Appledashery

by Just Essay

Shadow Saviors

"Holy shit! This mare is loaded!"

"You're telling me. There's gotta be nearly a thousand bits in her bag!"

"Celestia on a bike! I always thought I'd stumble upon a chump like this in Las Pegasus ages ago."

"You know what they say. Good things come to those who—"

"Just shut up and see if she's got anything else on her."

"Nope. Just the bits. We've waited around long enough. Let's take off already!"

Rainbow heard a groaning sound—her own. Blood dribbled off her muzzle. She lifted her head, squinting at the sideways silhouette of an alleyway.

Three grimy equine figures huddled around her bit bag. One turned about, his eyes glinting towards her from the light of a neon sign.

"She's getting up!"

"Rnnngh...!" Another thug got up and galloped straight towards her.

Rainbow's vision swirled. The back of her head contacted the ground. Seconds later, she felt the sting of the stallion's kick to her chin. It was enough to split her numbness down the center, filling her body if paralyzing pain.

"Mmmmfnngh..." Rainbow wheezed. "Aaaaugh..."

"Dammit, will you play it cool?!"

"She's a pegasus! I didn't want her flying awa—"

"She's obviously pissed drunk! She couldn't fly a straight line if she wanted to! Stop kicking ponies in the face! I don't want murder on my record!"

"She saw our faces. I swear it."

"She saw nothing. Let's split."

Rainbow's eyelids hung heavy and heavier. As the dark fog rolled in, the miasma parted ways just long enough for her to detect a tall, lithe shadow in the distance. It was staring straight at her.

"Wait!" one of the thugs squeaked. After a pause, the pony continued: "You sure we're done with her?"

"What else is there to do? We've got her bits."

"Look how young she is. I just bet both her kidneys are healthy."

"Nuh uh. We ain't taking her to the chop shop in Lower L.P."

"I'm telling you—this mare's a loser! Nopony's gonna remember her... much less miss her!"

"It's not that. All that alcohol inside the bitch... you really think any of her organs are healthy enough to sell?"

"It's worth a shot! Come on... you wanna live on these streets forever!"

"With these bits, we could upgrade to Manehattan."

"Pffft. Buck that! That stinkin' place is police heaven ever since Don Canter disappeared! Here... help me grab her legs."

"Dammit... I'm telling you... the chop shop is a bad idea!"

"Let's just take her down there and let the surgeons decide. If they say no, we move on! I promise! Hey... at least we'll be a thousand bits richer!"

"Actually, I just counted. More like nine hundred in here—"

"Who the hell cares?! It's a lot! Now let's move her!"

"Rnnngh... we're going to regret this..."

"If you couldn't stomach this, you shoulda jumped off a bridge ages ago. Now help me—"

The sound of heavy hoofsteps filled the avenue. Rainbow was the only one not surprised. She watched with dazed eyes as the muscular shadow bounded in from a distance and plowed into two of the thugs at once.

Wh-Wham!

"Ooomf!"

"Augh!"

The third thug gasped, only to have the figure spin around and slam two hooves savagely into his chin.

"Grkkkk!"

"Raaaaaaaaugh!" With a mare's thunderous yell, the figure stomped the ribcage of one thug and uppercutted the chin of another. Soon, the thugs scampered off, panting, wheezing, and bleeding. The figure charged after them—so they dropped the bit bag entirely and fled in opposite directions, filling the alleyways with curses and shrieks. "Get lost, you dayum cowards! Try picking on somepony your own size for once!"

Rainbow shuddered. The copper taste of blood filled her muzzle. The world grew darker... darker...

By the time her savior's hoofsteps drew closer, Rainbow's world was blacking out. She heard the sound of a bit bag being lifted, then jingled slightly.

"Mmmmmff... oh Rainbow," the voice murmured, soothing. Like honey. "Rainbow... Rainbow... Rainbow... even when you're lucky you suck at it." A sigh, and a heavy hoof softly caressed her cheek and ears. "Do I always have to save your adorable little ass?"

Rainbow tried to say something. Her heart leapt with breathtaking spikes, but she lacked the energy to produce any words. Her head teetered, drifting in the voice, drowning in it.

"Never got yourself checked out, I see. Well, hang tight. I'm gonna nurse your silly head back to health."

Rainbow exhaled, and then her body deflated... drifting into the blissful emptiness of sleep.

"...as always."

Comments

[FloydienSlip]

Oh shit, it's Listing.

[Phoenix Kitten]

...well okay, I was expecting way worse than a mugging and attempted organ harvesting.

And whoever it was that saved her, Dash seems.. panicked, even more so than when she was getting mugged.

...hello Listing Breeze...about time you showed your face.

[Sharp Quill]

Just so long as it ain't Stu Leaves.

[Lightning Bearer]

Well damn. Time to meet the infamous Miss Breeze.

[Hestia]

. . . If that's Listing Breeze . . . ohmigosh.

Can I start panicking now?

[Sonikah]

I'm going to go against the popular opinion and guess that it's Daring Do.

[Macky]

Listing Breeze? No waaaayyy...
*Rereads chapter*
...oh shit....I'm going with Sonikah and saying its Daring Do just to make me feel better.

[Phoenix Kitten]

7169800 There was a moment when you weren't panicking?

[Hestia]

7169820 I really, really really hope you're right

7169881 Now seems like a good time to PANIC EVEN MORE!!!

[I Thought I Was Toast]

7169820
7169848
Nah. It's just Mulia Mild the Magical Mule, fighting your typical Las Pegasus criminals now that she no longer has dream-Tokyo or its giant dream-lizards.

[CommanderCuddle]

7169820 You know Daring Do is actually more likely then Listing, i mean from what we know Listing wasn't exactly a nice mare who would risk herself to save an ex she abused from 3 stallions

[remnants]

WHO IS THIS MYSTERIOUS MARE!

More at 9!

[zaponator]

Epcot got a physical body!

[Bulbajer]

I was so excited. And then I read the comments.
andrewsimone.com/gif/The%20Guest/loading-big-gun.gif

[DrEggnog]

Stop kicking ponies in the face!

Despite the drama I couldn't help but smile at this. It's just sort of a funny sentence.

[Phoenix Kitten]

7169999 Is she a Mare do well?

[MidnightReflection]

Well, this mare seems to be rather muscular. They also know Dash from the past, so Listing would make sense...
Daring Do... ehh, don't know. Daring isn't muscular. So it probably isn't her.

Listing, as far as we've been able to glean, was abusing Rainbow, most likely psychologically. The way this mare was speaking to her...

"Rainbow... Rainbow... Rainbow... even when you're lucky you suck at it."

Seems very manipulative...

[jag146]

Ten bits to... LANCIE IN PONY FORM!!

[BronyInHiding]

Guys, guys, enough with the Listing/Daring Do crap.

It's obviously Bat Man that saved her.

[Fishberry]

... Applejack?

[Leftover of Saikano]

We are finally meeting this story's version of Roarke.

[Nasty Mister Monket]

Our saviour is a mare, and she is flirtatious, familiar with Rainbow, strong enough to easily take out three stallions, has a larger stature and is presumably she knows about her atrophy as evidenced by the "Never got yourself checked out, I see." comment.
Yeah, I'm pretty certain this is Listing Breeze, it doesn't really make any sense for it to be anyone else.

[Keebroo]

It really can't be anyone aside from Listing Breeze. I suppose it'll be nice to see JE's detailed take on how such an abusive relationship was actually maintained and see the real pony behind the villanous mask, but I still can't help feeling worried about it. Hopefully RD (and us by proxy) gets an explanation, as well as some potential closure to paint those memories in a better light.

Or, y'know, another reminder to never go back to that dark place.

[Crochettail]

I had no idea who it was and then I looked at the comments and went "ooooooh no"

[Staxon Braxon]

Rainbow and Listing on a wacky adventure to turn the criminal underground of Las Pegasus inside-out? Yes pls.

[arancaytar]

Oh hi Listing.