The Heart's Shell

The Mane 6 headed off to the library to brainstorm ideas. They had been told by Princess Celestia that they had to answer the watch’s riddle before the three days was up, or as Twilight calculated, by 9 o’clock AM on the 29th of December. It was already 12 o’clock PM on the 26th so they didn’t have much time.

“We only have about 69 hours left until Tank succumbs. We have to act quickly” Twilight said, burying through her books.

“69 hours, that seems like a long time to me” Applejack replied.

“But hours can go for a very quick time, Applejack. Do you know that there are only 60 minutes in an hour, and 60 seconds in a minute?” Twilight inhaled and faced the farm pony. “That means we only have less than 4,140 seconds left!”

“How in flaming horse apples did you figure that out in your head?” Applejack asked. Twilight just grabbed Applejack’s shoulders and shook her repeatedly.

“THAT DOESN’T MATTER!!” Twilight yelled.

“Twilight, stop it darling! You’re going to make Applejack sick!” Rarity interrupted as she pushed the stressed alicorn aside. Applejack’s eyes where spinning in all different angles and she was struggling to stand.

“Are you ok?” Fluttershy asked the dizzy pony.

“I’ve never seen Twilight this stressed in a long time!” Applejack replied as she fell to the ground.

“So are there answers in any of your books?” Pinkie Pie asked.

“No, because I’ve already searched my entire library!” Twilight replied in an angry tone.

“Maybe we can search around town and ask some of the ponies about it” Fluttershy said as she stepped forward. Twilight’s expression loosened as she inhaled and exhaled.

“Maybe you’re right. Maybe the ponies of Ponyville know something” Twilight replied.

“But as you said Twilight, we don’t have much time left. We only have about 1 thousand….2 thousand……3 thousand………” Rarity’s voice trailed off for a second. “How many seconds, darling?”

“4 thousand, 1 hundred and 40 seconds left” Twilight replied.

“Yes, that”

The ponies rushed outside to the middle of Ponyville. Twilight had brought her map with her to put her plan into action.

“Alright girls, formation!” Twilight responded. The girls lined up and awaited their orders, just like when a dragon’s smoke was invading Ponyville a year and a half ago.

“Here is what is happening: Rarity, you search the east side of Ponyville” Twilight ordered.

“Oui princess” Rarity replied as she headed in the east direction.

“Applejack, you search the west side of Ponyville”

“Got it!” Applejack replied, she headed off too.

“Pinkie Pie, you take the north of Ponyville”

“I’m on it” Pinkie replied as she sneaked like a ninja towards the north.

“And I’ll search the south of Ponyville”

“What about me?” Fluttershy timidly asked. Twilight glanced at her and thought about it.

“Fluttershy, you search Cloudsdale. You and Rainbow Dash know that place better than any of us” Twilight replied.

“Cloudsdale, ok then” Fluttershy replied as she flew up from the ground.

“Everypony is meeting back here if they find anything, or before it gets dark” Twilight mentioned before her friends were completely out of her sight. Then she herself headed south to search for any clues to the riddle.

The section of Ponyville that Rarity was searching in had lots of houses and was near the town hall. That meant she had a lot of ponies to ask but she didn’t have that much luck in doing so. She didn’t know who to ask.

‘If discord didn’t know the answer, then who here would?’ she thought. She came across Lyra and Bonbon who were walking in her general direction. This was her chance.

“Um excuse me darlings” the two mares stopped in confusion. “Have you heard of a song that Rainbow Dash sang to Tank per chance?” Lyra and Bonbon just looked at each other and shrugged.

“You mean the rainbow maned Pegasus pony?” Bonbon asked.

“Yes, her. She has a pet tortoise called Tank” Rarity replied.

“Sorry Rarity. That doesn’t ring a bell” Lyra responded. The two mares walked away from her.

“Who does that mare think she is, asking us about a tortoise a Pegasus has?” Bonbon asked Lyra.

“Don’t be rude, Bonbon. Just because you don’t know that many Pegasi”

“Good luck to Rarity to finding the answer to whatever she’s doing”

“I wish we could’ve help more, she seemed very stressed about something”

“Oh well, I guess”

Rarity just looked at Lyra and Bonbon as they went further and further away from her.

“Thanks anyway, darlings” Rarity responded before they were out of her vision.

“This is basically searching for a needle in a messy boutique. How am I ever going to find the answer?” Rarity used her magic to summon a fainting couch. “I hope the others are doing better than me”

Meanwhile, Applejack was searching the West side of Ponyville. This was familiar to her of course because Sweet Apple Acres was nearby. She trotted along familiar territory and saw the school fillies and colts hanging out in the playground and playing games with each other in the snow.

‘I couldn’t ask the school ponies, they’d have no idea what I’m talking about’ Applejack thought.

She continued her trek past the school until her sister Applebloom saw her.

“Hey sis!” Applebloom called out as she ran towards her big sister.

“Oh, Hey Applebloom” Applejack replied.

“Where did you run off to this morning? Why didn’t you join the rest of the Apple family?” the filly asked. Applejack flinched when her oblivious sister asked her that question. She started to sweat. She didn’t want to lie to her own sister; she was the element of honesty. But at the same time, she felt she wouldn’t understand. Then she noticed that Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were playing on the merry go round.

“Can I ask Scootaloo something?” Applejack asked changing the subject. Applebloom eyed her for a second until she perked back up into her happy state.

“Of course you can!” she replied.

“Me?” Scootaloo asked. “What do you want to ask me?”

“Well, you’re a fan of Rainbow Dash, right?” Applejack responded. Scootaloo was confused for a second, but when she heard Rainbow Dash’s name then she got excited.

“A fan? Please. That doesn’t even begin to describe it!” the small Pegasus replied. “I am Rainbow Dash’s biggest fan!”

“Ok then. If you are her biggest fan, you must know a lot about her”

“Yes I do! Ask me anything!”

“What animal does she have for a pet?”

“A tortoise named Tank”

“Do you know of a song that Rainbow had sung to Tank after they met?” Scootaloo’s smile dropped as she tried to think of an answer. She started breathing heavier than usual, she was panicking.

“I’m sorry! I don’t know the answer to that! I guess I’m not Rainbow Dash’s biggest fan!” Scootaloo ran off crying.

“Wait, Scootaloo, come back!” Applebloom called out. She then turned angry towards her sister. “What’s the big idea? Making one of my friends stressed out like that?”

“I didn’t mean to. I just thought...” Applejack replied.

“That Scootaloo would know everything about Rainbow Dash?” Applejack’s eyes widened, and then she sighed.

“You’re right, Applebloom. I didn’t mean to rush into things. I was just trying to help Rainbow Dash, that’s all”

“What do you mean ‘help Rainbow Dash’?”

“If I tell you, you might get worried”

“Well can you at least tell Scootaloo? Maybe she can help you as well”

“Fine, I will”

Applejack wondered over to where Scootaloo was. She had vacated under a tree to wipe the rest of her tears away.

“Scootaloo?” Applejack said, trying to get her attention. The crying Pegasus turned her head around to see the sorrowful farm pony before her.

“You’ve come back for more information about Rainbow Dash I have no idea about?” Scootaloo asked.

“No, sugarcube. Listen, I’m sorry for what I had said before. You see, the truth is, that Rainbow Dash….”

“Rainbow Dash what?” Scootaloo replied, intrigued. Applejack closed her eyes tightly then she punched the tree.

“Last month, Rainbow Dash tried to stop winter from coming in order to prevent her tortoise Tank from hibernating. But she didn’t succeed obviously. So she had to say goodbye to him. A month later, she got a watch that could grant her any wish she wanted. She wished for Tank to come back. It was fun for a little while, but then he got sick. We found out from Princess Celestia this morning that it was a demon foal that had sent Dash the watch. A creature that feeds off her grief. So, she’s out there trying to find her demon foal and we were told to find the cure to Tank’s illness. A song from after her and Tank met!” Applejack’s eyes watered a bit. Scootaloo sat with her mouth open. “I’m so sorry”

“Rainbow Dash is missing?” Scootaloo asked.

“Yes”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know she was in trouble. And she left without saying goodbye?”

“It would’ve been too dangerous if you went with her”

“She never told me of a song from after she and her pet met, I’m afraid”

“That’s ok. I’m not mad at you for that” Applejack replied. “I’ll just continue on my trek then”

“Wait, is there anything I can do?”

“Don’t tell anypony else that Rainbow is missing. I don’t want the entire town fussing over it yet”

“I will do so!” Scootaloo replied as she walked back over to the merry go round with Applebloom and Sweetie Belle.

‘If only there was more I could have done or said’ Applejack thought to herself.

Pinkie Pie was jumping up and down in excitement. The ponies greeting her as she walked past them. Her end of the search was mainly houses. She just asked any pony that she could find. She was so caught up in bouncing however, that she wondered away from Ponyville. She had ended up in front of the vet.

“What a convenient place to get lost at! Maybe I’ll ask the nurses if they know anything!” Pinkie Pie gleefully trotted into the vet building. It was mostly quiet. There were hardly any customers. Mainly because it was winter and ponies preferred to stay indoors. Pinkie noticed one of the nurses was coming towards her.

“What can I help you with?” she asked.

“Do you know if Rainbow Dash ever came here?” Pinkie asked.

“Rainbow Dash?”

“Light blue Pegasus pony, rainbow coloured mane?”

“Oh yes, I’ve heard of her”

“Did she regularly come here, you know for her tortoise Tank?”

“No, I don’t think so” Pinkie looked comically shocked and grabbed the nurse’s collar.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. From my knowledge, I knew she had a pet tortoise Tank. Fluttershy told me. But I think she would always go to her for help”

“Fluttershy?” Pinkie said as she slouched “Thanks anyway”

Pinkie walked back in the direction she came normal paced rather than happily hopping. She was disappointed that she hadn’t found any information. She out of all the ponies wanted Rainbow Dash to be ok, but she was getting more and more worried by the minute.

‘I could ask Fluttershy but she’s searching in Cloudsdale. I’d rather just keep looking here’ Pinkie thought to herself.

Twilight Sparkle had wondered deep into the Everfree forest. She figured that because she was looking in the south part of Ponyville, she might as well ask Zecora if she knew anything. She knocked on Zecora’s door and waited for a response.

“Oh hello Twilight. What brings you to my sight?” Zecora asked. Twilight sat down on one of the chairs.

“Well, I was just wondering if you knew about a song that Rainbow Dash sings to her pet tortoise”

“You mean a song she sings to Tank? I’m afraid that my knowledge of that is blank”

“You don’t know even by a crystal ball or something?”

“I only deal with potions and vials, and I am afraid I’m not in denial”

“Rainbow Dash never came to you?”

“I’m sorry, she has not come here. But do not give up, have no fear”

“Thank you anyways”

“No problem Twilight. I hope you get back all right”

“It may be the everfree forest, but I do know my way around here” Twilight walked off and sighed.

‘What am I going to do? We don’t have much time left, and I’m worried the others might not find anything either’ Twilight thought to herself.

Fluttershy was flying through Cloudsdale asking everypony the question. No Pony knew the answer to the riddle. She felt like this whole entire mission was in vain.

‘Come on, Fluttershy. You have to think of something. What was the actual riddle?” Fluttershy thought as she flew onto a cloud to think.

“’You must sing a song after you met’, so it definitely isn’t the song me and Rainbow Dash sang whilst trying to find a pet. ‘Not shortened but as a whole’. Not shortened, not shortened. What was shortened?” Suddenly Fluttershy gasped in delight.

“Rainbow Dash’s lullaby for Tank!” she cried. “’you must sing a song after you met’, we sang the lullaby for him a few days after Rainbow adopted him! And ‘not shortened, but as a whole’, Rainbow only knew the first verse of the song. Maybe I can ask her mother how the rest of the song goes! Fluttershy, you are a genius!”

Fluttershy quickly flew over to Rainbow’s old house in Cloudsdale where her parents were. She carefully knocked on the door. A Pink Pegasus with a blue mane answered it.

“How can I help you?” she asked.

“Hi, I’m Fluttershy, filly friend of Rainbow Dash”

“Oh, Fluttershy! I haven’t seen you in ages! How much you have grown! Come in”

Fluttershy sat down on the couch as Rainbow’s mother prepared some tea. The house itself was mainly made out of cloud and there were posters of the Wonderbolts everywhere.

“I guess Rainbow Dash wasn’t the only one in your family to like the Wonderbolts, huh” Fluttershy said as her tea was given to her. Rainbow’s mother sat down on the seat opposite of Fluttershy’s.

“Yes. When I was Rainbow’s age, I tried to get into the Wonderbolts myself. This was at the time I met her father. I got as far as being in the academy, until I found out that Spitfire would be the new member, not me. Then I gave up my dreams. Then they were restored when Rainbow was having trouble flying and we introduced her to them” her mother replied. “So, what brings you to visit, Fluttershy?”

“You know that Rainbow Dash has a pet tortoise right?” Fluttershy asked.

“Oh yes. She wrote about that in her letters” Rainbow’s mother replied “How is he doing?”

Fluttershy stared down at her tea before she put it down. And looked down at her hooves.

“Well actually, that’s why I’m here. Tank is ill” Fluttershy responded.

“Oh dear. That’s terrible news. Is he getting better?”

“No. He’s getting worse and worse. We found out that the only cure for him is a song she sang after they met. When Rainbow Dash first got Tank, we created a lullaby for him to help him get to sleep. We used the lullaby you sang to her. I was wondering if I could find out how the rest of that song went”

Rainbow Dash’s mother’s eyes widened in amazement. She was almost speechless.

“N-no pony has ever asked me how the rest of the lullaby went. It was sung to me when I was a small filly too. I haven’t sung it in 11 years. Let’s see if I still remember it”

She got off from her chair and cleared her throat.

‘Little Dashie Please do not cry now.

I will always be by your side now.

If the weather starts to get too cold now.

I’ll never leave you alone.

You will soon lift up your wings one day.

That’s why you must get your rest today.

You will be a great flier one day.

Just as soon as you can fly on your own.

But remember sweetheart that you’ll do me proud.

When you find your purpose in the sky.

Your talent comes when you lose all doubt.

But when you say goodbye.

Little Dashie someday you will leave me.

And I won’t always have you beside me.

When that time comes, Dashie, don’t forget me.

For I will always love you.

For I will always love you.’

Fluttershy was left speechless. She applauded the mare in great delight.

“That was beautiful” she said.

“Thank you” Rainbow’s mother replied. “I hope that might help Tank in some way”

“I’m sure it will. Thanks again!”

“No problem!”

Fluttershy flew from the house and started writing the lyrics and melody of the song down. If she was going to make this work, it would probably work better if everyone learnt it.

‘The faster I teach this to my friends, the faster Tank is to being cured. I just hope Rainbow herself is ok’

Fluttershy put the manuscript back in her bag and set off down to Ponyville. There was not time to go back.

Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Twilight Sparkle headed back to the middle of Ponyville. It was sunset already. They were all exhausted from asking every pony they could find.

“Did any of you find anything?” Twilight asked.

“Nope” Applejack replied.

“Me neither” Rarity responded.

“No such luck” Pinkie Pie replied.

“Neither did I” Twilight replied hanging her head. “I’d thought we would find some answers, but now we only have 62 hours left”

“Only five hours have passed?” Pinkie asked.

“And we wasted that time searching for a song that in the end none of us could find out!” Twilight replied.

“What about Fluttershy?” Applejack asked. “She’s not here yet, maybe she found something”

“We can only hope” Twilight replied.

“Girls!” Fluttershy responded as she gracefully landed back down on the ground with manuscripts in her hoof.

“Did you find anything, sugarcube?” Applejack asked the Pegasus.

“Actually, I did!” the other mares had their mouths open in shock.

“How did you do it?” Twilight asked.

“Well, it turned out I knew what the riddle meant! 9 months ago, we came up with a lullaby for Tank based on the lullaby Rainbow Dash’s mother sang to her. Rainbow could only remember the first verse so I asked her mother how the rest of the song went and I wrote the lyrics down for us to learn!”

“That’s fantastic!” Twilight replied.

“Wow, darling. I can’t believe you figured out the riddle!” Rarity responded. Fluttershy blushed a little.

“Fluttershy, I knew deep down that you would probably find the answer and not us” Twilight said.

“But what if I didn’t?” Fluttershy asked.

“THEN TANK WOULD BE DOOMED!!!” Pinkie Pie interrupted.

“Pinkie Pie, really?” Rarity complained.

“What, too much?” Pinkie asked. The other mares just looked at her in mild anger.

“Come on, we have to learn this song and we only have less than three days to do so” Fluttershy finally said, giving a copy of the lyrics and tune to all of her friends. They wandered over to her cottage to practice. Only Fluttershy knew how to read music so she had to help her friends learn the words and the tune. The girls had less than three days left to learn the song. And they knew it would be more effective if the demon foal is destroyed first so there won’t be a chance for Tank to be cursed again. But would Rainbow Dash have any luck trying to find her demon foal? Every pony wondered that, and hoped that she will…