“Come on Shy,” Rainbow Dash whined. “Just for one day cut loose and join me for a night of pranks!”
“You know I don't like scaring people Rainbow Dash,” Fluttershy retorted, hefting her grocery bags up. “Why don't you ask Pinkie Pie? She usually does this thing with you every year.”
“Pinkie Pie went back to the rock farm this year,” Rainbow Dash muttered, kicking a rock down the road. “I got no one else to prank with, you gotta help me out.”
“I don't see how scaring people helps you,” Fluttershy murmured.
“It would help me look less like a loser if I had someone with me,” Rainbow Dash added, walking alongside her friend and shooting her an expectant look. “And you don't want me to look like a loser.”
“No I don't want you to look like a loser,” Fluttershy remarked, rolling her eyes.
“Great, then help me scare our friends!”
“Even if I said yes you know I wouldn't be able to help you. I really don't like scaring people, or being scared or even the word really,” Fluttershy added.
“That's why I got this,” Rainbow Dash declared, stepping in front of her friend, and pulling a V.H.S tape from her bomber jacket. “It's supposed to make you really confident for twenty-four hours.”
“I don't care how much you like Top Gun, I don't think watching it again is going to help us here,” Fluttershy retorted.
“H-hey! It's not Top Gun again. They made me give it back the last time we went through the mirror. No, this is a hypnosis tape, see?” Rainbow Dash declared, displaying the front of the tape.
“Iron Will’s hypnotic confidence booster. Effects temporary, but satisfaction is eternal,” Fluttershy read aloud. “Is that just written on there with crayon?”
“Who cares what it's written with? It's clearly high-quality stuff,” Rainbow Dash pressed.
“I don't know,” Fluttershy began. “This doesn't seem like a good idea.”
“Oh come on, give it a shot,” Rainbow Dash pressured, shoving the tape into her friend’s hands. “You go put that on and I’ll take care of your groceries and stuff. It said it only takes ten minutes.”
“Fine, but you have to feed Angel,” Fluttershy reluctantly agreed, handing over her bags of groceries.
“Deal,” Rainbow Dash declared, grinning already.
“Just eat the stupid lettuce already,” Rainbow Dash muttered, crouching down low and pushing the bowl of greens across the floor.
Angel pouted, and shoved the thing away, the bunny crossing his tiny paws over his chest.
“Come on man,” Rainbow Dash whined. “I made it exactly how Fluttershy does. See? I even followed the instructions.”
Rainbow Dash pulled out a laminated sheet describing the step-by-step process for making Angel’s special salad. The bunny leaned forward and tapped the final image, wherein a tiny drawn Fluttershy kissed the bowl, embuing it with love.
“Love doesn't change the flavor you little weirdo,” Rainbow Dash shot back. “Plus I don't kiss nothing that isn't a hot guy. Or a hot girl provided I’ve had a few ciders.”
Angel pouted and stomped his tiny feet.
“Dude just eat it already,” Rainbow Dash whined.
“Angel,” Fluttershy barked suddenly, drawing both inhabitants of the small kitchen to look up to the mistress of the house. “Eat your food.”
Angel gestured back to it, then to the instructions.
“I don't care,” Fluttershy declared. “You will eat it. Now.”
Angel glared back at his owner for a few seconds, his hard gaze meeting her blazing orbs. Then he relented, hanging his head as he walked away with the bowl, pouting as much as a bunny could possibly pout.
“Woah that was intense, Fluttershy. I guess it worked,” Rainbow Dash offered, walking up to her friend.
“It did,” Fluttershy stated simply. “Now then. The evening has just begun. Shall we begin the scares early?”
“Oh heck yeah!” Rainbow Dash declared. “Let's get this Halloween scaring spree started! Oh wait. Should we bring the bell with us?”
“We won't need to stop the effects of the tape, leave it,” Fluttershy dismissed.
“Are you sure? This hypnosis stuff can be intense. I thought you’d want to be able to stop it early,” Rainbow Dash retorted.
“Nah. The time limit is more than enough,” Fluttershy pressed.
“Alright then,” Rainbow Dash muttered.
“Oh and can I pick our first target?” Fluttershy inquired. “I have a great idea on how to scare Rarity.”
“Of course scaremaster Fluttershy. Ha, never thought I’d say that,” Rainbow Dash murmured. “Whatever, let's just get this show on the road already!”
Rarity hummed idly to herself as she walked down the road, an overstuffed bag of supplies tucked under one arm. It was brimming with last-minute decorations set to replace the ones Sweetie Belle had ruined during an ill-advised attempt to earn her cutie mark in Halloween decorating. The paper ones she usually used had all blown away during a sudden breeze, the cheap tacks Sweetie Belle had used not being enough to save them from the merciless wind.
“I really should just tell her to sing more,” Rarity thought aloud. “I’m sure if she tried she’d get her cutie mark in no time.”
Taking a sharp turn, Rarity couldn't help but smile as her gaze settled on the distant shape of her boutique. Though undecorated (which was very unbecoming of a woman like her) the sight of the structure still brought a smile to Rarity’s face. Then she felt something strange and reached up to grasp at her hair, removing what she thought was a large leaf.
“Wait this isn't…” Rarity murmured, her eyes shrinking down to pinpricks the moment she laid eyes on the eight-legged critter sitting in the palm of her hand. “Eeeek!”
Shrieking in terror, Rarity threw her arms into the air, tossing the spider, and her supplies away without a second thought. Still screaming, she sprinted down the street, unaware of the cackling pegasi sitting on a small cloud overhead.
“Wow, Rarity sure can run when she puts her mind to it,” Rainbow Dash remarked.
“I’m surprised she didn't break any windows with that scream of hers,” Fluttershy added.
“Ha, yeah. My ears are still ringing,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, rubbing one of her ears. “Say, how did you know that would freak her out?”
“Back when we fought that dragon, Rarity got bit by a spider on the way back to Ponyville and had to stay at the hospital,” Fluttershy began. “She was fine, but it left her terrified of spiders.”
“So that's what happened to her,” Rainbow Dash muttered. “I just assumed she needed her beauty sleep.”
“Ready to scare Applejack? I got a great idea that is guaranteed to make her piss her pants in fear,” Fluttershy urged, her eyes glimmering with a twisted sort of glee.
“A little intense but I like the energy. Let's do it!”
Rainbow Dash flew through the orchard, her pace quick but not hurried. Behind her, the sun had started to set, and soon it would be completely dark. Already she could see signs of the night’s festivities beginning to start in earnest, with the Apple family corn maze rising in the distance. It still needed some last-minute adjustments, but by the sounds of things, the entire Apple clan was out working, tweaking the attraction until it was just so.
“Now where are you,” Rainbow Dash muttered to herself. “Ahh, there you are.”
Descending towards the apple bobbing station, Rainbow Dash immediately spotted Applejack standing nearby. The farmer was wearing half of a scarecrow costume, the ratty outfit bearing more than a few holes due to how many years in a row it had been worn. Its owner crouched nearby, dropping individual apples into the water one at a time, counting out each.
“Five, six… no I better not put anymore. Last year Derpy tried to get them all at once and nearly choked,” Applejack murmured.
“Applejack, Applejack! Come quick!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.
“What the- oh it's you,” Applejack murmured, standing up straight and putting her hands on her hips. “Here for some more Halloween scares I presume? Gonna put a fake snake in my boot again?”
“No, well yes, though not that specific thing. Or at least I was going to do something like that but now we have an emergency on our hands,” Rainbow Dash replied.
“Well, what's going on girl? Spit it out,” Applejack demanded, her stance unchanged.
“Fluttershy and I were planning on scaring you but she got her hand stuck in a machine and I don't know what to do!” Rainbow Dash professed.
“Wait, Fluttershy was… This is serious,” Applejack murmured.
“That's what I’ve been trying to tell you! Hurry, she was in the barn!” Rainbow Dash urged.
“Wait just hold on a second,” Applejack interrupted, grabbing Rainbow Dash by the shoulder. “What machine were you two messin' around with anyhow?”
“Uh…” Rainbow Dash paused, and scratched her head, trying to remember what Fluttershy had told her to say. “I think it's that thing that puts grain into the silo the august or whatever.”
“The augur,” Applejack corrected.
“Yeah, that's the one,” Rainbow Dash replied, snapping her fingers in realization.
“This is just like…” Applejack murmured, color draining out of her face.
“Like what?” Rainbow Dash pressed.
“Just something that happened a long time ago. It's nothing,” Applejack dismissed.
“Really? Cus you're sweating pretty bad,” Rainbow Dash pointed out.
“Quit foolin! We gotta move and move quick now. So go on, get!” Applejack shouted, shooing Rainbow Dash away.
“Right, let's go!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.
The pegasus turned and began sprinting back towards the barn, Applejack close at her heels. As they ran through the orchard Rainbow Dash couldn't help but wonder why her friend had reacted that way. The complete loss of color, the slight shaking in her legs, and the sweat on her brow were the responses of someone deeply terrified. But they hadn't even sprung their little prank yet so why was she already scared?
I wonder what Fluttershy had planned anyway? Rainbow Dash thought.
Brushing that thought aside, she surged ahead and threw open the barn door. Charging in after Applejack, the pair rounded a corner to find Fluttershy crouched on the ground not far. One hand was stuck inside a hopper-like area at the end of a long tube-shaped machine supported by two poles at the end of which were a set of wheels.
“Oh thank goodness you are here,” Fluttershy exclaimed. “This poor little mouse ran in. I managed to grab him but unfortunately, I can't pull him out.”
“Alright now just hold still,” Applejack murmured, slowly stepping forward, her hands extended in a placating manner. “I’m gonna make sure this thing can't start then we're gonna deal with the little mouse issue.”
“Hurry. I don't think, wait don't run mister mouse!” Fluttershy shouted.
A sudden lurch and the machine turned on seemingly all by itself, the blades spinning loudly in the hopper area. Fluttershy screamed blood erupted out of the end of the augur, spraying Applejack with a blast of crimson vitae. Then it Applejack was screaming, and despite herself, Rainbow Dash couldn't help but yell in shocked confusion.
Fluttershy recoiled, revealing that there was a bloody stump sticking out the arm hole of her sweatshop. Seeing this, Applejack doubled over and threw up, violently expelling the contents of her stomach. Even Rainbow Dash couldn't help but get a little green, even though she kept telling herself that this had to be part of the joke.
“Applejack!” Fluttershy cried, stumbling over to her friend and clutching at her ruined hand. “Why did you do that Applejack!”
“I didn't, I-” Applejack stumbled back, having just barely managed to stand back up.
“You did this to me! Why Applejack, why?” Fluttershy screamed, waving her ruined hand in Applejack’s face.
“I didn't mean to… I didn't mean to,” Applejack shouted.
“But you did, you did!” Fluttershy pressed.
“No, I did- get away from me! Y'all just leave me alone!” Applejack yelled, her voice rising in pitch until she sounded strangely childlike.
She then turned and shoved Rainbow Dash away before sprinting out of the barn, tears streaming down her bloody face.
“Ha, what a rube,” Fluttershy remarked.
“Maybe we should get that looked at?” Rainbow Dash muttered, pointing down to Fluttershy’s hand.
“Why? I’m fine,” Fluttershy retorted.
The woman pushed her real hand out of the arm hole and tossed aside the bloody remnants of what looked like a fish.
“What the heck Fluttershy? I thought you were really hurt for a second there!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.
“It was just tomorrow’s supper for Mr. Bear,” Fluttershy retorted. “Don't be such a baby Rainbow Dash I thought you were cooler than that.”
“Oh I’m cool alright but I’ll tell you what wasn't cool. Whatever that was!” Rainbow Dash shouted, gesturing to where the pair had last seen Applejack.
“I don't get you Rainbow Dash I thought you wanted to scare people,” Fluttershy snarled, jabbing a finger into the other woman’s chest. “Well, I scared them better than you ever could.”
“You didn't just scare Applejack you scarred her for life! All that stuff about it being her fault was totally unnecessary,” Rainbow Dash proclaimed, crossing her arms.
“That was integral to the scare,” Fluttershy stressed.
“How was that important?”
“Because when Applejack was little she bumped an augur and accidentally got her cousin’s fingers ripped off,” Fluttershy stated calmly. “Yes the fish in the Augur was scary but to truly frighten them you have to do more, push further.”
“Like with Rarity and the spider,” Rainbow Dash murmured.
“Exactly.”
“And what's your plan for Twilight? She's next, right?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“I haven't worked out all the details yet but something dentist-related,” Fluttershy stated. “She had a horrible experience with a dentist when she was younger and had to spend several years with braces.”
“That's messed up Fluttershy. Not as messed up as the auger thing but still close,” Rainbow Dash murmured in horror.
“Oh come on don't be such a baby,” Fluttershy pressed, stepping closer to the other woman, looming over her. “It's just a little prank. Don't tell me your too scared.”
“I am not scared. I just… need to get ready is all,” Rainbow Dash remarked, shrinking slightly.
“You’re not going to go back and get the bell from my house are you?” Fluttershy accused. “Because I would be really disappointed if you took away my confidence right now.”
“No, no,” Rainbow Dash dismissed, taking a step back. “I just… have this sick dentist costume at home and I think that would go really well with your plan to traumatize Twilight.”
“If she’s traumatized by something as that then she deserves it,” Fluttershy snarled.
“Yeah err totally. So meet at the library in ten?” Rainbow Dash muttered halfheartedly.
“Don't be late,” Fluttershy exclaimed, a wide, wolfish grin spreading across her face.
“I wouldn't miss it for the world,” Rainbow Dash declared.
No sooner had the sentence come out of her mouth than the pegasus was gone, flying back out the door and into the sky. Pouring on the speed, Rainbow Dash flew directly towards Fluttershy’s cottage. Some small part of her told her that Fluttershy could have easily discovered she was lying based on which way Rainbow Dash flew. But that wasn't a concern for the speedster.
Even if she figured it out or not, Fluttershy simply wasn't fast enough to make it matter.
Sure enough, two short minutes later, Rainbow Dash had reached her destination. Landing next to an open window, the pegasus clambered through the opening and fell into the living room with a dull thud. Rolling onto her stomach, she pushed herself up and looked around the dark room, searching for the small brass bell she had seen not long ago.
“Where is it?” She whispered to herself.
Using what little light of the moon she had, Rainbow Dash searched the living room thoroughly. Yet no matter where she looked she couldn't seem to find the bell anywhere.
“I had left it right here,” Rainbow Dash muttered in confusion, scratching her head.
A faint squeaking sound drew the pegasus’ gaze over to a scared-looking bunny rabbit standing in the kitchen. The tiny critter was pointing towards the sink, drawing Rainbow Dash’s gaze up to where something small and reflective sat.
“The bell. But I didn't put it in the kitchen,” Rainbow Dash remarked to herself.
The woman paused mid-stride, glancing towards the door to the cottage. There, on the other side of the window stood a shape bathed in shadow, with only its outline visible. Even still, Rainbow Dash knew who it was, and knew what she was holding in her hands.
“Is that an axe?” Rainbow Dash muttered, her eyes flying open. “Oh fuck that's an axe!”
She fled the room just as the door opened and the cool night air invaded the small cottage.
“Don't run, Rainbow,” Fluttershy cooly exclaimed. “You’re only making things harder on yourself.”
“Fuck that,” Rainbow Dash spat.
Sprinting across the kitchen, she grabbed the bell and turned around just in time to see Fluttershy step into the room.
“Fun’s over Fluttershy. It's time to go back to the way you were,” Rainbow Dash declared.
“We were just starting to have some real fun. Why did you have to go and ruin it?” Fluttershy retorted, eyes narrowing.
“Traumatizing your friends isn't fun. Even I know that,” Rainbow Dash stated.
Then before her friend had a chance to speak, Rainbow Dash rang the bell. The sound struck the axe-wielding woman like a hammer blow, causing her to stumble forward, dropping her weapon. Before she could hit the ground, however, Rainbow Dash was there, catching Fluttershy and hauling her back up to her feet.
“Woah there, relax. It's all over now,” Rainbow Dash whispered.
“Wait… Rainbow Dash?” Fluttershy muttered, her eyes filled with naked confusion. “What happened?”
“I convinced you to watch the tape remember?” Rainbow Dash pressed. “Then we pranked some of our friends.”
“I don't recall any of that,” Fluttershy murmured, clinging tight to Rainbow Dash and pressing her face into the other woman’s neck.
“There there,” Rainbow Dash whispered as Fluttershy began to cry. “It's okay now.”
“Are you sure?” Fluttershy muttered.
“I’m certain,” Rainbow Dash replied.
Fluttershy continued to sob for several more seconds before stopping abruptly and sniffing. Though she had stopped shaking, she continued to hold onto Rainbow Dash, clinging to her even still.
“You know,” Fluttershy began. “I think I learned something tonight.”
“Oh really? What's that?” Rainbow Dash pressed.
“I learned that to really scare someone you have to give them something first,” Fluttershy whispered, reaching for the knife block, her fingers wrapping around one of the handles.
“A warning first?” Rainbow Dash asked, gently attempting to push her friend away only for Fluttershy to hold her in a vice-like grip.
“Before you dash it,” Fluttershy began, raising the knife into the air, the long blade flashing in the moonlight. “First you must give them hope.”
Author's Note
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