Little Redd: the Lost Concept of Peace

Chapter Five

Like Stink on Brit'

"Go home."

"Why?"

"Because I need you to."

"Uh-huh.  Where did you say you're from again?"

Redd's eyes flicked to the pegasus behind her before focusing on the trail again.

"I didn't."

They were most of the way out of the Everfree, and Redd was beginning to become irritated at her uninvited partner.

"Why don't you go off and do some loops?  Or maybe pull some pranks on a bunch of other ponies?"

Dash snickered.

"I'm sure you want to see just how awesome I can be, but I don't just do aerobatics on command."

Redd stifled a laugh with her hoof, unable to contain a snort.

"Okay.  Haven't heard that before."

Rainbow Dash suddenly became defensive.

"What?  Are you being sarcastic?"

"No.  I've never heard an humble word uttered about, much less from, you."

They passed by the road to Sweet Apple Acres, and Redd turned to see an orange spot in the West Orchard, a red one in the East.

Turning back to the road, she kept walking for awhile until she entered Ponyville.

"This is boring... "

"It's not my fault you're here."

"Well it's not my fault you're ly--"

"Little Redd!"

Both mares turned their attention to the three fillies rushing over.  The one currently leading the two was an orange pegasus with an unkempt purple mane and tail.

Is-- is that... Scootaloo?

The one to the left of her was a snowy white with a pink and lavender mane, and the one on the right was bright yellow with a red mane and a pink bow in her hair.  The bow brought back memories of Redd's childhood every time she saw it.

"Little Redd!  Are you a spy?"

"N-no."

Scootaloo looked disappointed.

"Ah told ya she warn't no spy!"

Apple Bloom scolded.  Watching the younger version of her friend get back into arguing, she turned to the only place that she would be free of Rainbow Dash.

The spa.

_______________________

"Ooh, mmm.  Harder.  Harder!  Big Mac, you can-- ow.  Too hard.  Ow!"

"Applejack?"

"Ohhh, that's perfect… yeah RD?"

"Uh, what're you doing?"

Dash's voice was muffled beyond Applejack's bedroom door.

"Nothin'.  You can come in, if ya want."

Silence fell on Rainbow Dash's end.

"Rainbow?"

"I… uh, I think I'll pass.  L-later, AJ."

"Later.  Oh, that's perfect!  Hold it…"

Dash grimaced, and left the hall.

In Applejack's room, Big Mac shoved his weight into his hooves, working the tension out of AJ's back.

"Wonder what's on her mind?  Ow.  There's my spine."

Applejack stretched.

"Thanks, Big Mac.  That was sure relaxin'."

Macintosh was sitting on the bed shaking his forehooves.

"Your back is tense."

Applejack chuckled.

"That's why Ah enlisted ya, Mac.  That, and any other stallion's hooves'd likely start to wonder."

_______________________

Redd strode out of the spa, the only thing different about her the rosy scent dancing in the air and the little blue flower tucked behind her ear.  That, and the song quietly playing across her lips.

"I told my friends I would, dance with the wind.  I told tomorrow, thank you much.  I told my world, you're here for me.  I told tomorrow, leave me be."

I need to get a pair of headphones.

She stepped under the shade of the library, and, with a calm red shimmer, faded away.

Redd seemed crystalline for a moment before the glassy shimmer slid off her like fine silk.

She was again under the leaves of the library, but it was taken over with thick, vicious, thorned black vines.  These vines crawled amongst Ponyville, windows shattered and roofs torn through by the plants.  A thick canopy of cotton candy clouds rained chocolate milk, the fields occasionally faded into a checkered pattern, and pepper shakers plagued the few ponies outside at the moment.  But none of this surprised Redd.  She just kept walking as if Ponyville remained unchanged.

Lyra sat gloomily under a real cloud currently inhabited by Dark Rainbow Dash, trying to play a lyre whose strings were broken.  Upon closer inspection, the musician was silently sobbing to herself.

"What's wrong?  Not all the musician you thought you were?"

The demented pegasus laughed and stomped the cloud, sending a barrage of fat water droplets to the terrified green mare.

She winced at the miserable pony before her, though they weren't who she was looking for.

She kept walking the way she came in True Ponyville.

There, in the middle of the checkered street, at the edge of town closest to the Everfree, stood a comically tall throne.  It easily capped off at 15 feet.

"Hello, Little Redd.  I assume they suspect nothing?"

Her large dark eyes slowly rose to meet the lanky chimera's own.

"Yes, Discord."