//------------------------------// // Interlude 1 // Story: Wedding Bells Bug Hunt // by Trinary //------------------------------// Fluttershy was so upset at seeing Rainbow Dash—or who they had thought was Rainbow—being taken away that it was all she could do not to break down crying. Instead, she ran to the Royal Gardens, and then she started crying. She threw herself down on the grass and sobbed, not wanting to be around anypony. Fluttershy whimpered pitifully, comforted only by a handful of animals who tended to her. Angel stroked the back of her head in a rare gesture of kindness from the often selfish bunny. But even that wasn’t enough to calm Fluttershy down. Rainbow Dash was the first pony who ever wanted to be friends with a ‘fraidy-filly like me. If something could take her place, then who else could they be? She let out a frightened squeak. As much as she loved her other Ponyville friends now, it really wasn’t until Rainbow Dash arrived that she ever had enough courage or confidence to go out and actually make friends. If it weren’t for Rainbow Dash, she would never have had any friends. She was the glue that held them together. And if she’s gone now … d-does that mean we won’t be friends anymore? The thought made Fluttershy curl up, feeling more lost and alone than ever. Oh poor Rainbow Dash, she must be feeling the same way. She could be hurt or sad or scared! The soft stroke of a paw between her ears distracted her. “Oh Angel,” she sniffed. “What can I do? Rainbow Dash is the one who always knows what to do—even when she’s wrong. And I’m just … me.” Angel tipped his head and frowned at her, his tiny paw cuffing her ear. “Ow.” A soft rustling of leaves got her attention. Her eyes widened. Changelings! With a startled squeak, Fluttershy dove headfirst into a nearby bush. She covered her face with her hooves and hoped they’d just go past her. Hearing the soft sound of hoofsteps on the grass, Fluttershy’s heart thudded louder and louder as they drew closer, stopping right outside the bush. Oh no! “Uh, Fluttershy?” She heard Derpy’s voice from behind her. “Why are you in a bush?” With a nervous mumble, Fluttershy risked asking, “H-how did you know it was me?” Derpy’s tone took on a mildly amused tone. “Well, aside from the question of who else would be in the gardens this late, your rump is sticking out of the bushes.” “Not that we’re complaining!” Cloud Kicker’s voice suddenly chimed in. Fluttershy let out an embarrassed squeak. “Oh.” She blushed and struggled to pull the rest of her in, with no success. “Um, can you help me out?” “In a minute.” She could practically hear Cloud smiling and that made her blushing worse. Now thoroughly embarrassed, Fluttershy tried to wriggle free, either to pull herself entirely into the bush or to extricate herself from it. All she accomplished was shaking her hindquarters around.   “Cloud?” Derpy said with a sigh. “Don’t say a word.”   “I’m not!” Cloud protested, sounding indignant. She then spoiled that by adding, “I can enjoy something in silence.”   With a mortified squeak and some help from Derpy, Fluttershy popped out of the bush and landed on her back. “Thank you.” She murmured. Derpy, laying underneath her, mumbled something in response. Cloud shot them an unabashedly envious look.   Climbing off of Derpy, Fluttershy shuffled her hooves. “Um, what are you doing out?”   “Getting some air.” Derpy said as she got up, groaning slightly. “Didn’t quite work out the way I wanted though…”   Cloud Kicker chuckled. “Yeah. We were just taking a break from the chaos of that many kids in one place.”   “Oh.” Fluttershy smiled, the thought of the foals improving her mood. “I imagine they're all just excited for tomorrow.”   “Dinky and Sweetie Belle have been all over the place,” Cloud nodded. “Only minor damage, though.”   Derpy ran a hoof through her mane. “It's a trick sometimes, getting them to stay focused. We usually need something bright or shiny to get their attention. Or Rainbow Dash.” She paused. “Though come to think of it, that’s probably because Rainbow Dash is a big kid herself.”   Fluttershy felt her throat suddenly constrict with emotion. Rainbow…   Feeling concerned, Derpy stretched a wing across her friend’s back. “Fluttershy? Are you okay?”   She struggled with what to tell them. They were her friends—and Rainbow Dash’s—too! Fluttershy had a history with them, going all the way back to flight camp. She felt like her insides were squirming around as she tried thinking of what to do. I want to talk to somepony—but won’t they just get worried and upset when they hear that Rainbow Dash is missing? Ooh, but I don’t want to lie to them either! What do I do?   Fluttershy opened her mouth—only to sudden squeak out, “ExcusemeIhavetogonicetalkingtoyouseeyoulaterbye!” and run away. She raced back into the castle, wanting to escape; not from Cloud and Derpy, but from this entire mess of a situation. Everything was going wrong, nothing was making any sense and Fluttershy just wanted to go home and be safe. As she ran towards the wing of the castle where she and her friends were staying, Fluttershy thought of all the times when she’d been in danger before: from bullies at flight camp to monsters like Nightmare Moon and King Sombra. It had always been stronger, braver ponies like Rainbow Dash who protected her. But now she wasn’t around to save Fluttershy. That didn’t mean that she couldn’t help her, however. I just have to ask myself, what would a brave pony like Rainbow Dash do? Fluttershy wondered. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, imagining that she was Rainbow. Brave. Confident. Almost without thought she felt her wings stretching out as if trying to catch the wind; she felt her back straightening and her hooves digging into the floor. Rainbow Dash wouldn’t run into her room and hide under her bed with her teddy bear. She’d march out and find some answers.  Fluttershy opened her eyes. And that’s just what I’m going to do. This time, Rainbow Dash needs me and I’m NOT going going to let her down! She marched forward confidently. I’m going to see that changeling and find where Rainbow Dash is. She gulped, pausing. Even if it is scary… Her ears perked as she heard voices coming from Pinkie Pie’s room. Of course, that doesn’t mean I have to do it alone either.    Pinkie Pie sat brooding behind her party cannon, wheeling it into her room once she had finished decorating for the reception. I’m gonna be at the Grand Galloping Gala—and it won’t be all I ever dreamed of. Her hair deflated and covered her face. It was just as well. She didn’t like it when other ponies saw her crying. Even if nopony else was around. Or maybe she just didn’t like crying. That made more sense to her.   Oh, silly-willy Pinkie! Nothing makes sense! Rainbow Dash is gone. Missing! Replaced with a cheap imitation from planet Nudnik. She dragged a hoof across her muzzle. “It wasn’t supposed to be like this … wedding parties are supposed to be fun. There isn’t anything fun about any of this!”   A balloon bobbed nearby, as if nodding in agreement with her. “I know, right? Ooh, if I wasn’t being such a dumb-lunk headed Pinkie getting all mad about some stuffy ponies I would’ve seen that Rainbow wasn’t Rainbow!”   Pinkie frowned. She didn’t like the feeling of frowning, it almost hurt. But something was bothering her--things weren’t adding up. I’m adding two and two and two but I’m not getting anything! Something’s wrong with how wrong this all is. She stood up. Well, this looks a job fooor—me! She pulled out a bubble pipe and deerstalker hat (for when she really wanted to sneak up and throw a deer a real surprise party!) before blinking. “Ooh, wait, wrong costume!” She tossed the hat and pipe aside and put on a gray overcoat and matching fedora, tugging the brim of the hat down over her eyes.   Now I’m ready to get to the bottom of this mystery! Canterlot. City covered in rainbows and sunshine, to hide its seedy lies and secrets behind a family friendly exterior. Most ponies went along, ready and willing to be deceived so they never have see the darkness that permeates the entire rotten edifice. It was a city of big ponies, all of them with big jobs, big titles and big secrets. And it was my job to find them all out. Rainbow Dash was in prison. Was it because she was really a changeling? Or did somepony just want her out of the way. And if so, why? Things were definitely suspicious. The evidence against Rainbow Dash was strong. Too strong. Or was it weak? I forgot. Anyway, the first rule of being a sleuth is knowing that it’s never the pony you suspect. Of course, I never suspected it would be Rainbow in the first place. Wait, I never suspected anything before the Princess got us together anyway. So does that make Rainbow the most likely suspect or the least? Maybe it’s just part of her that’s guilty? Her flank always rubbed me the wrong way. Wait. That sounds wrong. I shook my head. Okay, try again! If its the one you least suspect who’s really guilty, then who do I least suspect? The shock hit me like the sugarrush of a dozen cupcakes. “Gummy, how could you?!” Nopony would suspect him because she left him back in Ponyville with the Cakes--the perfect cover! Wait, there are plenty of potential suspects who aren’t in town. Hmph. Maybe I’ll just start with the suspects who are around. Where to start though? First there was the suspect herself: Rainbow Danger Professionalism Dash. She lived life on the wild side, knew how to party hard, played by her own rules, and let the world think what they would. A mane that matched all the colors of the rainbow, but it didn't taste like one (I checked). She looked like the kind of gal who could take you out for a hard and fast flight, and leave you tired and begging for more. She's trouble. The kind of trouble you want. But since I just went through how it’s never the obvious suspect (except for when it is), I decided to look at the rest of our little ‘gang.’ Next there was— “Pinkie Pie?” A soft voice rang out. That’s when she stepped in. A yellow coat, like golden butter melting in your mouth. Legs that wouldn't quit, attached to a knockout of a body that had curves in all the right places, and some of the wrong ones too. I knew I was probably staring, but it'd be a crime not to look. She was a quiet one, but those are the most fun once you get to know them. The butterflies on her cute little flank didn’t do enough to emphasize how much of a beauty she was.   “Um, Pinkie, please don’t narrate me walking into your room.” Fluttershy asked, before blinking. “And…were you talking about my flank?”   I zoomed over to Fluttershy, getting right in her face. “Where were you on the night in question?”   “What question?” Fluttershy squeaked in surprise.   “I don’t know the question, I just know the answer is 42.” I narrowed my eyes at her, always playing the innocent. “Alright.” I pulled out a lamp and shone it in Fluttershy’s eyes, making her blink and hold her hooves up to her face. “Come on, you! Out with it!” I snapped. “We need you to spill the beans, lay it on the line, tattle your tale, come clean with extra soap, missy! In other words: confess!” Fluttershy let out a startled squeak and dropped to the floor. “Okay! I once paid for a dozen carrots but when I got home I saw that there were actually thirteen of them! I was going to return it but then Angel ate them all! I tried to go back and pay for the extra carrot the next day, but I’d bought it from a travelling salespony and I couldn’t find him again! I’M A MONSTERRR!” She dissolved into wracking sobs. I paused for a minute then sighed and shook my head. The truth didn’t always drop into your lap like a ripe apple bucked from the tree. Ah, Applejack. She was a tough cookie who didn’t crumble when things got hot. She was full of muscle from end to end (though some claimed she was missing the muscle between her ears). She had a knack for finding out the truth and was a trusty partner even when she’d lose her cool. She had a short fuse and an explosive temper to match, but you’d be hard-pressed to ask for a better pony by your side, in or out of a fight. Too bad I was working solo this time. Nothing for it but to keep going. “Playing dumb, huh? Well if you don’t cooperate with me, I’ll have to go get my partner!” “T-the Good Cop, right?” Fluttershy asked, sniffling slightly. “B-because I think I’d prefer to talk to her…” I frowned at her. “I am the Good Cop!” “...Oh.” Fluttershy seemed to crumple up on herself. I massaged my forehead. Times like this I wish I had magic like Twilight or Rarity. Ah, Twilight Sparkle. The mare with a coat and smell of lavender. An adorkable bookworm with more magical muscle and books smarts than street smarts to be safe. A unicorn obsessed with making the world fit with her sense of order to the point of self destruction, and would probably drive a whole town into mad frenzy if it meant turning in her homework on time. You didn’t mess with a mare who could lift a giant star bear-thingy like it was a child’s teddy bear unless you were asking for hurting. Shame I didn’t have the sense to know to leave well enough alone. Then there was Rarity. A dame with an eye for cloth, and a wit as sharp as her own needlework. She lived the high life, but she wasn't afraid to get (a little) dirty. She liked her secrets, and kept them to herself—usually just with smiles and excuses, but also with a punch as hard as the diamonds she dug out the ground. I was just lucky she didn't put me in the ready-made hole. In hindsight, maybe questioning her while she was in the bath was a mistake on my part. But I was a regular mare friday, a gumhoof. What I got was what I got. It hadn’t let me down before and I didn’t aim to start now. I began to lay into her, grilling her like a cheese sandwich. I asked her when she first started noticing ‘Rainbow Dash’ acting wrong, when she first thought something was up, what her favorite flavor was. The longer our session went, the less things made sense. She was confused about Rainbow’s behavior, couldn’t say for sure if the mare we’d seen jailed really was Rainbow or not, or even offer any clue of when the genuine article had disappeared and been replaced. This dame was either lying or didn't have anything I could work with, and-- "Uh, Pinkie?” Fluttershy spoke up gently. “I'm a mare, not a dame." Confusion. Even I was confused. I was sure I'd said that in my head. Anyway, this mare was a lousy liar: had tells a blind pony could spot. She couldn’t tell a fib about who cut the cheese, much less be part of a conspiracy to take over the world. “Pinkie—” “What is it, perp?” I affected a gravelly voice as I sucked on a lollipop, the white stick jutting out of the corner of my mouth. “If you’re asking for your lawyer, you’re talking to the wrong beat-detective.” “Um, actually, I was wondering if we could….” she mumbled something. I leaned forward. “Say that again.” Fluttershy trembled. “I thought maybe we could go see…” Her voice trailed off into a frightened squeak. The annoyed tap of my hooves prompted Fluttershy to try one more time. “I-I want to see Rainbow Dash!” She blurted out. “Or the changeling who thinks she’s Rainbow Dash … it’s very confusing.” She might have been shaking like a leaf, but she wasn’t wrong. There was only one pony—bug—who could have the answers I was looking for. “I thought you were looking for the question—” “He works in another city.” I brushed Fluttershy’s feeble remark out of my mind. “The only thing I know for certain is that nothing is for certain.” I tugged my hat down even lower. “Come on Fluttershy, we have to talk to the pony formerly known as Rainbow Dash.”