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Chapter 24 - Believe in the Power of Cardboard

The air of the building that housed a bakery shop named "Sugar Cube Corner" is saturated with Laughter and chatter, as the ponies filled the seats, appetite for the most famous confectionery Ponyville had to offer.

But alas, everything had exceptions to the rule.

At the rear of the building was the beating heart of this enterprise—the kitchen. A tranquil peace can be found as the diligent pink pony baker worked her magic, and gave any cuisine she made her all, hoping that it will bring smiles to all those who consumed.

And that peace was broken by a certain rainbow mane pegasus, as the said mare broke into this private property and walked around like she was on a bank heist.

Rainbow Dash closed the backdoor quietly, looking out for any possible ponies that stalked her all the way from the hospital.

Contented with her observation, she then walked into the room, her hooves clattering slightly against the tiled floor as she nervously scanned around, her heart racing.

Rainbow Dash ignored the uncomfortable feeling and pushed forward. Her cyan coat shone a healthy brilliant blue without any gray fur, showing the youthfulness of the athletic pegasus.

The stormcloud treatment left her body without any trace of its original bloodied rags looks, yet still damped with a slight amount of moisture, weighting her body down slightly.

To Rainbow Dash, it’s a perfect reflection of what her heart felt like.

The tension in the air was palpable, a mixture of anxiety suppressed by determination driving her forward. Her eyes darted across the counters, spotting trays of freshly baked pastries and colorful icing.

The aroma of sugary treats filled the air, briefly distracting her from her mission as her mouth watered involuntarily.

Rainbow Dash shook her head. "Focus" She chided herself, her attention was forcefully snapped back to her purpose.

Then she noticed something, as her ears stood in attention and swirled around, catching a soft, melodious tune emanating from a corner of the kitchen.

The rainbow mane pegasus followed the sound, her heart calming slightly at the familiar, up-beating notes.

She opened the door to a cozy corner of the kitchen and saw Pinkie Pie standing there, her head bopping around in a good mood as she hummed the melody.

The party pink pony was focused on her task, her hooves expertly working with the ingredients before her. The carefree, whimsical pony seemed to have a way of finding joy in such repetitive, and boring tasks.

Rainbow Dash watched for a moment, mesmerized by Pinkie's rhythmic movements. The sight of Pinkie Pie's relaxed yet undistracted demeanor almost brought a smile to Rainbow Dash's face, but the weight of her guilt held it back.

Her target was found, and now came the hardest part. Rainbow Dash mustering her courage as she approached Pinkie Pie. Taking a deep breath, she cleared her throat and called out in a voice that wavered only slightly, "H-hey Pinkie."

Pinkie Pie's body went rigid, her cheerful humming abruptly stopping. Slowly, she turned to face Rainbow Dash, her eyes widening in surprise as she took in the sight of the once-injured pegasus. Her normally vibrant mane seemed to lose color slightly as her gaze locked onto Rainbow Dash's.

"R-Rainbow, you're all healed up? How?" Pinkie Pie stammered, her voice holding a mixture of disbelief and concern, her usually exuberant mane losing some of its buoyancy as her gaze locked onto the symbol on the saddlebag Rainbow Dash was wearing.

Rainbow Dash's heart raced, her nerves getting the best of her. The moment of truth was here. This was her chance to make amends, to mend the rift she had inadvertently caused between her and the Pinkie Pie.

Rainbow Dash's eyes became glassy, as the event of that moment replayed in her mind. She slowly weave words into sentences and spoke out, her voice a little stutter. "It's a long story but let's just say I got help for now, but that's not what I came here for"

Taking a deep breath, she met Pinkie Pie's gaze with a determined resolve. "I-I know I'm in the wrong. I shouldn't judge anypony, no matter who they were with such biased and acting out in violence." Rainbow Dash continues, her voice steady as the turmoil brew within her.

The memories of the night alicorn lay bloodied in front of her. The mare that sick of the world around her so much she wants to end...

Rainbow Dash shook her head, ignoring the inner turmoil that threaten to spill out and forcing herself to continue on, her words is sincere.

She pointed her hoof pointing towards herself and spoke with passion "That's why I am going to go apologize to both of them! Starting off with Twilight Sparkle." With a determined resolve, the pegasus continue. " And hopefully... Nightmare Moon too." If she can find her that is.

Rainbow Dash gritted her teethes in anger, looking down at her hooves in shame of her own uselessness. Going to the lavender unicorn, a mare with a connection to the royal guards, and begging them to search for the alicorn is all she could do at the moment.

For now, she had a favor to ask of.

But still, swallowing her pride and admitting her mistakes wasn't easy. It felt like a leap into the unknown, a plunge that challenged her very identity. It was never easy to backtrack on a decision, especially when she was so used to her confidence fueling her ego none stop.

Rainbow Dash knew that growth required facing one's shortcomings head-on, even if it meant acknowledging a painful truth. The feeling of a giant burden lifted off her chest was proof of that.

Rainbow Dash waited as the silence hung in the air for a moment, the weight of Rainbow Dash's confession filling the room. Just when Rainbow Dash was starting to feel the heaviness of the moment, unexpectedly, a sound broke through the quiet—a soft giggle. Rainbow Dash looked up in surprise, meeting Pinkie Pie's gaze once more.

Pinkie Pie's lips curled into a heartwarming smile, a twinkle returning to her eyes. Slowly, Pinkie's mane puffed up with its characteristic bounce, regaining its signature bounciness.

"I know you can do it, Dashie!" Pinkie Pie's giggle grew into a full-blown laugh, her eyes sparkling with mirth as her mane started to regain its luster color. "I know you were a good mare, you're just a little bit weird sometime!" Pinkie exclaimed, her voice filled with a mixture of reassurance of steel. The party pony's laughter was contagious and filling the room with a renewed sense of friendship.

Rainbow Dash shook her head. "You're the one to talk, Pinkie." She replied, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. It felt strange to be praised for admitting her mistakes, but in that moment, she realized how much she valued Pinkie's understanding and validation.

Before she could get lost in her thoughts, Rainbow Dash remembered the other reason she had come here. She shifted her weight from one hoof to another, the nervous energy returning. "Well, I'm going to walk into that library and go apologize to her," Rainbow Dash said slowly, her tone a mixture of determination but filled with uncertainty. "At least that was my plan..."

Pinkie Pie's smile widened, her enthusiasm was undeterred. "That's great! And guess what? I'm also going to prepare for an apology party, and It's gonna be the epicest!" she clapped her hooves together with an enthusiastic bounce. "What are you thought on 'We're Sorry for That Disastrous Welcome to Ponyville Party!' party, Dash?" Pinkie beamed, her energy infectious.

Rainbow Dash chuckled softly, feeling a sense of gratitude for her friend's unwavering support. As Pinkie Pie bustled around, Rainbow Dash couldn't help but admire the way she could turn any situation into a reason to celebrate.

But as her smile waned, she couldn't help but remember the other reason she had sought Pinkie's help in the first place. With a slight frown, she glanced away for a moment before looking back at Pinkie Pie, and nervously fidgeting her hoof against the saddlebag to distract herself.

Pinkie Pie finally noticed Rainbow Dash's change in demeanor and tilted her head curiously. "What's wrong?" she asked, her voice filled with genuine concern.

Rainbow Dash spoke out, her voice tinged with frustration and helplessness, "There were guards around the library, I didn't want them to see me, for obvious reasons." She hesitated, her expression a mix of determination and vulnerability, "My first thought was to try to sneak in, but..." She took a breath, her honesty evident, "I'm not good at being sneaky. I don't want to risk it."

"I-I needed your help," she admitted, her words revealing a side of her that rarely showed – the side of weakness. The not-awesome Rainbow Dash who struggled and needed assistance. Her gaze met Pinkie Pie's, a silent plea for understanding.

Pinkie's eyes widened in realization, and her face lit up with a delighted grin. "Oh, oh! Why didn't you say that first!" she exclaimed, her boundless energy evident in her every move. Without wasting a moment, she bounced toward the storage room, her hooves barely touching the ground, and Rainbow Dash followed, curiosity piqued.

Rainbow Dash watched as Pinkie Pie rifled through various items in the storage room, her excitement growing with every second. Pinkie's thought process was always uncanny and a little intimidating to Rainbow Dash. It was both impressive nonetheless.

After a short search, Pinkie Pie's eyes lit up, and she pulled out an object that, at first glance, seemed completely unremarkable. She offered it to Rainbow Dash with a mischievous smile, her gaze brimming with anticipation.

Rainbow Dash looked at the ordinary object in Pinkie's hoofgrip with a raised eyebrow, her confusion evident. It's a slab of cardboard that could be unfolded. "A cardboard box?" she questioned, her tone a mixture of skepticism and bewilderment. She tilted her head slightly, unsure of how such a simple item could be of any use in her predicament.

Pinkie Pie's grin only grew wider, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Yepperoni! The best of quality!" she replied cheerfully, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Her ability to be upbeat in the most unexpected situations was one of her most endearing traits.

Rainbow Dash couldn't help but let out a bemused chuckle. "And how is this thing going to help me sneak in?" she asked, her skepticism still evident in her voice.

Pinkie Pie, still grin remained unyielding, her excitement practically radiating from her. Quickly unfold the cardboard into its final form. With a dramatic flourish, she leaned in close to Rainbow Dash and whispered, "Because, my dear Rainbow, this is a box made out of cardboard. The legendary espionage exosuit 'Box of Ultimate Stealthiness'!"

Rainbow Dash blinked, her surprise evident. "The 'Box of Ultimate Stealthiness'?" she repeated incredulously, tilting her head in confusion.

Pinkie Pie nodded vigorously, her eyes wide with enthusiasm. She pointed a hoof at the upside-down box."Yup! You see, all you have to do is climb inside this box, and crawl around. You'll become practically invisible! Nopony can see you or hear you. It's like a sneakest of being sneaky!"

Rainbow Dash's skepticism wavered, replaced by a mixture of disbelief and curiosity. She stared at the cardboard box on the ground, trying to wrap her head around the idea. Could something so simple really have such an extraordinary effect?

Pinkie's gaze held a mischievous twinkle as she nudged the box toward Rainbow Dash. "Go on, give it a try! It's the perfect solution to your situation."

Rainbow Dash hesitated for a moment, her thoughts racing. Could this really work? Taking a deep breath, she cast a glance at Pinkie Pie, who was practically bouncing with excitement, and then back at the cardboard box.

With a shrug and a wry smile, she took a step forward and tentatively climbed under the box, disappearing from view.

Pinkie Pie's giggles filled the air as the box wobbled slightly, Rainbow Dash's muffled voice emanating from within, "Okay, Pinkie, now what?"

Pinkie Pie's grin was positively ear-to-ear. "Now, my little Dashie, you are ready to embark on a top-secret, highly classified stealth mission of breaking into the golden oak! Just follow my advice, and we'll have you sneaking around those guards like a pro in no time!"

Rainbow Dash poke her muzzle out from underneath the box. “…I hoped it wouldn’t backfired” she muttered out.

Author's Note:

What are you gonna do if there was an abandoned dashie left on your front door?

Credit
*squeezed

On side note, here's another story concept. this time it's changelings on earth!