• Published 1st Jul 2018
  • 1,282 Views, 140 Comments

Daring Do and the Hand of Doom - Unwhole Hole



Daring Do quests for a legendary artifact of unusual provenance...and unusual danger.

  • ...
1
 140
 1,282

PreviousChapters Next
Chapter 25: In Town

The town was incredibly silent. It did not help that Daring Do had been correct: the ponies- -and goats- -present clearly did not take well to outsiders. They mostly glared, and a few spat. Never once did their eyes leave the blue and white Pegasi walking down their streets.

“Wow,” said Rainbow Dash. “Just imagine if we were unicorns or something. No wonder nopony comes here. It’s almost as bad as Griffonstone.”

She turned to see White’s reaction, and saw that there was none. White appeared to be looking at nothing in particular, although with her eyes there was no way for Rainbow Dash to know whether or not she was able to see the entire panorama without directing her attention to any specific point.

“So,” she continued. “Questlord, huh? Is that something you just walk in and apply for, or one of those things they recruit for?”

White still did not respond.

“Hey, and on that subject. I don’t mean to be rude, but…why are you here anyway? I mean, you tried to blow us up. And failed. Which I guess is why you don’t want to go home. But...”

At this, White turned her head. She stared at Rainbow Dash for a moment and then aggressively motioned to the scars on her throat.

“Yeah. You can’t talk. I know. I’m just trying to make conversation. Well, one-sided conversation I guess.” Rainbow Dash sighed. “Sorry. I’m making you feel bad. You know, I actually had to go through training about this. It’s part of the Wonderbolts public-relation’s course. And you’d think I know. I have a sister who’s disabled too.”

White stared at Rainbow Dash, her eyes suddenly growing wide. She mouthed something, but Rainbow Dash neither read lips nor was able to speak the language that White had attempted to project. Instead, White pointed backward in the direction where Daring Do was no doubt still screaming at a goat.

“What? Oh, no no no no no. No. Definitely not. She’s not my sister.”

White frowned. She made a motion with her hoof, rising it above where it was in an arc.

“She’s not my mother either.”

White pointed to her eyes.

“Well…yeah. But that’s just a weird coincidence. A lot of ponies have the same eyes.”

White moved her hoof to her mane.

“And the same mane. That’s not uncommon either. And besides, hers isn’t Rainbow Colored. That’s how you know I’m related to someone. We have these epic manes. My dad had it, and his mom, and her mom, and her dad, it goes back forever. But I’m not related to Daring Do. I mean, I wish. I’m not even related to my sister!”

White now seemed thoroughly confused. Rainbow Dash just sighed. “It’s complicated. What about you? Do you have sisters?”

White paused for a long moment, and then nodded.

“Brothers?”

White nodded again.

“Wow. Big family. That must be pretty nice. Siblings, you know, they’ve always got your back.”

White’s expression grew stony. She went back to looking at nothing in particular at all.

“Well, unless your older. Then it’s a different dynamic, you know? Like me and Scoots. She’s only a little bit younger than you are. I’ve been trying to teach her, you know, how to be awesome. Like me. And trust me, she’s a natural. So what if she can’t fly. I have lots of friends who can’t fly.” She paused, and then sighed. “I just wish she could see it that way. Well, maybe she’s starting to. I really wish I could go on adventures like this with her. This is all just so cool!”

White turned back to Rainbow Dash. She gave a tiny, weak smile.

“HA!” cried Rainbow Dash, causing White to jump back. “A facial expression! I knew Daring Do was right!” She punched White in the shoulder, which caused White to take an immediate defensive stance. Rainbow Dash hardly seemed to notice. “See, you’re not evil. And you’re a good listener. I’m sorry you can’t talk, but that’s okay. I think we can probably be friends. Maybe.”

White raised a pale eyebrow.

“Meaning,” said Rainbow Dash, slowly. “Your flying. Your style’s too sloppy. Probably good for flying near the ground but not great in the open sky. Somepony trained you, but I’m just worried you aren’t able to learn new things and accept advice. That’s kind of important, you know.”

White continued to stare. Rainbow Dash reared up and shook her mostly numb wings, flapping them in the air and taking flight. “Come on,” she said. “Unless you want to wake up too stiff to reach yourself for preening, we need a cool-down lap. Let’s see what you can do.”

For a long moment, White continued to stare. Then she spread her own wings from under their slots in her armor and took flight, joining Rainbow Dash on a trip around the ancient Pegasus mountain of Lyskymm.

PreviousChapters Next