In Search of a Rainbow

by Aswad Zeev

Chapter 2 Unlikely companions

The uniformed Pegasus marched into the room and noticed the other Pegasus in the room, but it wasn't the one she was looking for.

She demanded "Who are you, and where the hell is Rainbow Dash? She never reported for her training!"

Daring was taken aback by the angry mare now advancing on her, but she stood her ground. "I'm looking for her too, she was supposed to write me a letter..."

Spitfire froze, looking at the mare in front of her and went cross-eyed, remembering a conversation with Rainbow Dash once.

****

"Rainbow, we need you now."

"Hold on Spitfire, I'm just finishing this letter."

"What's so important this couldn't wait until after the show?"

"It's a letter to Daring Do."

"You know she's not real, right, it's called fan mail. We get a ton of it"

"Aaannnd done! Nuh uh, she's real, I met her once with Twilight and the gang, that's why I'm on the cover of her book. Since then, we've had a letter conversation going. But you can't tell anyone else. Promise me, Spitfire?"

"Riiight, We all know you're a big fan of her, but this is taking it too far. Wings up in 10 seconds!"

***

Bringing her focus back to the mare in front of her, Spitfire stuttered out

"But, but, but, you're not real. You're a fictional character. She writes to a fictional character!"

Daring laughed "You must be Spitfire, Rainbow told me you work her hard, but it's true, it's me. Yes I am really real, Cutie Mark and everything. But hang on, what do you mean she didn't turn up for training?"

Spitfire walked up to Daring and gingerly touched the compass cutie mark on Daring's flank, still not quite believing the mare in front of her. It was real, She was real. Daring Do was real, and she was standing here in Rainbow Dash's living room. And apparently looking for the same absent mare as her.

"But, why are you here? Why are you looking for Rainbow Dash?" Spitfire choked out.

Daring Do's smile turned serious.

"Like I said, she was supposed to write me a letter this week, but she didn't. I'm actually on my way to the publishers, so I thought I'd see Rainbow on the way past.”

Daring scratched the back of her head with her hoof.

“You said she didn't turn up to practice? Twilight told me that was two days ago? So two days ago, she was here in Ponyville with her friend, and she was going to write me a letter, and presumably head off to the training. But her letter never got sent, and she never arrived at training. That must mean."

"She's been kidnapped" they chorused together.

"Right, you search down here, and I'll look upstairs, see if you can find any clues." Daring said.

"Hang on, I don't know what I'm looking for. I'm not an archaeologist. And for that matter who put you in charge?" Spitfire protested.

Daring turned around to face Spitfire "Because, I'm the detective, it's my day job. Ancient or modern, it's all the same to me. Look, I know she's your friend and college, you spend more time training with her every week than I have in a lifetime, just look for anything that you think looks out of place for her."

Spitfire retorted "What about you? How do you know what to look for?"

"I just told you, detective or archaeologist it's all the same."

Just then, a single sparking speck of dust fell down between them.

"Dust? In a cloud home?" Daring asked

Spitfires eyes narrowed. "That's Lightning Dust!"

The pair of them rushed upstairs to the bathroom above.