//------------------------------// // Pinkie Pie R Squared // Story: Appledashery // by Just Essay //------------------------------// “Httt!” Rainbow Dash grabbed ahold of Sunset Shimmer's chest. “Why'd you catch her, ya idiot?!” Daring sputtered, diving alongside her. “Bad guy, remember?!” “Get the shard! Get the shard!” Rainbow hissed. “Shard get—!” Daring lunged forward. “HAH!” Sunset's eyes glimmered as she charged a burst of energy into the shard levitating before her. “All wings and no wit!” ZAAP! “Guhh!” Rainbow suffered a huge shock of mana. She let go of Sunset, wincing. The unicorn went twirling off into the depths of the cavern. Seconds later, a wheel swooped down, gliding underneath her hooves. She landed nimbly and rode the twirling disc back up and around for a flanking attack. “Mwahahahahaha!” Z-Z-ZAP! She fired rapid magic bursts from her horn. Daring plowed into Rainbow, shoving her out of harm's way. The stone walls behind them burnt black from mana discharge. “Ooomf!” Rainbow landed on a rough plateau. Daring slid to a stop and spun about, panting. “Whew!” The explorer wiped her brow beneath her pith helmet. “Thank goddess that didn't end so quickly! That would have made one heck of a lame climax!” “Will you just—?” Rainbow rolled her eyes, teeth gritting. “I'm going to make you eat a porcupine, I swear to Luna...” “Silence, whelps!” Sunset spun around, joined by a twirling formation of wheels. Whistling through the air, she and her fellow projectiles dove towards the two pegasi once more. “Neither of you can stop my righteous Wheelmageddon?!” “Ugh...” Rainbow winced. “Did she really just...?” “Quick!” Daring motioned, getting a running start, wings flapping. “Neither of us deserve to die with that being the last thing we hear!” Rainbow squeaked as she jumped off the plateau at the last second. SMASSSH! The cliff was reduced to chunks of loose stone and gravel. Sunset came sailing through, snarling ravenously. The unicorn villain and her flying wheels pursued Rainbow and Daring throughout the lengths of the ancient city. The winged ponies threaded their way around the various bridges, walkways, and aqueducts of the place. Sunset's wheels were far less nimble, choosing instead to shatter their way through the various structures, spilling more and more chunks of stone across the unseen floor of the immense cavern. The air resonated with cacophonous echoes, growing in volume as more and more wheels darted in, joining the malevolent pursuit. “This mare is serious!” Daring shouted. “Yeah!” Rainbow's voice cracked. “Seriously bonkers!” Rainbow shouted over her shoulder while ducking a bridge. “Hey, do you know the Wonderbolts?!” “Who doesn't?!” “Sweet! Do you know the Sunrise Sidewinder?!” “What?!” Daring blinked awkwardly. “But that's not gonna throw her off our tail!” “Yeah, but it'll give us a breath!” Rainbow motioned, twirling so that she flew backwards. “Follow my lead!” “Okay, champ, just this once!” “You can omit it from your book!” Rainbow held her breath, tightened her wings, and angled them hard to her left. “Okay—GO!” Th-Th-Th-Thwisssssh! Rainbow performed a corkscrew spin, ultimately locking her body and gliding hard to the right. Daring followed suit, albeit less gracefully. It mattered little, for Sunset was thrown off all the same. “H-Huh?!” Sunset threw her head around to follow the two pegasi's movement. They soon glided out of view up high and behind her. Blinking ahead, Sunset winced. “Oh for the love of leather!” She flipped her wheel back like a coin and leapt off it. THUDDD! The wheel she was riding slammed flat into a canyon wall, sliding towards the floor. Within the next two and a half seconds, Sunset backflipped and landed on one one of the many accompanying wheels. Growling, she pulsed an angrier wave of mana through her horn and propelled her remaining squadron in the direction of the runaway pegasi. Meanwhile, Rainbow and Daring found a rocky alcove nestled between two ancient towers. They collapsed, heaving and wheezing for breath. “How... c-could...” Rainbow stammered. “...s-such stupidly huge things... be so... d-dang fast?!” “Incredible!” Daring gasped. “'Incredible?!'” Rainbow's muzzle scrunched. “More like impossible! We need to find a way to regroup with the other girls and make a hasty retreat!” “No, I mean this ancient cave art!” Daring said, grinning. “It's absolutely priceless!” “Oh, come on!” Rainbow snarled. “Do you need a friggin' tour guide now?!” “Just look at it!” Daring pointed at a giant dark circle segmented into twelve curved lines. Several more identical patterns filled it, accompanied by black dots. “Just what do you suppose it means?” “NOTHING!” Rainbow growled, grabbing Daring by the tail. “It means nothing! Now MOVE!” “Wh-Whoah—!” Daring flailed as the air heated up with violent friction. SMASSSSSH! One tower imploded, completely decimating all of the ancient cave art. Four wheels came grinding through, and they churned after the two pegasi's wings. Rainbow tossed Daring ahead of her like a glider. The adventurer spread her feathers and soon both ponies were outracing Sunset's projectiles as they made for the nearest exit. Below them, traversing a curved bridge, the other three mares swiftly galloped towards a dark crevice, beyond which was the arcane left that brought them down there. “Keep moving, guys!” Rainbow hollered above the noise of Sunset's approaching laughter. “It's do or die time!” “And I'd go with my last name, if I were you!” Daring yelped. “Dashie! You made it!” Pinkie chirped, hopping with Trixie's possessed body flouncing limply on her back. “And you brought the wheels with you!” “I didn't order them for take out! Trust me!” Rainbow howled as she felt the turbulent air ripping apart from the wheels nipping at her back legs. “Go go go go! Don't stop for nothing—” “Ha HAH!” One of several henchstallions popped out of the crevice with climbing gear. He and his many partners aimed silver-plated rifles. “End of the line!” “Except THAT!” Rainbow hissed. Maud blinked at the stones, then grabbed Pinkie's body without looking. “Pinkie. Down.” Both mares flattened, right as Romulus popped out of the hole with both scimitars unsheathed. Schiiiing! “The chase is over, ponies! You're all as good as—HOLY TARTARUS!” His twitching hawkeyes reflected the incoming phalanx of wheels. “Split—!” Daring shouted, already kicking Rainbow Dash in the side. “Ooof!” Rainbow flew off at a random angle while Daring soared the opposite way. Meanwhile, the thugs in front of Pinkie, Maud, and Trixie went sprawling in any direction they could afford while the shadow of the death-bringers consumed them. “AAAAAAAAAAA—” SMASSSSSSSSH! “Mwahahahaha! Definitely better than any fall formal!”