//------------------------------// // Chapter 18; Things in Threes // Story: Most Daring Pony // by CowgirlVK //------------------------------// “Commander Steady, I said you are not coming with me!” Captain Feathers growled at the grey stallion who was holding the door open for her. Steady raised an eyebrow, but said nothing, waiting for her to fully emerge from Comet’s office before allowing the door to swing closed once more. “Look, I’m certain I’ll be able to maneuver Cat over there on my own! Take the train! We’ll be a bit late, but not too bad.” “Nope,” Steady said, coming into step on her left side. Lilly glared at the stallion. “Listen, I’m not some weakling mare that needs hoof holding!” Steady switched the eyebrow he had raised. “And that’s another thing! Do I have any red on me?” Steady shook his head. “That’s right, SO QUIT USING ME AS A TARGET FOR THAT EYEBROW OF YOURS!” she growled. Steady lowered his eyebrow, turning to Lilly’s office door and opening it for her. “Awww!” Arrow squealed. Steady and Lilly exchanged looks of contempt and dread. “Arrow,” Lilly grunted. “Aren't you supposed to be sweeping?” Arrow flopped onto the couch. “No, I’m supposed to be resting.” She placed a hoof to her forehead. “You weren’t up there! I am just so tired!” she exclaimed dramatically. “My hoof!” Lilly growled. She quickly made her way around her perfectly cleared off desk and sat down behind it, taking out notebooks and folders and setting them in nice neat piles about her desk. “Arrow, I’ve met but few ponies with your talent in speed-” “But not in endurance,” Arrow finished. “Captain, I couldn’t move if this building were to catch on fire.” Steady raised both eyebrows. “Ensign-” he began. Arrow stuck out her tongue at him. “LILLY! The commander decided to hit me with both bullets!” she complained. Lilly glared at the young mare. “Arrow!” she groaned. “And you stuck your tongue out at him, I saw that young lady.” Steady glanced between the two mares, unsure of what to say or do. He found a corner and simply sat down, allowing them to settle their own dispute their own way. “But Lilly! He shouldn’t be allowed to carry such a deadly weapon!” “Arrow,” the pink mare said, visibly trying to control her fraying temper. “It’s an eyebrow! What do you expect him to do? Shave it off? By the way, an eyebrow isn’t half as deadly as a tongue.” “But you started the joke!” the brown mare pouted. “And I have work to do, so I’d appreciate it if I didn’t have shenanigans!” Lilly said, pulling out a pen from her desk’s top drawer. “But Lilly, you are so boring!” Arrow complained. Captain Feathers sighed, laying the pen down upon her desk. “Arrow, I thought you were tired.” “Why did Comet want you in his office?” Arrow asked. “Ensign, first, you didn’t answer my question.” Lilly glared hard at the filly. “Second, that is none of your business, and third, it’s either Uncle Comet or Captain Comet to you. I will not stand for disrespect out of any member of my team. That includes you.” “But why did he want you? And did he like how we performed?” Arrow evaded. Lilly glanced to Steady, who was listening to the conversation with both eyebrows raised and a smug look upon his face. She sighed, “He was very pleased. I, however, was not pleased with your performance. Making jokes-” “Lil!” Arrow wined. “We’ve been doing that same ol’ routine for months! It’s boring!”  Lilly sighed, closing her eyes trying to regain her composure. “Practice is boring and dull, but it’s also important. Today, for the first time, I had all fifty of you up there together in the tight formation. And you know what?” Lilly smiled. “You guys did awesome. I can’t fully express how excited I was watching you guys fly. One, one team messed up on the landing, that is it.” She brushed a wisp of mane that had escaped her braid out from in front of her face. “However, I had one filly making a joke every five seconds who’s supposed to be one of the elite flyers. The rest of them were volunteers. But this one filly was actually a member of the team...” She trailed off, locking Arrow with the coldest stare. Arrow squirmed under her gaze. “Two years ago,” Lilly continued, “Captain Comet formed this team. He constructed it to show the three forms of flight, speed, precision, and strength.” She glared at the mare. “Arrow, you disappointed me today. Your humor has helped us through a lot, but listen kid, if two years ago, we had tried that maneuver with zero practice ‘aforehoof, how do you think it would have ended?” Arrow glanced to Steady, seeking a way out. He wasn’t about to help her. She swallowed hard and mumbled something under her breath. Lilly raised an eyebrow. “Ensign, what was that?” “It would have failed,” Arrow said more loudly. Captain Feathers nodded. “Exactly. Practice is dull, and it is slow, but for a maneuver like that, I didn’t want to push you all into that formation until I thought you guys could, in fact, handle it. Two years ago—no, one year ago—absolutely not. Now,” she smiled fondly, “You were ready.” Arrow nodded shamefully. “Alright you two, I know you asked me a question a while ago-” Arrow’s face immediately brightened. “What did Comet- Captain Comet call you in for?” she asked hopefully. “Maybe in a minute,” Lilly said. “No, a different question. What was I looking for?” Steady’s ears perked up. Lilly and Arrow both giggled. “Yep,” Captain Feathers said, “I knew you two wanted to know. Very simply, in the story, it mentioned having trouble with ponies getting too close and then clipping one another. It was something the young prince had to figure out how to deal with. I was seeing if any of you guys showed signs of it.” “Did we?” Arrow asked. Lilly nodded. “Squad Ten had quite a few marks, though not very noticeable, and two of them had feathers missing that they had not had when you started the flight.” “That’s the squad that had trouble landing too,” Steady pointed out. Captain Feathers nodded. “Indeed, they are also the ones that have been with us the least amount of time. They did do it, but we’ll need to work with them some more this summer.” Steady raised an eyebrow. “Indeed.” Arrow mockingly copied him. “Yes, dear cuz, indeed. Sounds like more work for us, and more time she’ll be a pen pusher in a Unicorn office.” “First Earth ponies, now Unicorns-” Lilly sighed. “Are you just going to make fun of everypony?” Arrow smiled. “Of course! Otherwise, you’d have a dull moment, and that would be against my name, Sharp Arrow.” “Heaven forbid!” Lilly mocked her. Steady switched eyebrows that were raised. “Not funny!” Arrow snapped at him. “I didn’t laugh,” Steady pointed out. Lilly put her head in her hooves. “Can we get on with it you two?” Arrow placed her elbows on the arm of the couch and, head on hooves, grinned smugly at her captain. “Why did Captain Comet need to speak with you?” “I’m not going to escape ‘till I tell you, am I?” “Nope!” Arrow giggled. “You are a pest,” Lilly muttered under her breath. “Alright,” she said more loudly, pulling the scroll out from where she had stashed it in her mane. “This is why.” Arrow reached for the document, but Lilly then returned it back into the braid. “Very simply, the princesses need me for something.” “Again!” Arrow exclaimed. Lilly shrugged. “It’s been two weeks, I’m not surprised- at least, not fully. However, I’ll be heading out just as soon as I get some lunch.” “I’m coming with you,” Steady said flatly. “Ohhhh!” Arrow squealed. “Can I come to? I’ve-” “No ma’am,” Lilly snapped. “And you ain’t comin’ neither, Steady.” “There is no way you will be able to get your sister out of those mountains without help,” Steady pointed out. “Besides, you also have to pack and eat something before your departure.” Arrow snickered. “You can’t fight that logic, Captain.” “You stay out of it,” Lilly growled. “Doesn’t Glitter normally retrieve Cat for you guys’ meetings? Or you all meet up at home?” Arrow asked. Lilly sighed. “Glitter is in the middle of negotiations, and the scroll only said us two,” she pointed out. “So just the twins,” Arrow said smugly.  Lilly rolled her eyes. “Alright, yes. Still, I can get her out. All. By. Myself!” “And how long will it take?” Arrow asked. “I know that to fly straight across those mountains, if you dare it, takes almost seven hours.” Lilly nodded. “And almost fifteen to go around. I’ll have to go over and get an Earth pony out,” she said. “I’m cer-” Steady shook his head. “Do not be deceived, Captain. You are very strong for your build.” Lilly rolled her eyes. “Is that a compliment or an insult?” “Neither, it’s an observation,” Steady answered. “However, your sister is larger than you, and I know you can’t carry her farther than one hundred yards, if even that.” “I said,” Lilly grumbled, “we’ll take the train.” “My point, Captain,” Steady confirmed. “The train station is almost an hour hike from your home.” “No it isn’t!” Lilly exclaimed. “It only takes me about ten minutes.” Steady shook his head. “Captain, that is by wing. It’s different when you have to walk.” Lilly blinked, her face getting a lost, yet doomed expression. “I see your point, Commander, but-” “But nothing, Captain. Logically, mathematically, scientifically, you can’t get her out using the train. You need another pegasus to help you. I have offered my services. I know your family, I know your sister, and I know the mountains. Also, I am free.” “Who said you’ll be free while I’m gone?” Lilly exclaimed. “Because it is summer, and besides team practice, I have little to do.” “Steady, I hate your logic,” Lilly growled. “I know, because it’s true, and truth hurts,” he answered. “Arrow, go get your captain packed. I do believe she has a list in her Fly Journal, which is located inside her hooflocker.” “And how do you know that?” Lilly exclaimed, greatly disturbed. Steady flashed her a faint smile as Arrow slipped by him heading towards the barracks.“You told me.” ------------------------- Silence. Sweet peaceful silence. A calm, a peace, a darkness that was comfortable—wait, no—pain? There was pain? She tried to move, like a pony swimming in a vat of syrup. She could feel her limbs move. This wasn’t right. Name! She had one of those. The pony though for several moments. “Please, Rainbow, be still!” Rainbow.... Rainbow Dash. Memories started flooding back to her. Why couldn't she move? She began to panic. The last thing she could remember was—no, that was a dream. Was it? Rainbow couldn’t be sure. She wasn’t sure of anything. Somewhere far above her, there was a light, there were voices. Did they matter? Rainbow Dash tried to decide. Agony. Piercing, slicing agony coursed through her. She dove deeper, trying to escape. “RAINBOW!” The voice pierced through the darkness. The safe, comfortable darkness. She curled up under its folds of safety. “Daddy?” Rainbow Dash muttered. She was uncertain why she had muttered this name, but it seemed important. A new pain, something squeezing her arm, tightened to the point where it was just uncomfortable. Rainbow Dash frowned. This couldn’t be ignored; it couldn’t be simply tolerated. She tried to sleepily push it off, but alas, the thing holding her still hadn’t let go. She swam towards the light, to the pain, to the noise. “Rainbow Dash?” A new voice, this one soft and timid. “Ah don’t know if she can hear ya, Fluttershy. RD is pretty out of it.” A deep, rustic voice. Rainbow Dash groaned. “Her heart rate is strengthening, but her blood pressure is spiking.” “Is that good?” The first voice. “Yes- and no,” the deeper male voice said. “Oh dear.” It was the soft voice. Something touched her neck. “Please Dash, please come back!” Rainbow Dash groaned, trying to escape the pain. “Ow!” she murmured dreamily. The pain was everywhere, head, neck, back, wings—she couldn’t move her wings. “Heart rate increasing!” It was the deep voice. “Twilight, release her!” “Re-” “Don’t question! She’s panicking.” Suddenly she could move. Not very well, since the pain surged through like a raging river, but she could move. Rainbow Dash sighed, relieved. For the most part, she still couldn’t move her wings, but somehow in the back of her mind, that was alright. Dash slowly allowed herself to drift upwards to consciousness. Sound buzzed about the room. “Is she alright doc?” The southern voice—Applejack. Dash felt a wave of pride wash over her. “Don’t know. We have to wait until she fully comes out from under the sedative. She’s still in the land between.” “Between? Between what?” Twilight asked. “Here, and nothing,” the doctor said. Dash felt the thing tighten on her arm again. Grumpily, she tried to push it away. “That’s a good sign,” the doctor chuckled. Rainbow Dash struggled as she found she couldn’t move her hoof past a certain point. “Come on RD, wake up. It ain’t that bad.” Rainbow Dash slowly opened her eyes. “Wha-” Fluttershy grasped her hoof not encompassed by the blood pressure cuff. “Oh Rainbow!” she almost sobbed. “Wha-” she began again. Rainbow Dash tried to sit up, but stopped as the room span and the achy feeling returned to every hair on her body. She closed her eyes, grinding her teeth a little, and collapsed into the pillows. “Oh Rainbow! Please tell me you are back! Tell me you aren’t in some far away land again!” Fluttershy sobbed. Rainbow Dash opened her eyes. “Flu-” She swallowed dryily. “I’m-” She closed her eyes again. The doctor put the blood pressure cuff and the stethoscope away, pulling out everything else. “Tell me, how many sticks am I holding?” he asked her. Dash cracked one eye open and looked at the items hovering about a foot in front of her nose. “Two?” she asked. The doctor removed them from in front of her, then stepped away, Twilight following to the other side of the room. Rainbow Dash glanced around the room. “Fluttershy,” she said weakly. “What... happened?” Fluttershy shook her head. “I don’t know, Pinkie said something about Pega Pox-” Dash tensed, her face growing paler than it had been already. “No Rainbow, not like that. I think that is what you were dreaming. Other than your old injuries, you are fine.” “I don’t feel fine,” Dash groaned. “I-” She closed her eyes. “I feel funny.” “Well-” Applejack drawled, “ya got a tad -” She gulped. “So the Doc sedated ya for a bit.” Rainbow, to her shock, discovered she didn’t care. “I see,” she said simply. “Are ya back?” Applejack asked, her voice deepening with worry. Rainbow Dash nodded wearily. “Mostly, I think.” She clenched her teeth closed again, rubbing a sore spot. “But I don’t think I want to be,” she finished hoarsely. Fluttershy brushed a strand of her mane from in front of her face. “Oh Rainbow, don-” “Not like that.” Rainbow closed her eyes, trying not to show how hard it was to simply move. “I’m just-” “Sore,” Applejack responded knowingly. Rainbow nodded. “And tired.” Twilight and the doctor returned. “Alright Miss Dash, let’s sit you up,” he said. Rainbow blinked. “Alright?” she said uncertainly. The doctor laid a hoof on her shoulder. “I don’t want you helping me any at all right at this minute, just relax.” Dash’s face screwed up into a pout. “Rainbow-” Twilight began, her eyes pleading with her not to fight it. Rainbow Dash sighed. “Stop it Twi—I know when I’ve lost.” Applejack turned her head sharply, raising an eyebrow. Rainbow sighed, looking down, then back up, nodding silently. Nothing needed to be said—they both knew what the other had asked, not one word out loud. Rainbow relaxed against the pillows as Twilight’s aura encompassed her and slowly helped her into an upright position. Pillows came in behind her until they pressed against her back. She then was lowered back into the pillows. “Feel better?” Applejack asked smugly. Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow. “Should it?” Applejack shook her head. “Well, at least ya ain’t flat on yer back no more.” The doctor nodded. “Yes, alright, just rest for a bit more. The medicine I gave you should be kicking in here soon.” Rainbow Dash sighed, “Thanks Doc. How long was I out?” The doctor pushed his glasses back up on his nose. “From when I gave you the sedative, an hour. Before that-” He looked to Twilight. “Another hour, maybe two,” Twilight said. Rainbow Dash nodded numbly. “Did-did I start... ya know-” “Don’t worry Dash, ya only started yellin’ fer yer Pa,” Applejack chuckled. “Ain’t nuthin’ more.” Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow. “So... that was a dream?” “What, Sugarcube?” Applejack asked. Fluttershy looked worried. Dash swallowed. “I was… home,” she said. “My parents’ home... and...” “Pega Pox?” Fluttershy asked. Rainbow Dash nodded. “I wanted Dad- I wanted to stop itching.” Applejack flashed Rainbow a sly grin. “Itchin’? Ah thought ya were hurtin’.” Rainbow glared. “Sorry RD, but-” Applejack sighed. “Alright, it ain’t funny. Yer losin’ yer mind, and there ain’t nuthin’ we can do ta stop ya.” The doctor sighed. “You just got delusional. It’s actually not uncommon to see or hear things when you hit your pain tolerance. Your mind just sent you back to something it knew and felt safe with.” “Pega Pox?” Dash asked flatly. “I feel safe with Pega Pox?” “You can’t catch it again, it’s a foals disease,” the doctor pointed out. “Also, you were at home with your father.” Rainbow Dash nodded. “Well-” She paused. “I wanted him...he never came.” Applejack swallowed. “Ah know the feelin’,” she whispered. Dash shot Applejack a sympathetic look. The doctor pulled out a clipboard and started writing. “Alright Miss Dash, I need to check a few things. I want as much rest out of you as you can give yourself.” Rainbow made a face. Applejack smirked. “Sugarcube, trust me, ya ain't’ gunna want ta do much.” ------------------------------------------------------- In a distant valley, deep within the Foal Mountains, a heavyset earth mare, pink, with a flowing silvery blue mane and tail, worked in a garden with two young foals, a filly and a colt. The colt was gold in color with a brilliant silver mane and tail. The filly, orange with a pink and red mane and tail. Neither of the foals had a cutie mark, but the mare’s was a grey tabby cat with an dark blue iris flower. “EEP!” the filly screeched. “It’s just a stink bug!” giggled the colt, holding the beast inches from his sister’s nose. “Mi’lady, how do you do this?” the filly complained, eyeing the creature with contempt and fear. The pink mare smiled. “It be me job,” she said with a strong highlander burr. “If ya wee barns want ta have food this winter, ya need ta make sure the wee pest don’t get to ‘em.”   The filly made a face as she tried to force herself to grab one of  the little insects and drop it into the bucket with the rest that they had collected. “EEP!” she screeched as her brother dropped his on her hoof. The mare giggled. “Ya remind me o’ mah sis when we were wee barns like ye are.” The colt giggled, his eyes flashing with mischief. “Your sister screamed!” The pink mare nodded fondly. “Aye, that she did, but that was a long time ago. Ah nay sure she’d do it now. She be a big strong captain.” “Like Shining Armor!” the colt gushed. “Neigh, wee bit smaller, and neigh so regal, but more o’ like Captain Fire.” The colt squealed like a filly. “It would be so awesome to fly with Captain Fire!” The mare laughed. “Laddy, ye would need a pair o’ wings ta do that.” The filly giggled as the colt pouted. “Does she fly with the Wonderbolts?” The mare shook her head. “She has the talent, but neigh, she prefers ta work with little fillies like yerself, gettin’ them ready ta fly with the ‘Bolts. Now, ye need ta pay attention to thy work. These varmints willa kill emselves ya know.” The foals laughed, but quickly it turned to screams, for one of the little bugs had hopped up on the filly’s leg, and she went running about the melon patch screeching at the top of her lungs. “Get it off! Get it off!” “Oh Peaches!” the colt groaned. “Hold still lass,” the mare said, catching the filly and plucking the bug from her coat. “All over.” “Thank you Lady Stitch,” Peaches said, her voice trembling. “How many times must ah tell ye, call me Cat,” Catstitch chuckled. “But mommy told us to either call you Mi’lady or Lady Stitch,” the colt pointed out. “Master Silver, I serve the country. I be nopony special.” “Yes-” Peaches began. “Neigh, I be not. I be here ta serve ye, nigh the other way around,” Catstitch pointed out firmly. The siblings exchanged looks. “We be not sure,” Peaches mimicked. Cat chuckled, “Speak how ye feel natural. Now, bugs.” The foals groaned, but returned to their bug catching. The filly screamed every time she touched one, struggling to find the courage within her to actually drop the bug into the trap. “Mi’Lady!” An older orange Earth mare came galloping across the yard. “Mi’Lady, Your bags are glowing.” Catstitch’s head shot up. “Glowing?” She chuckled. “Ah’ better see what be the matter this o’ time. Thank ye, Mrs. Cobbler.” Mrs. Cobbler blushed. “No, Mi’lady, thank you. If you hadn’t come-” Catstitch shook her head. “Neigh, this be mah job, lookin’ out for the farms and businesses of Equestria. If ye would go down, we would neigh longer be o’ great nation. Ana’ call me by me name, Cat.” “Yes Mi’lady.” The foals giggled. “Peaches, Silver, ye need ta keep up with the garden. Squash beetles be a blo-” She paused, blushing. “Be neigh somethin’ ye want ta fight forever, better get em now.” Catstitch instructed, turning and galloping to the house. Catstitch’s mind whirred. Who could possibly want her? Celestia knew she was at Peach Orchards dealing with the Squash Beetles, which just so happened to also like most melons and peaches. If they did not get them here now, they would spread to the other orchards and farms, and there would be a famine. Catstitch, Drawn by Atlantean “Little Battles,” she chuckled. “It be amazin’ how such a wee creature could cause such a big o’ problem.” She glanced out over the fields. The melon patch wasn’t the only thing affected, the orchard was too. The stallions and most of the mares of the town were busy searching the trees over, plucking every bug, every leaf with any hint of bug, from the trees. Catstitch entered the small farm cabin and went to her bag sitting in the corner, removing the flashing and buzzing book from its interior. She opened its pages to the glowing page and read. My Dearest Sister Catstitch, Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can. Today I was sent a letter from my dearest friend and long time instructor, Princess Celestia. It seems, darling, that Harmony has found itself into a situation that thou knowest quite well. In a contest, dearest Loyalty and Honesty managed to yank a particularly stubborn vine out of a tree. I need not tell you what disastrous effects this has had upon the mares’ bodies—you can surely draw your own conclusions. However, since we have been through this with Motivation, the princesses were hoping you could help. Lilly has also been sent a letter, but knowing our dear sister’s aversion to that time in her life, the princesses and I thought it prudent not to inform her of the mission. We both know she wouldn’t go. You are to return home, where she and that transportable safety net of hers (I’m certain you know of whom I’m speaking) will meet you there; you three will travel to Friendship Castle where they are staying. But, after you two are finished, please hurry to the Crystal Empire by no later than dinner time. While we have Lilly away from Flying Arrows and Fruit salads. The princesses need to talk to us. Do be a dear and be sure everything is carried out cleanly. Your dearest unicorn sister, Ambassador Glitter Catstitch glanced up from the book, deep in thought, raising one eyebrow. “Lass, yer mah only unicorn sista!” she chuckled. She found a pen and wrote, “Noted” on the page. All the more, she needed to write for her sister to be informed that she had in fact gotten the message. Closing the book, she tucked it back in the bag and tossed the saddle bag over her withers, swinging it closed. She then turned and trotted back outside to the melon patch. Catstitch smiled, watching the foals continue to hunt the savage insects that were devouring their winter supply of food. The smile quickly faded as she turned to the young mother who was walking to the fence. Catstitch sighed. “Ah be sorry Mi’lady,” she began, “but the princesses have called me off on another assignment. It be mighty important that I be there on time. If ah can, I’ll be back ta help ye and yer youngins finish with the wee pests.” “Cat,” Catstitch corrected. The young mother bowed. “No, Lady Stitch, you represent us all before the princess-” “Och’ neigh Mi’lady, but ah’ll be back as soon as ah be finished with the Princesses’ summons.” “May I ask where you will be going?” The pink Earth pony shook her head. “Ah fear it be of utmost importance that it be kept a secret of now. I’ll let ye know when I come back by. Ye have the knowledge and the equipment. Without me help, ye might go a mite slower, but ye should save your crop.” Mrs. Cobber bowed once more. “You have already done too mu-” “This be my job,” Catstitch reminded, “as ugly as it-” Peaches screeched as her brother tucked a bug into her mane. “Ye better get to yer wee barns, afore they-” The filly screeched again. Catstitch smiled knowingly. “Before yer lass has nightmares.” The mother nodded as the two said their goodbyes, and Cat set off over the mountains and towards home.