"What's this?"
Rainbow Dash briefly acknowledged the fact that she had asked a question with nopony around to answer it as she stooped down to observe the piece of paper stuck to the boutique's door. She decided to attribute it to her exhaustion from Spitfire's latest–and possibly strictest–training regimen. Nopony set up drills like Spitfire, and while Dash loved every bit of being a Wonderbolt, she figured that was probably a good thing.
Too-tired wings fumbled to unfold the piece of paper and reveal its contents. Before she could even read the words in detail, Dash knew Rarity had written it. At this point she could recognize her flowery calligraphy in an instant, even if it wasn't in the purple ink she almost always used. Maybe Dash wasn't the most observant of ponies at times, but it was safe to say that her marefriend's writing was distinctive enough for her to catch it.
Dear Dashie,
I've spent the day (and also most the night)
On puzzles fun and clever just for you
To set your wings and mind both into flight
Your brilliance bright, perception sharp and true
A prize does wait upon this journey's end
Your mind is key to make it to this goal
But don't discount the aid of your best friends
Within this game, a few shall play a role
Each clue will send you closer to your prize
Provided you can figure them all out
Keep vigilant, with keen and watchful eyes
And victory will soon be yours to shout
The next clue can be found amongst the treats
Of our good friend who should cut back on sweets
Despite her fatigue, Dash's eyes lit up. A scavenger hunt! Her parents used to set scavenger hunts up for her when she was a filly, and it did not surprise her in the slightest that Rarity had appeared to remember this. Her memory was ridiculous. From the biggest and most important things like birthdays or their anniversary all the way down to the smallest things like a list of days that Dash had forgotten to take the garbage out, her mind was like some sort of Rolodex, able to access whatever memories she desired at a moment's notice. Of course she had remembered Dash's fondness for scavenger hunts. It would have been more surprising if she hadn't.
The gears in Dash's head quickly set into motion, trying to figure out where this clue was leading her. Thankfully, this one wasn't exactly difficult. The first part of the clue narrowed her options down to Pinkie Pie and Applejack. Both of them lived and worked around delicious treats. Technically, Fluttershy counted too, if one considered critter treats as well. Of the three, however, Pinkie was more likely to be judged as one who needed to cut back on sweets. She wasn't in bad shape–quite the opposite, really, although Dash would never tell Rarity that again after last time–but considering Pinkie's propensity for using frosting as a regular condiment, it was far more likely that the clue pertained to her. Applejack was far more muscle than fat, and Fluttershy was far too slender to have that kind of comment leveled towards her. Without another moment's hesitation, wings which were nearly too tired to manipulate a piece of paper just moments before unfurled, sending the eager pegasus barreling through the skies towards Sugarcube Corner.
~~~~~~~~~~
It was only a matter of moments before Rainbow Dash's arrival at Sugarcube Corner. A normal pegasus would have taken longer to arrive, but everypony who knew Rainbow Dash knew by this point that she was no normal pegasus. Even many ponies who didn't know Rainbow Dash personally knew that she was no normal pegasus. Widespread recognition of one's awesomeness was one of the major perks of being a super awesome world-saver-slash-Wonderbolt.
Dash attempted to knock on Sugarcube Corner's front door. As far as difficult tasks went, this one was real bottom of the barrel material, which was why failing at it vexed her so thoroughly. Despite her certainly that the door was made of solid matter, her hoof seemed to pass straight through. Dash briefly considered the possibility that she had gained the ability to phase through solid matter, but further inspection revealed that the door had been opened before she could touch it. To say that the revelation was disappointing was an understatement.
"Dashie!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed. "You're here! Ouh, this is so great! I told Rarity you'd get that clue quicker than a hiccup!"
"Heh, yeah," Dash replied, giving Pinkie a smirk. "I am pretty awesome." Then her smirk faded. "Wait...does that mean she thought I wouldn't?"
"What? Nooooo!" Pinkie replied, shaking her head quickly. "Of course not! Hahaha...whatever would make you think that?"
"I'm gonna go with the nervous laughter and the whole general avoidance attitude you've got going on," Dash said.
"She knew you could figure it out!" Pinkie insisted. "She just thought it would take a teeeeensy bit longer. Maybe like three hiccups. Definitely no more than five. Although maybe if they were really fast hiccups..."
"Pinkie Pie," Dash said, rolling her eyes. By this point, she hoped that Pinkie could recognize that tone from her, that one that said "stop it" without having to say it directly and risk hurting her feelings.
"Right!" Pinkie said cheerfully, apparently having picked up on the clue just fine. "Come on in! Your next clue is right inside!" Dash did just that, antsy for the opportunity to get her clue and leave. She liked Pinkie quite a bit, especially when she was being focused and actually not overbearing, but she was on a mission, and nothing would keep her from it.
"Ahem!" Pinkie exclaimed as she eased Dash down onto the couch. The pink party pony reached into her mane, producing a small piece of paper. Dash decided not to question it. Pinkie Pie's scalp seemed to be the home for some manner of pocket dimension, with all the times she'd seen her produce objects from it that shouldn't have been able to fit in there. At least the paper was an appropriate and logical size. Dash gave Pinkie a patient smile, or at least she attempted to. Patience was not exactly her strong suit. Thankfully, Pinkie took the hint and got to reading.
"You've found the first! But two more yet to find
Make sure to bring this little sheet along
You must be quick, so move your cute behind
To where you best can hear Rob Robin's song."
Dash cheeks flushed a pale shade of pink at the "cute behind" line, smirking innocently as she watched Pinkie's eyes dart over as if to seek for verity behind the claim. Pinkie's eyes had the tendency to wander at times, and Dash couldn't fault get for it, as she was often the same way with Rarity–and occasionally other ponies if Rarity wasn't around. It was safe to say that she was fairly well-acquainted with Pinkie's cutie mark.
"So didja figure it out yet?" Pinkie asked, bouncing on the tips of her hooves. Her smile, always eager, grew eagerer. Dash knew that wasn't a word, but it sounded quite like something Pinkie would say, and as such she found it intruding upon her thoughts and forcing its way into her inner narration.
"I'm working on it!" Dash insisted. "What the heck is Rob Robin?"
"I have no idea!" Pinkie responded cheerfully. "Actually, I know exactly who it is, but it would ruin the game if I told you! And Pinkie Pie is not a game ruiner." Her gaze grew so icy cold with that last sentence that Dash was certain the room temperature had dropped a few degree.
"R-right," Dash said, taking a step back. One wingtip tapped her chin as she pondered the clue she'd received. Rob Robin...it sounded unfamiliar and yet familiar at the same time; that endlessly-frustrating conundrum where she'd heard something somewhere but couldn't for the life of her place where it was from. It had just happened to her the other day too, when Fluttershy was flying with her and humming sole song she couldn't-
"Fluttershy!" Dash suddenly exclaimed.
"Fluttershy!!" Pinkie repeated gleefully.
"Fluttershy!" Dash said once more, before unfurling her wings and zipping out of the bakery.
"Fluttershy!!" Pinkie screamed after her, waving excitedly at her rapidly-departing friend. Whether or not she took one last peek at her butt was uncertain, but it was absolutely plausible.
~~~~~~~~~~
Had Dash's wings the capability for independent thought, they would have likely been orchestrating a mutiny by this point. Wonderbolt practice had already taken so much out of them, and this additional high-velocity zooming to the various corners of Ponyville was not something they would have desired to experience. Unfortunately for Dash's wings, the only part of Dash that was capable of thought was her brain, and that very brain was determined to get to the prize at the end of this scavenger hunt.
Dash's knock on the door to Fluttershy's tree cottage went far more smoothly than the attempt at Sugarcube Corner's door had gone. Dash considered this a victory, even though the caliber of this victory was such that only her parents would have applauded it. When one failed at knocking on a door, it was only uphill from there.
The door opened rather quickly. Clearly Fluttershy was expecting her, which made a lot of sense considering she had to be in possession of the next clue. Dash didn't even give her the chance to say hello; saying hello was wasting too much time. She'd make it up with an extra hello the next time they saw each other.
"Scavenger hunt!" Dash exclaimed, startling the poor pegasus. "Next clue! Rob Robin! Here! You! Give!" Proper grammar was unimportant in situations like this. Extra words muddied the process of getting one's point out.
"Oh!" Fluttershy replied, smiling gently. "You're earlier than I expected."
"Seriously?" Dash asked, frowning as heavily as she could muster.
"Oh dear..." Fluttershy said, covering her mouth with a hoof. "I didn't mean that in any offensive way, Rainbow. I'm terribly sorry if you took it poorly." Dash sighed a deep sigh. It was so hard to be upset at Fluttershy.
"It's fine," Dash said, forcibly battling the urge to keep being annoyed. She fished around in her bag with the tips of her wing, producing the piece of paper she had received from Pinkie Pie. "I got Pinkie's clue. I am in the right place for the next clue, right? Please say yes."
"Oh yes, Fluttershy replied, her smile returning. "I'm so glad you remembered Rob Robin. I'm sure it'll mean a lot to him. Did you know it's his birthday today?"
"Great," Dash replied, not caring the slightest bit about the bird outside of the part it played in getting her to this clue. "So how about that clue?"
"Oh yes, of course," Fluttershy said. "I have it in the other room. I was just teaching Rob a new song for his birthday. I think he's finally gotten it down!"
"Couldn't be happier," Dash said, trying so desperately hard to keep her voice even and hide her frustration. "Clue now?"
"Yes, I have it," Fluttershy said. "But would you like to hear Rob's song first? He's worked so hard on it, and it would mean so much to him if you listened."
"Fluttershy..." Dash groaned. Then she caught sight of the face Fluttershy was making. Those big, hopeful eyes stared at her, burning twin teal lasers into the emotion center of her brain. An eyelash flutter only exacerbated things.
"Please?" Fluttershy asked. The simple monosyllabic word from her oldest friend launched from those lips, sailing through the air at the speed of sound, hurtling into Dash's ear and rampaging through her nervous system before detonating in her heart.
"Horse apples," Dash muttered to herself.
Rob Robin's song lasted about three minutes, every tweet and whistle egged on by Fluttershy's eager coaching and conducting. It ranked highly on the list of the most boring three minute intervals of Dash's life; a prestigious imaginary document that included the three minutes she'd spent modeling Rarity's latest dress last week, the three minutes between her finishing the second-newest Daring Do book and waiting for the store to open to buy the newest one, and the three minutes that it took for her favorite pizza bagels to cook. It was quite the company to keep, for sure.
"Wasn't he wonderful?" Fluttershy asked, smiling sweetly at her friend.
"Fantastic," Dash said flatly. "Do you think we could maybe get on with that clue now?"
"Oh!" Fluttershy exclaimed, blushing. "I'm terribly sorry I held you up. I was just so excited about Rob's song and-"
"It's fine," Dash stated. "Water under the bridge, as long as you give me that clue."
"Of course," Fluttershy said. She reached into her mane and pulled out a piece of paper. Dash began to wonder if she was doing something wrong by not storing things in her mane. Such wondering was put on hold as Fluttershy began to read.
"Another clue is solved, you brilliant mare
Now go take flight, quick as the morning breeze
Bring both these clues, but make sure to take care
And show them to their fellow vanquished trees."
Dash stared blankly at Fluttershy as she passed the note over. This clue seemed even more cryptic than the previous one. Vanquished trees? Was she supposed to go into the Everfree? All the trees in there seemed to be in various states of livelihood, creepy as some of them might have been. The dead ones seemed to always disappear mysteriously–something which, now that she thought about it, did seem rather strange. Maybe it was worth investigating. Not right now, though. The scavenger hunt easily took precedence.
Dash's train of thought had derailed for a bit already before getting back on track, but quickly found itself interrupted again as the sound of Rob starting to sing again. This song was far more slow and deliberate, seeming like the kind of song that one would listen to in order to spur on deep thinking. Dash's chances of figuring this clue out were in jeopardy if this song distracted her any longer.
"Do you think he could sing somewhere else?" Dash asked, eliciting a little birdy frown from Rob as he crossed his wings.
"Oh, he's staying out of his nest for a bit," Fluttershy explained. "He says it doesn't feel like home and he's not sure why."
"Well I'm trying to think here!" Dash insisted. "Maybe you could make it feel more like home? Little picture frames? New paper lining the floor?"
Fluttershy offered some manner of response, but Dash didn't hear a word of it. Something about her suggestion had woken a thought in her head. Paper on the floor...paper was made out of trees. A tree had to be dead to make paper out of it...and books were made out of paper! The clue had said to bring it and the other one to see its "fellow vanquished trees," and where else would one go to see lots of books?
"Twilight! Dash shouted. Fluttershy, as startled as she was by the shout, wore a delighted smile at Dash's exclamation.
"Yay!" Fluttershy offered.
"I'm off!" Dash stated, flapping and lifting off of the ground. "Thanks Fluttershy! Thanks Rob! Great song by the way! Just don't overdo the vibrato!" With that, she was gone in a flash.
"Good luck!" Fluttershy called after her. Then she gave Rob a little pat on the head. "Don't worry. I liked the vibrato. Now, let's get back to work!"
~~~~~~~~~~
Dash's tired wings were on autopilot as she rocketed towards Twilight's castle. The familiarity of the path combined with her sheer determination removed any need for conscious thought on where she was going, leaving her mind free to wander and ponder over what prize might be awaiting her at the consummation of this hunt. Rarity was usually quite good at choosing presents for her, so the sky was really the limit. Perhaps it was a meal from her favorite restaurant, or maybe some awesome Daring Do paraphernalia. If she was really lucky, maybe it was that set of lingerie that she had pointed out to Rarity recently. Just the thought of it managed to disturb the rhythmic flapping of her wings, and a small bit of conscious thought had to be allocated to the task of flying to stop her from careening into a tree trunk.
Dash's success rate with doors decreased to 33.333–repeating, of course–percent as Twilight threw the door open before her hoof could even make contact. Scarily enough, the rabid smile on Twilight's face beat out even the one that Pinkie had given her earlier.
"Rainbow Dash!" Twilight exclaimed, wings spread out in excitement. "I thought you'd be-"
"I know, I know!" Dash groaned. "You thought I'd be later, because everypony seems to think I can't figure out riddles!"
"Oh no," Twilight said, shaking her head. "I actually thought you'd be earlier."
"Blame Rob Robin," Dash muttered. She opened her mouth to ask about the next clue, but had no opportunity to do so as Twilight grabbed her in a hug.
"A scavenger hunt!" Twilight bubbled. "Ooooo, this is so exciting! Are you excited? You must be excited. Just look at you! Why didn't you tell me you liked scavenger hunts so much?"
For the first time since it had started, Dash considered abandoning the scavenger hunt.
"Uh...you...never asked?" Dash offered, wriggling out of the hug and taking a step back.
"Well clearly I should have!" Twilight said. "And you should have told me anyway! Come on in! We have so much to talk about!"
"But-" Dash started. "Yaah!" It was certainly not her planned statement, but Twilight's sudden magical yank had a way of altering one's speech.
"So when did you first discover your love of scavenger hunts?" Twilight asked, face alight with intrigue as she carried Dash towards the library.
"I..." Dash responded.
"How many scavenger hunts have you been on?" Twilight interrupted.
"I don't..." Dash tried to answer.
"What do you prefer? Scavenger hunts or races?"
"I mean..."
"What's your ideal scavenger hunt?"
"How can I even answer..."
"What would you say is your optimal hunting-to-problem-solving ratio in a scavenger hunt?"
"Did you get into Pinkie Pie's sugar supply?"
"How would you describe the effects of your excitement for a hunt on the average speed at which you-"
"Twilight!!"
Dash felt Twilight's magical aura around her dissipate and used her wings to quickly catch herself just before she would have flopped to the ground. She turned to look at Twilight, who looked about as baffled as she'd ever seen her.
"Sorry for yelling," Dash said, rolling her eyes. "But could we maybe concentrate on this scavenger hunt instead of all of them?"
Dash regretted the words the moment they came out of her mouth. Not that she was concerned with offending Twilight. It was incredibly unlikely that such a little comment would hurt her feelings. What really concerned her was the possibility of Twilight taking it in a completely wrong way.
"Okay!" Twilight said, beaming. "How did you solve the first riddle? What was going through your mind as you read it? Did you appreciate Rarity's iambic pentameter?"
"I try not to appreciate a pony's iambic pentameter for too long," Dash offered, sending Twilight into peals of laughter.
"Humor!" Twilight exclaimed. "Did you use humor in your solving of the clues? Would more humor have improved your experience?" A blue hoof covered Twilight's mouth before another word could be uttered.
"Twilight...please..." Dash said, trying to keep her voice as calm as possible. "I promise you I'll try to answer all your crazy questions another time. Right now, I've had a really long day, I'm really excited to get to the prize at the end of this hunt, and I'd really like for you to give me your clue. Please?" She lowered her hoof, staring hopefully at Twilight. Hopefully all of Rarity's manners coaching had helped her persuade her friend.
"You promise you'll answer my questions another time?" Twilight asked, looking just as hopeful as Dash.
"I'll meet you tomorrow afternoon for it," Dash said. Not that she wanted to, but a promise was a promise. "As long as you give me that clue now."
"Right!" Twilight said. She lit her horn up, producing a piece of paper from her mane.
"Seriously?" Dash said, staring in disbelief at Twilight. "Did I miss a memo or something? Is stationery the latest in mane accessories?"
"Oh, it just fell there and I left it because you were on your way anyway!" Twilight said with an awkward grin. She cleared her throat, stood up nice and straight, and began to read.
"That's one more clue that's solved, and one clue left
To finish this big hunt, grand and unique
Of mystery and awe, this one's bereft
The kitchen closet waits at the Boutique."
Dash's hoof hit her face with such velocity that it was a marvel it didn't burst through the other side.
"Seriously?" Dash shouted. "I was just there! Couldn't she have just left a note saying to go check the closet?"
"I guess she could have," Twilight responded. "But where's the fun in that? I mean, what kind of scavenger hunt would only have one very obvious hint?" Then her eyes lit up again. "Unless that's the kind of scavenger hunt you like! Now if you could just answer a few questions on why that's the case..."
"To the Boutique!" Dash cried out. She was gone in a flash, before Twilight could offer protest.
~~~~~~~~~~
By the time Dash arrived back at the Boutique, she wasn't sure whether she was more excited or tired. She had certainly not expected to leave Wonderbolt practice and go straight into zooming all over town, and nearly every muscle in her body was regretting that course of action right about now. At the same time, she was nearly trembling with excitement over the culmination of the hunt. There was no pegasus luckier than her, for she had her dream job, wonderful friends, and the best marefriend ever who was willing to go through all this effort to give her a present.
The front door was opened hastily, so fast that it nearly slammed into the wall. This was none of Dash's concern, for her mind was solely occupied by hints and clues and promises of prizes. A manticore could have eaten her right then and there, and she would have somehow managed to fight her way out of its belly in her determination to receive her prize. Thankfully it was after business hours for the Boutique, or else customers would have likely been thrown left and right in the pegasus's mad dash for the residential portion of the building.
Despite her growling stomach reminding her that she hadn't eaten since her break in practice, Dash would not be deterred as she marched through the kitchen and towards the closet. Her eyes barely registered Rarity sitting at the kitchen table, grinning as she sipped a cup of tea.
"Evening, Dashie," Rarity said, her smile turning coy. "You're certainly in a rush."
"Scavenger hunt!" Dash exclaimed. As much as she wanted to continue her direct path towards the closet, she felt it necessary to pause her efforts just long enough to redirect towards the table and give Rarity the customary kiss that always accompanied her return home from work. The fashionista giggled lightly as she returned the kiss.
"Ah, you've been following my hints," Rarity said, grinning from ear to ear. "Well, go on then. Go and collect your prize. I shan't hold you up any longer."
"Thanks Rare!" Dash replied. Without hesitation, she zipped towards the closet. She stopped in front of the door, dancing excitedly on the tips of her hooves, wings outstretched as she fidgeted in front of the door which contained her reward. As soon as she was able to calm herself down enough, she reached for the door. A quivering hoof rested itself on the doorknob, turned, and pulled. There was no source of light inside the closet, but Dash's smile could practically illuminate it by itself.
Dash's eyes scanned the closet, looking for whatever could possibly look like a present. Her eyes finally rested on a large black bag with a note on top of it. Dash liked to think she was fairly well-acquainted with gifts, and from all appearances, this had to be it. She was tempted to tear the bag open right then and there, but the knowledge that Rarity was right there and would likely be offended that her card was skipped gave her pause. She restrained her urges and reached for the note first, picking it up with a smile and reading it aloud.
"You've found your prize, my dear sweet Rainbow Dash!
From now on, don't forget to toss the trash."
Dash stood in place, her smile beginning to fade as she stared at the note. She couldn't have. There was no way that she really just...
Dash looked down at the black bag and slowly untied the top. Sure enough, it was the last few days' worth of garbage. Dash turned to stare at Rarity, who was wearing the most smug of grins.
"Love you, dear," Rarity said, finishing off her tea and resting her chin on a hoof to watch the show.
Dash said nothing as she trudged past Rarity. The opening of the garbage bag clenched in her teeth as she carried it out of the room made such things difficult. It was very likely, however, that her glare spoke more than any words could.
