Rainbow Dash Around the World

by MagicS

Two Hump Oasis

Traveling through the desert was boring. Sand, sandy sand sand and heat that was intense enough at times to fry an egg. Combined with nights where she still found herself accidentally kicking or being kicked by the other occupants of the tent. All the days just melted together into nothing and Rainbow Dash had pretty much run out of stories to tell to pass the time. Didn’t help that most of her audience was pretty unappreciative or outright disbelieving of what she had to say.

“You’re making that up,” Miss Valentine said.

“Huh?” Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow at her.

“You did not meet a gigantic pegasus inside the middle of a hurricane above land. That’s insane.”

“I’m telling the truth!”

“Sure you are.”

“Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!”

“I don’t know what any of that is supposed to mean...” Valentine shook her head.

“Whatever, I’m still telling the truth!”

“The rest of your stories were pretty unbelievable too. How does one pony get up to so many extraordinary things?”

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and looked at Daring Do. “Can’t you back me up on this? You know about all the crazy stuff I’ve done even before I started this adventure.”

Daring Do chuckled briefly. “I have to admit that I’m inclined to believe Rainbow Dash. She boasts and exaggerates but I don’t think she’d outright lie about any of these adventures she’s had.”

“See?” Rainbow victoriously folded her legs over her chest and grinned.

“Fine, fine, I’ll drop it honey,” Valentine said, obviously still not fully believing it.

“Can we just go back to being quiet? I much prefer silence to these inane conversations,” Birdseed said.

“Actually no,” Miss Valentine said. “Since we’ll be coming up to Two Hump Oasis soon, I wanted to go over some things so we’re all prepared. That place isn’t safe the same way One Hump Oasis or most settlements are so I want to be sure you all know how to act and what to do. First off; nobody goes anywhere alone. We all stick together. I don’t need any of us getting pick-pocketed or mugged or worse. Got it?”

“I don’t think you need to worry that much, not with me at least,” Rainbow said.

Valentine narrowed her eyes. “Got it?”

“Yeah, yeah, I got it. Geez...”

“So secondly, it’s not just camels you can’t trust here, it’s dang near everyone. So let me do the talking and let me lead us around while we’re here. We’re looking for one camel in particular by the name of Harzeen. His name is unfortunately all we know and not everyone at Two Hump Oasis is going to want to talk and answer questions. Fortunately I do know a bar where a number of people like to hang out at, and I’m... friendly with the bartender there. So we might be able to find something,” Valentine grinned.

“Works for me,” Rainbow Dash shrugged. “If you want to do the talking part that’s fine with me. I’ll just handle the action.”

“Hopefully there won’t actually be much action,” Daring Do said.

“Yeah. Hopefully,” Rainbow Dash monotoned.

“It’ll only take us another day to get there I’d say,” Valentine said. “So whatever happens let’s handle it intelligently.”

“Do you think it’ll actually be tough finding this camel?” Daring Do asked.

Valentine shrugged. “Not particularly. Two Hump Oasis is a seedy place but it’s not very big. I doubt it’ll take more than a day to find someone willing to point us in the right direction. Might take a bit of money though.”

“We can just take it back from Harzeen then afterwards,” Coin Flip grinned.

Valentine chuckled. “That might be one of the few things you’ve said that I agree with.”

Rainbow Dash only rolled her eyes.

---

It was noon on a hot (big surprise) day when the outskirts of Two Hump Oasis appeared on the horizon. It didn’t have the uniformity that One Hump Oasis did, there were patches of nothing in one place, and shacks and shanties of wood built up along another area. Even at this distance Rainbow Dash could tell it was a hole. There were naturally a lot of tents too, just like One Hump Oasis, but she didn’t see as many trees or really a green area at all here. The oasis must be smaller or something. Which made sense she figured. If there was a bigger oasis, a better reason for creatures to come here, the camels would’ve probably made it an actual city of theirs or something. Those “Murkers” would’ve come to clear the criminals out.

“So are we going to carry all this stuff through town or should Coin Flip and I set up somewhere on the outskirts?” Birdseed asked.

“Sorry pal but you’re going to have to keep carrying it,” Valentine said. “I meant it when I said we’re all sticking together.”

Birdseed sighed. “Fine then. What’s another day of being a mule?”

The group of five made it to the edge of Two Hump Oasis in barely another hour. As they approached, Rainbow could see a lot of suspicious folk eyeing them on their way into town. Miss Valentine ignored them and kept looking straight ahead, not showing any sort of fear or worry. She knew exactly where it was they needed to go and she wasn’t going to let any random thugs get in her way. Rainbow could appreciate that.

There wasn’t a marketplace or bazaar by the looks of it here either. Most of the creatures clearly kept to themselves. She did see some buildings and tents selling stuff but they were always on their own and she often saw creatures around those places that were obviously bodyguards. She did see some buildings that looked like inns and other legitimate establishments, but really she couldn’t be sure.

“It’s been a little while since I was last here but I don’t think The Watering Hole is too much further away,” Miss Valentine said.

“The Watering Hole?” Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow.

“It’s the name of the bar I mentioned earlier. The four of you just watch my back when we get in there,” Valentine said.

“Sure,” Rainbow said and continued looking around at the squalor.

A group of three camels glared back at her when their eyes met but as soon as they noticed the scarlet mare Rainbow was with they broke contact and kept to themselves. Obviously Valentine was known here by quite a few as well. When it came to that, Rainbow was kind of torn. She didn’t like the idea that the only reason they weren’t being bothered or accosted by any thugs was because Valentine was here. Rainbow could easily handle anybody trying to cause trouble. She didn’t need someone else.

“This place is just sad,” Daring Do said.

“Reminds me of home,” Valentine said.

“Well that’s sad too,” Daring Do frowned at her.

Valentine only chuckled. “Relax. It’s not a big deal, I just grew up and have had to live around places like this my whole life. And I still turned out fine, didn’t I, honey?”

“Sure,” Daring Do rolled her eyes.

“I’ve seen worse places than this but it’s certainly still one of the more threatening of places I’ve been to. Every creature here is sizing us up and seeing if they can steal from us or worse. I can see them out of the corners of my eyes everywhere we go,” Birdseed said.

“Bunch of losers if you ask me. If they want to rob us they should have the guts to do more than glare,” Coin Flip said.

“And let the rest see how bad of an idea that is,” Birdseed glared at some shadowy figures watching them from behind a building.

“I’m not scared of anyone that might try and attack us but it’s better to not cause any trouble while we’re here. We don’t need to go making any noise. It could alert Harzeen or even Shining Diamond. We don’t know how many ponies he has working for him or where they might be and I wouldn’t be surprised if there were some here in Two Hump Oasis,” Daring Do said.

Birdseed shrugged. “So be it. But making an example of some of the scum here might be useful too.”

Rainbow Dash frowned. “No way. I know this place is supposed to be nothing but criminals, but there’s no way I’m going to let you rough up someone who hasn’t even done anything. If they attack us first then maybe—but there’s never a reason to beat someone up more than they deserve or more than what you need to. I’m not that kind of pony and while I’m around I’m not going to let any of you do something wrong like that either. Got it?”

“Goody two-wings,” Birdseed snorted.

“Deal with it,” Rainbow glared.

“Stop arguing. You’re just drawing attention to us, we don’t need to look like we aren’t getting along,” Valentine said from the front. She then looked over her shoulder and narrowed her eyes at Birdseed. “And we’re not doing anything unnecessary.”

“As if you have a problem with-” Birdseed started but then stopped himself, just frowning instead. “Fine, it doesn’t matter.”

The group walked through the destitute oasis for a little while longer, the sun beating down overhead and the breeze only blowing sand and dust everywhere. Eventually, Valentine saw a large tent and pointed the group towards it. Rainbow looked and saw a tent close to two-stories high and about a hundred feet across, there was a big opening in the middle of it for creatures to walk through and a leaning wooden signboard overheard with a hastily painted title on it that read “The Watering Hole” in ugly black letters. A couple of ponies and antelopes sat outside it, mingling around, while inside it seemed like things were pretty full up.

“That’s it. Time to pay an old friend a visit,” Valentine grinned.

“And by friend you mean?” Daring Do asked.

“...Someone who may try and run away when he sees me.”

“Well he won’t outrun me so let him try,” Rainbow said and smacked her hooves together.

“Hopefully it won’t come to that,” Valentine said as she led the five of them inside the tent bar.

As Rainbow had suspected, it was full of all manner of creatures inside, even camels. Numerous tables were set up along the floor—well, floor was the wrong word, it was just sand and dirt on the ground—and all of them were occupied by at least one creature. It was dusty and dingy inside too, not the kind of place Rainbow would normally ever go to get a drink and she doubted the quality of what they had was very good. Most eyes of the patrons turned to them as soon as they entered but Miss Valentine again ignored it all and made a beeline to the bar. The bar was actually a big square of wood with some taps and a few vats of who knows what in the middle of it that fed them. Along with shelves of glasses and mugs and bottles of what was probably more expensive stuff. There were a few patrons at the bar, mostly ponies, and a grizzled old earth pony bartender standing behind it close to the taps, ready to refill the mug of anyone who wanted it.

Once Miss Valentine had gotten a little closer the bartender looked up at her for the first time and his eyes immediately widened.

“H-Hornet,” he gulped. “Look, I-I really don’t-”

“Oh be quiet,” Valentine cut him off. “I’m not here because of you, I’ve got something bigger going on. But I thought you might be able to help me out and then maybe you’ll never have to see me again. That sounds good, doesn’t it, honey?”

The bartender did his best not to sweat as he took a quick glance at the other ponies with Valentine before he nodded at her. “S-Sure thing.” He then narrowed his eyes and growled at the patrons at the bar. “Scram.”

The bar was quickly evacuated and the party of five took up a few seats at the front, aside from Rainbow Dash who decided to hover around. Once Miss Valentine sat down she threw a mocking smile at the bartender.

“Seems like business has at least been good for you, Barley Breath.”

“It’s been… decent,” Barley said, evidently still uncomfortable with The Red Hornet right in front of him but relieved that she apparently wasn’t interested in him. “What did you come here for that I could help you out with?”

“There’s a camel living here in Two Hump Oasis. Goes by the name of Harzeen. Considering how popular of a place this is I was thinking that maybe you’ve heard of him? Maybe you even know where he lives?” Valentine asked.

Barley Breath knitted his brow together as he mulled over her question. “The name aint familiar to me.”

Miss Valentine’s smile dropped. “Don’t tell me that’s all you have to say?”

He gulped, immediately taking on a supplicating look. “W-Wait, I still know someone who might be able to help. I-If it’s a camel you’re looking for, then go ask Shireva, the fortune-teller. She’s a camel that knows every single camel living and doing business here, they come to her for business advice, marriage advice, everything. Really superstitious bunch, camels. And so long as you pay her she’ll tell you anything.”

“We can’t trust a camel to give us information,” Birdseed said.

“This one you can,” Barley Breath said. “She doesn’t care who she’s dealing with, you give her money and she’ll tell you the truth. It’s part of the reason she was driven to come here by the Brotherhood. She did some business they really didn’t like.”

“Surprised nobody here has done anything about her if she’s spurned plenty of others before,” Valentine raised an eyebrow.

“Camels won’t touch her. They think she’s got some kind of dark magic and they’ll be cursed. The rest of the creatures here are fine with her staying around since she’s the only one who can give them reliable information on what the local camels are doing,” Barley Breath shrugged.

“This doesn’t sound like the kind of creature I’d normally want to get involved with...” Daring Do said.

“All we’re doing is asking her where this other guy lives though, right? We don’t want our fortunes told or anything crazy,” Rainbow said. “We’re practically using her as a tour guide, it’s not a big deal.”

“Alright—so where can this fortune-teller be found?” Valentine asked Barley.

“Middle of the oasis, right by the water. She’s got this black tent all to herself, no other tents around, you really can’t miss it.” Barley answered.

“And she’ll take coin as payment? Not just crystals?” Valentine asked.

“She will,” Barley nodded.

“Then thanks. If this pans out you can consider us nice and square,” Valentine winked at him and hopped off her seat at the bar. “Let’s go everyone.”

Barley watched them leave The Watering Hole and sighed in relief once the last one was gone. Shaking his head he went to pour himself a drink from the taps. “Two psycho-mares in the same week, I gotta move.”

---

As the five ponies left The Watering Hole to go search for Shireva the fortune-teller, they were discreetly watched by two robe wearing ponies. The ponies shared a glance with each other under their hoods before ducking behind another tent to stay out of sight.

“Well? That was them wasn’t it?” One asked, a stallion.

“Definitely,” the other, a mare, nodded. “The Red Hornet, and that pony called Daring Do that she met up with. I don’t recognize the other three though.”

“Doesn’t matter. Should we go back and tell Shining Diamond? Or break the locator crystal and bring him here?” The stallion asked.

The mare shook her head. “Not yet, they obviously know something we don’t. I say we watch them for a while longer. Something tells me they’re closer to finding the Crystal Sea than we are on our own.”

“Let them find it for Shining Diamond?”

The mare smirked under her hood. “Exactly.”

Comments

[TheCommunistDog]

Oh that is not good...

In today’s chapter: Ehh Camp and somethings...

[silverMEGAlicorn]

“Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!”

And here I was hoping Pinkie would suddenly appear randomly and scare the living daylights out of Valentine 😂

[redmar]

It seems that Shining Diamond has spies in the oasis.