Iridescent Plant

I tire of all this and presently will become irritable.

David Eddings, "Queen of Sorcery"

* * *

The girls walked along the dark corridor. At the end of it just one bulb was lit.

"Where are this pegasi and unicorns?" Scootaloo whispered.

Sweetie Belle silently shook her head toward the right door, past which they had just passed. Scootaloo looked at the door, but not seen the light. Absolutely.

"Who will start?" said Apple Bloom.

"Why do not you," Sweetie Belle replied. "I'd rather hear. And Loo let wait for the right moment."

They stopped in front of the last door. There was a nameplate: "Creative Director Rainbow Dash".

"Creative, damn it!" Scootaloo whispered and pushed open the door.

Rainbow Dash stood near the window. Hour and a half ago sun went down, and now the sky was filled with huge juicy stars.

"How long are you," Dash said, without turning around. "I tired of waiting."

"Meat for your grinder?" blurted Apple Bloom immediately.

"I think we have already clarified this question," said Rainbow, after all turning to the Crusaders.

"We haven't clarified nothing," continued Apple Bloom. "We saw only fattening of unfortunate captives, and the premises where you shredding clouds – and not only – stay abroad of our attention."

"How interesting you say," said Dash. "As if you aren't schoolgirl."

“What do you mean?"

"Something change you, and you'd better stop. Will be worse."

"So you aren't guilty in it?"

"Of course not! I don't need crazy, especially the key characters."

"What the "key characters"?" asked Sweetie Belle. "Are you planning a performance where we get fed to the beasts of the Everfree Forest?"

"What a fantasy!" Rainbow chuckled nervously. "Actually, I'm going to give you Twilight after you look everything. Now you know enough."

"So it's Twilight engaged in murders?" Scootaloo horrified.

"It's easy to unicorn to dismember!" assented Sweetie Belle.

Rainbow Dash sighed heavily:

"She is not engaged in no murders. She's engaged in the collection and processing of information, and replaces princesses in routine matters."

"After all, why are you allowed us to remain at liberty to investigate?" asked Apple Bloom. "You wanted to mock a little longer?"

"Celestia forbid!" Rainbow flapped her wings. "I was not going to mock at anypony. I just didn't have enough time for you. Now everything was settled, and it appeared. Not much, of course, as I would like. Fluttershy have big problem with her accident at all. I had to allocate her two guards from the smartest to take care for her little animals… and Tank."

"Not Emden and Grillbar, by chance?" asked Apple Bloom.

"Grilljoe," whispered Scootaloo.

"Nope," Rainbow Dash chuckled. "These are just not very smart. Rather than grab and drag Spotty until he exploded, these jackasses waited for him to die. Then they said they were afraid to suffer. You greatly suffered physically?.."

"Uhhhh… no," said Scootaloo. "But anyway murder is awful!"

"There are things more horrible," Rainbow Dash said adamantly.

"What could be more horrible?!" asked Sweetie Belle.

"For example, the death of all. As an option," said Dash. "That's why I had to endure your clumsy attempts find out crux of the matter. You are more important than you think."

"I hope," said Sweetie Belle. "Don't want to be cut to pieces."

"Can you explain why we are so important?" asked Apple Bloom. "And why Spotty was not so important?"

"It's simple," sighed Rainbow Dash. "Spotty was just a background pony. If he disappears, no one will pay attention. And if you disappear, I'm afraid all Equestria will also disappear."

"Look!" Sweetie Belle pushed Apple Bloom.

"Exactly," she nodded. "So, if something happens to us… and you do not want… then we can make squeal you for a little," Apple Bloom chuckled gloatingly.

"You're trying to scare hedgehog with bare flank!" Dash waved away. "You do not want to suffer and the worst of it will be up to you."

"Maybe we say Celestia, that you was tormented us?" came from the other side Apple Bloom.

"Much as you want," shrugged Rainbow. "Do you think you would be left unattended? Here everything is dotted with cameras, and record storage sector sealed. I thought of it too."

"In this case, we have no choice but to kill you!" exclaimed Sweetie Belle.

"If you'll be stupid, I just detain you until you come to senses. Until the new series with you we have enough time. I knew every step you take. And do not think you can oppose me something. Your knees even buckled before this conversation."

"You followed us everywhere?" asked Apple Bloom and winked to Sweetie Belle. Till Rainbow did not know about the new capabilities of Sweetie, it could be useful.

"Sure. Not personally, I did not have time for this – while reassign storages, informed Celestia about incident, sent technicians to repair – you could spread panic a hundred times. So after you watched some unicorns from the Canterlot guard."

Apple Bloom pushed Scootaloo:

"Come on, ask her about the daemon."

She nodded and stepped forward.

"Or maybe not only you watched for everything? Maybe we know that you fell in love with the demonic brat and even… kissed him?"

Rainbow Dash first paled, then blushed a little. She gave a quick glance to the right, where there was glassed cupboard.

"I do not think you could watch me. More likely you're just put your noses into other ponies' business and overheard my conversation with Twilight Sparkle."

Apple Bloom nodded to her friends then went to the cupboard and looked inside.

"To the best and most awesome flyer of Equestria and to all the ponies with love from Lirein Faust." Ha. All the ponies? Kinda guy you found for yourself, Dasnie! Apparently, he's not as faithful as you! And looks like a monkey."

Rainbow became breathless.

Two other fillies also went to the closet.

Sweetie Belle looked closer to the picture:

"So this is your… boyfriend? Wow. Indeed like a monkey."

"Yes, and you're no better. You even look like blue ghoul, not as lively pony," said Apple Bloom.

"Pretty pale," Scootaloo opened the cupboard and touched the image.

"Do not touch," Rainbow said angrily. "It's not your business at all."

"Come on!" said Apple Bloom. "It's because of him you brutalized?"

"I am not brutalized!" snapped Dash.

"Looks like you now brutalized," as derisively as she could said Scootaloo. "Have you done some nasty things? Told him about the secrets of the pony to ingratiate himself?"

Rainbow suddenly calmed down.

"I am loyal to princesses and Equestria," she said coldly. "All your completely baseless allegations will not change anything. And do not meddle in my personal life. Which no longer exists," the voice of Rainbow Dash froze.

"Oh! So you cheated him?" grinned Apple Bloom.

Dash said nothing. Scootaloo pushed Apple Bloom with shoulder and said:

"It's not you cheated him, right? It's he who swapped you for someone healthier… and cute?" She tried to grin as wide as possible.

"Do not talk such about the creator of Equestria!" Rainbow became angry again.

"In Equestria there is no creator except princesses," Apple Bloom intervened. "Everyone knows that."

"Really?" said Dash. "You're not as smart as the words you are saying."

"So he told you that he created Equestria to get into your soul? Typical behavior for a demon," confidently said Apple Bloom.

"But I still do not understand why he needed you?" said Scootaloo. "Ugly, stupid, and even a traitor! Perhaps it is necessary to tell Celestia about it. I thought we were friends, and you're ready to immure us, but no one would have learned that even the demonic monkey did not want to have a deal with you!"

"Enough!" snapped Rainbow. "I'll personally remove you from the show! No one will ever see you!"

"Catch me first, Rainbow Crash," amazingly calm retorted Scootaloo and ran out the door.

Rainbow was rushed for Scootaloo, but then just as quickly returned to the table and pressed the red button.

"Two pegasi and unicorn – in my office – quick!" she commanded abruptly.

Just after two seconds on the doorstep arose three soldiers of Canterlot guard.

"These two – to the aerostat. Deliver to the Secretary Twilight. Don't enter in conversations," Dash snapped and disappeared behind the door, flying over the soldiers.