Mare Do Well: The Series

by ShadeJak

Fun and Gametime

“ACK!” Mare Do Well narrowly dodged another flying blade that came out of the wall, then barely avoiding getting singed by a pair of dragon heads she’d thought were part of wall murals of the strangely-lit hallway she galloped through. Daring Do made it sound so much easier on paper… the costumed pegasus thought to herself. She timed her jumps carefully, taking care not to use her wings due to the shock collar her captor had placed around her neck.

From a hidden chamber, an earth pony with a large helmet with a glowing green gem at the center grinned as he watched the magic-powered screens before him. Mare Do Well was a truly entertaining plaything if he’d ever had one, not like anypony else he’d brought here. He turned and looked over at another screen, where a shrouded pony watched. “As you can see, Big Shot, I have Mare Do Well right where I want her. Even if she somehow figures out a way past all my traps, I have my finest toy ready to play with her next!” he said with a giddy chuckle.

“Very well, I have other matters to attend to now, so I encourage you make sure my investments are well-spent on you,” the other pony replied, and immediately after, the screen faded out and the gem that powered it did the same.

Meanwhile, growling in annoyance after having had to swing across a pit on a bladed pendulum, Mare Do Well straightened her hat and sighed as the next door opened. She was getting really annoyed with this self-styled villain and couldn’t wait to put him in his place once she found wherever the hay he was hiding. Nopony. NOPONY. Stopped her from flying! He was going to find that out the extremely painful way when she was face to face with him. At the same time, though, she couldn’t help but wonder how she got into this mess…

~Two days ago…~

“As you can see, Rainbow, it looks like another villain’s on the loose. This one’s in Baltimare,” Twilight Sparkle explained, floating the latest Baltimare Bugle in front of Rainbow Dash as the pegasus took a moment to look it over. The photo showed a picture of a businesspony whom it described never made it home the previous day, and was found the following morning on the front step of the Bugle’s office building wrapped in ribbon with a note addressed from somepony called Gametime that simply read “The game has just begun, Diamonds!”

“Gametime? That the best he could come up with?” Rainbow Dash snorted.

“Rainbow, whoever this pony is, he means business and I think I know who he’s after, given who the pony he attacked used to work for,” Twilight said, her horn glowing again and another paper floated up. “Max Diamonds, he’s the CEO of InfiniGem, a shipping business normally associated with transporting gems for either fashion or magical power sources like for Tank’s gyrocopter,” Twilight explained. “He’s visiting Baltimare for an inspection of his company’s productivity here, this came as quite a shock to him, though.”

“Well I say we meet up with him, he’d probably know more about the pony who was attacked and if anypony would have a reason to go after him!” Rainbow said, already knowing where this was headed. She wasn’t one for meeting elite suit-types, that was more Rarity’s thing in her opinion, but in her new side-job the pegasus had started learning to be more flexible. “Still, how are we gonna get close to him? I’m sure you gotta get, like, appointments to get an appointment for GETTING an appointment with him!” she said.

“Hello? You’re working with somepony who’s the personal student of Equestria’s highest power. I’m sure they’ll be reasonable if we have the right excuse,” Twilight said with a smirk. “I’ll get Spike and have him send a letter. You go get packing, and I got a few new things for you…”

~One day ago…~

“Thank you so much again for seeing us, Mr. Diamonds,” Twilight said with a polite smile.

“It’s no trouble at all, and please call me Max,” the businesspony replied. “Any request on behalf of the Canterlot royalty is hardly within my power to turn down.”

Max Diamonds was a gray earth pony in the prime of his youth, with a dirty blond mane and tail kept in a neat, clean cut. His eyes were a light blue and the image of three diamonds was present on his flank. He wore a sharp black suit coat with a navy blue tie. Though clearly a pony who was a member of the Manehattan elite, he showed a genuinely friendly disposition. “And who might your friend be?” he asked, acknowledging Rainbow Dash.

“Oh, this is Rainbow Dash, one of my best friends—“ Twilight began.

“AND fastest young flier in Equestria, AND all-around awesome weatherpony!” Rainbow Dash proudly proclaimed.

“Rainbow!” Twilight protested, nudging the pegasus, but the businesspony just laughed.

“Your friend has a lot of spunk and confidence. I like that,” he said. “But down to business, I see from your letter you’ve heard about what happened here as well. I’ve spoken with the city guard but they haven’t found anything yet on the foalnapper. The pony found was an old employee of mine named Coin Roller. He was fired when an incident some time ago was brought to my attention.”

“What kind?” Twilight asked.

“Well, understand when you’re a pony of my position; it’s every other week you suffer for the sins of those who work for you. He was responsible for several; along with my former vice president Top Notch. I discovered they’d terminated several contracts believing they were no longer worthwhile investments without my consent and exploited ways to embezzle the royalties on finished ones, and that’s bad for me and bad for my business. It would not surprise me if this “Gametime” is one of those we contracted for one project or another,” he explained. “I don’t like it, and if I could, I’d find those who have been hurt and compensate them, but unfortunately there’s little I can do. I don’t know much more then that.”

“I see, well thanks for your time,” Twilight said. “I’ll be sure to give the full details and, if the situation worsens, I’m confident Princess Celestia will send any aid she can.”

“You have my thanks, also, I haven’t had the chance to answer back yet but tell her I’ll be glad to send all the help I can in reopening the gem mines under Canterlot,” Max said with a smile.

“Will do!” Twilight answered, and she and Rainbow Dash turned to leave.

“Well, that didn’t help a whole lot!” Rainbow muttered as they headed down the hall from Max’s temporary office. “Guess we gotta wait till this ‘Gametime’ makes a move again. I hate that.”

“Well, we can try to look up anything we can on any past dealings InfiniGem had that went sour, anything that matches this pony’s M.O.,” Twilight offered.

“You mean giftwrapping comatose ponies with goofy messages?” Rainbow snarked.

“Okay, yeah I guess that doesn’t really narrow things down,” Twilight said with an eyeroll. “I don’t like it any more then you do but this Gametime pony hasn’t left us much to look into.”

As they headed for the door, Rainbow was nearly knocked over by a turquoise deliverypony carrying a large box on his back. He made no acknowledgement of her and continued on his way.

“Dude! Excuse you!” Rainbow protested, but the grinning earth pony seemed to ignore her. Her eyes caught notice of chess pieces on his flank, an odd decision for fate to bestow a game-themed cutie mark on a deliverypony of all things.

Wait…

“Twi… head on without me. I gotta use the bathroom,” Rainbow said, earning a puzzled look from the unicorn but she complied regardless. The pegasus immediately headed over to the Mares room and opened her saddlebag.

~

“Delivery, Mr. Diamonds!” the deliverypony said, placing the box down outside the office. As Max opened the door, the grinning turquoise pony gave a nod and left.

“Funny, how did they know to send it here—“ he began, before realization fully set in and he hurriedly bucked the box away. As soon as it hit the wall, the package burst open and a crudely-stitched, cackling pony doll with a wide grin and glowing green eyes with a gem in its chest rose out, hovering in the air thanks to a large gyrocopter propeller.

“Celestia’s mane!” Max cried out, shutting the door right away as the doll flew right at him, a cannon on its back firing darts around the room and at the door that exploded violently seconds after, blowing holes where they’d once been and destroying the door separating Max from the deadly contraption and the toy flew into the office, cornering him.

“Hello, Max Diamonds!” the toy said, the gem in its chest flashing as it spoke. “Gametime wishes to play a game with you, and it doesn’t end till somepony’s out! Now answer this... what do you call a corporate shark on the end of a rope?” The cannon took aim at the businesspony on those last words. "Doomed."

Before it could fire, however, Mare Do Well leaped into the room, decking the toy and sending it veering off course and its shot ended up blasting a wall. “Hide! NOW!” the costumed pegasus ordered the businesspony, who immediately barricaded himself in a closet.

“Playtime’s NOT over!” the toy’s voice said, and its mouth opened wide, firing a softball-sized ball that began to pick up velocity with every rebound it made, managing to strike Mare Do Well in the chest and cause her to fall over. She barely avoided the next bounce that made a dent in every wall it hit, prompting her to immediately hide behind the desk, her eyes widening as the ball smashed a hole through it before impacting on another wall. “Alright, better use this!” she said to herself, her wing reaching to her belt and pulling out a tiny vial and giving it a quick fling at the ball as it came towards her.

The explosion sent both pegasus and flying toy into opposing walls.

Staggering a bit as she stood, Rainbow smirked under the mask after the flash bomb had done its job. “Note to self, thank Twi later.”

The toy’s gyrocopter sparked, then broke apart and formed into four spiderlike legs that supported the doll. It let out another maniacal cackle as its grin spread again, its eyes now glowing red.

“Aw come on!” Mare Do Well growled, getting on the defensive again as it charged her, swinging its bladed legs as the pegasus dodged as best she could. Fortunately the damage it sustained seemed to slow it down, the pegasus took to the air again, flying over it and landing behind the toy, and gave it a crisp buck, sending it crashing into the desk. The toy sputtered, clicked, trying to stand again, but Mare Do Well did not give it another chance. Landing atop it, she slammed her hoof down on its chest, knocking the gem loose and cracking it. After a few seconds, it flickered and faded, and the toy fell motionless. Scooping up the broken gem with a wing and putting it in one of her new belt pouches that she’d added to the costume, Mare Do Well looked over at the closet.

“It’s history,” Mare Do Well said in a low tone to disguise her voice. “I think whoever sent your present is the same pony who attacked your old employee!” she said matter-of-factly.

“I figured as much!” Max replied as he emerged. “It’s odd but the deliverypony seemed familiar somehow.”

“Chess pieces on the flank?” Mare Do Well asked. “I saw it right before he left.”

“How’d you know?” Max asked, curious of how she’d seen the detail, he hadn’t even known she was there at all until she showed up.

“Max, I’ve been watching you since this morning, turns out my hunch he’d show up was right after all,” Rainbow lied. Maybe half-truth, she’d come over to watch and make sure nothing happened as well as learn any connections, still she figured it was convincing enough and he seemed to buy it. “So any idea who he is?”

“Yes, I do, now that you gave me that bit of info. His name’s Joy Maker, he was a brilliant, if a little eccentric toymaker and self-styled entertainment master who we contracted for a means of utilizing magic gems to power toys and theme park attractions, which would have allowed us to branch even further into the entertainment area. Unfortunately, I found out the hard way that my former vice president Top Notch went over his authority and terminated contract with him and the gizmonk team he'd had when he requested royalties for his inventions. Top Notch was essentially trying to embezzle his dues to increase our profits for his own use, it was one of the reasons I fired him, I sought Joy Maker out after, but could not find him, I shut down the theme park project here immediately after, it felt wrong to continue profiting off something he never got his just entitlements to,” Diamonds explained. Mare Do Well couldn’t help but smirk, this guy was like the colt scout of the pony business world. Even Filthy Rich wouldn’t have risked that big a dent in his fortunes over moral matters.

“Well, until he’s caught, I suggest you contact the city guard and stay under their watch in case he tries again,” Mare Do Well said. “I’ll see what I can do about finding him. I’m taking this, too,” she added, propping the destroyed toy on her back and flying out the window.

Outside, Twilight was promptly tapped on the shoulder by Mare Do Well. “Alright, WHAT in Tartarus just happened in there?!” the unicorn demanded, having heard the commotion.

“No time to explain, teleport us now!” the costumed pegasus ordered, and they were gone before anypony noticed.

In one of the alleys nearby, the deliverypony pulled the now-faded gem off his helmet and tossed it in the trash, trotting off to his own destination. “Enjoy halftime, Mare Do Well, because Round 2 won’t be nearly as fun for you!” he said, throwing off the fake moustache and uniform coat and placing his helmet back into the delivery satchel he’d brought.

~

“I gotta say, Rainbow, this is pretty advanced, like you wouldn’t find this sort of stuff in a toy!” Twilight said, her horn glowing as the floating tweezers picked apart the deadly toy that Rainbow Dash had fought earlier. The pegasus, still in full costume sans hat and mask, paced about in the hotel room in frustration.

“Well, this thing was powering it somehow,” Rainbow explained, sliding the damaged gem on Twilight’s desk.

“Like I told you earlier, Rainbow, unicorn magic powers a lot of things, and we’ve found ways to infuse gems with it so other ponies can use them too,” Twilight explained.

“Yeah, yeah, who doesn’t know about that. But it talked and everything. Somepony was controlling it somehow! Spoke through it and everything! Max told me Joy Maker wasn’t just making toys, he was making a whole theme park with gem power and gizmonk assistance till it got cancelled by one of his employees who wanted to steal his royalties!” Rainbow explained.

“Joyland? It’s like two thirds of the way done and it’s stayed that way for over a year, Rainbow. It’s right here, not far from the coastlines of Baltimare and nopony ever bought it out!” Twilight replied.

“Well then I got a good idea where he’s hiding!” Rainbow answered with a smirk. "Funny nopony else has."

“Probably because it wouldn’t explain where he got the money to finish all he started. He hasn’t been seen since that contract got broken,” Twilight replied, continuing to examine the toy. “This kind of stuff doesn’t come cheap, and I doubt he’s been in contact with InfiniGem directly for its supplies. Somepony’s paying him, and probably doing a straw purchase on gems for this...”

“Well then it’s time I ask him… in between the hooves to the face of course!” Rainbow answered, putting her mask and hat back on. “And yes, Twi, I know it’s got ‘Trap’ written all over it, but the only other option is waiting till he sends something worse after Max Diamonds and puts the city guard in danger.”

“Rainbow, I don’t know about this,” Twilight protested. “Like you said, this could be a trap, and who knows what this pony’s got in store for you if it is!”

“Twi, I’ve said it about myself, and I say it about Mare Do Well; I never leave a pony hanging. Whatever he’s got planned for me, or for Max, if I don’t deal with this pony at the source, he can keep sending more and more of his killer dollies at Max or come up with a new plan whenever he least expects it. This has to be handled now.” Rainbow prepared to leave, grabbing up a few more flash bombs and sliding them into her belt then putting her mask down over the lower half of her face so it was fully covered and before Twilight could answer or focus a spell to hold her back, the costumed pegasus was already out the window and off into the sky whose current state now shared the unicorn’s name.

~

Touching down quietly, Mare Do Well slipped quietly among the unfinished rides and booths, all of which now in various states of neglect. It was really something of Max to abandon the project like that thanks to a conscience, it was only a shame nopony decided to pick up where he’d left off.

Nopony who should, anyway… she thought, wincing at the rather creepy pony clown faces that adorned one of the unfinished rides that bear an uncanny resemblance to the photos she’d seen of Joy Maker. There was nothing funny about a clown in the moonlight as far as she was concerned and the fact that they were designed after some nutjob who sent killer toys after businessponies didn’t help. Crouched near a booth, the costumed pegasus flew up atop it, then on to a mostly finished carousel with dragons for mounts so she could get a better look at the immediate area. There was a haunted house attraction nearby, which earned a snort from the superheroine. Too cliché. She thought. She noticed a funhouse with an especially creepy, grinning wooden cut-out of a clown pony’s mouth open as an entrance. “Joy Maker, I presume?” she mused, and she fluttered down and landed on the dirt ground with a soft pat of her hooves.

Behind her, a large helmeted pony statue that looked to be turning the gears of the wheels to make the carousel turn with his hooves turned its head, one of its eyes glowing as it watched Mare Do Well. Within the funhouse, in a hidden room surrounded by gem-projected screens, the turquoise earth pony watched the one that saw through the carousel statue’s eye with a wild gleam in his own as a grin slowly spread across his face, his bulky helmet’s gem glowing as he slid on a pair of gauntlets and a belt also containing glowing green gems as well. His ultimate creation was ready to experience its greatest test subject. Now all he needed to do was get her there, which would be done with the press of a button.

Rainbow’s eyes widened as suddenly a bunch of red toy birds with round bodies and angry eyes flew out of the mouth of the funhouse at her. “Guess you know I’m here!” she said, her wings snatching and flinging out a pair of flash bombs at the birdlike contraptions flying at her and she immediately took to the air, the birds flying right past her and she immediately dropped down, slamming her back hoof on one and crushing it into the ground, causing it to spark with magical energy and seemingly go inactive, then used her momentum to push herself back up in the air to engage the others.

With a spin in the air, the costumed mare smacked one off-course with her forehoof, sending it spinning out of control, but the other one slammed her in the chest like a cannonball, knocking her backward. “Ugh, what was he thinking when he invented these?!” she demanded angrily, grinding her hooves into it and turning in the air before she was slammed into the neighboring haunted house wall by it so that it met the wall instead of her. Another one down.

The one she’d hit earlier rejoined with its remaining partner, and the two flew straight at her with increased speed. Mare Do Well swung, but the birds moved at just the right angle and she was greeted with double impact in the face and chest, knocking her to the ground and the two bird toys proceeded to poke her with their small beaks over and over again for a few seconds, before rising up high in the air and swooping down to dive-bomb her. Regaining her sense and moving in time, Rainbow nimbly dodged them, and watched as the two toys crashed hard into the ground, defeated.

“Nice try, now what say we—“ Mare Do Well began in a low, harsh tone as she got up, spreading her wings as she prepared to charge in when suddenly the birds all exploded, producing clouds of oddly-smelling gas. Coughing, Rainbow felt her senses dull, and her last conscious thoughts were of having to see Twi about a gas filter or something in the mask, and about five different swear words before blackness took her.

~

“Where…?” Rainbow muttered as she regained consciousness, finding herself in some dimly-lit chamber with only a single, sealed door and a gem-powered projector mounted on the wall. Spreading her wings and attempting to fly, Mare Do Well was suddenly overcome with an electrifying pain. Even with her natural resistance and the costume’s protection, it still hurt a lot.

“You may not want to do that! First rule for this game… you start flying and I start frying!” a voice said as Mare Do Well tapped a collar she realized was now around her neck. Suddenly the projector started rolling, playing a gritty image of Joy Maker, though in a sepia tone like an old film. He was wearing a vest of some kind, with a metal belt, gauntlets, and helmet with glowing gems embedded in them “Greetings, Mysterious Mare Do Well! It’s such a joy to have you here to compete in this game!” he said, the image briefly flickering as he grinned widely at the costumed pegasus.

“Been expecting me, Joy Maker? Then again, I can’t think of why you shouldn’t. I’d come after you sooner or later!” Mare Do Well replied coldly.

“First of all, you will address me as ‘Gametime’ now! Joy Maker died with the contract that was meant to put him on the Equestrian map! Second, I have an ultimatum, a challenge if you would. After all, what’s a game without its challenges?” he asked with a chuckle.

“I’m listening,” Mare Do Well said coldly.

“Goody! Here’s the arrangement! YOU, Mare Do Well, make it through a series of perils I’ve designed for you in my little funhouse maze here. Find me, and I leave Max Diamonds alone and unharmed. If you don’t, well, let’s just say the obituaries will be listing at least two ponies before the night’s out! Boss’s orders after all!” the helmeted pony said, rubbing his forehooves together.

“Boss? So somepony’s got you working for him?” Mare Do Well asked. “WHO?”

“Pfft, hay if I know! He paid me enough in bits and gizmonk assistance to spruce this place up in the last few weeks, because like me, he reeeeeally doesn’t like Max, or you for that matter. Then again, maybe I know more then I’m telling!” he said, chuckling as the gritty image of him leaned forward.

“…And yet you didn’t bother to disarm me or unmask me?” Mare Do Well asked. “Pretty cocky move there.”

“Oh, noooo, more like you’re gonna need all you have if you want even a chance, and what fun is a game if BOTH players aren’t given a challenge? And plus, I don’t believe in spoiling any game’s ending. I’ll consider the unmasking of you a nice payoff when I win!” Gametime said. “And speaking of games, what say I start this one up… now?” he asked, the image flickering and vanishing, and the door opened.

“Gametime, if you can still hear me…” Mare Do Well's tone was tone low and dangerous. “You’ve got a lot to answer for. Attacking ponies, foalnapping me, stopping me from flying… your flank is asking for it!” With that, she exited through the door ready to face whatever he had planned for her.

~Present~

Guess that’s how… she thought to herself in annoyance, just in time for a face resembling Gametime’s engraved into the wall to open its jaws wide and fire darts her way.

“Aw, Tartarus!” Mare Do Well shouted, nimbly rolling out of the way and watching as the darts promptly exploded on the opposing wall. Daring Do made it seem so much easier in her adventures, even to a pony of her talent this was rough.

Before she could stand, though, the floor tilted, and dropped her downward like a chute, sending her through the next door.

Standing at last, Mare Do Well found the new room had three lit-up doorways with large buttons on the floor before them labeled A, B, and C, the doors themselves featuring glowing question marks on them. “Great… so do I take one door, or all doors, or what?” she asked as a projector emerged from the wall behind her and played an image of Gametime, who looked at her smugly.

“Be sharp, see sharp, and a way may yet be somewhere,” he said, and the image flickered out immediately after. The costumed pegasus raised an eyebrow under the mask, wondering what that was even supposed to mean, and pressed button C.

“WHOA!” She barely had time to roll out of the away and avoid a giant spike that emerged from the corresponding door that nearly skewered her into the wall behind her. When the spike retracted into the door, it slammed shut and the question marks transformed into grinning images of Gametime’s face.

“Well that didn’t work… wait a sec!” Rainbow thought about what the crazed toymaker said. SEE sharp… BE sharp… A way…” A grin spread under the mask. “Sharp objects behind doors B and C, A leads to a way out!” With that, she pressed button A, and the sound of hooves clapping and a cheer track was heard as the door opened, leading to the next hallway, and the costumed mare galloped towards where his next puzzle would await her.

In moments, passing fancy lights and going through another Gametime mural face that made up an entrance, she found herself in a room with two passages. Sitting on her haunches, she waited for Gametime to make his move. Sure enough, a projector glowed to life and ran another gritty image of her captor.

“Well done, Mare Do Well! That’s the spirit! Now you’ve come to the next part, a place of many turns, but pick your choice right, you may find I left my favorite clue right there, and when you’ve left, you may find the way is finally right in front of you.” He said, rubbing his hooves together as the image went out.

Taking a moment, the pegasus looked at the fork before her, she wasn’t about to fall sucker for any traps again. Then realization at the deranged pony’s words came. Right, left, right, left, right. Perfect.

Moments later, Mare Do Well emerged into the next room free of any troubles, and was greeted with more hoof clapping sounds as another recorded image appeared before her.

“Not bad, hero. You did well on a set of directions a blind diamond dog pup could figure out! On to the next one, which I promise a barrel of fun, but luck won’t be on your side as far as finding an escape,” he said, and the next door’s question mark transformed into a grinning image of Gametime’s face and slid open.

Entering, Mare Do Well found herself in a rounded hallway, and a few visits to theme parks as a filly told her all she needed to know about what was to come next. Trotting into the hallway, the place immediately began to rotate, causing her to stumble and fall over. “How’d I do this as a filly… oh right, I just flew through,” she muttered, remembering the restrictions Gametime put on her and looked at the way it spun. Taking a breath and moving along with the rotation, she began to progress, but then heard a loud clank, and saw spikes emerging from the barrel hallway behind her, and more of them emerging by the second drawing closer and prompting her to move faster despite the dizzying effects and unstable footing. With one great jump, she leaped out of the spinning hall and tumbled to the flat, safe floor at the end, glancing back one last time at the now spike-lined barrel passage, and standing back up, continued on her way down a darkened hallway that felt like an extremely tight squeeze till she was greeted with a more open area with a mirror at the end. Normally when faced with her costumed reflection Rainbow Dash found herself either admiring it or pondering over this new life of hers, but now was the time for neither of those activities.

Still, one moment wouldn’t hurt. She took a moment to straighten her hat, and brush back her cape. “Still awesome,” she said to herself as she pondered over those last words Gametime had said about luck not being on her side with finding an exit, then looked back at the mirror. A bitter smirk came on the pegasus’ face as she turned herself around and gave the mirror a firm buck, shattering it and revealing an open door behind it. “Real lame, Gametime,” she muttered as she headed through the door.

~

Within his hideout, the helmeted pony slammed his hoof on his desk. She’d gotten through all of his traps, his puzzles, everything, but he still had one more surprise, one he was certain she would not be able to beat. Giving a whistle, two gizmonks approached him, laying out a platform with several gems embedded into it, and the earth pony stood atop it, ready for her as the platform and the gems he wore glowed as one.

Up ahead a long, winding stairway awaited her, some kind of intense organ music playing up above, prompting an eyeroll from the pegasus as she galloped up the stairs, rotating lit-up images of Gametime’s face swirling around the rounded walls as she came closer to her destination, and finally, at the top waiting on the end of a small hallway, was a large door with another image of her captor’s face on it. “Seriously, even that bratty filly who picks on Scootaloo's not this vain!” she grumbled as she approached the door, the face vanishing and it slid apart, allowing her entrance to a large arena-like room. On the opposite end was a larger door, with a small box with a gem sticking out of it. The gem flickered, and an image of Gametime’s head appeared over it, grinning

“Well done, Mare Do Well, but now you have to survive the final boss battle if you want to see the ending!”

As he said this, the large door slid apart, revealing the box was attached to what appeared to be some kind of giant gem-powered clockwork spider robot that stood roughly twenty feet tall. Its rounded body had four legs and two clawlike forelimbs in the front. The boxlike structure the gem projecting Gametime’s head extended out on a telescopic neck, grinning madly at the superhero. “You beat me and you’re free to escape, assuming you’re that lucky!” he said with a laugh, thrusting one of his claws out at her, snapping it at her in an attempt to grab her, but the costumed pegasus jumped out of the way and galloped about the room, Gametime’s contraption pursuing her.

“You’re not getting away, little pony!” he taunted, snapping his claws at her one after the other as she suddenly darted under his legs. “Think that’ll do you any good?” Gametime demanded with a crazed laugh, slamming his massive metal feet down in an attempt to crush her but missing as she moved behind him, only for the towering metal beast to bend and retract its limbs and ‘head’ together and curl into a ball, rolling after her and bouncing off all the walls as she attempted to dodge him. After a few seconds, the giant contraption uncurled itself and turned to face her, claws drawn as it charged again, the projected face laughing maniacally.

How can I beat this thing? She wondered, doing her best to dodge the attacks without flying as she knew it’d lead to a painful shock and certain death. Then looking at it, she remembered her fight with the killer toy he’d sent after Max. Dodging another attack but beginning to feel the fatigue, Rainbow eyed the gem on the metal beast’s neck. Gametime had been controlling the toy in a similar fashion this would hopefully do the same.

“Alright, Gametime. Finish me!” she said, holding a hoof up and the villain laughed.

“Very well!” he said, thrusting a claw out at her. As soon as it reached her, Rainbow used all the adrenaline she had left to sprint across the claw’s arm, leap onto the body, and jump on its head, pulling her last pair of flash bombs from her belt with her wings and dropping them on it. Blindly and instinctively, Gametime thrust both claws towards her, prompting her to jump and both claws struck the gem instead, shattering it. With a scream of frustration, Gametime’s projected head vanished from the machine, and it toppled over against the wall, lifeless. Up above, Rainbow noticed a small window. With no way of seeing her now, she seized her opportunity to do what she did best. Spreading her wings she flew as fast as she could, hooves out in front of her as she smashed open the window and tackled the helmeted pony within, the panicked gizmonks immediately fleeing out a doorway nearby. With a shudder, Gametime fell to the ground, his helmet falling from his head and rolling under his desk. With a grin under her mask, Rainbow slammed her hoof in his chest, knocking the wind out of him, then took her hat off and slid the shock collar off. “Hey, Joy Maker?” she asked, as she slid the collar onto his own neck. “Game over!” the costumed pegasus concluded as she jumped off of him and went over to tap the gem on his fallen helmet, causing a painful shock to go through the earth pony’s body. “Now care to tell me who your boss is?”

“Aw come on, isn’t that demanding too much?” Gametime asked with a laugh, only to get shocked again.

“Nah, I think it’s enough,” She said coldly. “Now tell me or I won’t stop next time.”

“Alright! His name’s Big Shot, that’s all I know. Never met him, got a message here and there, a few run-ins with his thugs, but that’s all! I swear by Celestia’s crown I don’t know anything else, okay?” he pleaded.

“Fair enough,” Mare Do Well said, tapping the helmet once more and shocking him again for good measure, rendering the turquoise pony unconscious.

~

Following the exit the gizmonks had used, Mare Do Well carried Gametime on her back as she emerged from the funhouse. There before her was the city guard, and Max Diamonds himself, already having apprehended the gizmonks.

“I was beginning to worry. The guard station got an anonymous tip in the mail not too long ago. Couldn’t trace who sent it,” Max explained, then smiled. “I see you’ve handled Joy Maker already.”

“Nothing I couldn’t handle!” Mare Do Well said as she jerked a bit, making the unconscious pony fall to the ground where he was promptly surrounded by guards.

“Well, I know I can sleep a little better now,” Diamonds said with a laugh. “Will you be alright? It feels wrong to just let you go as you are.”

“I’m fine. Just need a good rest!” Mare Do Well answered. “Take care of yourself, Mr. Diamonds,” she said, spreading her wings and taking flight into the night sky, the businesspony smirking as he watched her fly off.

“Well, she’s really something,” he said, pondering what he’d tell the press to ensure she was properly thanked.

~

Twilight lay on her hotel bed, shaking a little. She was worried about Rainbow, more then she’d ever been, but she didn’t want to interfere with her friend’s self-appointed responsibilities or risk making things worse by also putting herself in danger. “Rainbow, I really hope you make it back soon..."

“How about now instead?” Mare Do Well’s disguised voice asked at the window she noticed was now open. “Hey, Twi!” Rainbow said, using her normal voice. Before the pegasus could react, Twilight jumped onto her and gave her a hug.

“Rainbow you’re okay!” she said with a smile.

“Hey, nothing an awesome pony like me wasn’t capable of handling. Gametime never saw it coming!” Rainbow replied, sliding the mask up and revealing her old cocky smirk.

“Oh really? What about those tears on your side?”

“Spikes.”

“And the singe on your cape?” Twilight asked.

“Flamethrowers,” Rainbow answered.

“And the fact you’ve got a wobble in your stance?” Twilight continued.

“Okay, okay, maybe it was a little tougher then I implied, but hey, I still kicked his flank and got him a one-way ticket to Alkatrot!” the pegasus said, then looked down at her friend. “Uh, Twi. It’s okay to let go now,” she said, causing Twilight to blush in embarrassment and let go, having forgotten she was still holding onto her friend.

“Sorry, just had a real scare there!” the unicorn said. “Well at least Diamonds is safe now.”

“For the most part, yeah. But Gametime was working for somepony named Big Shot. Ever hear of that name?” Rainbow asked.

“There’s rumors in Manehattan recently about an underworld kingpin who calls himself that, but nothing concrete,” Twilight said. “Some say he’s just made up by shadier ponies, others think he’s real.”

“Well clearly he is, and he’s got it out for Mare Do Well,” Rainbow explained.

“I can’t say he’s gonna be easy to look for anything on. Like I said, nothing but recent rumors,” Twilight replied.

“Well given he’s also got something against Max, I’m thinking he could be Top Notch, that vice president he fired awhile back. It's gotta be looked into,” Rainbow replied as she removed her hat and mask completely, but then suddenly staggered again.

“Whoa! You okay, Rainbow?” Twilight asked, urgency suddenly upon her again.

“Nah, I just really need to rest. The sooner we get back to Ponyville the better!” the pegasus said. “Thanks for the anonymous tip to the guards, by the way. A little late but I guess it’s for the best.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “What anonymous tip?” she asked.

~

“Alright, bring in the next subject!” a unicorn stallion in a gas mask ordered. Another floated a smaller pony over to the first masked one. The first floated a small jar and magically opened it, causing a burst of red smoke to puff out of it in the captive pony’s face, causing him to cough for a moment, then start grinning and staring off into space in a euphoric delirium. The first pony then looked over to the large figure behind him. “As you can see, the brewing still has some kinks to work out, but we’re making great progress, Big Shot,” he explained.

The towering earth pony emerged from the shadows, he wore a black suitcoat and purple shirt, his body was a dull walnut color and his red tail was cut short. Several scars adorned his body and an odd metal mask with blue lenses was strapped over his entire face. The mark on his flank was that of two swords crossed together. “Well you’d best work those out soon, doctor, or I may have to cut you loose...” he swung his hoof and knocked the euphoric pony off the catwalk. “…much like I had to with Gametime earlier. Mare Do Well continues to pose a threat and cannot come across our plans too soon… and the longer you take, the more time she has.”

“O-of course, sir!” the unicorn scientist said with a salute, and with that, resumed his work.

~One day later…~

“Anyway, I got back an answer from Princess Celestia. She says Top Notch has not been seen or heard of ever since standing trial after Max Diamonds fired him,” Twilight explained. “She also encourages you continue your crimefighting, and has utmost faith you’ll find this Big Shot one day and bring him to justice and overcome any threat you’re faced with in you’re the path you’re taking. You’ve made a real difference in ponies lives wherever you’ve gone, they’re starting to really admire Mare Do Well again,” she said with a smile, magically rolling up the scroll and putting it away.

“I’ll have to thank her when I get the chance,“ Rainbow answered, feeling much better after having slept half the day, and the rather impressive thank you speech Diamonds had given in the Baltimare Bugle that Twilight had shown her as well. “Tellya what, after I get my weather duties done, we’ll go have dinner, I haven’t eaten a good meal here in Ponyville in days.”

“It’s only been about two, Rainbow,” Twilight said with a laugh.

“That’s two too many, Twi!” Rainbow said, nudging her friend with her hoof. “In the meantime, if you can, see if you know any mending spells to fix the costume. I’ll catchya later.” With that, the pegasus trotted out the door and flew off, leaving the amused unicorn to her studies.

Author's Note:

Thanks for all your patience, I have the next chapter in the works, but with a lot of real-life drama going on, I don't know when it'll be done, hopefully sometime next week. Until then, hope you've all enjoyed this latest installment!

Villain Profile:

Comments

[Rainbow87dash]

Gametime reminds me of the Ridler

captive pony’s face, causing him to cough for a moment, then start grinning and staring off into space in a euphoric delirium.

JOKER!!?? Big Shot is The Joker!?

[ShadeJak]

2547454
Yes, Riddler, along with Toyman and especially the Marvel villain named Arcade were Gametime's main inspirations.

And no, the effects of the drug aren't like Joker's, think something similar to the Love Poison in Hearts & Hooves Day.

[BenRG]

Twilight is getting more and more involved in this, isn't she? Maybe she should think of investing in a costume too? The Amethyst Witch perhaps?

2547454
More likely Ra's al Ghul; he doesn't have the mania that I would associate with the Joker. Using Gametime as a disposable lackey to test Rainbow is also in Ra's's playbook.

[ShadeJak]

2585646

LOL yeah she is, she's mostly in an Oracle-esque role tho, helping Rainbow with resources and information, as well as with her status of having Canterlot nobility ties and as Celestia's personal student helping Rainbow get info, resources, and into places that would otherwise be inaccessable to her on her own.

And yeah, Big Shot is more akin to a master planner like Ra's, not a hedonistic maniac like Joker. He is mostly modeled after 'crime boss' villains like Black Mask and Kingpin