Her Frontier

by FromTheMoon

Behind The Scenes

Chapter 11: Behind the Scenes

The weather was finally starting to cool down as summer in EverGlade began to come to an end. It had been three months since the towns newest pegasus resident had stayed behind at the local dairy farm. Despite having to do the same activities everyday Rainbow Dash felt content . The work load had gotten easier for her once Top Notch had his cast removed and started helping out around the farm more. Even with his injuries healed the doctor had advised the stallion not to over exert himself in the near future.

Life for the ponies in town was no different, residents went about their daily activities without a care. Some took notice that the town hadn't experienced any form of disaster since the water tower incident but believed that whatever run of bad luck had found the town was finally over. It was only Sheriff Silver Point and Whisky that remained vigilante, neither seemed to like the fact that the town had gotten too quiet for the past couple of weeks with the exception of the previous four days. A certain mare had come to visit Rainbow Dash bringing along all that she needed to throw the wildest party the town had ever seen.

Else where however sat a stallion at his desk waiting for the clock on his wall to strike the correct hour. "Specter make sure I'm not disturbed while I talk to the boss." His earth pony lackey simply nodded before making his way out of the room to the front of the building closing the door to the office behind him. Thatcher had his eyes glued to the clock until only a minute remained, that's when he turned is attention to the mirror on his desk and watched as the shadowy figure appeared inside of it. "Hello boss how have you been lately?"

"Cease with the pleasantries Thatcher, did you receive what I sent to you?"

"Sure did boss, got it right here safe and sound next to me." Thatcher moved the mirror to face two items that were on the desk. One a container in the shape of a cylinder while the other seemed to be an eight sided ball. "Just need you to give me the go ahead on the plan."

"Good but listen very carefully Thatcher. You must not break the seal on the container until its time. Everything must be in place before its contents are set loose in the town."

Thatcher rubbed the back of his neck after hearing this. "Yeah about that boss, won't I get put in harms way from this plan of yours?"

"You needn't concern yourself with worry Thatcher. All you must do is listen to my instructions and no harm will come your way."

Now that he felt less expendable Thatcher moved on to the next subject he wanted to talk to his boss about. "I've been following that pegasus mare around just like you told me to. Her name is Rainbow Dash and she's from the town of Pony..."

"Rainbow Dash? Yes I've heard talk of her around Canterlot. She one of Princess Celestia's Elements of Harmony that saved Equestria a couple of times from the cliche antagonists that seem to plague our fair country. What's she doing all the way out there in the middle of nowhere? Despite her we must carry on with the plan."

"Oh and one more thing boss, a few days ago she a had a friend come visit her, a pink mare who goes by the name of Pinkie Pie. Am I to assume that she's an Element as well?"

"Yes, is she staying in the town as well?"

Thatcher waved his hoof dismissing the idea. "She was but it seems like she just came to visit Rainbow Dash. Before our meeting I spotted both Elements along with a local stallion heading to the train station."

---

Rainbow Dash and Top Notch waved good bye as the train pulled out of the platform. The two ponies stayed at the platform until they could no longer see Pinkie waving back to them from the train. Both made their way back into town heading towards Whisky's restaurant. Rainbow couldn't help but laugh all the way back into town as Top Notch continued to rub his upper body sorely. "Hey you can't say I didn't warn you about her hugs. Just consider yourself lucky that I told her to go easy on you. Pretty sure she could of put you back in that cast again."

"You're telling me! For the longest time ponies told me that I gave rough hugs. Compared to that though my hugs might as well of been gentle love taps." It had taken Rainbow Dash a considerable amount of time but she had finally gotten used to Top Notch's jokes. Both laughed as they walked into town. Top Notch had been glad that Rainbow Dash had stayed at the farm after his injuries had healed, surprisingly more than he thought he'd be.

As they walked through the streets neither one seemed to notice that ponies passing by them gave a quick glance. Rainbow Dash and Top Notch had seemed to become inseparable which led the town to speculate further. "I know you said your friend was a party animal but damn she had to have broken a world record with how long that party lasted."

Rainbow Dash tilted her head back and laughed. "The party she threw only lasted twenty one hours. I've been to one of her parties that lasted around two days! She's bragged about once having hosted a party that lasted six days. I doubt it though. The way I see it any pony who says they remember that party wasn't really there."

"Talk about having a great sense of humor also, I'm pretty she laughed at every single one of my jokes! She's also pretty funny herself! Remember when she acted surprised when she found out that we didn't share a..." Just like that the situation had gotten tense between them. Both turned to face away from each other to hid the fact that both were blushing slightly.

"Heh...yeah...Pinkie always did have a wild imagination heh heh oh this is kinda of awkward isn't it?"

"Slightly." Top Notch responded. He turned to look down the street and saw that their destination was in sight. "Hey look, we're here!" The stallion quickly made his way to the restaurant and Rainbow Dash flew the rest of the way in an effort to avoid making eye contact with him. Top Notch quickly entered the restaurant with Rainbow Dash right behind him.

---

Whisky and Clover Leaf were in a deep conversation when Top Notch came through the front door. It seemed like the two were arguing over something but they quickly dropped the subject when both noticed that their friend was staring at them. It was only after Rainbow Dash appeared behind that Top Notch that Clover made to speak. "Oh hey Top's, what brings you and Rainbow here? Thought you two were sending Pinkie Pie off today."

"Yeah we just got back from seeing the girl off. Say, what were you two talking about before we got in here?" Top Notch responded.

Before Clover had the chance to answer Whisky intervened. "Oh nothing really, just some restaurant business is all. So anyway that sure was one hell of party that Rainbow's friend threw the other night huh? Thought Sheriff Silver Point was going to shut it down for sure but boy was I surprised when I saw him back down from your friend. Don't think I've ever seen the Sheriff turn tail to any pony before."

Top Notch smirked at his friends obvious attempt to change the subject but didn't get the option to push the matter further thanks to mare behind him. "Pssh standing up to the Sheriff is nothing for Pinkie Pie. I've seen her go hoof to claw against worse things. There are those who live to party and then there are those who party to live. Pinkie Pie is both of those." Rainbow Dash finished that sentence with a very content look on her face while the other three had baffled looks on theirs.

"Um honey, what you said right now didn't really make any sense."

"Neither does Pinkie Pie most of the time but she exists." Rainbow Dash seemed self assured by her own explanation.

Whisky could tell that Top Notch intended to get back to the original subject. He quickly dug up some menus from under the bar counter and shoved them in front of his two friends faces. "If you're here then that means your hungry. How about me and Clover leave you two alone a few minutes while you decide what you want to order."

Rainbow Dash and Top Notch made their way to the bar counter and took their seats. "I don't necessarily just come here to eat Whisky. I'm pretty sure I've stopped by a good number of times just to chat with either you or Clover."

"Besides!" Rainbow Dash started. "We already know what we want to eat! I'll have the veggie burger with a side of hay fries." Rainbow closed her menu and handed it over to Clover. Top Notch also ordered his food without even glancing at his menu.

"Okay then how about Top Notch heads back with me to the kitchen while you two ladies mingle. Let the Stallions cook while the mares relax. Would that be okay with the both of you?"

Rainbow Dash and Clover Leaf gestured that they were okay with the idea and Whisky practically dragged Top Notch over the counter and into the kitchen.

Once Whisky was sure that the door behind them was closed he turned to speak to Top Notch but was cut off by his friend. "Whisky look, I'm real flattered that you asked me to help but I've never really..."

"You can stop right there buddy. I know that you'd set the restaurant on fire if you'd tried to make something as simple as a grilled daisy sandwich."

"You're never going to let me live that down are you? It was one time and besides, that time I was making soup. I hear that soup is one of the most dangerous dishes in the world to make."

Whisky couldn't help but sigh. "It was just soup and besides it was tomato soup. That dish is supposed to be served cold."

"What kinda of soup is served cold? Doesn't that defeat the purpose of soup?"

"I don't know the pony that came up with it was probably mental or something but that's beside the point. Look we're getting off topic!"

A sly grin appeared on Top Notch's face. "Oh so now you don't want to change the subject huh? Talking about being complex. It wouldn't happen to be that time of the month would it?"

Whisky's right eye twitched in a way that would concern most other ponies. "Any one ever tell you how mush of an ass hole you can be sometimes?"

Top Notch put his hoof on his friends shoulder. "Consider this payback for the other day. But seriously though whats on your mind?"

Whisky shook Top Notch's hoof off of him and went to gather a few ingredients for the food. Once the food was on the stove cooking he let out a deep breath and pivoted to look at his friend. "What I'm about to say doesn't leave this restaurant got it? Me and Clover Leaf we've...we've sorta been seeing each other for a couple of months now."

"Well congrats but I still don't really see why you two were arguing." Top Notch stared quizzically at his friend trying to figure him out.

Whisky ran a hoof down his face "Look Top Notch what I'm about to say next isn't going to easy to say since it concerns both you and Rainbow Dash as well. The problem with the relationship is that Clover's dad ain't really to keen on the idea of her dating a stallion like me. For a while we we're able to hide it from him but then he started snooping around. It seemed like it was only a matter of time before he found out but then a rainbow appeared over the horizon."

"Wait..." Top Notch was starting to put the pieces together. "All the rumors that started going around town about me and Rainbow Dash..."

"I may have started those rumors to keep Clover's father off of us?" Whisky wore a painful smile on his face while Top Notch however just stared blankly at the floor. With a cross look in eyes Top Notch made his way to the stove and turned off the flame. Just as Whisky was about to protest he found himself being pushed towards the stairs.

Top Notch pointed to Whisky's room. "Upstairs...now!" Top Notch said with a grim tone in his voice. Never before seeing his friend like this Whisky complied without saying a single word.

Whisky heard the door to his room close shut behind him. Turning around he saw an agitated looking stallion behind him. "Look Top Notch I can explain, I know what did was dishonest and dumb but..."

"But what!?" Top Notch was doing his best to avoid yelling. "You knew that something was bothering her but you still decided to use the poor girl and me as a shield to hide behind! I thought you would of been raised to have a sense of guilt."

Rubbing one of his forelegs nervously Whisky was doing his best to try and avoid eye contact with his friend. "I first yeah I did feel guilty but then I saw how you two started growing closer together and I figured that..."

Top Notch had heard enough. "Oh for crying out loud Whisky I'm tying to help the girl out. I've seen that she's got some sort of problem, no pony just drops everything and helps out a stranger for no reason. The world doesn't work like that!" He walked over to the window and looked out at the town. "I just want to help her get through whats troubling her that's all."

"You can't deny that she's a nice girl though. Maybe the world doesn't work where a pony helps out another just for no reason. That might be one of those undeniable rules of life but maybe she's the exception that proves that rule true. How do you know that she's not into you? Have you asked her?" Whisky moved to place his hoof on Top Notch's shoulder but he just shrugged it off. "This can't be because of um your last relationship because I'm pretty sure there's no way you're getting back with her."

Whisky was given a hard look by Top Notch "It has nothing to do with that. I ended that relationship myself." A long drawn out sigh escaped the stallion. "I just want to help Rainbow Dash, that's what friends do for one another." With that being said Top Notch made his way back to the door but stopped when he heard Whisky speak.

"There's only so much a friend can do, sometimes ponies need something more."

"Was Clover Leaf in on this?"

"No, she'd probably kick my ass if she found out what I'd been doing." There was a moment of brief silence between the two that was only broken by Whisky when Top Notch opened to the door. "You're not angry at me are you?"

Stopping for a moment at the stairs Top Notch gave Whisky his answer. "No I'm not angry at you. I'm disappointed and angry at you. You don't have to worry though, I won't tell Rainbow Dash what you were doing. There's no reason to make the girls life more confusing than it has to be right now."

---

While the stallions worked away in the kitchen Rainbow Dash had struck up a conversation with Clover Leaf. Over the past few months the two had actual gotten very close and had become good friends. Rainbow was fine hanging out with stallions but curiously enough she discovered years ago that she also greatly enjoyed hanging out with mares. "So then I snuck up behind a group of three of them and when their backs were turned I whooped their bug asses. I picked my friend Fluttershy off the ground, dusted her off, and then dove head first into another group of changelings. Needless to say I pretty much put the team on my back as I single hoofed it in saving Canterlot from the changeling invasion. Oh and Shining Armor and Princess Cadance helped out I guess."

Clover Leaf had been listening to the story intently. She was amazed at just how exciting Rainbow Dash's life was. Half of her was envious of the pegasus while the other half was glad to be away from such danger. "Wow but what happened to the Queen? Did the Royal Guard ever find her and the rest of her hive?"

"Last I heard she had disappeared back into the Waste Lands. Can't say I blame her though. I'd probably run away with my tail between my legs if I had gotten such a beating, serves her right." The smug look on Rainbow's face could of put Prince Blue Blood to shame. "Maybe some other day I'll tell you about that time I defeated an evil king and saved the Crystal Empire with some help from my friends and Princess Cadance."

"Girl you must keep Top's entertained with all your stories! Speaking of which where are those two with your food?" Clover turned around and stared at the wall behind her. "Maybe I should go check up on them."

Top's

"Nah I'm sure they're just fine. You said Whisky's a pretty good cook right? I bet they're just talking about some stuff like we are." Rainbow Dash figured that now was the best time to ask about something she'd been curious about for the past few weeks. "Hey Clover why do um call him Top's? I'm pretty sure that you're the only one who I've heard call him that."

The unicorn turned back to face Rainbow Dash and gave her a pleasant smile. "Oh no special reason really. Its just the nick name I gave him when we dated a while back."

It was a good thing that Rainbow Dash hadn't been drinking anything because she was pretty sure that Clover Leaf probably would of been hit directly by those hypothetical fluids. "You...and...and...Top Notch....dated?"

"Sure did but it wasn't really anything to extraordinary. We never got to far into the relationship and Top's broke the thing off himself. Pity too because he sure was a sweet guy."

Rainbow stared down at the bar counter and muttered under her breath. "Yeah his is."

Clover perked her eyes up. "What was that hon'? Didn't quite catch that."

The pegasus kept her eyes to the counter. "Nothing."

"So yeah he broke it off but I was okay with it. We're still good friends and all that. Besides I got my eyes on a different pony now." A small giggle escaped Clover's mouth.

Rainbow Dash snapped out of her temporary daze. "Any pony I know?"

Clover giggled again. "Oh you know him." She pointed to the kitchen with her eyes.

"No way, you're interested in him?" Rainbow made sure to put extra emphasis on him.

Clover Leaf made her way around the counter and took a seat beside Rainbow Dash. "You say it like its a bad thing. I know that Whisky's got his flaws but he's a super sweet and loving stallion. Beside Top Notch he's the only other pony in EverGlade who puts others before himself."

Rainbow put her hooves up in a show of disinterest. "Hey I'm not going to tell you how to live. Sleep with who you want its your life."

A loud laugh escaped Clover as she tilted her head back. "Good to know. Since we're on the topic though how are things between you and Top Notch?" The unicorn added her own emphasis with a simple wink. "You know, just between the two of us.

"Well he's..." Rainbow Dash didn't get a chance to finish. Top Notch as if by some coincidence came through the door with a torn up look on his face.

Before either Rainbow or Clover could ask what was wrong Top Notch turned to Clover and spoke. "Clover could you be so kind as to wrap our food up to go instead? Somethings come up and so we can't stay to eat."

"Uh sure Top's." Clover made her way into the kitchen leaving Rainbow alone with the stallion.

A few moments passed before Rainbow spoke. "So whats going on?"

"Don't ask."

Minutes passed before Clover came out levitating the bag that contained the food with Whisky following behind her. When Top Notch had tried to pay Whisky had insisted that the food was on the house. Top Notch had none of it, he left the money on the table and then made his way out of the restaurant with Rainbow Dash in tow.

Comments

[Rainbow87dash]

Yay more waiting

[Aqua Shimmer]

I'm fine with the wait as long as it means more story! 10 bucks Rainbow has a crush on Top Notch!