Rainbow Dash. You don't see me forgetting yours now do you?"
"Look I promise I'll remember you name after all of this is over. Right now though I need you to hold on a second on sending that report. Also I need to ask you for two favors that are really important." Rainbow Dash got out a rolled up piece of paper from her saddle bag and placed it on the Mayor's desk. "I need you to send this note to Sheriff Silver Point."
"Pardon me Rainbow Dash but wouldn't it be easier and save time if you just delivered this note yourself?" Mayor Bouvardia looked at the note quizically. "Can I look at it?"
"No." Rainbow Dash stated bluntly. "The less ponies know about this the better, trust me."
Mayor Bouvardia looked at the rolled up piece of paper and levitated it up into the air before it vanished in a poof of magic. "Done, now about this second favor?"
Rainbow Dash dug into her saddle bag and dug out another rolled up piece of paper placing it in front of the Mayor. "I need you to send this with the towns damage report to Canterlot."