Most Daring Pony

by CowgirlVK

Chapter Six: Into the Everfree

Rainbow Dash’s wings twitched beneath the bandages as she gazed out the window at the bright blue sky. The sky, the bright sky! THE FREE SKY!

“Really Twi! Ah can make it from here. I want to talk to her alone.”

Dash’s ears perked up.

“Are you sure Applejack...”

“Twilight! You already said you’d let me do what ah felt like ah was capable of. Ah am capable of talking to RD without you holdin’ my hoof.”

“Not that Applejack, I mean-”

Dash heard Applejack sigh. “Really Twi, I’ll just lie down if ah get tired. Ah’ll let you know when I need to head back to my own room.”

Twilight sighed. “Alright, I know this is something you feel strongly about, so I’ll leave you alone. I’ll be back in about thirty minutes to check on you two.”

“Thanks Twi.”

Dash heard Twilight then leave and softly close the door.

“RD?”

Dash slowly turned. “AJ?”

“Ah... You... how... How are you doin’ sugarcube?

“I could ask the same.”

Rainbow Dash bit her lip. Applejack’s ears tilted backwards till they pressed against her neck. She snatched the hat from her head and, upon sitting down, glanced back up at Dash. “Dash, Ah... need to talk to you.”

Dash chuckled. “Really! I could not catch that from the conversation you had with Twilight.”

Applejack’s expression hardened. “Ah em serious RD!”

Dash sighed and stared at her hooves. “Applejack... I am sorry for trying to push my companionship when you obviously did not want it.”

This time it was Applejack’s turn to chuckle. “Really RD, ah em sorry for how I’ve been treatin’ ya’. Discord-”

Dash’s eyes narrowed “What did that clown want!”

Applejack shook his head. “Ah still don’t know. But he was spying on us. Ah have a feeling that he still is.”

“NOPE!” Said a voice that came from everywhere at once.

Dash ground her teeth. “Why that-”

“Rainbow Dash! Let me finish! Discord replayed what happened. Seeing it again showed me that,” Applejack took a deep breath. “ah em sorry for puttin’ all the blame on you. That was wrong of me. Ah was the one who yanked out my vine-”

“Applejack! I dared you to! You told me that it was a bad idea and I didn’t listen.”

“Rainbow, we are both to blame in this. We BOTH made a mistake. You have apologized to me for getting me hurt. Ah want to say ah em’ sorry for making you feel unwelcome and bein’ angry at you for something that was as much my fault as it was yours.”

Rainbow Dash smiled, her eyes once more wandering to the window before she snapped them quickly back to Applejack. “Eh, don’t mention it. It’s cool.”

“Thanks RD, Now... What about that game you mentioned?”

An excited smile spread across the Rainbow maned mare’s face.

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Scootaloo nearly hit her head on the ceiling in surprise and excitement. “You mean we are going to go-”

“This will be our most dangerous mission yet!” Sweetie Belle cut her off.

“Yeah! Ah know! Well, except for when we wanted to be cutie mark crusader, chicken finders,” Apple Bloom reminded them.

Scootaloo chuckled. “That was fun!”

“Until Fluttershy almost turned to stone when we met the cockatrice!”

The CMC shivered. “We are only going to see Zecora, girls!” Apple Bloom said. “She isn’t that far into the woods!”

“Far enough!” Scootaloo exclaimed. “I wonder if we’ll meet a timber wolf!”

“I hope not!” Sweetie squeaked.

“Doubt it girls. We’ll be able to smell them coming. Besides, they stay away from Zecora's most of the time,” Apple Bloom reassured them.

“Well then, let’s go!” Scootaloo buzzed her wings.

“Cutie Mark Crusaders go get Zecora! YEAH!” the three yelled.

Apple Bloom glanced warily out the window. “We probably should keep quiet. Big Mac’s... not going to like this.”

Scootaloo peaked out from under her cape. “All the more reason to do it! He has been so cranky the last few days.”

“Can you blame him?” Sweetie asked while tying on her own cloak and collecting some rope with her magic and dropping it over her shoulder. “Well, what are we waiting for?”

----------------------------------------

“Uh... You go first!” Sweetie Belle gulped. The three Cutie Mark Crusaders stood at the edge of the great Everfree forest. Each was clad in cloak and rope and had their own paper hats perched on their heads.

“No,” said Apple Bloom. “You can go first.”

Scootaloo shook her head. “Oh come on! You two aren’t chicken!”

“Of course we ain’t!” Apple Bloom exclaimed, but still she did not move.

After glancing between her two friends, Scootaloo finally rolled her eyes and took the first step into the forest. She glanced back to see if her friends were following her; they were. She took another step, then another, and another— CRACK!

“What was that?” Sweetie Belle squeaked.

“Ah don’t know!” The three fillies backed themselves so their rumps were touching.

SNAP! Another sound, closer this time.

“Do ya think we should...” Sweetie gulped. “Turn back?”

“O-oh, d-d-don’t be re-re-ridiculous!” Scootaloo stammered.

“What do you think it was?” Apple Bloom bit her lip. “Do ya think it could have been,” she gulped. “A timber wolf?”

Scootaloo giggled uneasily. “No, remember, we would be able to smell a timber wolf.”

CRACK!

The three fillies screamed, spinning around to face whatever it was. Suddenly a little rabbit hopped out of the undergrowth.

They let out a sigh of relief before all three fell down laughing. “A bunny! We were afraid of a bunny!” Apple Bloom giggled.

“I wasn’t scared!” Scootaloo bragged.

“Oh really!” Sweetie taunted. “Just like you weren’t scared of Rainbow Dash’s ghost stories!”

Scootaloo blushed.

“Ah think, girls, we better keep going.” Apple Bloom stood up and dusted herself off. After getting their bearings, Apple Bloom took the lead as they continued up the uneven and treacherous path.

“What do you think will be Zecora’s response?” Sweetie asked.

“Ah don’t know! It’ll rhyme.”

“I don’t think Zecora knows how to talk in anything but rhymes!” Scootaloo observed.

“Ah think she just does that to sound more intelligent,” Sweetie Belle stated.

“Maybe it is to scare us! Whooh!” Scootaloo teased.

“Ah doubt it,”Apple Bloom observed. “Maybe her language rhymes, so she feels more comfortable speaking in rhymes.”

“That could be it!” Sweetie asked. “Then again, maybe she does it just to do it.”

“Why does Zecora do anything?” Scootaloo questioned. “We know very little about the Zebra culture. Maybe all Zebras live like she does.”

“Or maybe she is a runaway!” Sweetie Belle fantasized.

The other two rolled their eyes. “Ah em pretty sure that ain’t her reason,” Apple Bloom scoffed.

“Well she might have! She certainly doesn’t like living among other ponies!” Sweetie defended.

“But she does come into Ponyville to shop!” Apple Bloom pointed out. “If she didn’t like Ponies-”

“I didn’t say she didn’t like Ponies! I said she didn’t like living with us! She only enters town once a month or if something big happens, like Discord’s weeds going nuts or a castle growing out of nowhere.”

“The Castle did not grow out of nowhere!” Apple Bloom pointed out. “It grew out of that box that our sister’s found.”

“Well still, Zecora normally just keeps to herself. I wonder if we invited her to move to Ponyville if she would.”

“Um...Nah!” Apple Bloom and Scootaloo harmonized.

“What? She might!” Sweetie exclaimed.

“And risk her weirdness on the town?” Scootaloo questioned.

“Isn’t that Poison Joke?” Sweetie Belle asked changing the topic.

“Where?” questioned Scootaloo.

Sweetie Bell pointed towards a clump of the blue flower off to their right.

Apple Bloom giggled, “Eeyep! That’s Poison Joke alright!”

Sweetie Belle also started giggling. “Either one of you remember Hairity?”

“You girls remember Rainbow Crash?” Scootaloo giggled.

“Hey, I got to be the big sister for once!” Apple Bloom added in.

Sweetie Belle giggled. “Didn’t you say you left her behind at one point?”

Apple Bloom nodded, “Eeyep! On a BUSH! Then she decided to ride Rainbow Crash!”

Scootaloo lost it. “I - I - wonder-” she snorted. “I wonder what would... happen- Ha-ha-ha to us. pffft! If we got into it!”

“Well,” giggled Sweetie Belle. “We had Spitty Pie, Rainbow Crash, Apple Tenie... um.. Hairity...”

“Twilight wobble.” Apple Bloom added. “And... um... Who are we forgetting?”

Scootaloo held her sides almost unable to walk. “FLUTTER GUY!” she screeched.

Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom both facehoofed. “DUH! How did we forget that?” Apple Bloom exclaimed.

“Yeah! That was so funny!” Scootaloo exclaimed.

“Not for Fluttershy it wasn’t,” Sweetie Belle observed.

“Poor Big Mac!” Apple Bloom giggled. “Fluttershy enjoyed that way too much.”

They all three giggled remembering just how nervous he had looked on stage. Scootaloo glanced over her shoulder at the Poison Joke. “I still wonder what would happen to us if we got into it?”

“Well,” squeaked Sweetie. “We could always get in it and find out.”

The other two made a face and shook their heads. “No thanks!” Apple Bloom said. “By the way, ah think ah know what would happen ta you.”

“Oh?” inquired Sweetie.

“Yeah! Squeaky Belle!”

Sweetie glared. “I am not a Squeaky Belle!” she squeaked.

Scootaloo laughed. “Yeah! Now Sweetie, you do one!”

Sweetie smirked. “How about... Toot-aloo?”

Scootaloo immediately quit laughing her wings flaring out. “Hey! I don’t stink!”

Apple Bloom snickered. “Nope! but neither is Fluttershy a guy!”

The other two laughed. “Alright,” Scootaloo said. “My turn... Alright Apple Bloom... If you got smitten with the Poison Joke,” she snickered. “How about... Babble Bloom!”

Sweetie giggled. “Babble Bloom!”

Apple Bloom shook her head and giggled. “Just as long as we don’t actually get in it, and we become Squeaky Belle, Toot-aloo, and Babble Bloom, and nopony shares these names with anypony else, ah think I can live with mine.”

“Agreed,” the other two said.

They walked on through the woods. To their left and right they heard rustles and snaps, the wind whistled and the shadows played tricks on them. Although none of it bothered them, as they walked they continued to laugh and joke as though they were strolling through Ponyville. The spookables and deep creatures of the Everfree watched the three little fillies with caution and hunger, not daring to take on the three energetic little fillies.

“Down by the bay!” Sweetie started up. “Where the apple trees grow! Back to our homes, we dare not go! For if we do, our sisters would say!”

“Did ya ever see a deer with a dimple on it’s ear?” Apple Bloom supplied.

“DOWN BY THE BAY!”

Down by the bay,
Where the apple trees grow,
Back to our homes,
We dare not go!

For if we do,
Our sisters would say,

“Did you ever see a cranky doodle donkey?” Scootaloo sang.

“Uh.. Scoot, that doesn’t even rhyme.” Sweetie scratched her head. “How about... Did you ever see a donkey... no... um...I got it! Have you ever seen Crankie cuddle with a blankie?”

“DOWN BY THE BAY!” They harmonized.

CRACK

All three fillies froze, “Uh, what was that?” Scootaloo asked.

CRUNCH

“Ya know gals, ah think it’s time to... RUN!”

With Apple Bloom in the lead, the Cutie Mark Crusaders took off as quickly as their little legs could carry them towards Zecora’s cottage. Luckily for them, it was not that much farther into the woods.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Zecora sang softly to herself as she whipped up yet another brew for another creature that she knew. She grabbed some spice, with some things nice. Grabbed a daisy tail and a few snail shells. She mashed a few buttons and poured in some mutton. And when she was through, she cooked her brew, and sat down to rest her hooves.

Suddenly a great noise, like a hundred stampeding buffalo, resounded through the forest and shook her little hut. “Dear me, What was that crash? It couldn't have been dear Rainbow Dash!” she said to herself. She got up and trotted over to the door.

Zecora jumped back as three blurs came tumbling through the door and straight towards her table, knocking it and its contents over and spilling them onto the floor. She slammed the door shut, blinking. In a tangled heap on the floor sat a very dazed Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo.

“It isn’t her either! But rather her little sister! Why are you here little fillies? I hope it is not to just be silly!”

Apple Bloom shook her head to clear it. “Oh no Zecora,” said she. “Ya see, we need your help.”

“I have already told all of you, for a cutie mark there is no brew.”

“Not that reason Zecora,” Sweetie exclaimed. “Something else.”

Zecora raised both eyebrows. “Alright, tell me. Why to my cottage did you flee?”

“What makes you think we were fleeing?” Scootaloo asked.

Zecora pointed to the mess.

They sheepishly scratched the backs of their heads. “Oops! Uh... sorry.”

Zecora nodded. “Let’s clean up the mess, then you can tell me the rest.”

The fillies quickly righted the table as Zecora found some old rags and a bucket of warm soapy water. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo quickly had the entire mess cleaned up.

Once finished, Zecora had fixed up some tea and the four sat down around the table. “Alright, what brought you three, all the way out here to me?”

“Oh Zecora!” Apple Bloom exclaimed. “Somethin’ just awful has happened!”

“The worst thing ever!” Scootaloo added.

Sweetie Belle raised an eyebrow at her friends. “It’s bad, but really, not that bad! You see Zecora, Dash and Applejack had an accident during one of their little competitions.”

“Ah, Iron Pony. If you ask me they are both quite silly. For their race they are both quite grand, but I am not surprised that something bad has happened. Do tell me, what is their plight? Has it something to do with their great might?”

The fillies nodded. “Ah really ain’t sure what happened Zecora,” Apple Bloom explained. “It was about three days ago though. We all knew she had been out with Dash the day before tryin’ to outdo her again. However, Applejack... she was just acting odd. Ya’ know, not walking right, just a little on the sluggish side. She even slept in! Applejack never sleeps in!”

Zecora nodded.

“Then, after breakfast, she went out like always ta buck apples. She had told me Fluttershy was coming by that day to help her with the rabbits again.” She bit her lip. “Ah went out ta weed the vegetable garden with Granny. Then Applejack suddenly screamed and slowly fell over. From there I really em not sure what happened. Fluttershy showed up, I was sent to get a blanket, then Twilight showed up and Big Mac, Twilight, and Fluttershy took her to the hospital.

“Ah was left behind with Granny. About an hour and a half later, Big Mac showed up and told us that she would be spending time with Twilight while she got better and she had hurt herself really bad. Big Mac said something about a Herni... herni-”

“Hernia,” Scootaloo finished.

Zecora nodded. “Ah, yes, A simple wound. I will just whip up a brew. Now If I may ask, what about dear Rainbow Dash?”

Scootaloo sighed. “She also got hurt, but for her it was during weather drills-” The three fillies answered Zecora’s questions as they helped Zecora to understand the full extent of the injuries.

“Dear Scootaloo, you ask what to do? Why don’t you be there for your sister, like she has been there for you?”

Scootaloo sighed. “I wish I could Zecora, but Twilight and the others have told us to leave them alone. We saw them two days ago, but we really want to go see them again. Dash seemed upbeat, but Applejack-”

Apple Bloom’s ears drooped. “Oh Zecora, it was awful! She was at first really angry, but then she got really sad! Ah almost thought she would go into panic mode again! Especially after she found she could not lower her front hooves if they got above her head.”

“Muscles take time to heal, and the pain, as you said, is quite real. But don’t give up hope. I know a way to help your sisters cope. I will need your help to get a few things, then we are set.”

Zecora sat down with a quill and paper and a few books, then started writing down different ingredients to add to her satchel. Half of an hour later, they were ready to head back to Ponyville.

Zecora donned her cloak and they departed.

------------------------------------------

Spike sat in the library doing his normal task of tidying up after one of Twilight’s fierce study session. He sighed. Twilight had been a bundle of nerves lately. Between her new responsibilities associated with being the princess of friendship and her friends’ current dilemma, she had spent all of her free time either researching silly topics or trying to strike up a conversation with her two withdrawn friends.

“Need any help?” Spike glanced up into the face of Flash Sentry.

Spike sighed. “I kind of have been doing this my entire life.”

Flash laughed. “I heard stories from Captain Armor about his sister’s escapades with books. Man, it did not even begin to prepare me for the real thing. I think she has declared war when it comes to neatness and books.”

Spike chuckled. “You would be surprised. She is just a bit absent-minded when studying. When she cares, this place will be given the white gloves treatment. Although I think she has just gotten too used to me being there to do all of this for her.”

Flash looked around. “Well, do you need any help?”

Spike bit his lip then nodded. “I guess so. That stack goes up there on the top shelf. I could use a pegasus to help get them up there.”

Flash spread his wings and took off with the entire stack. He carefully read the shelves, making sure they were all in the right places.

Spike worked quickly, reshelving his own stack of books. “Um, Flash. I have been wondering. How did you end up working in the Crystal Empire?”

Flash chuckled. “Celestia...” he answered simply. “I don’t know why, but after working at the main castle in Canterlot for about three months, she transferred me there.”

“Where are you from?”

“Cloudsdale,” Flash answered. “Though my parents recently moved to Ponyville with my younger brother.”

“Is that why Shining sent you here?”

Flash shrugged. “Why do superior officers send anypony anywhere? My job isn’t to ask why. My job is to just do and die. Shining knew about my family, and that just might be his reason, but who can tell?”

Spike nodded. “Do you like it in Ponyville?”

Flash Sentry nodded. “I am closer to my family, and it is really a whole lot friendlier than Canterlot or the Crystal Empire.”

Spike cocked his head to the side. “I understand Canterlot, but the Crystal-”

Flash chuckled. “You wouldn’t notice, being a hero in the city, but though everyone believes in love and compassion, friendship is still a work in progress. King Sombra really wreaked havoc on their desire to trust just anypony. They are getting better, but they still have a long ways to go.

“So, Spike, how does it feel to be the son of a princess?”

Spike paused and looked up at Flash. “Son? I am just her-”

Flash laughed. “We all know the story. Princess Twilight hatched you and raised you from a baby. That makes her your mother.”

Spike blushed. “I am her friend, not her son, and Twilight doesn’t like to think of herself above anypony else. Just because she wears a crown and has a castle doesn’t make her any better than anypony-”

Flash smiled. “And that is what makes her such an amazing ruler. Or any of them amazing. I don’t think any one of the four princesses view themselves any better than the average pony. With the exception of Celestia, but I guess that just has to do with the fact she has been at it so long.”

“Even she is so open and friendly.” Spike sighed and glanced towards the door.

“What’s wrong?”

Spike sighed again. “I am just worried about Twilight. She is taking this whole thing very seriously.”

Flash nodded. “I noticed. I don’t think she has ever worked us so hard!”

Spike nodded. “Are you sure you don’t need to be doing something else?”

Flash chuckled. “Trying to get rid of me? I know Princess Twilight-”

“She has a crush on you.”

Flash’s eyebrows disappeared under his helmet. “That explains it. Does her brother know?”

“Princess Cadance does, so I would assume that he does.”

Flash shook his head. “Well I just won’t worry about it. Girls are strange like that. I have a job to do. I won’t let a relationship get in the way of that.”

Author's Note:

The plot thickens

Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it. Chapter Seven will be out on the 10th.

Question folks, any of you want to see the CMC actually get a dose of poison joke? Or is that plot element that is best NOT explored.

Till next time

Cowgirl Out.

Comments

[CowgirlVK]

5458563 Thanks!

[Summer Dancer]

*Chants* POI-SON JOKE! POI-SON JOKE! The Spike / Twilight relationship is really sweet but also confusing. He's her....son...little brother....assistant....all three?

[ShadowLDrago]

They all three giggled remembering just how nervous he had looked on stage. Scootaloo glanced over her shoulder at the Poison Joke. “I still wonder what would happen to us if we got into it?”
“Well,” squeaked Sweetie. “We could always get in it and find out.”
The other two made a face and shook their heads. “No thanks!” Apple Bloom said.

Smart.

[CowgirlVK]

5878488 For now...

Yeah that will come back up... but not yet. I haven't written that scene yet.

[Godiswithus3]

I'm actually hooked on the CMC's adventure. Way to keep me interested.

[Aatxe360]

The addition of Flash is a sore spot. Nopony likes Flash.