The Masked Mare of Mystery

It was a dark and stormy night. (Wow, talk about an original beginning, but a storm from the Everfree forest did roam into Ponyville.) All of the residence of Ponyville were asleep in bed. All but one.  Rainbow Dash. She was looking trouble from the rooftops. Night always seemed to bring out the crooks that find their way into  usually peace and honest towns, at least, in every super hero comic book Dash ever read. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case right now. That was hardly ever the case for Ponyville.

“Another slow night.” Dash yawned from beneath her mask.

After her friends took it upon themselves to teach her some humility for bragging about being a hero with the mask hero, the Mysterious  Mare Do Well, the rainbow maned pony had decided to take up the act. She couldn't help but think back to her first night, when she caught a thief and really help Granny Smith.

It was funny how Dash would sleep all day if you gave her the chance, but tonight she was restless. She had wanted to visit her beloved Fluttershy, but didn't think the other pegasus would appreciate being woken up at midnight, so opted for patrol, even though the Mare Do Well alarm would alert her of any crimes going on.

Just as Dash had decided to call it a night, she heard the sound of glass breaking. She looked over to see it a robbery. The target was Sugarcube Corner. Dash could see a unicorn stallion with the safe held in a teal aura.

“At last, some fun.” Rainbow chuckled to herself as she flew down and landed on the thief with a hard THUD, causing him to drop the loot.

The thief levitated her off.  “You again?” he roared.

“Hey hotshot, you gonna go quietly this time, or you want more face time with the rock?” Mare Do Well asked.

“What do you care, or better yet, who in the name of Celestia are you?” the thief asked.

“Haven’t you heard of me? No? Well, I’m the Mysterious Mare Do Well. And you?” The masked hero replied.

“I’m…” the stallion started, only to get a hoof square in the muzzle, followed by a roundhouse punch across the jaw.

“...the loser again.” RD laughed.

Just  then a light came on within the bakery. Rainbow Dash turned to see three ponies coming out to see what was wrong. Mr. and Mrs. Cake look shocked.

“I can’t believe we nearly robbed, thank you Mare Do Well.” Carrot Cake.

“No problem sir.” Mare Do Well said in a monotone voice.

“Ooh, we need to have a thank you party for Mare Do Well…” Pinkie Pie started, only to have the hero silence her with a hoof.

“Thanks kid, but I do what I do for the ponies, nothing else.” The masked mare said.

It hurt Dash to she the look on Pinkie’s face. It was like those words shot the pink party pony through the heart. Maybe it was being denied a reason to through her famed parties, still, it seems the pink earth pony understood. Pinkie nodded.

“You folks go back to bed, I’ll deal with this guy, I just need something to tie him up.” The Mysterious Mare Do Well said.

“Oh, I have some rope I keep around for pleasure, but you can have it for justice, I’ll bring it down.” Pinkie said cheerily. It was amazing how almost nothing ruined Pinkie’s constant good mood.

The Cakes (with their safe back in their possession) and Pinkie went back inside. Rainbow Dash turned back the crook. How did he escape Canterlot prison?, getting out of a cell was a feat in of itself.

“Here you go!” a voice uninterrupted Dash’s train of thought, bringing her back to the reality of the current situation. She turned to see Pinkie holding a coil of rope in one hoof.

“Thank you, now please get back to bed.” Mare Do Well ordered as she took the rope from Pinkie.

Pinkie wanted to ask her who she was under the mask, why was she doing this, and was it really worth doing it “only for the ponies”, but instead turned to head back inside. She looked back to see Mare Do Well tying up the thief who tried to rob them earlier.

“Hey Mare Do Well.” Pinkie called.

The hero looked up at her.

“Thanks”

“Your welcome kid.” The masked hero replied with a warm tone.

Pinkie Pie smiled as she went back inside.Dash sighed. It was hard enough having to keep the truth from her friends, much less put up with crazy criminals, but the way she can help ponies, give them a sense of security made it all worth it.

“I love this job.” Dash though to herself as she carried the thief  to town hall.

Last time, she had just left him there to be locked up, but since he seemed to have given them the slip at the prison, no doubt he can do it here. She decided to stay with him here until morning. Just as a measure, Rainbow made sure to sleep on top the thief, so if he tried to make a break for it, she’d feel something. This proved unnecessary, but better safe than sorry. If Mayor Mare was surprised to find a crook at the door  at town hall there first time, she was shocked to find the crook AND the hero at the doorstep the next morning. After Mare Do Well explained the situation, the thief was lock in the holding cell, with a guard watching him. Relieved, RD headed home.

“Tank!” Rainbow called as she entered.

The tortoise flew up to his owner. “About time you got back,what happened?” he asked.

“It was the same pony from last time, I had to say with him so he didn't get away again.” Rainbow said as she took of the hat and masked.

“Did he give you to much of a hassle that you can’t feed me my breakfast?” Tank asked.

Rainbow Dash sighed as she made her way to her bedroom. After she took off the costume, she made breakfast for the two of them.  As they ate, RD looked at the calender.

“Yuh, Cider Season starts tomorrow, I wonder what I’m going to do for our one year anniversary?”  Dash wondered out loud.

“ The anniversary of you and Fluttershy getting together?” Tank asked.

“Yeah,  best day of my life, I didn't care for having to find Angel bunny in Everfree Forest though.” Dash laughed.

After they ate, Dash went out  to start work. Ten seconds later, the sky was clear, for now. Wild clouds from the Everfree often stray into Ponyville skys, so the sky wouldn't stay clear all day. Until the clouds made it to Ponyville, pegasi can’t do anything to them.

“Why can’t those clouds just stay where they are, like regular clouds? Dash asked herself.

She though about a time when she flew over to the Everfree and tried to busts clouds there so they won’t go into Ponyville. To her surprise, her hoofs passed right through it. Strangely enough, she could walk on it.

“Hey Dash!” a voice called.

Rainbow Dash looked over to see it was her marefriend.

“Hey Shy!” Rainbow said. The two pegasi nuzzled muzzles in greeting, followed by a kiss.

“You know cider season starts tomorrow and…” Shy started.

“Hey don’t worry, I’ll show my little cutie pie a good time for our anniversary.” Dash reassured her lover, which earned her a light kiss on the cheek.

“Did you hear about the attempted robbery last night?” Fluttershy asked.

“Let me guess, the Mysterious Mare Do Well saved the day.” RD said sarcastically.

“You know, we did it for your own good, besides, we can’t help it if somepony took it upon themselves to be a hero.” Fluttershy replied annoyed.

“I know…” Dash said, then lowered her voice to a whisper, “… don’t tell the others, but you made the best Mare Do Well Snuggy.”

“Awww, you’re to much Dashie." Fluttershy said softly, pulling Dash in for a kiss. When they had finished, Rainbow wrapped a wing around the other pony and the two went on their way.

Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash arrived at Golden Oaks where Pinkie as excitedly talking to Twilight.

“She said she does it for the ponies, nothing else.” Pinkie said while hopping in place.

“Wow, sounds like true selflessness.” Twilight mussed.

“I know, she even turned down one of my parties!” Pinkie Pie continued.

Twilight’s eyes widened at this. When Pinkie Pie offered a party in your honor, you took it. You’d have to be out of your mind to refuse her.

“Dashie, Fluttershy, did you hear? Mare Do Well stopped a robbery Sugarcube Corner.” Pinkie told the couple when they entered the library.

“Yeah, we heard.” RD replied, slightly upset. After the Mare Do Well incident, Dash  developed a dislike for hearing about her good deeds.

“Yes, apparently it was the same pony who tried to rob Granny Smith all those months ago.” Twilight added.

“Hey everypony!” a voice called.

The four ponies looked to see Applejack and Rarity walk in.

“Yall know that cider season starts tomorrow, so I was wondering if yall can help us again?”

“Of course we will, just this time, let’s not bust out the Vodka.” Twilight laughed.

“Hey, it was time for celebration, they would have been nuts not too.” Pinkie said defensively. Only she could party so hard as to keep some level state of mind after 30 mugs of spiked cider.

“Your right their Pinkie, we did beat Flim and Flam at the contest, but yall did get slammed, especially Rainbow.” Applejack teased.

“Hey, I had to wait three days for one mug, and everypony knows it tastes better spiked.” RD said defensively.

“ Alright, come on girls, we gotta set for tomorrow.” Twilight said.

With that, the six mares left for Sweet Apple Acres.