We Stopped Checking for Monsters in the Everfree...

Twilight had no hesitation in sending a letter to Celestia. Spike had been in Rarity's room, for Twilight did not want to re-traumatize him with the tape. A letter came back from the Princess saying that the Flimflam brothers had a facility on Canterlot Mountain, above and almost opposite Canterlot itself. She said it was dangerous to go too gung-ho, and so the guards would arrive in several hours due to the precuations needed for safe transport of the several guards and possible surviving victims.

Dash hopped up and down, and Twilight had a dangerous grin. Spike looked vaguely hopeful. Dash had to tell somepony. She bound through the house. "We've found him!" Dash called into Fluttershy's room. She looked up from her bed, crying. Maybe from the week's harships. Maybe from what Dash had done.

Dash ducked into Applejack's room. "We've found him!" Applejack didn't respond, so Dash bounded over, shaking her friend. "We've found him!"

"Who?" she mumbled, only partially awake.

"The Joker!" Applejack shot awake now.

"Wait, what?"

"We found the Joker!"

Applejack's eye twitched. "Who's that?" There was anxiety in her voice.

"The Joker!" Dash was still excited, but there was a small amount of fear in her voice.

"I don't know who that is. You joking, Dash?"

"No, I'm not joking! We caught that filly-torturing clown freak!"

"Dash I, ain't got no time for humor. I had a lot to drink and you're giving me a headache. I don't know of no Joker. And it's terrible to bring up filly-torture. Even though it will never happen." Applejack's eye twitched as she got back into sleeping position. Dash desperately hoped that Applejack's memory was just off because of the alcohol. Don't tell me Applejack's----sick too.

Pinkie's door was next in the hall. Dash hesitated, and went on to Rarity's room. Dash just couldn't take talking to Pinkie. That would break Dash.

She entered Rarity's room a little more sad from thinking about Pinkie and the possibility that Applejack needed help. Rarity was sitting up, a bottle of liquor on the nightstand.

"What do you---" she talked with a slur, sounding as if she was tired. Probably the liquor.

"We've found the Joker." Dash half exclaimed.

"Wow... That's... Maybe Nightmare Night Ball will be put back on."

"Yeah... Luna deserves the recognition... But... I don't think it will go on."

"I hope it does, or the Mare-Do-Well costumes might go to waste." Dash winced.

"Wouldn't that be a bit more of an inside reference?" Dash's voice said, but she was thinking about other things.

"Well, yes. But a lot of ponies dress as inside references at the Ball. It would be a reminder of our friendship. To keep us together. And the costumes do still look fabulous."

Dash just stared, thinking. I can stop him! I know where he is! I have a disguise now! He won't know what hit him, and he can't hit back! Several images of herself beating the Joker to a pulp surfaced. After several moments, Rarity interrupted Dash's thoughts. "Dash?" Rainbow shook herself lucid.

"I'm going to borrow a suit, OK?" Dash didn't wait for Rarity to respond. She went to Rarity's closet and started looking through the bags.

"Umm... Dash?" she wasn't quite lucid enough to raise her voice.

"Where is it?" Dash sounded anxious. She was tossing bags over her shoulder, strewing clothes around. She found the costume in a suitcase. She was twitching every muscle, her wings extended. She was reasonably sure that this costume was hers. She stared down at the perfect stitching, smiling.

Rarity felt fear in her stomach. Has Dash gone insane? "Are you---"

"Thanks, Rarity." Dash interrupted, leaving in an instant. Rarity just stared at the spot Dash used to be standing.

Dash was in her room. The costume fit just right. Dash wasn't sure what material it was made out of. It showed off her physique perfectly. Despite the definition it gave, it didn't feel tight and didn't show enough to be embarrassing to wear. It was the right shade for stealth, and the wings didn't stand out as wings. The hat fit perfect, and, despite several test maneuvers, never fell off. There was just one thing missing.

This train of thought ended when it hit her. She could die. No I can't! I'm Rainbow Dash!. She nodded, but the thought dug into her brain. She stared into the mirror. To her face. She liked her face. Soft cyan fur. Beautiful eyes. Nice muzzle. She had a bit of sweat, which only accentuated the lighter blue. Her mane fell well over her head. She was secretly happy that she was not a unicorn, because then she would have to part her mane. A rainbow was not meant to be parted. Her friends weren't meant to be parted. Should I do this? I could die and leave my friends and...

Dash stopped as the voice in her head pulled on her mind. She put a hoof behind her head. She felt the hood there. As soon as she put that hood on, she---she couldn't be Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash couldn't be known, or the Joker might come after her or her friends. She couldn't be famous for it. She would be some pony in a mask. Just another mare. Just some psycho who stopped another psycho. Dash flinched. I'm not crazy! I can get to the Joker before anyone else can. I'm in peak physical condition. I can stop him from killing ponies before the guards get there. I have to stop him. We don't know what he's doing. I have to go!

Dash moved her hat, ready to put the mask on. She smiled wide at the thought of pounding the Joker. Leaving him to the police. She shivered. She saw a thousand fights, all where the Joker end up unconscious and bleeding. The cops would show up and arrest the Joker. And Dash would have saved harmony. Nopony would ever know. But she would. She would know how she personally stopped the attack on Harmony. Then she thought of dying.

At that last thought, Rainbow Dash started crying. Loudly. She didn't want to leave her friends. They were falling apart. They needed her. She couldn't abandon her friends. What kind of Loyalty would she be?

Oh, but the thought of fighting the Joker! Of winning! But her friends... It was too selfish to risk leaving her friends behind. She tried to convince herself that she wouldn't die. She was Rainbow Dash! She couldn't die! But the doubt crept into her mind.

I... It's not selfish. I'll stop the Joker before he can hurt anyone. I'm not doing this for myself! She didn't feel convinced. Really! The---the Joker's attacking harmony itself! Twilight's right! I'll stop him. I'll save harmony! It'll be a secret, but... It's my duty as a bearer of the Elements! There was a long pause where Dash stood convinced... But my friends...

She looked at her flank. Though covered, she could practically see the mark there. "Why? Why do I have to choose? Can't I be loyal to my friends and harmony? Didn't friendship use to be the same thing as harmony?" But she couldn't be loyal to all. Her friends would stop her. She remembered earlier when Fluttershy had got on her knees and begged her to stop. On her knees. And I didn't stop!

I---I'll stop after capturing the Joker! she thought, as if she'd considered fighting every evil. She continued to cry as she shot down every argument against this course of action. "I am Loyalty. I... I have to care about Harmony... At the expense of my friendship... Just this once." She tried to stop crying. Dash... Maybe you've gone crazy. Like Pinkie. "I'M NOT CRAZY!" Dash screamed, every muscle in her body writhing at the concept.

After that loud noise, she became aware of the surrounding silence, her deep breathing and shaking. And she became aware that she had been talking to herself. She became aware of one voice in her head. You're being selfish! You're risking death just because you want to be the one to--- "I'm not selfish!" Dash screamed as she punched the wall mirror.

Shards of glass fell to the ground, the soft tinks the only sound in the now true silence. Dash's internal thoughts were gone. No voices. No chaotic ruckus that she only noticed now that's it's gone. She looked at herself in the mirror, a few shards gone and a spiderweb across the surface of her. "I'll at least say goodbye..."