In Search of a Rainbow

by Aswad Zeev

Chapter 4 Apple Loosa

The pair of pegasi touched down at Apple Loosa a couple of hours later, having flown hard they were both worn out. Spitfire was sweating, but Daring was absolutely shattered, having pushed herself to her limit in order to keep up with Spitfire.

"Woah there," Spitfire said catching a sagging Daring.

"Sorry, I haven't flown that far in a long time."

"Well it breaks my heart when I meet some pegasi who don't fly that far in a whole year. But you, you could almost be a Wonderbolt with that amount of stamina and some more training. When we set out, I thought you'd want a break an hour back"

"No thanks." Daring said, regaining her footing. "Flying around getting all that attention is not my thing."

"What, and all those books you write and conventions you go to are different?"

"Yeah, well it's different, I'm not putting myself out there on show to compete, or perform in displays. Most of my fans are just interested in what crazy adventures they think I dream up."

"You're not being very convincing, why don't you go to the bar and get a drink? I'll ask around town"

Daring blinked. "You think I don't know how to question people now?"

Spitfire retorted. "No, We Wonderbolt's are just athletes trained for long endurance flights. Your barely able to stand, and besides, you can still ask around at the bar. "

"Say that again after you've been through a few death trap temples and we'll talk about whose fit."

"Fair point, but you still need that drink more than I do."

Once Spitfire had watched Daring enter the bar, she started looking around at the shops and train station for anyone who looked either suspicious, or worth talking to. In the end she sidled up to the taxi rank ponies.

"So, you boys seen any Pegasi around lately?"

One of them replied. "We saw you." The other followed up. "We also saw your friend go in the watering hole."

"Yeah... thanks, I meant any others? A friend of mine is missing, and we think she may have come through here with some other pegasi."

"We may have seen a blue Pegasus come through here." the first one replied.

"Yeah, she was with some friends, one was a yellow Pegasus."

Spitfire urgently replied. "Where? Tell me when, which way did they go?"

The second pony answered her "Ohhh, i think that was a year or two ago, wasn't it?"

"That sounds about right."

"Why you pair of little..." Spitfire angrily threatened.

The first Pony said "Just who do you think you are, trying to threaten us? You think your something special, just because you have wings? I don't think so."

"I'm the captain of the Wonderbolt's you ungrateful..."

As the pair of ponies then walked off, the second one turned to say. "We don't care who you are, my brother and i will not be talked to in that manner!"

Spitfire was defeated.

Next, she thought she'd try the local apple seller. She thought she'd remembered Rainbow Dash once mentioning her friend, who was an apple seller in Ponyville, had a cousin in Apple Loosa. But couldn't remember the name or occupation.

"Could i have 2 apples please?"

"Sure miss, that'll be 2 bits."

Spitfire went to get her money bag before realizing, she left it back at the academy when she left to chase Dash.

"Damn it, i left my money at home."

"That's ok miss, I recognise the uniform. My cousin in Ponyville is best friends with one of your Wonderbolt's. I'll just ask her to chase her friend for the money."

"Thank you very much." Spitfire said, before she froze. "Your cousin isn't Applejack? Friends with Rainbow Dash?"

"Yep AJ's mah cousin, and Dash's one of her best friends. My names Braeburn."

Scrap that, she couldn't have Rainbow Dash pay for their food.

"Actually, could you just bill it straight to the Wonderbolts?"

"Sure can miss. Just don't take too long paying right?"

"No problem, But can you keep a secret?"

"Sure can miss, but it'll cost you extra."

"Rainbow Dash is actually why I'm here. She's been pony-napped and we're chasing the culprits. I'm wondering if you've seen any strange behaviour, especially any pegasi or new ponies in town other than me and my friend?"

Braeburns face turned a little pale. "Why didn't you say so? We Apples take care of all our friends, don't worry about the money.

Now let me think, any new ponies, especially pegasi... Well there was this light turquoise Pegasus with 2 toned golden hair, hanging around with another pony that was hard to describe. I'd almost swear it's colour kept changing slightly, I couldn't really get a good view of the other one. But they had a large package with them. Now I think about it, I reckon that must have been your friend Rainbow in a sack.

They arrived late, night before last and left yesterday, about lunchtime. They were heading south. I told em that it was unwise to travel south this time of year. The buffalo are fine, but you hear these rumours of bandits and worse, especially right about now. I don't know what's going on down there, but it don't sound nice."

"Thank you very much for the apples, and the information. We'll keep our eye's open."

As Spitfire chomped on an apple, Braeburn called out "And when you find Rainbow, tell her Strongheart is asking after her."

Spitfire then made her way to the pub. There was unusually loud singing coming from inside. Spitfire groaned. It sounded like Daring had managed to get a drunken party going...

Stepping inside, the scene was nearly exactly what Spitfire was dreading, everyone was singing loudly with Daring leading the songs. There were a lot of glasses empty or nearly empty, Except Daring was also dancing on the bar top.

Spitfire grabbed Daring, and whispered into her ear. "What in Equestria are you trying to do? Get drunk? We're trying to find Rainbow Dash!"

Daring replied. "I know, I've barely drunk a sip, they've been doing all the drinking, I've nearly got them drunk enough to talk."

Spitfire stared at her in horror.

"Let me guess? you don't get into pubs much? Well sometimes, this is the only way to get information about tombs from people, get them drunk enough and their tongue loosens and you can learn all sorts of things you didn't think you wanted to know."

"Wonderbolt rule, Don't drink more than one pint if you're scheduled to fly up no less than an hour before a show."

"You guys are a sober lot aren't you? You need to get out and have more fun."

"We have a job to do!"

"So do I, mine just sometimes involves getting ponies drunk enough to say anything and sober enough to still talk."

"Well," said a disgruntled Spitfire "I don't approve, but let's see what this ugly lot know then!"

A few minutes later, nearly everyone else except the bartender was either drunk, or too tired to put up much of a fight as they began to interrogate the denizens of the watering hole.

A few pokes, prods, and over-enthusiastic bucks from Daring, they'd narrowed it down to a single pony who confessed, for the sake of their headache that they'd seen anything. It was a nondescript Blue earth pony, who was 'encouraged' into the back room for a more personal, quiet audience.

"So, tell us what you saw" Daring insisted.

"urrg, there were 2 ponies, they paid well to hide another pony out of sight. Do you have any water?"

Spitfire produced a glass of water but held it out of reach.

Spitfire railed at him. "What else did you see? Did this other pony have a rainbow mane?"

"yes, yes, now please, give me some water. This headache is splitting my skull."

Daring jabbed a hoof in his chest. "How long were they here? Where did they stay? Tell us everything, or I'll buck you in the head again!"

Spitfire rolled her eye's, normally this kind of threat of violence she'd abhor, but she had a few scores to settle on behalf of more than one Wonderbolt!

"They dumped her in my cellar for the night. They only stayed one night and disappeared yesterday. I don't know when or where, but they took your friend with them when they left. Please I'll even give you the 200 bits they paid me."

The earth pony pulled out a bag of bits and put it on the table.

Spitfire spoke up and confirmed, "that fits Braeburn's story close enough. We should check out this cellar too before we go after them. In case they left any clues behind."

"Agreed." Daring said as she jabbed the pony again.

"Here, this is the key, now can I have that water please?"

Spitfire slowly tipped the water on the ground.

"You need to drink less, and don't let me ever catch you commit another crime. I will be watching you!"

Spitfire took the bag of money, and the 2 walked out leaving the blue earth pony alone and dejected in the small back room.

As they walked outside, Daring quizzed "So, why did you take the money?"

"Expenses." Spitfire replied "Also, technically, it's lawful confiscation of proceeds of crime. Aaand I owe a pony for some apples, because I forgot to pick up any bits when I left the academy."

She handed Daring the Apple.

Daring winked "I'm not going to tell anyone. Nice apple." she said as she bit into it.

"But, not as good as sweet apple acres" they chorused and both chucked.

Spitfire paid Braeburn 150 bits back for the apples and information which he tried to insist was free. But Spitfire countered, saying that she wanted to open a Wonderbolt's tab with the Apple Loosa apple seller, especially if Soarin was going to be setting up a temporary Wonderbolt Base when he arrived in a few hours. She also asked Braeburn to “remind” Soarin that while she was out, he was in charge of writing up 'all' the paperwork.

Spitfire shrugged to Daring. ”Hey, this has got to be all above board to avoid an awkward conversation with the Princess later.”

“And this is why I don't have an official job, no-one to report to, to tell me off. Well except the VP, and I'm usually only at the university long enough to deposit the latest treasure, and maybe teach a class or 2, before she finds out I'm back, and then I'm looking for the nearest open window escape route.”

Spitfire followed up. “It looks like we've both got bosses we try to avoid if we can.”

Daring said “I thought you ran the Wonderbolts?”

“I do, not many people know this, but we are 'technically' still conscripted into the army. And that means every so often I'm expected to write in official reports on combat readiness. I think I'd rather read a dusty old tome, no offence”

“None taken. I feel the same way with the teaching reports I'm supposed to write, but I've got my assistant, and other teachers to cover for me most of the time.”

Finally they arrived at the cellar. There was nothing really to note about it, it was on a corner of town with the door leading down to the empty room below. There was nothing other than the central support pillar in the whole room.

Upon closer inspection, Daring noticed that some pony had managed to scratch something into one of the walls. It wasn't clear, and was obviously done by someone with limited movement as it was close to the ground and done in the dark, since the only light was from the door.

The scratching said. "R.D. waz here, Heading S. L.D. and Change. Ahuizotl!?"

There was also signs of some kind of a scramble in the dust.

Spitfire said: "Well at least we now know we're on the right trail. But who is Ahuizotl?"

Daring lolled her head to one side. "Are You sure you've read my books!?"

Spitfire face hoofed. "I've got to ask, how much of your books are fiction?"

Daring looked surprised. "Fiction? You think I write fiction? It's all true, well most of it. I 'may' edit a few minor details, but that's as much to protect me from the fans, and to keep the story rolling when reality gets a little stuck. I may have come a few times closer to having my hide skinned than I'd care to mention, at least in a book."

"How many is a few?" Spitfire challenged, turning on her companion.

"About 15 times that didn't make the final edit of the books, I think..."

"You are impossible, I can see why Dash likes you so much. I swear, I couldn't cope with both of you if you decided to have a career change."

Daring sheepishly grinned "Thanks. But, I think I'll keep the day job if it's all the same to you."

Spitfire said "That wasn't meant as a compliment. Still, I may be the boss but I don't want to have to explain to Soarin why I dragged him all the way out here. At least not until we've found Dash. So lets get a move on."