Preparations and Plans
As students started to file out of the school, many groups split apart to head home or work on projects for class. Others went off to jobs to pay for their hobbies with the paychecks they earned. Then there was the handful that did none of the above.
The Rainbooms were part of the latter group that evening.
Instead of heading home, they all gathered around at the statue portal. Twilight attempted to adjust her glasses, only to remember they were in her pocket and frown for a moment at the giggles it got from her friends, to which she could only roll her eyes and sigh. That was, after all, the fifth time since lunch that she’d done that. Eventually, Twilight managed to get them all to stop their giggles and got their attention. “Alright, girls, Teams are as follows.” Turning to her left, she pointed at the first pair of two. “Fluttershy and Applejack are going to see what they can find on Sunny Days. Since Granny Smith has been around longer than anyone in town, she might know something about her due to how she knows everyone.”
Applejack nodded with a determined smile. “While we’re at it, we’ll swing on over by Fluttershy’s place so she can grab her stuff before we head on to the farm.”
Fluttershy smiled back and adjusted her bag, giving the farmer a wordless nod of her own, before she paused with a frown. “We might have to give Zephyr a lift, um, if that’s okay with you.”
Applejack grimaced a bit but sighed. “As long as Zephyr don’t do anything to cause a ruckus, Ah’ll let him ride in the back.”
“Which brings me to the next group.” Twilight turned to her right. “Rainbow and Pinkie, you’ll be in charge of getting any magic items we were given over to Sweet Apple Acres. Start with both of your gifts, and then swing by Rarity’s to get hers. Once you have them, call one of us, and we'll get you some transportation.”
Rainbow gave a salute and grinned. “You got it!”
Pinkie hummed in thought. “Marble, Limey, and Maud should be home right about now too. I hope the mess I made last night isn’t too much trouble for them to clean up.”
Twilight gave a quick nod before looking at Rarity. “While you all do that, Rarity and I will be working on finding Celestia’s age.” She turned back to the group and gave a determined smile. “With our combined attention to detail, we should be able to find out an age range, if nothing else.”
The group gave a shared nod before they all broke off to do their own jobs. Before Twilight could get far, she felt a hand on her shoulder. “Twilight, darling?” She turned back around to see a worried look on Rarity’s face as she watched their friends walking down the sidewalk. “Are you sure it’s a good idea to trust Rainbow and Pinkie with this? Wouldn’t it be better to have Applejack and Fluttershy gather everything? The three of us are the only ones with vehicles at the moment, even if Fluttershy’s currently unable to borrow her mother’s van.”
Twilight sighed, and her smile from earlier fell as the two started for Rarity’s car. “Normally, no.” At Rarity’s surprise, Twilight turned her gaze to Pinkie’s increasingly distant silhouette, grimacing in worry. “When I looked at her through the glasses... something was off. With that, and how Pinkie’s been lately, I want someone there for her. Especially since we have to split up for the moment to get everything done.” Her eyes moved over to where Rainbow walked along with Pinkie, and Twilight couldn’t help but smile. “And if there’s anyone I trust to stay by a friend, it’s Rainbow.”
The surprise on Rarity’s face bled into a wry smile as she raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure you’ve never had a friend before? You seem to be getting a good grip on the subject rather quickly.”
Twilight blinked a bit in surprise, before putting a hand to her head. “I, never really noticed that. It’s almost like the thoughts are coming naturally.”
Rarity laughed as she unlocked the passenger door for Twilight. “Well, the other you is the one and only Princess of Friendship. That might have something to do with it.” As Twilight sat down, Rarity went over and climbed in the driver's seat, a frown taking over as she let her head rest on the wheel. “Makes my behavior look rather poor in comparison.”
At Twilight’s confusion, Rarity sat back up and turned to face her. “Remember how we told you about that little trip across the mirror?” Twilight gave a hesitant nod. “Well, according to the other me, out of a set of six artifacts, I was meant to be the one wielding the Element of Generosity.” A sad sigh left the fashionista as she started the car and started to back out. “Looking at my recent actions towards Sunset, however? I’ve been anything but generous.”
At that, Twilight felt herself wanting to scowl at the thought but settled for a disappointed stare. “Rarity, that’s ridiculous! You’ve done nothing but give--”
“Darling, how often have I gone with Sunset’s plans, and not our own?” Rarity’s interruption stopped Twilight from even answering as Rarity’s grip on the wheel tightened, and she turned out of the parking lot. “Every time we’ve been hanging out, I always managed to overlook what Sunset needed, in favor of what I wanted. Do I need a model? I pull Sunset or Fluttershy over. What about homework? Sunset’s smart, she can help where I’m lacking.” The green light ahead of them slowly switched to red, and Rarity brought the car to a stop. “That’s not being generous, Twilight. That’s being selfish. Selfishness, I plan to correct as soon as Sunset gets back.” There was a glint of something in Rarity’s eyes that made her practically glow. “I’m going to find out what she wants to do, and I will drag her there, kicking and screaming if I have to!”
Twilight was busy leaning away from Rarity at that moment, eyeing the girl worryingly. “Um, Rarity?”
Snapping out of her rant, Rarity blinked and looked over for a brief moment. “Yes, darling?”
Twilight dumbly pointed at her. “You’re glowing.”
Sure enough, Rarity looked at her hands and noticed the white glow surrounding her, and a glance in the rearview made her take note of the pony ears sticking out of her head.
“Oh.” Rarity calmly adjusted her mirror back into place and blinked. “So, I am.”
The car was silent as the two waited for the light to turn green. Twilight let out a small cough, before looking away. “We should probably get to the library... and hope that you, uh, ponying up wears off on its own.”
Rarity couldn’t agree more, and the moment the light changed, she hit the gas.
Lightning Dust was not happy.
She had been hoping that she’d have more time, a day at least, to plan out her little scheme. To find a way to maximize Rainbow’s humiliation at her own hands. But no, now she was racing against the clock thanks to the Rainbooms’ plan. Because of course, they were taking it all there. Last time they got involved with that stupid farm, they lost big!
But now wasn’t the time to focus on past defeats.
Lightning Dust headed to downtown Canterlot, cruising along on her Harley. She came to a stop at a quiet alley and entered without any hesitation. In the back, a few other students from CHS could be found, along with others who shared their general appearance. The most notable of the group was the large girl with white hair and purple highlights. Gilda sat on a trashcan, a white stick sitting between her lips, and looked over as Lightning pulled in.
Along with her in the alley, were two others of note. Rolling Thunder, a purple-skinned girl with light blue curly hair and a scar across her left eye, and Short Fuse, a boy with red skin and fiery hair that lived up to the first part of his name, were waiting against their respective bikes. Rolling Thunder smirked and walked over to Lightning, quickly followed by Fuse. “Hey, heard ya got something planned.” Her accent was thick enough to make anyone realize she wasn’t a Canterlot native.
Lightning chuckled and bumped fists with the purple girl. “You know it.”
The moment Gilda’s eyes locked on to Lightning, however, killed the casualness of the two, making them back away. A growl started in the back of her throat as Gilda pulled the final remains sucker out of her mouth, throwing what was left of the stick away. “You better have a good reason for calling me, Dust.”
“Yeah, I do.” Parking her bike next to a few others, Lightning got up and walked over. “I just figured out a new job.”
Gilda’s eyes narrowed as she hopped off of her perch and stalked towards the athlete. “I thought I told you. The Talons are not doing that crud anymore. Last time we did that, I got sent to juvie and expelled to cover you three sorry losers. What makes you think I’d risk more jail time?”
Lightning put on a cocky smirk. She knew Gilda wouldn’t go for it right off the bat. All she needed to do was sweeten the deal. “Even if it’d bag us millions?”
Short Fuse’s eyebrows rose as he smiled. “Millions?”
Gilda let out a barking laugh before going back to glaring. “I don’t know what you’ve been huffing to even make you think that. What could even begin to get close to that kind of profit in this town? This is Canterlot City, not Las Pegasus, Dust.” Turning away, Gilda started down the alley for her bike. “If you want to throw this idea out, bother Glinda or Gabby. One of them might humor you.”
Yeah, and the other would break my neck. Lightning added as she had one more gambit for getting Gilda involved. It probably wouldn’t work the way she wanted it to, but she was short on time. “Even if you missed out at a chance to get back at Dash?” Lightning smirked as Gilda froze in place.
Moments later, she was sharing the looks of fear that were on Rolling Thunder and Short Fuse, as Gilda’s hand wrapped around her throat and lifted her into the air. “I thought I told you.” Lightning’s back was slammed into the wall, as Gilda reached into her coat’s pocket and pulled out a clawed gauntlet. It looked like it was hammered together in the same alley they were standing in. A detail that Lightning was made very clear of when the claws were hovering over her eyes and Gilda leaned in, snarling. “Dash. Is. Off. Limits.”
“Okay! Okay! I totally get you! Bad idea!” Lightning raised a hand defensively, the other gripping against Gilda’s as sweat started to drip down the sides of her face, and her lungs burned. “I’ll cut Dash out of the plan! I promise!”
Dust and Gilda’s eyes were locked for a little bit longer before Gilda dropped Lightning on the ground like a sack of rocks. As Dust gasped for air, Gilda got a fistful of her hair and brought her head up. “If I find you bozos pulling anything to Rainbow or her friends, I will personally make you regret it.” Lightning was shoved back to the ground before Gilda turned back to her bike. Rolling Thunder and Short Fuse both stumbled out of Gilda’s path as she did.
As the roar of Gilda’s bike started to fade into the distance. Rolling Thunder helped Lightning to her feet. “Geez mate, did ya have to get her all riled up? Thought she was gonna break ya neck.”
“Yeah, if she didn’t gouge her eyes out first.” Fuse adjusted his jacket and grimaced.
“Trust me, Thunder. It’ll be worth it.” Lightning rubbed her throat and grimaced before she got a wicked smile. “This plan would be our best job yet!” Lightning ran in front of the larger girl, a wicked smirk on her face. “All we got to do is snag whatever Dash and her friends got from Ponyland, and-”
Short Fuse crossed his arms and leaned back a bit. “Are you crazy? After all that happened lately, I am not about to go and get turned into some freakshow! Not even a million dollars is worth that nightmare!”
Rolling her eyes, Lightning frowned and glared back. “I ain’t saying we use the stuff. We just have to steal it and pawn it off. Imagine the money we could make off of it if they got something good.” For a moment, the two hesitated, and Lightning managed to compose herself. “All three of us would be swimming in cash.”
Rolling Thunder scowled. “Yeah, on a floaty provided by the hospital. You heard G. She’ll tear us apart if we do this!”
Lightning chuckled and pulled her bag off her bike, rifling through it for a moment. “Come on, Thunder, we both know your answer.” She pulled something out and tossed it to Fuse, making the boy’s eyes widen. “And if you think I’d be willing to stand against G unprepared, you’re the one who’s crazy.”
The two delinquents both shared a glance before they turned to smile wickedly towards Lightning. “Alright, mate, we want details. What ya got planned?”
Lightning matched their smiles with one of her own, and the three huddled together. “First, we gotta work fast. The Rainbooms plan on taking all their magic stuff and stashin’ it off soon. Pick one and follow them until they show us where they’re keeping it, and take it if you can. We have to get that stuff before it all gets to Sweet Apple Acres. I don’t know about you two, but I don’t want a second run in with that behemoth they have working there.”
Short Fuse hopped onto his motocross bike and revved the engine. “So, what are we waiting for?”
Rolling raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. “Uh, how ‘bout the fact the two of us only know Rainbow. The heck is a ‘Rainboom’?”
“Right, you go to CP.” Lightning pulled out her phone and sent a text, making Rolling’s phone go off. “The Rainbooms are Dash’s new band. That’s one of their posters.”
Rolling smirked a bit and looked over each member before picking her target. “That one looks like she’ll be pretty easy to catch. Where can I find ‘em?”
“Heh, good choice.” Lightning smiled as she sent another text. “She lives around there. You’ll need to get there fast to get there in time.” Lightning narrowed her eyes, and her jaw tightened. “Before we start, I want to make one thing clear.” For a second, Rolling and Short thought that Gilda had come back. There was a fire behind Lightning’s eyes that felt like they’d be burned to ashes the second they got to close. “Dash is mine. If either of you sees her, you tell me.”
Short gulped a bit and gave a thumbs up. “You got it, Dust.”
Stashing her phone away, Rolling Thunder got onto her bike. Unlike Short’s Moto, her Suzuki was customized to give as much speed as possible. A chuckle left Rolling Thunder as she watched Lightning get on her Harley. “If being filthy rich is wrong," her bike roared as the three of them pulled out of the alley and headed into town, "I don’t want to be right.”
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Reaffirmations of the girls' Elements will probably be the key to this. Hopefully before Lightning Dust causes another magical apocalypse. (And really, Dusty, how do you think you're going to prove you have actual magic without using it at least once in front of a buyer? Assuming they even listen to you that long.)
At least the Rainbooms are working in teams, to say nothing of their guardian griffon. This isn't going to go easily for the human Washouts at all.
So, how badly are Lightning and her friends going to get fucked up?
...Aaaaaand, smash cut to Dust getting/being in over her head, regretting it and coming to find revenge is only ever a sunk cost venture, full stop.
Gonna need a refresher, why does Lightning hate Rainbow? I don't think that was in a previous story...
9624684
That is a bit of info, to be revealed in a later chapter.
9624620 I'm guessing "End of the World Apocalypse" bad.
I hope.
Bad thing about Dust is she's too stupid to listen when she's warned about something, and I'm thinking that Gilda will turn her into a pretzel when she finds out about this.
Or worse.
I wonder how far off the deep end Lightning Dust is going to go before she has this blow up in her face?
9624694 I'm guess Challenger Deep, er, deep.
It is the deepest spot in our oceans.
Whelp, gotta grab myself some popcorn when Lightning's "plan" blows up in her face.
media.giphy.com/media/UZ2ByzgX7mKPe/giphy.gif
SOMEONE took an overdose of stupid pills and dumb capsules, I jus know 'dat 'der's a nice propa stomp'n uv 'dat Lightn'n Dust git kom'n up.
So Gilda actually isn't in on the plan... Interesting. Not too often I see a story where Gilda is protective of the Rainbooms.
If I were one of them I think I would rat L out to G. Just to see how bad it goes.
9624866 I'm guessing so myself.
9625623
Same here