"Wait! Come back! Don't leave me!"
Rainbow Dash struggled desperately, but it seemed escape from her predicament was impossible without help. Her slight mistiming during the avalanche had left her with a wing pinned under a rock, and any hope at salvation seemed to fade as the animals who were all striving to be her pet zoomed into the distance. Either they didn't hear her or they were too determined to win the race to be her pet to notice her or hear her cries. It didn't matter what the reason was right now, though. Neither option would end in her freedom.
"I'm the one who's supposed to win!" Rainbow moaned, trying in vain to pull herself free. "I don't wanna end up stuck here...forever!" The more she struggled, the more despondent she became. How long would it be until somepony decided to check down here for her? She didn't want to think about the possible answers to that.
"Oh no, nonono, th-this can't be happening," Rainbow groaned, already beginning to lose hope. "Forever is way too long to be trapped in Ghastly Gorge. I mean, it's like, forever! Somepony! Anypony! Help me!" All logic and rationality had gone out the window for the poor pegasus. Her overactive imagination had gone into full swing, and it was doing a spectacular job of showing her all the terrible things that could–and probably would–happen to her. A vivid image of herself with a withered face and long beard popped into her head. It didn't matter to her brain that mares didn't grow beards. All that mattered was that it was a very telling depiction of the ravages of age. Maybe she would be stuck here so long that her genes would mutate and allow her to be the first mare to grow a beard. Her name would be in the Whinness Book of World Records as the first mare ever to grow a beard naturally, and scientists–probably even Twilight–would flock to get to her and learn her secret. She would be world famous...that is, if anypony ever found her. Until then, she would just be a sad, lonely bearded mare.
"What are you doing here?"
Rainbow's ears perked as she heard a voice call out to her. She looked desperately down the path as she saw a familiar pigtailed form walk into view.
"Sugarcoat!" Rainbow exclaimed. "You're here! I didn't think anypony would find me!"
"That's stupid," Sugarcoat said as she approached. "You really thought your friends would notice you were missing and not go to the last place you were supposed to be? Are you really that dense?"
Rainbow frowned. Whether it was in response to the name-calling or the realization that Sugarcoat was right was uncertain.
"Well..." Rainbow said awkwardly. "When you put it that way, I guess it is silly, huh?"
"Stupid is the word you're looking for," Sugarcoat repeated. The two stared at each other for a good five seconds.
"...Let me guess," Rainbow said, sinking to a sitting position. "You're not gonna help me."
"What?" Sugarcoat answered, raising a brow. "I'm blunt, not evil. You might not be my friend but I'm not going to just walk away. Thanks a lot for assuming that though." She lit her horn up, grabbing the rock in her magic and lifting it into the air. She barely had time to set it down safely before Rainbow grabbed her in a hug.
"Thank you!" Rainbow shouted, giving Sugarcoat a squeeze. Sugarcoat, meanwhile, did not look amused.
"Uh-huh," she answered. "You gonna apologize for assuming I was going to leave you here to rot?"
"Oh!" Rainbow said, blushing a bit. "Sorry. I didn't mean to offend you or anything."
"You still did," Sugarcoat replied. "But I'm over it. Come on, your friends are waiting for you."
~~~~~~~~~~
"Hm," Twilight Sparkle hummed. "Something's not right here." All the animals, save for the tortoise, had already finished the race, but Rainbow was nowhere in sight. She was definitely the fastest of the group, and yet the falcon, eagle, owl, and bat had all beaten her.
"Where's Rainbow Dash?" Fluttershy asked.
"Great galloping galoshes!" Applejack exclaimed. "There's been an avalanche in there!"
"Rainbow!" Spike cried, not wanting to think about what could have happened to their friend. The six waiting for her expressed various feelings of worry as they stared hopelessly into the gorge.
"Wait!" Pinkie suddenly shouted over the others. "Look!" The friends breathed a sigh of relief as they saw Sugarcoat leading Rainbow up to them. Rainbow's wing was bandaged, but she looked just fine otherwise. She was quickly brought into a group hug by her friends.
"What happened to you?" Spike asked, looking around to Rainbow's bandaged wing. "Are you okay?"
"Oh, it's nothing major," Rainbow said, shrugging. "My wing got trapped under a rock. It hurts a bit, but I'm fine thanks to Sugarcoat."
"What a hero!" Twilight said, fluttering her eyelashes at Sugarcoat, who either didn't notice it or didn't care.
"So who won the race?" Rainbow asked. "Who's my new pet?" The falcon perked up quickly, flying over and perching on Rainbow's shoulder, giving her a quick salute with a wing.
"A falcon sure looks good on ya, Rainbow," Applejack said.
"Yeah..." Rainbow replied. "But I mean, he didn't stop to save me. None of them did."
"Are you serious?" Sugarcoat asked. "Exactly what did you expect a falcon to do to move that huge rock?"
"Well..." Rainbow said, then hesitated. "...Good point. You're forgiven, new pet!" She grinned, patting the falcon on the head. "I'm gonna call you Arrow, cause you kinda remind me of one when you're zooming through the sky with your pointy beak out in front." Arrow let out an appreciative caw, signifying the start of a new friendship between pet and owner.
Fluttershy, meanwhile, had moved back to the gorge's exit, where the tortoise had just managed to arrive. She smiled sadly at it.
"It's okay, little guy," Fluttershy said softly. "You did your best, and that's all that matters." She patted the tortoise on the head, but that still didn't seem to raise his spirits. Sugarcoat glanced over to the two, then broke away from the group, trotting over. She leaned down and gave the tortoise a thorough look-over, then turned to Fluttershy, who was already starting to wince at whatever cold reaction Sugarcoat was going to have to her little friend.
"Cool tortoise," Sugarcoat said. "Can I keep him?"
Tank is best pet.
And now, during Tanks for the Memories, it'll be Sugarcoat moaning about losing Tank...
For a minute there, I was worried Sugarcoat would be the new pet. That would have ended very badly.
Tank still has a home!
6649985
You just made me burst out laughing at my register at work.
6649988
Sorry, I was just thinking poor Mac would be confused at the new dynamic. She still has that harness, right?
Well, I wonder what'll happen during Tanks for the Memories.
Rainbow Dash getting annoyed since Arrow isn't a good goalie at hockey?
6650005
Oh it wasn't a complaint! The fantastic imagery was worth it
I'm still waiting for the love triangle to go nuclear. So, let me get this straight here, Twilight has a crush on Sugarcoat, Sugarcoat has a crush on Mac, Mac likes Smarty Pants...
I'm so looking forward to Hearts and Hooves day! What is Sugarcoat gonna do when her man falls for another mare???
6649970 Sugarcoat isn't stupid. A high schooler (even a 3rd grader) would know what hibernation fucking is (a minor problem I have with Tanks for the Memories, but I forgive it because Tank was Rainbow's first pet).
6650090 We all know what hibernation is. But what I'm trying to say is that Sugarcoat might develop deep feelings for Tank; despite the fact that she might be shallow about it.
If that is the case, it'll be interesting to see how she handles it in comparison to Rainbow Dash having to lose Arrow for the winter as well...
6650102 Meh, Sugar will probably beat the shit out of Rainbow for messing with Equestria's already dainty ecosystem lol
6649985 I was thinking the exact same thing about her being the pet!
(\
You know, technically, this means Sugarcoat is Rainbow Dash's pet now.
WHOA. Sugarcoat has a pet now?! What a twist!
And so, Sugarcoat prevents the Great Cloudsdale Snowsplosion without even knowing.
Will Sugarcoat name the tortoise Tank, or will he get a new name?
What? No! I disapprove!
6650157 Most birds fly south for winter and depending on the type of falcon, it might just do the same..
I was worried for a bit there, it looked like tank was going to get totally screwed. Sugarcoat to the rescue though! I mean kinda, seeing as how this would've worked itself out just as well without her.
6650178 "I'm going to call you Blunt Force. I always wanted my name to be Blunt Force, but my parents told me that it was a boy name. So I'm giving it to you so at least one of us can have that pleasure."
Freaking--- I WANNA SHIP SUGARMAC, BUT NOW YOU'RE MAKING ME LIKE TWICOAT. FRIG.
AW... THAT'S CUTE. I am surprised you changed it up, but hey, surprises aren't always a bad thing!
6650286 SO GOOD!
Well... this is an interesting change of events.
Well, it is Sugarcoat Interferes In Pony History. Really, I should be surprised that it took 'til now for real interference, more than it happening at all.
And now that the floodgates have truly opened, in what ways will this outsider derail the lives of those around her, without their ever knowing? Tune in next time for the next exciting episode! Same Sugarcoat time, same Sugarcoat channel!
Twi is putting on some moves baby! Attagirl! Twicoat my new OTP!
And Sugarcoat inadvertently pre-saves the Cloudsdale weather factory.
6650224
Yeah, but that leads to Rainbow Dash being heartbroken over her pet flying away vs. attempting self-burial.
And Sugarcoat getting to verbally whap Dash over not realizing birds migrate when pegasi handle guiding migrations every year.
Yay! Tank gets a owner anyways! :3
Will Sugarcoat give Tank a different name..?
She STOLE Tank. Since she knows ahead of time what is supposed to happen, she managed to take Tank, leaving RD with that falcon.
My fav pet of the bunch was the bat who could play the waterglasses.
6651182 Er, actually, their's been no indication she actually knows what's supposed to happen ahead of time, just her bluntness changing how things have been turning out.
6651117 Shell-ton? Seems fitting. He can just float there (assuming he get his propeller) with a matching glare to the other pets. "Angel? Stop it. If you continue to abuse Fluttershy I'll have no choice but to crush you. I'll bump into your door, be let in by Fluttershy, and wait. I will not stop until you are deemed worthy of being 'Angel'." All the others would take a step back, leaving Shellton with Angel and Gummie.
Well, this changes things. At least, this time Rainbow won't be trying to stop winter because her pet needs to hibernate. I can see Sugarcoat accepting that fact though.
6658227 You're right. Instead she can freak out about the falcon migrating in the winter.
She has a point, she's antagonistic at worst, not a monster.
Huh.
Fluttershy: "Of course."
Awww, not "Baron Awesome"?
Tank!
Arrow huh? So if the falcon becomes green, does that make Green Arrow?
6649985 Well, that line earlier about "And that's why you would never qualify to be my pet" probably didn't help matters.