//------------------------------// // Needs to be 20% Cooler (a.k.a. Rainbow Dash the Scout) // Story: Equestria Fortress 2 // by nightelf37 //------------------------------// Yet another day has passed since the EqU Team has started fighting back RED and BLU in their territories. Right now, their fight was against RED in Well and they were waiting behind some warehouse doors. As the doors rose, revealing the team getting ready, Rainbow Dash got a good look of the other side. Stationed around the center point were various REDs. At the second floor, a Sniper was looking out through one window, a Spy was casually smoking a cigarette, and an Engineer was industriously making defensive preparations as he passed the former two. Somewhere to the left, a Pyro watched his fellow Soldier juggle some rockets. "Let's go, everypony!", Rainbow heard Twilight Sparkle declare as they all ran out to attack the point. The blue pegasus charged in with the others as the RED Engineer got a Level 1 Sentry Gun on the ready as it then fired on them. Already, as she dodged a Soldier's rocket, Rainbow quickly outpaced all her teammates as she made her way to the center of the area, strafing any attacks directed at her. As she flew in a low altitude, she reminded herself to control her speed. For some reason, the 'card' that provides her Scout gear reacts negatively whenever she exceeds the running speed of her RED and BLU counterparts. Also, after having many a scrape (and 'deaths') from it, she refrained from just taking off into the air, which would leave her extremely vulnerable to the Sniper. Just as she was within the Sentry's range, she fired a few shots as she crossed the railroad tracks in the area before exiting it again as it was promptly destroyed by a rocket from Derpy. As EqU continued to attack, Rainbow found herself being pursued by a Soldier and Pyro. Entering a building through the gate where a train was oncoming, she baited the two in running on the tracks. Soon, the train came in and ran them over as Rainbow then flew over the train to get to a hallway on the other side that led deeper into the building. EF2—EF2—EF2—EF2—EF2—EF2—EF2—EF2 "Aaand…Action!" Tasic slammed the clapstick of his clapperboard and his 'interview' with Rainbow Dash began. The camera was propped up in such a way that all it covered was a large wall. On the wall was a blue poster with a white frame. There were the words "Meet the Scout". There was also an icon of a bat, an outline drawing of Rainbow Dash, and a few words on the bottom. They read "Team Fortress 2", "COPYRIGHT LOLOLOL", and "A Valve Picture". On cue, Rainbow Dash, in her Scout gear, walked into view of the camera. Just how did you convince me of doing this… "Uhh…I don't even know where to start. Not only this is not Equestria, this is also—oh, hold on, I still remember the time I was treated like a superheroine of Ponyville, and then there was that Mysterious Mare Do Well, and—" "We're getting off subject here.", warned Tasic. "Why not just start from the top?" "Okay." Rainbow then cleared her throat. "I'm Rainbow Dash, fastest flyer in all of Equestria. I serve as EqU's Scout." "Good. Continue." She then flew up close to the camera. "And you Scouts of RED and BLU, if you're listenin', I'm gonna tell you right now that I'm way cooler than you could ever be!" "Rainbow…", Tasic tried to cut in. "About 20 percent cooler perhaps!" "Rainbow…" "And hey, didn't I just see you guys cry before I blew you back into Respawn?" "Rainbow! About why those Scouts crying upon seeing you up close, it's something the Spies of the opposing teams said about them." "What?" "I quote from Spy, 'This is Scout! Rainbows make me cry!' And look at yourself. Hell, even your name says it all." The pegasus said nothing and just stared for a couple of seconds before bawling in laughter and falling over. She continued doing this until her sides were sore. "Oh, I can't believe the Scouts are like that. Such a thing that brings happiness drive them to tears?" "I know, right? Mind telling us that delicious thing you found while defending Granary?" EF2—EF2—EF2—EF2—EF2—EF2—EF2—EF2 In Granary… At the third control point, the RED Heavy was sitting on it, looking rather wiped, and taking out what seemed to be a sandwich. As Rainbow Dash went in ahead to claim it while her teammates dealt with the other REDs, she saw the large man about to dig into his food. It wasn't anything like the sandwiches back in Equestria, and it looked so delicious. While everybody (inc. Spike and the humans) had all eaten a large satiating salad cooked up by Thenam prior to the battle, Rainbow was still a little hungry and the chance to eat the Heavy's sandwich was so tempting. She came up at him from behind, discreetly jumped on a crate, then tapped the RED Heavy on the head with a hoof. "Hey, what's up?", she asked. She was answered with the Heavy crying out in rage as he began to swing his fists at her. Naturally, with her speed, Rainbow was able to dodge his blows effortlessly. At one point, she then jumped onto his back, pulled out her bat, and strangled the Heavy with it. She doesn't use the bat often, resorting to her hooves for melee as she can't hold the bat well. As a matter of fact, she wondered why she even had the thing anyway. Just then, the Heavy managed to grab Rainbow by the mane, pulled her out, and the situation quickly turned around so that he how had her in a headlock. With her back so close to his chest, she couldn't use her wings, so she did the next best thing; kick the Heavy somewhere. She landed a hoof on the shin, forcing him to let go. After putting some distance between them, Rainbow turned around, then slammed the Heavy on the gut with her head. She then followed by turning around and delivering a buck at him on the chin, sending him flying for a second before he crashed into the ground, dropping his sandwich in the process. As the Heavy rolled onto his stomach and tried to reach for his sandwich, Rainbow ran up the side of a shipping container, jumped off of it and delivered a flying kick into the Heavy's head and he was down for the count. Eying the downed Heavy, and not wondering why he hasn't disappeared, she went over to the dropped sandwich and inspected it. Topped with a green stuffed olive and pinned to it by a toothpick, between the slices of bread were lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and an indeterminate red something Tasic and the other humans didn't want ponies eating; meat. It was a mildly uncomfortable experience for the humans to explain their omnivorous diets to the ponies, although Fluttershy seemed to be a bit okay with it, having fed non-plant food to carnivores she cared for throughout her career as Ponyville's animal caretaker. Rainbow was a bit okay as well, having been friends with an omnivore once before finding out she'd been a jerk to her current friends. She's yet to reconcile with Gilda as she had promised Chronicle she'd do. In any case, she carefully managed the sandwich with her wings, removed the meat, then took a bite out of the tasty snack. To her surprise, it was actually good. In fact, she could feel her bruises from her fight with the Heavy go away. Now this is an interesting snack., she thought. Everypony should have a taste, too. Although they should remove the meat first. EF2—EF2—EF2—EF2—EF2—EF2—EF2—EF2 Back at the interview, after explaining the events at Granary… "Grass grows, birds fly, Celestia's sun shines, and buddy, I move clouds." "…What?", asked Tasic. "Those Scouts got nothing on me! I am literally a force of nature! Unfortunately, the clouds in here are so up high I can't show you and they're like the ones in the Everfree Forest." "I already told you that what you don't think of as natural about that forest you mentioned is natural in this world." Tasic paused for a moment as he paused the camera. "And almost every other world that isn't Equestria." "Really?!" "But then one of you girls mentioned Discord, and judging by what she said about him and his powers, I got a crazy theory." "What?" "A long time ago, Equestria's nature was like nature in nearly all other worlds; self-managing. And then Twilight mentioned that Discord once ran rampant before being stopped by Princesses Celestia and Luna. I think so much chaos had been spread that the old order of nature was damaged too much that it was unrestorable, resulting in the need for ponies to manage nature manually." Rainbow just stood there, remaining silent for a while before saying, "I think that's something you should talk to Twilight about." "Right. Theories are for, as you say, eggheads." "Uh-huh." "I think I'll go out on a limb and assume you're bored. We'll stop here." Tasic then packed the camera as Rainbow tapped her 'card' as resumed her regular appearance. "Thank you for your time, Rainbow Dash." "I kinda liked it too. And remember not to speak in idioms or sarcasm around Pinkie Pie. She's rather literal-minded." "I see. Thanks for the pointer." EF2—EF2—EF2—EF2—EF2—EF2—EF2—EF2 And that's it for now. "I thought this takes place after It's About Time. Well, I made these series before Read it and Weep, so I'm not gonna mention Daring Do, even though I admittedly gave her a sort-of appearance. As for mentioning Twilight getting hit by dragon breath, let's just say her first days with Spike had their bad times. See ya on Third!