//------------------------------// // 2: Fluttershy's Wagon // Story: Space Captain Pinkie Pie // by terrycloth //------------------------------// The next day was overcast and snowy, as winter rolled in across Equestria. Twilight Sparkle put on her warm fluffy hat, scarf, and saddle, and headed outside with her checklist of Winter Fun. But before she could even make the smallest snowpony, Rainbow Dash was there, hovering over her and looking at her expectantly. “Come on,” the pegasus said, “we’re going to meet over at Fluttershy’s place.” “Okay,” Twilight said easily – it was always fun to hang out with her friends, after all. “Any special reason?” Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Fluttershy never comes out of her cottage on the first day of winter, because she’s afraid she’ll get pelted with snowballs.” A pair of snowballs came arcing from the schoolyard, narrowly missing the two of them. The giggling of rambunctious foals came from the playground. “And she’s right, but she really needs to lighten up.” “Did she invite us over?” Twilight asked, narrowing her eyes at her friend. “Or are you trying to get me to help drag her outside against her will. Again.” “Come on, Twilight. I’m going to need everypony’s help if I’m going to keep my promise,” Rainbow said, wincing as a snowball splattered against her back. At the unicorn’s confused look, she added, “To take Pinkie Pie to the moon? Remember?” Twilight blinked. “What, are you planning to load Pinkie into Fluttershy’s old wagon and wrap her up in blankets to keep her warm?” “See! That’s why I need an egghead like you on board,” Rainbow said, patting Twilight roughly on the back. “That’s way better than my plan.” Even though they were using her cottage as their base of operations, they didn’t actually end up spending much time with Fluttershy that day. It was getting dark by the time they’d finished running all over Ponyville to beg, borrow, and bake everything they thought they’d need, and the moon would be rising soon. “If it’s okay, I’ll watch from here,” Fluttershy said from her door, as the others loaded everything into her wagon to take it out to the park. “Are you sure, Fluttershy?” Twilight Sparkle asked, glancing up at the overcast sky. “All the little fillies and colts should be in bed by now.” Fluttershy nodded, without saying anything, and backed quietly into her cottage. “Just be safe, please,” she whispered. “Oh, we’ll be better than safe!” Pinkie Pie said, appearing behind her and draping a hoof over her shoulders. “We’ll be on the moon!” === Twilight Sparkle paced nervously around the muddy hilltop, teleporting a few feet now and then to avoid getting in anypony’s way. Spike wasn’t so lucky, and had to keep dodging around the working ponies, or slip between their ankles, as he followed her around with a checklist. “What’s next on the list?” she asked, as she watched Rarity put the finishing touches on Pinkie Pie’s glittering teal wrap. “Only one item left!” Spike said, then grimaced. “Triple check the checklist? Can’t I just check this off?” “Yeah, come on, Twilight,” Rainbow Dash said, prancing in place in the wagon’s harness, spreading and folding her wings. “Okay, okay,” Twilight said, “we can go with a verbal confirmation of every pony’s status. Rarity?” “All done!” Rarity said, with a winning smile, then seemed to catch a glimpse of something out of the corner of her eye. “Oh, wait, I think this part is a little assymetrical…” “Rarity!” Rainbow Dash complained. The white and purple unicorn sighed, and forced herself to look away from the slightly unaesthetic blanket. “Ready,” she said, through gritted teeth. “Ace? How are we looking for air?” “Full pressure on all cannisters,” the athletic earth pony responded, tugging on the strap holding the air tanks from Ponyville’s entire supply of scuba gear in place in the front of the wagon. “And tied down tight.” “Applejack?” Twilight asked. “Pinkie Pie keeps eatin’ her supplies. But I don’t see how goin’ one night without vittles is gonna ruin anything, so I guess we’re good.” Applejack said. “Rainbow’s stuff is in her saddlebags, where miss greedy-guts can’t get at it.” “I’m just storing the food inside myself,” Pinkie Pie said unapologetically. “To save on weight!” “Rainbow Dash,” Twilight Sparkle said next. “Ready!” the blue Pegasus replied quickly, “Set,” she added, crouching down, and then before anypony could stop her, “Go!” she launched into the sky, dragging a screaming Pinkie Pie along with her. “Rainbow!” Twilight screamed, then realized that it was too late to stop her, and concentrated on sending up a flare. The weatherponies who’d volunteered to clear the sky hardly needed the signal – they were already desperately opening a hole after seeing Rainbow Dash’s sudden launch – but it was still too slow, and the two were tossed aside, tumbling, as Rainbow punched a hole in the sky. By the time they’d recovered, and cleared a large enough hole for the ponies on the ground to get a good look, Rainbow and Pinkie were already a tiny, glittering dot rising into the darkening sky. “Ain’t that a sight,” Applejack said, staring up after them, as the other stars started to appear with the onset of night. “Do you think they’ll be okay?” Rarity asked. “I hope so,” Twilight Sparkle said, walking over to a small portable telescope and sitting beneath it to get a better look at her friends. “I just can’t help feeling like I’ve forgotten something.” Ten minutes later, as the chatter was starting to die down, and just as Cloud Chaser launched herself off the cloud she’d been watching from to spiral down towards the earth ponies and unicorns watching from the ground, there was a flash high in the sky, and a ring of rainbow light spread across the night sky. Applejack laughed. “That’s the way to do it, RD!” she said, only to stop her hoof-pump with her foreleg halfway in the air as she, and everypony else, realized that the thin rainbow trail from the center of the explosion wasn’t turning back up to meet the moon. Instead, it stayed on its original path, making a beeline for the ground. “What in tarnation?” “Oh no!” Twilight said, as her eyes followed its path to the large building on the edge of town. Rainbow Dash was heading straight for Ponyville Hospital. In a flash of purple light, she was gone, before the rumble of thunder reached the ground.