Behind This Façade
“Rainbow Dash, wait!”
The blue Pegasus stopped and tapped her hoof impatiently, waiting for her unicorn friend to catch up. Eventually Twilight Sparkle did, panting from her fast trot.
“Geez, Twilight, you gotta get out more! I’m going all slowly and you can’t keep up! Stop being such an egghead.”
Twilight just laughed and trotted alongside her friend. “Your talent is speed, Rainbow. You can’t honestly expect me to keep up!”
“Well, I guess that’s true. I’m the speediest pony around, that’s for sure!”
Twilight laughed as Rainbow Dash struck a series of poses. They were headed to one of the regular pet play dates with all their pets at the park, since Rainbow Dash had been reading Daring Do at the library right up until Twilight Sparkle was leaving.
The two mares exchanged jokes as they walked along. Their eyes then wandered towards the sky, seeing a golden chariot being pulled across the beautiful blue.
“Somepony from Canterlot just arrived. Wonder who it is?” Rainbow Dash thought aloud.
Twilight Sparkle then bounced up. “Maybe it’s the princess! Come on, Rainbow, let’s go see!”
“Or maybe it’s one of the Wonderbolts! Ya think so, Twilight?”
Twilight secretly rolled her eyes at this but nodded and replied, “Sure, it could be anyone.” Then she laughed. “And if it’s a newcomer, we might meet them before Pinkie! Now that would be just crazy!”
The ponies set off at a fast pace- or fast for Twilight in any case. For whatever reason the chariot seemed to be headed towards Sweet Apple Acres, but the excited ponies seemed unconcerned with the fact. That was when it veered back towards Ponyville.
“Where are they going?” Twilight asked, stopping with a confused look.
“I dunno,” Rainbow Dash replied, “but I’m going to fly up there and ask them!” Without a word from her friend the blue filly spread her wings and launched into the air, a rainbow streak following her flight path. She quickly circled so that she would be able to intercept the chariot from the side so as not to surprise the stallions flying. As Rainbow got close, however, something was clearly wrong. The flight path was abnormally slow and wobbly, and occasionally one of the stallions would veer in an odd direction. Then Rainbow caught of glimpse of the glazed look in their eyes- flight fatigue. Her instincts reacted before her mind did, speeding towards the chariot and steering it towards the ground. It was hard work- the stallions were strong and obviously had no certain direction- but the ever-enduring Rainbow Dash managed to succeed in a smooth emergency landing. The stallions collapsed to the ground, and a couple ponies stared while Twilight Sparkle ran up and began to look over the collapsed ponies. Knowing they were in safe hands, Rainbow Dash turned to the occupants of the chariot.
The slightly taller one was a unicorn that had to be about her age. Her coat was a beautiful deep blue offset by her bright pink mane that gently curled, and was a bit naturally tousled. Standing by her side was a very slightly smaller boy pony, this one a Pegasus with a mustard yellow cut and simple brown shaggy mane. The mare looked like a typical pony from Canterlot- not quite Canterlot Elite as Rarity could pass for- but the young pony looked like all young boy ponies do.
“Hiya!” said the outgoing Rainbow Dash. “Your drivers aren’t feeling well, so I stepped in to make sure you landed alright. Thank my super-speed for that!” Another pose.
The dark blue filly offered a shy smile. The younger pony, looked dazed, stuttered, “W-wow! Thanks miss! ...miss…” The pony blushed.
“You can call me Rainbow Dash. My friends call me just Dash.” Rainbow Dash was puffed with pride.
“Rainbow Dash, that’s so cool! You just flew up and saved us! That was awesome!” The pony jumped up and down in excitement. Rainbow Dash tousled his mane.
“No problem, kiddo. Stick with me, why don’tcha? What’s your name?”
The pony’s eyes shone. “Flight Write! That’s my name! And this is my big sister Love Letter!” Love Letter gave a shy wave of her hoof, and Rainbow Dash held an amused expression.
“Your parents were a unicorn and Pegasus or something? Usually siblings are the same kinda pony!” she said, laughing. But surprisingly, neither of the siblings responded in kind. Love Letter stepped back up and put a protective hoof on her brother’s shoulder.
“Our parents passed away recently. That’s why we’re moving to Ponyville. New start and such.” Her tone was firm but kind, and Love looked worriedly at her brother, who seemed upset at the mention of the parents. Rainbow Dash caught on that Love Letter was more concerned with her brother than herself.
“Ah, yeah…I’m sorry to hear that.” Love Letter nodded appreciatively. Uncomfortable with the awkward conversation, Rainbow Dash changed the topic. “So you guys are new Ponyvillers, huh? Well, just so you know, I’m the town hero, and I’m gonna be a Wonderbolt!” Flight Write looked up in amazement, his mouth a small “o” shape. Rainbow Dash was suddenly hit on the head by a playful hoof. “Ow! Who is that?”
Twilight Sparkle stepped up next to Rainbow, giggling. “I’m sorry about her. She gets a little wrapped up in her good reflexes sometimes.” Rainbow Dash shot her a glare, which Twilight ignored. “Now why don’t you introduce me?”
Introductions were made again, and Love Letter cleared her throat. “It’s been nice, girls, but my brother and I have to get to unpacking.” Her voice was formal like Rarity’s, but quiet like Fluttershy’s- a typical Canterlot accent, though she clearly had passed no judgment on the ponies like the Canterlot snobs would. She smiled lightly. “I’ll be making a wedding planner’s business on Horseshoe Avenue. Come visit if you’d like.” Love Letter set off at a fast trot, and silver anklets that seemed her only fancy adornment glittered in the sunlight. Flight Write looked distraught, but then brightened.
“I’m gonna be working the front desk, Rainbow Dash! Come see me, please! Okay?” He grinned so widely it looked like his smile might pop off his face. Rainbow Dash laughed.
“Okay, squirt. Go along with your sister now.” He grinned, nodded and cantered off.
“They’re nice ponies, huh Twilight?” Rainbow Dash grinned. She pushed aside the abandoned chariot- the drivers had been taken to the hospital. Twilight Sparkle did not respond. “…Helloooo? Earth to Twilight Sparkle?”
Twilight started, then smiled. “Oh, I’m here. Yeah, they’re nice. That young pony can’t be a year younger than us, and he seems to like you.
“Well, who doesn’t love Rainbow Dash?” Rainbow said, flexing and laughing. Twilight chuckled along, but her mind was elsewhere.
‘Our parents passed away. That’s why we’re moving to Ponyville.’ Twilight could not have helped overhearing, and remembered she had read about that in Equestria’s paper. There had been no way for anypony, not even unicorns, to determine the cause of death. There was no evidence of anything at all.
Another thing had caused Twilight to wonder. Flight’s cutie mark was made up of three silver rings all connected. She could not help but wonder what they meant.
Twilight Sparkle was not usually suspicious, but she suspected these ponies had quite the story to tell. It was more an instinct than anything. And oh, did she love a good story…so she resolved to visit them as soon as they were settled in Ponyville, and find out what they were hiding.