Time and Masks

by Hopeful_Ink_Hoof

Putting Things Together.

"Well this was a fun weekend," Ruby said as she walked. "I'm glad I came."

"So am I," Dinky replied. "You don't have to leave today. I mean it is summer after all."

"You have training in the morning and I am expected at the hospital."

"Heh. Right. I forgot that you were a candy stripper."

"Striper."

"I know what I said." Dinky grinned, giggling slightly. Ruby just rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"The point is that we both have busy days ahead of us tomorrow. Although, this went well. Maybe we can get back together the weekend after next? I could leave in the morning and be here when you finish training."

"Okay. But time after that, I visit you. Doesn't seem fair to have you two do all the traveling."

Ruby smiled and leaned forward. She gave Dinky a kiss on the cheek, grinning as the pale lavender mare turned a bright red.

"Deal," the naturally red unicorn responded, "I bet Carrot Top would be happy to see you."

"Yeah..." the name sent a slight pang of guilt through Dinky. The young mare had not really been spending much time with the older one. Since the passing of her mother, she had been finding more and more excuses to visit Ponyville and the farm less and less.

"Okay," Ruby said, interrupting the train of thought, "I have to get going now."

"See you soon." Dinky moved forward and returned the earlier kiss. After, she stayed where she was, watching her friend (fillyfriend?) board the train before it left. She watched the train moved, waving at her friend sitting at the window. Once the train had finished pulling out of the station and was quickly moving out of sight did she finally leave the platform. The young mare walked through Canterlot as she headed back toward the castle.

"Dinky!" A voice cried out, getting her attention. Turning, she caught sight of a sky blue pegasus with silver mane and tail flying over the crowd toward her. She smiled and walked toward Wind Tunnel as he landed.

"What's up?" she called out as they got closer.

"I was just about the head over and see you," he replied. "I got those metal bands you asked for done." Opening one of his saddle bags, he pulls out to gleaming metal rings. One was a tall and thin band, large enough to fit around Dinky's head. The other was a wide flat ring, almost a disc if not for the empty center.

"Thank you" Dinky said as she took and looked at them. "They look great."

"Yeah... Uhm... Dinky? What are they for?"

Dinky looked from the bands to the pegasus. She tilted her head, looking at him from the corner of her eye. An ear gave a quick flicker as she raised an eyebrow.

"Are you sure you really want to know Wind Tunnel?" she asked.

"Yes?" he said slowly. "I mean... you're not doing anything illegal with them, are you?" Wind Tunnel looked at his friend, shifting as she looked at him without answering.

"Okay," she finally said, "but not here. Too many ponies. Come on back to my room." She then turned and continued walking through the streets.

Wind Tunnel stood a moment longer before finally following after her. He trotted quickly to catch up. As they continued, he kept looking around, the weird behavior making him feel paranoid. It was a relief when they were no longer in sight of the public, heading up to Dinky's room. As soon as they were in, the mare shut the door and locked it, causing the young stallion to jump.

"What I'm about to tell you," she said as she looked at him with narrowed eyes, "is supposed to be a secret. So you have to promise not to tell anypony."

"I promise."

"Swear on your wings."

"What?"

"I don't want to have to teach you a Pinkie Promise, so I want you to swear on your wings that you will never tell another pony about this."

"Ugh. Fine." Wind Tunnel held up a hoof. "I swear to keep the promise you share with me. Should I break this promise, may my wings go bald and get stuck."

Dinky looked at him a moment, then burst into a fit of giggles.

"Okay," she finally managed to get out between bursts of laughter, "That works. Worth it just for imagining a pair of bald wings sticking straight out from the side." As the laughter subsided, she started moving toward her desk. "If you still want to know, they're for a hat."

"...A...hat..."

Dinky set the two rings of metal on the desk. She then picked up a sheet of paper and held it up for Wind Tunnel to see.

"Remember this?" she asked, showing him the drawing on the sheet.

"It looks familiar," he said, staring at it, "but I can't place it."

"Yeah. It's been a while. It's the Mare-Do-Well costume. I was wearing it the Nightmare Night we met."

"Oh yeah," Wind Tunnel said, perking up as he remembered. "Hey, didn't cause you all sorts of trouble with that crazy mare that kept throwing things?"

"Yes, it was. Rarity, a fashion designer in Ponyville who made the original costume, made another for me the summer after we met. I managed to wear it twice then I outgrew it. That was the problem. Thought of asking for another, but I would outgrow it again and again. It would have been a waste."

"So," Wind Tunnel said slowly, "what does that have to do with the bands?"

"After the parasprites," she said, "I decided..." she rubbed her head and sighed. "This sounds stupid but hear me out. After the parasprites, and facing Poison Prank again, I decided I wanted to do something to help others. To stop ponies like her from scaring ponies like you and Twinkleshine. So I've been working on sewing, magic, and fighting. I've also been working on drawings and designs for a new outfit and weapons."

"So the bands are for the hat of the Mare-Do-Well outfit?"

"Yes. One goes into the crown and the other goes into the brim."

"Why?"

"It will weigh it down to keep it in place and the weight and shape should make it useful as a throwing weapon."

"No," Wind Tunnel said, "I mean why are you doing this at all? You already said that this sounds stupid, so why are you actually planning to dress up in a costume and go running around to fight who knows what? This is crazy, so why do it?"

"I don't know." Dinky shifted and let out a sigh. "I... I feel like I have to do something. It may not be the method my parents would use, but it would be the same intent."

"Same intent? You mean they would want you to run around in some costume like a weirdo?"

"They would want me to help others," she responded. "Do anything and everything they could to keep as many ponies alive as safe as they could." She looked away, staring out the window. "Even if it put their own lives at risk."

"....Is there anything else I can do to help?" Wind Tunnel asked.

"Really?" Dinky asked. She turned to look at the pegasus, an expression of shock on her face.

"Yeah." Wind Tunnel sighed and rolled his eyes. "I still don't get the whole 'run around in a mask and costume' thing, but I get wanting to help others and ... the whole parents thing. So if there's anything I can do to help, let me know and I'll try my best."

"You know," the young mare said with a grin, "I could use a sidekick."

"Don't push it."

"Actually, there might be one thing that could help..."