//------------------------------// // Carnival - HazardPony // Story: AppleDash Group Collab // by DbzOrDie //------------------------------// Applejack, dazzled by the kaleidoscope of colours, found it difficult to keep her eyes from wandering to the brightly dressed performers, wonderful animals that rested in between huge tents, and the distractingly large prizes that were displayed at game stands, taunting fillies and foals to join in and play. Yup, the annual carnival was as interesting as ever, and attracted everypony to go and enjoy the sights. All day, Applejack had watched tightrope walkers, elephant riders, and ponies who could spit fire, and each event was more fun and exiting than the last. She finally found the small tent she had been looking for. It lacked the magnificent grandeur of the larger tents, but that didn't matter to her: she was there for the performance, and this particular performance did not need a huge arena for animals or acrobats. Poking her head inside, Applejack became instantly more self conscious as she saw that most of the spectators were much, much younger than she herself was. Most of them were even younger than Applebloom. Still, Applejack decided she'd see this through: she couldn't refuse an invitation from a friend, after all. She sat down awkwardly in the corner, the wooden benches only just comfortable enough for their intended use. Most of the foals and young ponies were sat on their parent's laps, quite comfortable. Applejack did not have that luxury. “Quiet down, everypony!” came an announcer, silencing the chatter whilst hidden behind a curtain. Applejack couldn't help but notice how incredibly fake his accent was. Where was it supposed to originate from, she wondered? Prance? Was it supposed to sound like Manedarin? “Settle down, and open your minds to the extraordinaire! Some of you may think what you will see to be impossible... we tell you now: it is not! We give you, from the depths of the country, a mare, an earth pony like yourselves, fillies and colts, who is born with the improbable, the impossible!” Applejack couldn't help but smirk. Why would anypony believe this guy? Who did he think he was trying to fool? “I give you: Madame Boueux, le poney de terre ailé!” The curtains were pulled back. Applejack's jaw dropped. I can't believe they ever got her to agree to this... A finely and exotically dressed Rainbow strode forth from the shadows. Applejack was sure she could see the silhouette of a unicorn in behind the scenes, miming the elegant hoof movements Rainbow was attempting. Her wings were plastered against her back. “Bienvenue, all ze' young ponies!” Rainbow greeted, assaulting Applejack's ears with her accent, which was about as real as Rarity's eyelashes. “Let me tell you the story of how I, le Earth poney most simple, learned the secret of ze' flight!” *** Once the show was over, and all the children had left, Rainbow, or 'Madame Boueux', was left alone with Applejack. “Y'know, when you told me you'd be putting on a show, I assumed it would be... an athletic thing.” Applejack told her friend with a wry smile. Rainbow sprang to life, trying to shake off her act, and only half succeeding. “You no like? Uh... I mean, ahem, didn't you like it?” Rainbow replied, removing her headdress and shaking out her colourful mane. “Sorry... accent's tough to stop once you've started...” “Don't get me wrong, I loved seeing you dress up for once, and it was hilarious to see you pretend to be... that. It was nice, for a kid's show.” Applejack explained. “Utterly fake, though: everpony knows that an earth pony with wings is a pegasus.” Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Yes, yes, but c'mon! Suspend a little disbelief. It's really fun for kids to think they could fly one day.” she said. “It's not very honest.” Applejack replied warily. Rainbow snorted, waving her hoof around knowledgeably. “Yeah, maybe, but they're just foals. It's good for them to be able to dream a little.” Applejack looked out of the tent at some of the happy and exited foals who had left the show. Most of them were either Earth ponies or Unicorns. Applejack chuckled as she imagined how much of a hoofful they would be for their parents when they got home. “Never figured you for somepony who'd care much for kids.” she admitted. Those foals did look very happy, after all. The fake earth pony grinned, taking the sudden conversation change as a sign she had won the argument. “That's 'cause I never grew up!” Rainbow joked, laughing, and threw off the rest of her outfit to somepony in the wings as she leapt down to join the farmpony, leaving the startled exclamations of her aide behing her . “Now c'mon! I've been cooped up in here all day! Allons-y, au cirque!”