A Truly Outrageous Gem

Chapter Two

Three months before...

“C’mon Shy! We gotta jet! Get those wings flapping already!”, Shouted Dash. Fluttershy was trailing behind, saddlebag slipping and sliding around. Fluttershy’s sunglasses were slipping, but she was able to get a grip on them. “If we’re late again, that old hag will rip us a new one!”, Dash warned. The morning had the sun rising right in the girls faces as they raced for the doors to the school. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy lived near each other for many years, and have done this route often, but Dash was always first to rise, not for school, but to work out. At a young age, she found herself mesmerized by the shows from “The Wonderbolts” and wanted to fly along with them. Each morning she would train before sunrise. A headband, her own whistle; she made sure she was her own best coach. She regretted that she had to stop for school, but the ‘Bolts had to be both smart and able, and were not going to accept some flunky. Fluttershy, on the other hand, was a late sleeper. She didn’t stay up late or anything, but was not a morning pony. Her hair seemed to be resistant to bedhead though, and Dash was somewhat jealous of that. And even though Dash was first up and much faster than Fluttershy, she would still wait for her best friend.

“Don’t worry, Dash..... I’m sure Ms.Cheerilee won’t get mad at us”, Shy panted. The extra weight of her saddlebag compared to Dash’s...well, nothing, made her slower. She carried more books with her then the other ponies, and Dash seemed to “borrow” other ponies things. Fluttershy did not usually mind, but would get in trouble because Dash would have her book, and she didn’t have the time to complete an assignment. “We’ll see about that, Flutters.”, Dash said. They reached the front entrance, and found the hallways empty. “CRAP! Did the bell ring already?!? We’re so boned!” Dash worried. She flew toward their first class, and peeked inside. Fluttershy walked on over, and caught up with the worried Dash. “CRUD! How are we going to get Cheers to stop talking?!” Dash asked. “I got this, Dashie.” Shy reassured. Dash stepped back and awaited to see what the shyest pony she ever knew was about to do. Confidence was not a usual Fluttershy trait. Shy peeked inside, made a small wave, and took a paper for the bags. She held it up to the door window, and in the next second, the room grew loud. Dash’s heart dropped. They had been found out! “FLUTTERS?!?! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?!?”, snapped Dash. Fluttershy began opening the door, and turned to Dash, “Get to the seat, quick!”

Dash had no idea what just happened. She flew inside and witnessed the entire class and teacher huddled at the windows. Perplexed, she wanted to know what was out there too. Before she could, Pinkie Pie smiled, winked and mouthed, “Shy slow you down?” Dash then connected the dots. “I love these girls!” Dash chuckled. Both Dash and Shy were in seat by the time everyone figured out Pinkie’s “HOLY COW, A TALKING DOG!!!” shout was just silly. They all began to take back seats. Only a few noted the new filled seats, but not Cheerilee. She went right back to the lesson. “Alright class, Lets get back to work....and Pinkie, no more outbursts...”

The day went by normally. Flying lessons for Pegasi, Basic Magic for Unicorns, and so on. Much of the ponies in this high school were sensible with fashion, considering their proximity to Canterlot. Crimped, highlighted manes, glitter and side ponytails were common. Some of the more extreme wore mohawks and spikes. Dash’s hairstyle was a few decades behind, and she was made fun of it. The rainbow was natural, but she styled it after her hero, “Firebrand”, who was popular back in the day. She was an older, now retired Wonderbolt, and wore a slicked back mane. Her choice in clothing was retro too. A greaser leather jacket, with studs and zippers. She was given it by Firebrand herself, and it’s old age showed. Worn and patched, Dash still wore it with pride. Fluttershy on the other hoof, wore her hair in a tousled bun. She would occasionally wear her favorite oversized Heart band shirt and bicycle shorts. But she always had on her sunglasses. She wore them as a way to help her with meeting people eye to eye, but in more ways than one.

The day was ending, and as the school was closing, Dash waited for Fluttershy and Pinkie at the entrance. Fluttershy was first to the exit.

“I’m impressed, Flutters!”, Dash said, “I wasn’t expecting you to come up with something like that this morning! Maybe you aren’t as timid as you think!”

“Actually, I planned that with Pinkie a while back for just something like that happening.”, Fluttershy confessed. “I would have died of embarrassment if the class was looking at me as I came in late....” *squeek!* Fluttershy shuddered at the thought.

“Yep, Yep, Yep! We had planned that for a while!”, Pinkie Pie bragged. “I had fun finally getting to do it!” Fluttershy jumped behind Dash, shaking and startled by Pinkie’s sudden appearance. All three of the girls had been friends for a while, but Fluttershy still couldn’t figure out how Pinkie was almost everywhere at all times. Dash was less affected, but still couldn’t wrap her head around it either. Pinkie’s mane was just like cotton candy, but with a streak of blue in the pink. Her tail was adorned with bangles and bracelets of different colors. On occasion, she wore a black tank top with pink fishnet shirt. Her usual dress was her Sweet Cakes bakery uniform. She would also have her “testing bag”, but she didn’t have it today. She wasn’t working, so wanted to tag along with the girls.

They decided to be mallrats at the Mare’s Mall downtown, and see if there were any new movies out. Sadly, they found a limited selection.

The Empire Bucks Back

Once Upon A Time In Equestria

Chariots Of Fire

Buck To The Future...

The girls opted for the movie adaptation of the comic series Mare-do-well. After grabbing some oats, they headed inside. “This better not be bunk, or else there will be hell to pay....” Dash warned.....

2 hours later....

“That....was....TOTALLY RAD!”, Dash shouted. Hoof-pumping and punching the air, Dash's energy was endless. Pleased with how close the movie got to the one comic issue she did read, she was happy it stayed true. With the movie ending after dark, the girls headed outside. “We should totally be vigilantes like MDW!” Dash said. Fluttershy wasn’t as keen on the idea. “...B..But Dash, it’s a comic series. We can’t do things like that.” Shy chimed in.

“Shy, when I first met you, I helped you from those bullies who were ignoring and avoiding you! We could make a difference around here! Especially with your trick” Dash chirped. Dash was referring to Fluttershy’s other reason for wearing her sunglasses. When Fluttershy was young, she found that other ponies would avoid looking her in the eyes. They either became afraid or terrified. She later found out it was only because she had some sort of “stare” that she had no real control over. She was forced to become distant, not wanting to scare others off. The only one to actually look shy in the eyes was Dash, who wondered why no one wanted to look her in the eye. For some reason, Dash wasn’t really affected. Either she didn’t know fear, or was too...”slow”...to have it do anything. Dash introduced Fluttershy to a purple unicorn she knew, and was given the sunglasses. Now she can look others in the eye with no worry of driving them away.

“Hey Dash, I don’t want to do that to anypony. That’s only for emergencies, remember?”, Shy said.

“Well here might be one now!”, exclaimed Pinkie, pointing to the alley across the way. The girls headed over, but as not to be seen. They hid up next to the walls at the end of the alley and peered inside. Three pony figures faced inward, toward a slightly bigger figure in the back. Dash didn’t recognize the outside two, but her stomach sank upon seeing the tail of the middle one. “That spiked taill bracelet! Those drab colors! That’s Dark Chroma!”, Dash thought to herself. She knew that pegasus was bad news. But why were they here? Dash signaled the girls, and flew upon the building. She scouted to find out what the three were cornering. Once she got a good angle, and her eyes adjusted, she couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

“Is...is that...a.....Griffon?!”