Power Through Deceit

by FrostyDawn

Be Efficent

"For the tenth time, Pinkie! The Medic will die in a few days if we don't make more of this antidote!" Rarity groaned, after explaining the situation nine extra times to Pinkie Pie.

"I don't get it." Pinkie said, with a oblivious smile on her face.

"Never mind... let's round up Rainbow Dash and get to Zecora." Applejack said, frustrated with her pink friend's failure to grasp the seriousness of the issue.

"Right." Rarity concurred. "Has anyone seen Rainbow Dash around? I thought she would be here after telling everyone to avoid the shrine."

Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie exchanged concerned glances. "Um... we didn't see Rainbow yet. Or, all day for that matter."

Rarity raised an eyebrow. "I told her to warn everyone. She should be here by now."

"Unless she went somewhere else. She could've gotten lost or stuck." Twilight said, checking on the black insect sealed in the trunk. It still buzzed around, violently lashing its mandibles out.

"Please. Rainbow Dash's as tough as nails. She wouldn't get stuck, and she knows Ponyville like the back of her hand. No way this could be an accident..." Applejack muttered.

"Well, the only way she would avoid us is if..." Rarity said, her eyes suddenly widening. "Grrr.... that girl's going to be the death of us. She's gone over to their world!" Rarity grumbled uniting her face with the palm of her fand in a standard custom of disapproval.

"She what?! She could get poisoned!" Twilight cried. "Does she realize she can't get back without magic?!"

" 'pparrently not. She's stubborn as a mule..." Applejack muttered.

"Well, then we have to go after her! We can't let her get bitten by one of those nasty things!" Fluttershy said.

"Strategy time!" Pinkie cheered, pulling out a big map in front of her, and rolling it out on the floor. But it wasn't any regular map. The continents and oceans didn't match Equestria's. There were words written on the map, naming the landmasses and the water.

"Pinkie, where did you get this map? This isn't Equestria." Twilight said, inspecting the names.

"Nope! This is were those red guys came from! It's called... earth." Pinkie said, adding drama to her last word. "I found it in the archives!"

"And you've been carryin' around all this time?" Applejack asked, but Pinkie just shrugged.

"Earth, huh? Guess it makes sense." Applejack muttered. "So this is their home. If it's as big as Equestria, then how are we 'posed to find eight of them, before the Medic gets there first?"

"Well, when I used the shrine, it worked as some sort of dial." Rarity explained. "I pointed the stone at the Medic, and it sent me to him. Seemed simple enough."

"A little too coincidental." Twilight mumbled.

"Who comes up with this stuff?" Pinkie said, turning her head.

"Anyway, I should probably go look for Rainbow Dash. At least I'll have enough magic to bring the both of us back." Twilight continued, staring at the map. "But where do we go? Where do we look for her?"

"I'll go too." Rarity suggested. "We could spread out."

Applejack picked up the syringe. "Well, ah'm gonna get this to Zecora. See if'n she could make more."

"Fair enough." Twilight nodded, and then looked up to the second floor of her library. "Spike!" she called.

The green-haired boy looked down the stairs. "What is it, Twilight? I was dreaming." He said, groggily.

Twilight tossed him the chest key. "See this box? Make sure nothing gets in or out of it. Got it?" She said, sternly.

"Yeah, sure. Whatever." Spike said, receding away from the stairs.

"Woo! Search party! I like parties!" Pinkie cheered, bounding out the door without rhyme or reason.

<><><><><><><><><>

Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.

The Scout closed the door, as the rain poured down in buckets in a matter of minutes. Rainbow Dash shook her cyan wings, each feather dripping.

"You know, back in Ponyville, we could control the rain." Rainbow muttered, shaking her colorful head as well.

"That sounds nice... hope you don't mind, but I don't live alone here." The Scout whispered.

Rainbow raised an eyebrow. "Who else is here? You're siblings? Your girlfriend?" She asked.

"Not exactly."

A new voice sounded from another room. "Scout, honey? You home? I made extra casserole!" An older woman's voice, sharing the same thick Boston accent.

"Comin', Ma!" Scout replied. "I, uh... got someone here. Mind if she stays for a bit?"

Rainbow Dash felt a surge of confusion. "He lives with his mom?!" She thought, trying to fight back a smirk.

A woman (apparently Scout's mother,) stuck her head out of the kitchen. Her eyes widened from her first look at Rainbow Dash. "She has wings." She pointed out.

"Uh... yeah. Ma, this is... um, Rene... Dashiell." He said, giving the girl an alias.

"What are you-" she muttered, but Scout flashed her a serious look. "Uh, of course! Nice to meet you, miss!" She replied cheerfully.

Scout's mother was still in disbelief. "Wings." She mumbled again.

"Alright, Ma. Rene's a little... different. But she's a nice person. At least let her stay for a while." Scout asked.

His mother blinked a few times, recomposing herself. "Sure. Anything for a friend of Scout's." She said cautiously, heading back into the kitchen. "Dinner's ready, by the way."

As Scout's mother stepped out of view, both Scout and Rainbow Dash sighed in relief. "That was close." Scout muttered under his breath.

Rainbow Dash scowled in her mind. She couldn't belief she was given such a stupid name. But it wasn't too far off. At least 'Rene Dashiell' and 'Rainbow Dash' sounded pretty similar. She should be glad she didn't have something worse. First impressions, apparently.

Scout and his mother sat down at the table, and Rainbow Dash followed, sitting in front of a plate full of... something.

"Did she call this casserole? This doesn't look anything like what my mom made." She said to herself. She looked up at Scout, who was casually devouring it by the spoonful. Simply magnificent. Rainbow Dash scooped up a small mound of the foodstuffs, and cautiously swallowed it. "Not bad. Could use some salt. A lot more." She mused.

"So, Rene... interesting tattoo ya got there." Scout's mother said, breaking the silence. Rainbow Dash looked at her bicep, which sported her rainbow-lightning cutie mark.

"Uh, thanks." Rainbow replied. "I don't see any cutie marks on their arms..." She wondered. "Are they born without them?"

"I would have thought rainbows were more suited to... more younger girls than yourself. Tattoos and hair dye, however..." Scout's mother continued.

"She thinks all this fake!" Rainbow concluded, the epiphany coming to her rather quickly. "Well, yeah. I kinda-"

"Oh, no. Say no more." Scout's mother interrupted. "I understand completely. Daddy problems, am I right?" she chuckled softly.

Rainbow Dash's face turned bright red, and she slammed her spoon on the table. The Scout looked up as she fumed out of the room.

"Geez, Ma! Cut her some slack!" Scout cried, standing up to follow her.

"I'm sorry! Sheesh, you never get that upset. Not even about your new step-father." His mother responded.

"RRRGGH! Stop talking about that back-stabbin' scumbag!" He shouted, storming out in the same fashion.

"I stand corrected..." She muttered.

<><><><><><><>

Paris, France.

The Medic stepped up the stairs of the apartment, soon reaching the roof. The evening light cast an orange glow on Paris, and the suited man looking over the city's houses. He turned, seeing the Medic. A warm smile formed on his face, which was obstructed by a ski mask.

"Ah, bonjour, my brozher in arms. What brings you to Paris?" He said.

"You. I'm here for you, Zpy." The Medic growled, walking toward the Spy.

"I beg your pardon? What would I have zhat you need?" The Spy said.

The Medic quickly lashed his hand out, tightly gripping the Spy's throat. "I do not need you. Ze Queen does." The Medic chuckled, glaring at the Spy with his eyes, which began to accumulate a dark 'cracking' texture.

The Spy could barely choke out his protest as the Medic held up a syringe, filled with an orange liquid.

Comments

[RhesusPeace]

Yes... I like this new chapter.

[FrostyDawn]

2282133 Keep your bowtie on. Don't expect anything too far out of the ordinary.

[SharkFace Jenkins]

An update a day? that's awesome!