//------------------------------// // Chapter Eighteen: Apples // Story: The Equestrian Venture // by TheCrimsonDM //------------------------------// THE EQUESTRIAN VENTURE Chapter Eighteen: Apples Written by TheCrimsonDM The room was filled with silence as Fluttershy sat quietly on the floor of her living room. Rainbow Dash was sitting on a box with the trademarked apple family insignia on it; a bright red apple. Fluttershy glanced outside at the quickly darkening sky and felt remorse at having left Rita over at Pinkie’s for the night. “I hope she’s okay,” Fluttershy said to herself. “She’ll be fine, she’s an adult,” Rainbow Dash said. “No she isn’t, she is only seventeen!” Fluttershy protested while staring at Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash shrugged and ignored Fluttershy’s comment, but Fluttershy didn’t mind right now, she had more important things to think on. Her eyes slowly drifted down Rainbow Dash’s side and settled on staring at the blue pony’s athletic flanks. After a long moment Rainbow Dash snapped, “Hey, bad Fluttershy. My eyes are up here, beside’s you know that you can’t have any yet. It’s not the right time.” Fluttershy shyly and said, “I-I-I know that, I just really want it…” Rainbow Dash leaned back and kicked her legs playfully in the air while saying, “Yeah, I can see that.” Although it was hard, Fluttershy managed to peal her eyes away and return her vision towards the window. She saw the stars beginning to appear, along with the full moon sitting in the night sky. Fluttershy’s blood began pumping and her chest began heating up, she returned her stare towards Rainbow’s rump. “Fluttershy, are you okay? It’s not late enough to do that you know,” Rainbow Dash said, her voice sounding a little strained. Fluttershy didn’t listen to her though; she was too occupied with what she was staring at. A few minutes passed by slowly, the clock on the wall was ticking and with ever tick, it seemed that something hot was building inside of Fluttershy, something powerful. Finally Fluttershy could no longer contain herself and she charged at Rainbow Dash, pushed her off the box and threw open the lid. Fluttershy stared down and her eyes widened at the sight of a completely empty box. “Where are they?” Fluttershy asked. “I told you it wasn’t late enough!” Rainbow Dash said while standing up slowly. “I said; where are they?” Fluttershy asked again, before focusing on Rainbow Dash. She began glaring at the rainbow maned pegasus and began breathing heavily. “Okay, I’ll tell ya. I hid them out all across the forest. I thought it would be fun to have an egg hunt, only I’m using apples. Sounds fun right,” Rainbow Dash said proudly. “You will take me to them,” Fluttershy hissed. “That would ruin the game though,” Rainbow Dash said, as though trying to explain the simple concept to a child. “Do not patronize me, Rainbow Dash,” Fluttershy demanded, her voice rising in volume. She looked back into the empty box and licked her lips, if a game was what Rainbow Dash wanted, than a game is what she would get. “You have five seconds.” “Five seconds for what?” Rainbow Dash asked sounding confused. “Five seconds to run as far, and as fast as you possibly can,” Fluttershy explained coolly. She waited a second before staring Rainbow Dash in the eyes. “Five.” Rainbow Dash gave a short chuckle before looking away and saying, “That’s funny. Like I’d really believe you.” “Four.” “That’s not as funny as you think,” Rainbow Dash said while stomping a hoof on the floor. “Three.” Rainbow Dash’s eyes widened as she began saying quietly, “Your eyes…” “Two.” Rainbow Dash turned and flew as fast as she could towards the door. She opened it quickly. “One.” Rainbow Dash flew out into the night sky at break neck speeds. Fluttershy grinned, her heart racing as fast as Rainbow Dash could fly, and she took off in flight after Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy was determined to get what she wanted, and nopony, especially not Rainbow Dash was going to stop her tonight. As Fluttershy began catching up with Rainbow Dash she screamed, “Where are my APPLES!” *** The next morning Rita and Pinkie Pie walked together through the town. It was yet another quiet and peaceful day here in Ponyville, but boring as it may be, Rita enjoyed it this way. Pinkie Pie hadn’t stopped smiling since the moment she had woke up today, and Rita found herself smiling along with her. The day promised to stay like this until Rita saw a blue coated pegasus hanging from a tree branch by a bunch of ropes. Rita walked over and grinned before saying, “What’s up, Rainbow Dash? Oh wait I know, it’s you. You’re up, in a tree.” “Very funny, now get me down,” Rainbow Dash said as she struggled uselessly against the ropes. Pinkie Pie giggled a little before asking, “Weren’t you supposed to be keeping an eye on Fluttershy last night. It was you’re turn after all.” “Turn?” Rita asked curiously. “Yeah, well things didn’t go as well as planned,” Rainbow Dash said lamely. “Did you use the apples to play fetch with her again? Cus last time you did that she gave you a black eye,” Pinkie Pie said. “No this time I hid the apples around the forest, I was hoping that she would have fun looking for them until the sun came up… she didn’t like that,” Rainbow Dash said. “Seriously don’t hide apples from Fluttershy.” Rita looked skeptically at Rainbow Dash while saying, “You know I have a hard time believing that Fluttershy did this to you.” Rita shrugged and pulled a dagger out of her side bag. Rainbow Dash’s eyes widened at the sight and she said, “Um… you are just cutting me down, right?” “Actually I like your wings, thought I’d take them,” Rita said with a sinister grin. Rita quickly jumped high, and Rainbow Dash closed her eyes and tried uselessly to move. Rita made a few quick slashing motions before landing on her feet, using her free hand to brace her impact. Rainbow Dash fell to the ground a few seconds later with a thud and a dazed look on her face. After a moment’s rest Rainbow Dash stood up slowly with the rope falling to pieces around her. She looked at the rope and then back at Rita and said, “That was cool.” “Well I’m awesome, what did you expect?” Rita said before putting the dagger back into her side bag. Rita walked with Pinkie Pie further into town leaving Rainbow Dash alone by the tree. When they had gotten just out of sight Rita looked at Pinkie Pie and said, “I don’t care what kind of kinky weird stuff they were doing last night; I just don’t think it was okay to do it in public. Especially when leaving Rainbow Dash alone like that. I’m going to have to have long conversation with Fluttershy about this.” Pinkie Pie giggled and said, “You have no idea. It’s kinda cute when you’re clueless though.” “What?” “Never mind,” Pinkie Pie said before she started bouncing alongside Rita.