Appledashery

by Just Essay

The Eneighla Gay

Rainbow Dash turned around a corner...

...and bumped into nothing, really.

The mare stood in the center of a long hallway filled with junk, flickering lights, bags of garbage... but no mules. The underground chamber had a pungent odor to it, but Rainbow was far more taken back by the sudden lack of Hump Gang members.

"Mmmmmm..." Her fuzzy blue brow furrowed. "...almost seems too friggin' easy."

She soon discovered she was correct. Within twenty seconds, the scuffling hooves of thugs echoed across the corridor.

Holding her breath, Rainbow ducked to the side, squatting low behind a stack of cardboard boxes. The lights continued to flicker, and she detected a pair of shadows shuffling past her.

"Weapons?" one mule brayed to the other. "Why would she be here to sell us weapons? We've got enough weapons!"

"I think she's trying to fix her screw up with the Desert Hounds."

"Heh... fat chance..."

"Still, it's worth checking out. I wouldn't mind the extra scrap for my side project."

"Still trying to weld us a mechanical horse?"

"I... it... no."

"I'm telling you... the buffalo will never fall for it. They don't even have a wall around their reservation."

At last, the two shuffled out of earshot.

Rainbow Dash slowly emerged from her hiding spot. She sighed, ears drooping. "... ... ...mules."

Turning her head, she gazed down the long, long corridor. She could see the full extent of the vault—where it stretched west towards the location of the secret exit. If she glided as swiftly as her wings could carry her, she figured she could clear the length in less than half-a-minute.

"First thing's first..."

Galloping, Rainbow hugged the right wall. It wasn't long until she found the armory. The entrance was framed with thick steel, and the walls on the inside were even thicker. The fact that the Hump Gang kept it—and the vault—hanging open at all times was a delightful absurdity. A twinge of fear tickled her heart at the idea of someone accidentally closing any of the doors while she was down there. If what Listing Breeze said was true, then there was no reopening either of those doors, for nopony remembered the combination.

"Here goes..."

Rainbow dove fearlessly into the armory. Sure enough, the shelves were lined with various packages, containers, parcels, and treasures. There were jewels and diamonds—too pristine to belong to any desert thug. Over half of the items—Rainbow guessed—had been stolen from Las Pegasus tourists over the years.

"Come on... come onnnn..." She rummaged through the various items. "...Desert Hound bits. Desert Hound bits... where are you?"

At one point, she held a midnight black lyre with onyx strings. Grunting, she tossed the instrument over her head... then found herself grasping what appeared to be a dull prism of some sorts. Dropping it, she reached deep into one shelf... then leaned back with a large bit bag in her grasp.

"Ah ha!" Rainbow Dash grinned wide, sweating slightly. "This appears to be..." She juggled the weight and gave a coins a swift glance. "Yup! Mission accomplished."

Rainbow Dash turned around—

"Sweet!" Listing Breeze grinned, holding up a bag of jewels. "Gemstones!"

"!!!" Rainbow Dash blanched, nearly collapsing on her belly. "Listing?! What... what the heck are you doing here?!"

Comments

[Hestia]

"Mmmmmm..." Her fuzzy blue brow furrowed. "...almost seems too friggin' easy."

Ah! You just jinxed it! Why would you do that?!

[Sharp Quill]

"Still trying to weld us a mechanical horse?"

You could try a giant, wooden rabbit… or even a badger…

At one point, she held a midnight black lyre with onyx strings.

Whatever you do, don't play the Nocturne of the Firmaments!

then found herself grasping what appeared to be a dull prism of some sorts

How harmonic is that prism?

[RoboRed]

At one point, she held a midnight black lyre with onyx strings. Grunting, she tossed the instrument over her head... then found herself grasping what appeared to be a dull prism of some sorts.

Oh of all the fu-...really?

[Phoenix Kitten]

At one point, she held a midnight black lyre with onyx strings. Grunting, she tossed the instrument over her head... then found herself grasping what appeared to be a dull prism of some sorts.

...shout outs to his other fics or not, where did the mules get these from?

[zaponator]

Hah!

[destinedjagold]

Rainbow Dash turned around a corner...
...and bumped into nothing, really.

You little---!

...

*reads on*

[FloydienSlip]

Getting self-referential up in here.

[MidnightReflection]

Rainbow Dash turned around a corner...
...and bumped into nothing, really.

...There it is.

[Staxon Braxon]

7228106
They were probably in the prop closet.

[Leftover of Saikano]

Quest items generated in the chests of random dungeons. Picking the lyre starts the quest Aria's Aria. Just like Merida's Bacon Meridia's Beacon.

[DrEggnog]

Galloping, Rainbow hugged the right wall. It wasn't long until she found the armory. The entrance was framed with thick steel, and the walls on the inside were even thicker. The fact that the Hump Gang kept it—and the vault—hanging open at all times was a delightful absurdity. A twinge of fear tickled her heart at the idea of someone accidentally closing any of the doors while she was down there. If what Listing Breeze said was true, then there was no reopening either of those doors, for nopony remembered the combination.

Yeesh, that's a distressing concept. Made me feel icky in my tum tum.

[arancaytar]

At one point, she held a midnight black lyre with onyx strings.

Play its song and become nothing? (I have yet to read BP; this just looks like the kind of prop that belongs in that story.)

then found herself grasping what appeared to be a dull prism of some sorts.

And you thought you had to go all the way to the Dark Side to find this thing.