The Masked Mare of Mystery

Rainbow Dash stood in front the store that received the least business in town, looking at the sign that hung above the door, which read “Gizmo's Computer and other tech”.

“I know this guy works for Equestria Laboratories, but seriously, why are the goods so expensive?” Dash asked herself as she entered.

“Hello, welcome to Gizmos.” A nerdy looking earth pony behind the register greeted her.

“Yeah, hi I shopped here before…” they cyan Pegasus began.

“Wait, I remember you Rainbow Dash, you came in and asked for a computer, a box of spy cameras, the alarm system and a thought translator system.” Gizmo said.

“Yep, that’s me. What I need from you now is a super computer, an automatic door with a hoof and face scanner, and a mobile communication device.”  Rainbow replied.

Gizmo looked at her like she had grown another head.

“I’m sorry, just how are you going to pay for those? You still owe me for the first batch of stuff I sold you.” he asked.

Dash tossed a huge bag of bits on the counter.

“Does that answer your question?” she asked.

Gizmo stared at the bag. “How much…? ” he asked.

“There’s two hundred bits in that bag and plenty more where that came from, I assure you.” The rainbow maned Pegasus said.

“I’ll get you set up. You know, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re some kind of superhero of something making a HQ.” The earth pony joked as he took the bag and went into a back room.

Rainbow Dash smiled, but it soon faded when she though back to the day decided to become the Mysterious Mare Do Well.

“Wait Rainbow, don’t worry about that letter now, we have bigger problems right now!” Twilight Sparkle exclaimed.

“She’s right, yall just chased Mare Do Well off stage and into the town, their gonna want to know what happened.” Applejack said.

“Okay listen girls, we have to get the hay out of here, and the sooner we get rid of these Mare Do Well costumes, the better. Dash, you have to explain what happened.” Twilight said.

“Right, don’t worry, I’m on it.” Dash reassured them.

She watched as her friends raced off to Sweet Apple Acres. She herself flew back to the stage where Mayor Mare was trying to calm down the crowd.

“Excuse me, Mayor?” the cyan Pegasus asked.

“Rainbow Dash, what happened?. No better yet, what was your problem with Mare Do Well?” she asked.

“Is it okay if I address everypony at once?” the cyan Pegasus asked timidly.

The mayor nodded.

“Excuse me, everypony?” Dash asked.

The dispersing crowd gathered again to her what the local speedster had to say.

“The reason I chased Mare Do Well of stage is because…I was jealous of all the attention she was getting for being a hero, attention I got that morning and wanted back. I got angry with her and decided to unmask her in front of the town, had her cornered. But when she told me being a hero is more than the praise, I decided to let her go.” Dash explained.

“What did Mare Do Well say?” a voice asked.

Rainbow Dash looked upon the sea of eager faces, realizing that, like it or not, they needed Mare Do Well. Sure today was a “one off” day, but who’s to say a day just like it would never come around.  The cyan Pegasus thought about the times she saved ponies from trouble. That feeling of knowing you prevent what could have been an ugly ending. Somepony has to ready should such a time arrived. Who was going to bare that burden?

“She said we haven’t seen the last of her.” Dash said solemnly.

This was met with loud cheers.

“SILENCE!” a loud voice ordered.

The ponies looked to see it was the Mayor.

“Mare Do Well deserved that, but let’s not forget who put her life at risk before Mare Do Well arrived.” Mayor Mare said firmly, turning to Rainbow Dash, only to see she had gone.

Nopony had noticed the rainbow maned Pegasus slip away while the mayor had them distracted.

“What have I done?” she asked herself, even though she knew. She just took it upon herself to be the hero they all adored, and she had no way of telling what came with that.

“Excuse me?” a voice asked.

Rainbow snapped out of her thoughts to face Gizmo again.

“Yeah, sorry, my mind wondered.” She said quickly.

“That’s okay, anyway, here’s the mobile device. It hides in your ear.” The earth pony explained, holding out a hoof with a small silver device in it.

“What about the other stuff?” Dash asked.

“They’ll take time…and bits.”

“How much?”

“Your purchase comes to 1200 bits, but you already put 200 down.”

“No problem, I’ll pay you as soon as possible.” Rainbow said, putting the device in her ear.

“I’m sure you will, anyway, thank you for your business, I don’t get much.” Gizmo replied.

“Maybe you should try selling something cheaper.” Dash suggested as she walked out, leaving the nerdy stallion wondering.

***

The spot was not far from her house, hidden behind one of the mountains was a waterfall. Rainbow Dash had discovered a cave behind the waterfall.

“I knew this would make the perfect spot for a secret lair.” Dash said to herself.

Looking around, she noticed something carved on a wall she never noticed before. It was RS+WG in a heart.

“Rainbow Strike and White Glory!” RD exclaimed, “They must of found this place before me.”

“Hello!?” a voice called from the house.

Rainbow flew out of the cave and returned to her house, where a covered wagon was waiting.

“Yes hi, are you here with the stuff I ordered?” RD asked.

“Yes, we…”

“Great, follow me and you can start setting it up.” Dash interuppted, leading them to the cave.

The deliver pony were confused as they pulled the wagon behind a mountain and more surprisingly, behind a waterfall, only to discover a cave within.

“Why…?”

“It’s not any business of yours, just get my stuff set up!” RD snapped.

They started at her.

“I’ll pay all of you double if you get it done within the hour.” She said.

That got the tech ponies moving, fifteen minutes later, the computer and door were ready for use.

“Great, thanks, you’ll get your bits in the mail, bye now.” Dash said as she pushed the techies out the cave.

Once they had gone, Dash walked over to her saddlebag, resting on the floor. Reaching in, she pulled out her Mare Do Well costume and put in on. Going outside the door, she established Mare Do Well as the only one who can enter the lair with a face and hoof scan of the costume. Once she entered the lair, Dash walked to the super computer and turned it on.

“Time to see if the rumors are true.” Dash though said to herself.

Rumors had been going around that a satellite had been launched into space without the public knowing. Just how has puzzled everypony, so it was assumed that no such even occurred. As RD typed, the computer began to pick up an unfamiliar signal. While the computer and indeed this new thing called “the internet” was available to everypony in Equestria, most ponies simply couldn’t afford it. Rainbow herself had to make several monthly payments just to pay for her first batch of tech. However, since she got a computer, she was getting familiar with what was out there. But as she started to connect, she found the signal was secure. Fortunately for Dash, this kind of tech was in its infancy, so the signal wasn’t hard to hack. Once her computer was synced to the satellite, Rainbow Dash could see all of Equestria on the screen.

“Just as I had hoped, the Mysterious Mare Do Well isn’t limited to Ponyville anymore.” RD thought to herself. “After all, Ponyville isn’t the only town in Equestria to need a hero.”

Dash looked out the window to see a star lit night sky.

“ I’d better  get ready to pick up Shy for dinner tonight and we can’t be late.” Dash thought as she left the lair.