“Then I was like Bang! Zoom! And everypony was cheering as I saved them from certain danger.” Aegis Flare rolled her eyes as her friend regaled her once more with the tale of her exploits from outside of her shower for the tenth time that day. She had just gotten back from an unexpectedly extended trip out into the Everfree and the cyan pegasus had spotted her as soon as she left the forest and had stayed with her ever since. She peeks out at the mare from around the curtain with water dripping from her mane.
“As entertaining as your story is, I usually prefer to have a bit of privacy when I'm cleaning up when it's not at the spa.” She attempts to give what she thinks is a sultry look at her friend before flipping her mane back. “That is unless you were planning to join me?” Rainbow Dash started sputtering out in embarrassment as she struggles to keep her wings down as she retreats from the room.
“I'll just be out here waiting for you to finish, gotta go.” Her face reddens further as the sound of laughter follows her out of the room. When Aegis Flare finishes with her showers she finds the pegasus still waiting for her with a pout on her face. “Not cool.”
The unicorn winces as she tosses her towel into the nearby hamper. “Sorry, I guess I'm still not ready to be making jokes.” On seeing her friends downcast look Rainbow Dash shakes her head and sighs.
“Eh, it wasn't that bad but I never expected you to say something like that. Sure it's nice to see you opening up but you may be trying too hard. Anyways where have you been lately? Your sister said you were only going to be gone a couple days but it's been over a week since I last saw you.” The unicorn just shrugs as she pulls her packs over and starts putting things away from it.
“It was mostly just the usual until I came across a large portion of displaced ocean pretty deep in. I would have just passed it by when I heard yells for help and I found what I thought were ponies being attacked by a large group of lava hounds from a nearby displaced area. The ponies were trapped in the water as the hounds were trying to boil them alive so I had to drive them off.” Rainbow Dash hung on her every word as she described the encounter.
“I was rather surprised afterwards to find that, while they really were ponies, they were in fact sea ponies. After explaining to them what happened I stayed with them a few days protecting them while clearing out the nearby area of the predators which took a while.” By this point the pegasus was looking disappointed at her friend.
“Sea ponies? Really? Couldn't you come up with something less obviously made-up?” The unicorn just rolled her eyes as she dug through her packs before pulling out a photo, an odd glowing shell, and a pearl almost as big as her eye. The cyan mare's jaw drops as she looks at the picture to see her friend along with a group of ponies that definitely weren't normal as their lower halves were built for the water and not the land. Aegis Flare chuckled at her friends reaction as she went back to storing things away.
“The look on your face makes that expensive new camera worth the purchase. I should probably send a letter to the princesses so that they can check to make sure that the sea pony leaders know what is going on. Now what is it with you and all your bragging lately? You've gone far past Trixie's bragging and you remember what happened then.” She earned a wince in response from her friend before she drew herself up again.
“Hey, it's not my fault the town thinks I'm so awesome and wants my autograph and everything. I'm just giving them what they want.” With a toss of her mane the pegasus strutted out of the home leaving the unicorn to roll her eyes at her back.
<><><><><><><>
Aegis Flare just stood there dumbfounded as she watched Rainbow Dash sit there signing autographs and posing while a pony was in danger. By the time she shook off her shock the cyan mare was finally in the air heading to the rescue but she caught sight of another figure hopping along the rooftops as well. On seeing the new figure rescue the mare, and her friend crash into the balloon, she walked over to check on her. “Are you all right under there?”
There was a bit of grumbling as the mare struggled her way out from under the enchanted cloth object to glare over at the costumed mare getting all the attention. “I'm fine, but who the hay do they think they are, butting in on my rescue? I mean who- OW! What the buck was that for!?” Rainbow Dash rubs the back of her head where her friend had smacked her with her hoof while glaring down at her.
“The better question is what the buck were you thinking putting a pony's life at risk like that?!” The pegasus' jaw drops at the tone of anger in her friend's voice but doesn't get a chance to defend herself as she is talked over. “I thought that your boasting was getting a bit over the top but to do something like this? It's a good thing that pony was there as you didn't even come close to catching her when you finally got there but if you were a second earlier there would be THREE ponies in need of rescue as you would have got in each other's path!”
“Wha-buh-are you seriously taking her side in this!?” The unicorn shakes her head as she tosses a glare at the retreating form of the costumed mare.
“Whoever that is is almost as bad, acting like a vigilante from one of my sister's comic books. There are enough ponies in Ponyville that could easily handle rescues like that so a costume wouldn't be needed unless they are up to something. Something you seem to have forgotten over the last few days while I was gone.” Rainbow Dash just turns away from her and grumpily crosses her forelegs in front of herself but doesn't argue as her friend has a point. The unicorn looks around the sky as she realizes something else.
“Where is the weather team anyways? Usually there should be at least a dozen pegasii in the air right now but I only see you and the couple that showed up after the rescue. Normally they would be around to help out if ponies are in trouble.” Rainbow Dash's ears droop a bit as she gives an embarrassed laugh.
“Uh, well I told them that they all could have the day off and I'd handle everything if something went wrong. That may have been a bad idea.” She flinched away when the orange mare lifted her hoof up again but relaxed when it was instead applied to her own face.
“Right, you had better go fix that before something else happens. This town is dangerous enough without you making it even more hazardous.” With an ashamed nod the pegasus flies off to recall the weather team leaving the unicorn to look off in the direction the costumed mare left in again.
<><><><><><><>
With Rainbow Dash's ego deflated a bit from her scolding, the efforts of the Mysterious Mare-Do-Well, as they found was the name of the costumed vigilante, were stalled as Rainbow Dash lead a team of pegasii to evacuate a runaway cart, leaving only that for the mare to stop, as well as averting disaster when a crane went out of control saving a building that was being constructed.
All the while Aegis Flare was keeping an eye out for Mare-Do-Well as she didn't trust her actions especially with how convenient the recent problems had been. After losing sight of her again she paused once again in thought before her thoughts were interrupted by a familiar pegasus. “Um, hey, Flare? Who is supposed to fix the dam above town if something happens to it, like say a pretty bad leak?”
The unicorn thinks for a moment before she shakes her head. “I'm not sure, but I think either the mayor or Sea Swirl would know since the former should know all government workers and the latter deals with most of the water issues in town.” She pauses for a moment before her head slowly pans around to stare at the hovering mare. “Why do you need to know this?”
“Eh he, I may have been flying around and noticed a big crack in it that may have been getting bigger. Nothing too bad, right?” Her answer was given in the of her friend's retreating form as she ran as fast as she could towards the dam leaving the pegasus to admire her speed for a moment. “Yeah, that can't be good, now where would I find one of those two.”
As Rainbow Dash was searching for the pony that was supposed to keep the dam repaired; Aegis Flare was arriving at the dam to find that it was still standing but wouldn't stay that way for long with how the cracks were spider-webbing across the face of it. Taking a deep breath she gathers her will before projecting everything she has through her horn to create the largest barrier she had ever made across the canyon in the path of the coming disaster. Not knowing if it would be enough she forces more power through creating an additional layer of magic around her horn throwing up a second, third, and even fourth wall of magic to protect the town.
She finished just in time as the pressure behind the dam broke through creating a huge hole that the lake behind it use to poor through. The unicorn winced as the first barrier instantly shattered and the second one soon followed along with the third. Pushing herself even further she was able to push out a third layer of energy around her horn to reinforce the barrier with two more behind it before she sighed as it seemed to be holding.
As she waited for Rainbow Dash to bring help, she looked around to find Mare-Do-Well staring at her from the cliff opposite of where she was. The two stared at each other before the orange mare's gaze turned into a glare, causing the masked mare to flinch back. Shaking her head the unknown figure lifted her hat revealing a horn which glowed with a disturbingly familiar color causing all the pieces of the damn to flow back up to where they came from and begin piecing themselves back together. Soon the dam was once again in a pristine state allowing the orange mare to relax a bit as she slowly let the trapped water drain into the river.
“Flare! Bad news, Sea Swirl said that the repairpony is on vacation and... Wait, what happened here? Who fixed the damn?” Looking across the river she noticed that it was now empty and she kept her voice level as she replied to her friend.
“Mare-Do-Well is a unicorn.” The pegasus' jaw dropped as she says this as the mare looks at her in disbelief.
“What? How? She already showed how strong she was before and the only unicorn around that could do something like that is you! What, is she going to start flying next?!” Their gaze is drawn to the sky as a shadow passes over them showing that the rainbow mare's words were prophetic as Mare-Do-Well flew by. Aegis Flare's eyes narrowed as she saw this and a few pieces fell into place in her mind though some were still missing.
“More like the 'mystery' of the Mysterious Mare-Do-Well is that she is more than one pony. Things just got much more complicated.” Rainbow Dash nods as her jaw snaps shut leaving the two to watch the vigilante fly off.
<><><><><><><>
Lunch at Sugarcube Corner was a sedate affair as the duo met up their friends, though Pinkie was still working in the kitchen. Spike was also there for a short while until the trio of Crusaders dragged him away for their latest cutie mark attempt. There was a lot of tension in the room though neither of the two mares were sure what it was from as their four friends were huddled at a table whispering to each other. “This just isn't working girls. I don't know why but Rainbow just isn't reacting like I thought she would. She hasn't even been bragging about anything since Flare got back and I even saw her at the dam while Rainbow flew off.”
Applejack rubbed at her chin with a hoof as she considered Twilight's words. “Ah know what ya mean. I caught her watching me while ah stopped that carriage and Rainbow Dash called in the weather team ta help.” They had to pause in their talk as the orange mare in question chose that moment to head over to them.
“What are you four talking about over here?” The four mares look at each other with worry before Rarity cleared her throat and spoke up for them loud enough that Rainbow Dash could hear from where she was.
“Well darling, we were just talking about what a fabulous figure that Mare-Do-Well pony makes. She really is an amazing pony isn't she?” The orange unicorn's eyebrow rose at the alabaster mare's question before she snorted in disgust.
“I think we can do without that fake, or I should say fakes since the only way she can have wings and a horn is if she was one of the princesses and of the three I know of none of them are small enough. Seriously somepony either read too many comic books or they are up to something especially with how convenient all these problems have been with her showing up just in time.” She misses the looks of worry that were shared between the four as she continues on with her annoyed rant.
“I could care less if these were minor problems, but they are risking ponies lives just to show off. I already got on Rainbow Dash's case for the same thing especially with what happened with Trixie and even she wouldn't intentionally put ponies in danger just for her show.” All of the mares, except Fluttershy, wince as they remember how they all acted with the showmare as the cyan pegasus spoke up.
“Do you really have to keep bringing that up? I said I was sorry, sheesh. Besides it's not like I care about that Mare-Do-well anymore since we found that it was more than one pony. It figures it would take more than one pony to match the awesomeness the is Rainbow Dash!” She didn't say the last part over-seriously but she still ducked away from the incoming hoof as the orange mare swatted at her head again.
Their friends just gaped at them in shock before Twilight shook her head. “Wait, you don't even care? After all the work we- I mean she- um...” She trails off as all eyes turn towards her, two of them with looks of angers. The tension rose as Pinkie Pie bounded into the room with a tray of cupcakes drawing the attention of the two shocked mares, Rainbow Dash being behind Aegis Flare and out of the pink ponies purview.
“Wait, you all are Mare-Do-Well?!” The seated mare's shrink back at the sound of anger in the orange mare's voice though, like usual, Pinkie seems oblivious to everything as she answers causing the others to wince.
“Of course! Didn't Twilight tell you? She had this whole plan to overshadow Dashie's heroics so that she stopped being so full of herself. Sure she was rescuing ponies but she didn't have to be such a Bragger McBraggerpants about it.” She stopped talking as she saw Applejack giving her shushing motion and she cocked her head to the side as the orange unicorn took a step backward revealing a disappointed looking pegasus. “Oh, hi Dashie! We were just talking...”
Pinkie locked up as she noticed who she was talking to and what she had just said that she shouldn't have. Rainbow Dash's face hardened as she glared at her friends as her wings started to stiffen. “Just talking about what? How you were all wanted to humiliate me just because the town was cheering for me and I was getting a bit too into it? Hay I remember that all of you were there when it all started and were cheering for me as well. What? Did you just decide that you wanted to be in the spotlight instead that you couldn't just talk to me about it instead of all this? Did you not trust me at all?! I thought you were all my friends!”
By this point tears were flowing freely down her cheeks to the sadness of her friends as she turned and ran out of the building. Aegis Flare moved to follow her but paused at the tower to toss another glare at her friends. “As she would say, 'not cool.'”
As she took off after the pegasus Pinkie's mane lost it's poof as she turned a sad look to the rest of her friends still in the room. Twilight and Rarity just sat there with looks of shock on their faces while Fluttershy was half under the table by this point. Applejack summed up all their thoughts in one simple sentence. “We bucked up badly.”
<><><><><><><>
Celestia's sun setting over the hills around Ponyville was a beautiful sight, but one group of mares weren't able to enjoy it as the tried to track down their friend that they had wronged. Since Rainbow Dash had flew off, followed by Aegis Flare, the five mares had searched for her to no avail. Their last hope was that their friend knew where she was though they would rather have found the pegasus first themselves.
After knocking on the front door of Aegis Flare's home they were answered by the orange mare in second who just stood an stared at them waiting for them to speak first. Twilight stepped forward first as the entire plan was hers in the first place. “Um, Flare? We wanted to apologize for what happened to you and Rainbow but we wanted to talk with her first and can't find her. Have you...?”
She trailed off as the orange mare continued to glare at them all while she was trying to apologize. After a minute of standing there she just sighed and waved them into her home after their ears started to droop. Following her in, they were led to the family room where she already had a plate of snacks set out along with a pot of tea. The room was silent as they all took a seat around the room and Aegis Flare served them all. After ending with her own cup she sat down and took a sip of it before sighing.
“I should have seen something like this coming, but it's my fault for ignoring it ever since we met.” Her words confused them all but she kept on speaking before they could interrupt. “That plan was most likely Twilight's and when we were in the Everfree when Luna returned she kept on rushing off without thinking of how dangerous the place really was with all of you following. Ever since then I've seen her doing the same thing constantly in her lab.”
As she looks away towards the back of her home Applejack squinted her eyes at her friend. “That's not all is it? Ya sound like ya have more reason than that ta not like what we did.” Aegis Flare stiffens up at her words but only the farm pony notices as the rest were looking at her questioningly. With another sigh the orange unicorn shakes her head before turning a sad smile towards her oldest friend.
“It always was hard to hide things from you. You all know what I do to make bits, but I never did tell you that I had a second job that is a bit more dangerous and infrequent.” Lighting up her horn she looked over towards her packs in the corner of the room and soon a badge half the size of her hoof floated out in her magic towards the center of the group. Once she set it down the others were able to read the letters MEEL on it. While the others looked at it without understanding, Twilight's eyes widened on seeing it before she looked up at the other unicorn.
“You're part of the Migrant Equestrian Explorers League?! But I thought that all the ponies part of that group had a central headquarters where they live and were sent out from?!” Aegis Flare let out a small chuckle before shaking her head.
“It would be rather hard to get anything done quickly if it was really like that. I think they might have rooms available for us if we need them, but most live away from there, usually near dangerous areas. I've never been there myself but after an old, I guess I could call her a friend, sponsored me I've had access to their resources in exchange for my services in the Everfree. Usually it's just me bringing in rare samples of what I find but there has been a time or two where I've had to escort groups through the Everfree.” She paused for a moment as she thought back to how easy it was to get certain information recently.
“It wouldn't surprise me if the princess has a hoof in the group somewhere with how few favors I had to call in to get access to those books when I went a bit crazy about Discord. Unfortunately it wasn't enough to keep me from from owing a few that were already called in. Ugh, I really hate having to play tour guide in the Everfree.” She didn't mean to say the last bit where the others could hear but a few of them did catch it. Rarity wasn't one of them though as she spoke up about something else.
“So that group just trades favors with each other? Far be it for me to criticize that but how do they get anything done without bits, especially if they have that building with enough rooms for all the members?” The orange mare just shrugs as she finishes of her cup of tea and refills it.
“The bits are easy with all the rare materials and artifacts that are recovered as well as what comes in from outside groups making requests. We're getting way off topic though, surprisingly it's not Pinkie's fault this time.” Glancing over at the now straight-maned mare she shakes her head. “Anyways as I was going to say, there are currently three of us that work with the Everfree but there used to be four. A few years back all three of us received an emergency request to rescue the fourth but unfortunately she didn't make it. We were only able to find a sole survivor and the only reason why they lived was because she gave her life to make sure they survived.”
“Afterwards, we learned that the head of the expedition was one Professor Madcap. He was accused of some pretty serious things and this was his attempt to have it all glossed by making a huge event of it. Because of his recklessness over a score of ponies were lost and many of them were promising researchers as well. After that I've made it a point to prioritize lives over everything else and it angers me to see ponies putting others at risk needlessly.” The others all wince as they realize how close they may have been to repeating something like she described if anything went wrong while they were trying to show up Rainbow Dash.
“I remember that Professor but I never knew what happened to him or much about him other than that he yelled a lot. He just vanished one day and nopony said what happened to him. We never intended to put anypony at risk though, we were just trying to show Rainbow that her bragging was getting out of hoof and she wasn't the only one that could deal with problems.” The others nod and unknown to them there had been another figure listening in on them the entire time.
Rainbow Dash had been in that bathroom the entire time and had just gotten out of the shower when her friends had arrived. Not wanting to have anything to do with them yet she lay by the door to eavesdrop as her mane and coat dried out. As she heard her friends reasoning she couldn't sit still anymore as she opened the door and made her way to the room her friends were. “Well why didn't you just tell me then?”
Heads whipped around at her voice that if Aegis Flare wasn't the one to have her back directly facing the pegasus one of them could have been injured. None of them moved at first until Fluttershy ducked down behind her chair once again and Pinkie threw herself at Rainbow Dash's hooves and started bawling. “We're so so-o-o-rry!”
The cyan mare just rolled her eyes as she struggled to pry her hooves out of her friends death grip before giving up and looking towards the others. Glancing at each other the wordlessly agreed that Applejack would be the one to speak up for them. “We really are sorry and we were hoping ya would come ta your senses but ya just got out of control. We would have came ta talk ta ya but, well...”
“You are kind of stubborn and it's hard getting you to listen... eep!” Fluttershy blushed at being so blunt before trying to hide again as the room focused on her.
“Uh, yeah. That.” Various emotions rolled across Rainbow Dash's face and her friends started to worry until she settled on a downcast look.
“Ugh, you're probably right about that but at least I would have been thinking about it afterwards. Flare immediately got on my case when she saw what I was doing, though I could have done without the hoof to the head.” There were a few raised eyebrows sent the orange mares way who just shrugged in response.
“What? It helped get through to you quickly. You probably would have ignored me otherwise.” The pegasus mare just glared at her as a few chuckles went around the room.
“Well she's got ya there. But do ya think ya could forgive us for all this? We never meant ta hurt ya like that.” While she tried to keep up a tough face, Rainbow Dash eventually broke as she let out a sigh.
"Yeah, I guess I can. Just please don't do something like that again. It really hurt to learn that none of you trusted me enough to at least talk to me first.” There were a few sighs of relief but they were drowned out by the explosion of confetti that came from Pinkie's mane as it poofed back into it's normal condition.
“Yay! Come on everypony, group hug!” There were a few yelps of complaint as the room was dragged over to where Rainbow Dash was but it was minimal as they all got comfortable knowing that their friendship was on the road to being repaired again. Noting this Twilight pulled out a scroll so that they could all come up with the lesson they had learned that day to send to the princess.