Dreams and Disasters

by Quillery

Chapter Eighteen

Dash pushed her way through the gathering crowd in the narrow hallway. She made it to the front just in time to see two stallions bracing a gurney between them as they exited the Wonderbolts’ locker room.

She couldn’t believe her eyes. Dash always held Spitfire as the epitome of the pegasus aesthetic. A brightly colored mane, slicked back as if always swept back by a high speed wind. Perfectly preened and trimmed feathers, and an expression of confidence and pride.

Instead now, her face looked more like a rotten watermelon.

Her cheeks bloated and burned red, with blotches all over her coat. Swollen flesh grew around her eyes as tears oozed from them. She wheezed for air as she lay in a heap on the gurney. The medics pushed past the gawkers and out of the locker rooms, leaving a trail of concerned whispers behind them.

“She looked awful,” Dash said.

“What could have happened to her?” Twilight said.

“I dunno, but I’m gonna find out.”

Dash pushed her way towards the locker room. A pair of armored stallions, much like the ones from Canterlot, stood at the door and blocked her. “Nopony is allowed in.”

“You gotta let me talk to Soarin’. My name is Rainbow Dash. I know some of the Wonderbolts.”

“I don’t care if you’re the Princess Celestia’s pet bird. You aren’t getting in.”

“What about Princess Celestia’s personal student?” Twilight said.

The guards looked at Twilight and gasped. “M-Miss Sparkle. What are you doing here?”

“Right now I’d like to find out what happened to an Equestrian athlete. If you gentlecolts would be so kind as to step aside, I’d like to offer my support.”

The guards bowed their heads. “O-of course, go right in. Soarin’ is just inside. He can tell you more.”

Twilight nodded at Dash and hurried into the room. More guards and medics were on the inside, talking with members of the team. A black maned pegasus glanced towards them and broke away from the group to meet with them.

“Soarin’?” Dash asked.

“Hey, Rainbow Dash. Good to see you.” He glanced around the room. “Well, I wish it wasn’t such a bad time.”

“Yeah, we just saw Spitfire. What happened to her, Soarin’?”

Soarin tossed his head and snorted. “You tell me. Everything’s gone crazy since she went down. I was just walking in when she almost stopped breathing and turned red.”

Dash nudged Twilight. “Well, Twilight here is a bonafide detective. If anypony can figure out what happened, it’s her.”

Twilight’s cheeks tinged red. “I’ve solved a few mysteries I suppose. Can I see her locker?”

Soarin nodded. “Yeah. It’s this one.” He led them to an opened locker. Photos of Spitfire were taped to the inside, some with her in her Wonderbolts uniform, some of her and her brother when they were little, and many of her and her team.

“Spitfire takes those pictures with her everywhere,” Soarin said, smiling weakly. “Even to away shows. She likes to feel at home no matter where she is.”

Twilight peered into the locker. She shifted objects around inside with her magic, taking things out and laying them on the ground. Each object drifted past her face closely as she sniffed them and scrutinized them narrow glances.

“Twi! What are you doing?” Dash shouted. “You’re gonna catch whatever got her!”

“That’s unlikely, Dash.” Twilight said, still clearing out the locker. “If it were an airborne contagion, everypony here would be sick.”

Twilight finished emptying the locker. She cleared a spot on the floor and arranged everything neatly. “Her things are very clean. They don’t even seem used.”

“Yeah, Spitfire always has new outfits for every show. As nice as the suits are, they soak up B.O. pretty bad. No matter how many times you wash ‘em, they always smell a bit. She can’t stand it.”

Twilight wrinkled her nose. “I can see why.”

Dash smirked. She trotted around the room, looking for anything out of place while Twilight examined Spitfire’s belongings. As she drifted away from Twilight, however, she felt her attention fail her. The excitement of what had happened to Spitfire had taken over, but after Twilight had calmly taken over the investigation, that original focus to help had waned. She tried to focus on helping Spitfire, but her mind continued to wander to what had happened just moments before.

Gilda has a crush on me… I can’t believe it. Why did I never see it?

Probably for the same reason Twilight hasn’t noticed you right now: she isn’t looking for it.

I… guess I wasn’t looking either, back then. Maybe I would’ve noticed after that night on my roof.

I never imagined Gilda would be as much of a coward as you.

Shut up...

Now imagine how you were back then, with Gilda having these feelings for. And now imagine yourself in her position, with Twilight playing your part.

Dash’s heart twisted in her chest, and the pain almost strangled her.

Yes… you feel it. That complete and utterly ignored feeling of rejection hurts doesn’t it?

Shut up. Twilight won’t reject me.

Like you’ll ever find out at this rate.

Dash shook herself out of her mind, bringing herself back to the locker room. She had stumbled around in her trance, finding herself on the other side of the room. She turned to listen to Twilight continue her investigation.

“Soarin’, where was Spitfire when she collapsed?” Twilight asked.

“She was right here, finishing her—”

The door burst open and a golden pegasus stallion with a fiery mane came rushing into the room. If Dash didn’t know any better, Dash would have assumed him to be a male doppelganger of Spitfire, but she recognized her twin brother Rapidfire easily.

“Where is she!?” Rapidfire shouted.

“Easy, Rapidfire,” Soarin’ said. “The medics already took her.”

“Don’t ‘easy’ me! My sister. Stopped. Breathing!”

“They gave her something to stop the swelling. She’s gonna be fine.”

“You don’t know that! What even happened to her?”

Soarin’ threw his hooves in the air. “I don’t know, dude. I was just walking in when it happened. The docs were moving so fast, they didn’t even say anything.”

Rapidfire frowned. “It’s those Barons. I bet anything they had a claw in this.”

Soarin’ glared at him. “What are you saying, dude?”

“Sabotage, that’s what.” Dash and Twilight gasped, and he nodded. “Her event was next, and she always beats the Barons. Ever since she made captain she’s made a fool of them. I know it was them”

Soarin shook his head. “Dude, that’s a pretty harsh accusation. The Barons have always been good sports.”

Rapidfire scoffed. “You always have to see the bright side of everyone, don’t you, Soarin’?”

Soarin glared at Rapidfire, when Twilight cleared her throat. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but this arguing isn’t getting us anywhere. I need to know where Spitfire was when she collapsed.”

Soarin pointed to a bench across the room, right next to where Dash was standing. “Like I was trying to say, she was just over there when she fell over as I came in.”

Twilight looked at Dash. “Do you see anything?”

Dash glanced around. The only thing near her was a garbage can. She looked inside, and felt a tug at her stomach. She tore her head away, swallowing bile. “Ugh, what’s left of somepony’s lunch, I think.”

Soarin shuddered. “Yeah, that’d be Spitfire’s probably. She always eats some disgusting salad from Fleece before her events. It smells awful.”

Twilight’s eyes narrowed on the can. She floated it over with her magic and peered inside.

“Ugh. Twi, that’s gross,” Dash said, covering her mouth.

“No, it’s evidence.” Twilight said. “While Fleece salads are low in calories, they are high in other nutrients that an athlete would want. A world class athlete like Spitfire would know that.”

Twilight’s eyes widened, and floated a small, bright red object out of the can. “But as far as I know, Fleece salads aren’t commonly made with pomegranate seeds.”

Rapidfire gasped. “Spitfire is allergic to pomegranates.”

Soarin frowned. “Why didn’t I know that?”

Rapidfire shook his head. “Her stupid pride. She sees her allergy as a weakness, so she kept it a secret. Only me and the team doctor know. Since we’re rarely apart, she didn’t think it would be a big deal.” He glanced at the garbage can. “And there’s no way she would be stupid enough to not check it when she got it.”

“Then it is sabotage!” Dash shouted. “Why those no good, dirty rotten, stinking cheating Barons.” She started towards the exit. “When I get my hooves on them, I’ll—”

“Wait, Dash.” Twilight said.

Dash turned to her. “Why? We have proof, isn’t that what we needed?”

Twilight shook her head. “We have proof that someone tried to hurt Spitfire intentionally, yes. But nothing tying it to the Barons. How would they have known?”

“They probably overheard her talking about it with her doctor.”

This time, Rapidfire shook his head. “Not a chance. They keep rival teams apart from each other during the games. It’s mostly to keep down the trash talk, but there are other reasons. Reasons like this.”

Dash hung her head. “Well, then who else could have done it?”

Twilight scratched her head. “I’m not sure. There are plenty of possibilities besides the Barons. The other competitors, for instance...” She let go of the garbage can and let it clatter to the ground. She watched it spin on its edges as it rolled to a stop. She gasped. “The garbage can…”

“What about the garbage can?”

“Be right back!” Twilight shouted. There was a flash of purple light, and Twilight was gone.

Soarin’ and Rapidfire blinked rapidly. “What the hay was that?” Soarin’ said.

Dash shrugged. “Just Twilight being Twilight. You get used to—”

The door burst open. Twilight hurried into the room and shut the door behind her. Floating beside her was another garbage can.

Dash frowned. “Twi, what is it with you and garbage cans now?”

Twilight stared at her with a hard, seething look. There was a rising anger in Twilight’s eyes, tempered with failing restraint. “It’s not the garbage can, Dash. It’s what’s inside it.”

Twilight set the can down, and pulled something out of it. Floating in the air, oozing and half eaten was a bright red fruit. “Its the pomegranate that Gilda’s brother was eating.”

“Gilda?” Rapidfire said. “You mean the gryphon Chancellor’s niece?”

Soarin’ nodded. “Yeah, I’ve seen those two around, schmoozing with the Barons.”

Dash stared at the fruit suspended in the air. So many conflicting doubts were raging in her mind. The confusion at Gilda’s attitude, her supposed crush, and now this. Dash felt a war between love and hate festering within her. Her understanding of friendship and betrayal was crashing against one another, and she didn’t know which side to believe in anymore.

“Dash?”

Dash shook her head. Twilight was there beside her, staring at her. Twilight placed a hoof on her shoulder. “Do you think Gilda might know anything about this?”

Dash sighed. “I don’t know, Twi.” She gently brushed Twilight’s leg aside and got to her hooves. She arched her head low and trotted to the door. “But I’m gonna find out.”

Dash wasted no time galloping out of the Wonderbolts’ locker room and started banging on the Baron’s locker room door. A moment later, a red clad gryphon opened the door. He peered down at Dash with narrowed eyes. “Ja?”

Dash blinked. “I...uh…”

Twilight cleared her throat as she appeared beside Dash. “"Wir müssen mit der NIchte und dem Neffen des Kanzlers sprechen.”

The gryphon blinked. “Einen Augenblick.” He shut the door, leaving Dash and Twilight standing in the hall.

“Dash, I really don’t think this is the best idea.”

“You can’t tell me you don’t think they could be behind this. Gilda has always a competitive streak, and I bet her brother is the same way.”

“But you just reconciled!” Twilight paused. “Well, almost. But still. If you throw these accusations at her, after what happened before Spitfire…”

For the first time during the entire trip, Dash felt a blush coming on with Twilight staring directly at her. She tried to fight it away, but the look in Twilight’s eyes was enough to tell her she’d been caught. She shook her head. “Whatever Gilda’s deal with me is, it’s not important right now. One of my idols has been hurt, and one of my former best friends might have had a claw in it, so I’m gonna go find out for sure.”

“It might not be that simple, Dash. There’s proof of foul play, but no hard evidence of who did it. All we have is a plausible motive, a barely plausible motive!”

At that moment, the door opened and Sigur stepped out. As soon as he saw the two of them, he smirked. “Oh look, the lovebird is back. Are you here to serenade little Geegee of your true feelings?”

Dash’s eyes narrowed. She growled as Sigur chuckled to himself, and in response she flapped her wings, jumping a foot into the air and reared her head back. In one quick motion, she surged herself forward with another pump of her wings, and swung her head into Sigur’s face.

Sigur lurched back and fell through the partially opened door. He crashed to his back into the locker room. His eyes spun in their sockets as Dash landed beside him. “Serenade that, you big jerk!”

Dash looked into the locker room. A hoofful of Red Barons stood scattered in the room, staring at her. Sitting on a row of benches in the middle was Gilda and Mace with widened eyes.

“What the heck was that for, Dash?!” Gilda shouted.

“I was tired of hearing him make fun of me, for one.” Dash glared at Mace, who looked at her with a raised eyebrow. “And I wasn’t interested in dealing with your brother’s bodyguard.”

Mace scoffed. “That’s a strange word to use. Do ponies not know how to speak properly?”

“Can it, beakbrain. I wanna know why you poisoned Spitfire!”

Mace’s amused grin faded instantly. Gilda stood from her bench. “What are you talking about, Dash?”

“Did you not hear all that racket outside? Spitfire just got hauled away to the hospital because someone poisoned her!”

“And you think my brother had something to do with it?!” Gilda raged. “Where do you get off accusing him of something like that?”

“Because he’s the one who had a pomegranate in his claws seconds before she got hurt!”

Mace shook his head. “That’s a wild accusation,” he said calmly. “The caterers are sponsored from Fleece, where pomegranates are a delicacy. They were everywhere in the meal room. Anyone could have done it.”

“So what better way to suck up to the team you’re trying to apply to than to remove their competition for the gold?”

Mace laughed. “I don’t need to ‘suck up’ to anyone. My place in the Barons is guaranteed. Me and Gilda only need to wait one more year and we’re set. The benefits of being related to the Chancellor.”

Gilda stepped towards Dash. “C’mon, Dash. This is crazy. Just back off.”

Dash glared at her. “Why are you defending him? After what he said earlier?”

Gilda tensed. “That was my brother being my brother. He’s a jerk, I know that. I’ve had a lifetime to experience it. But now you come here and accuse my family of a crime. That’s crossing the line, Dash. Even if he is a jerk.”

Mace rolled his eyes. “Thanks, Geegee...I guess.”

“Well, then we can let the guards make that decision, won’t we?” Dash said.

Gilda’s eyes went wide. “You called the guards?!”

Twilight coughed. “Well, the guards with the Wonderbolts were members of the Equestrian guard from back home. Since my brother is Captain, they listened to my suggestions. There isn’t enough just yet for anypony to worry about charges, but what evidence exists makes Mace the most likely suspect, so they will be by shortly to ask some questions.”

Which, as Twilight would note later, was good timing as they entered the room just as Gilda lunged at Dash and tackled her, screaming, thrashing and punching.