Note: This story is the work of Darkryt Orbinautz.
A My Little Pony Fanfiction
Mind Over Mane-Iac
Issue 2 In A Seven-Issue Mini-series!
Zapp's Sensitive Secret.
SCANDAL! Rainbow Dash has never, ever liked ponies touching her hooves … but is there secretly a reason for that? While Dash struggles with Tresemme learning her embarrassing secret, the Mane-Iac's henchmen launch an attack!
RAINBOW DASH remained on the building for a while, relishing in the victorious outcome of her date with the pony she knew was Destiny's chosen soul mate for her. After letting out what must have been her 57th self-satisfied sigh, Rainbow Dash decided it was best she work on getting home now.
Descending with the grace and majesty of an immobile boulder, Rainbow Dash touched her hooves to the ground. The entire time, she was overcome with her infatuation with Tresmme. Her hooves on a drunken stagger, her path swaying left and right on the street, and more than once she let out a giggle akin to a schoolfilly who had just said something which left her male peers confused and astounded. She felt as though someone had sucked up a flock of butterflies in a vacuum, then stuck the hose in her mouth and reversed the direction, filling her stomach up with the beautiful insects.
Once she arrived at the mansion, Rainbow Dash staggered until she could collapse into the safe, warm grasp of the Couch of Comforting Rest and Relaxation. She let out another sigh, murmuring "Tresemme ..." before resting her head on the back of the couch and closing her eyes. Her leisure within the plush confines of the velvety couch was interrupted by the appearance of Pinkie Pie's shadow over her face, followed by the rest of her fellows.
"SO HOW'D IT GO!?" Pinkie Pie screamed into Rainbow Dash's face with such volume Rainbow's manes blew backwards. Rainbow Dash shook her head to regain control of her mane while Rarity was kind enough to move the living stereo system known as Pinkie Pie away from the beleaguered Rainbow Dash.
"Pinkie Pie, darling, Rainbow Dash obviously wishes to rest after having been out most of the night." Rarity told her, pushing Pinkie Pie aside, only to replace Pinkie's enthusiasm with her own, dispensing questions to Rainbow as if they were bullets form a revolver. "But do answer the question, darling. How was the date? Was it good? Fantastic? Romantic?"
"Did Tresemme figure out you were Rainbow Dash?" Pinkie Pie asked.
"Did y'all blow it?" Applejack teased.
"For your information, Applejack, I did not blow it." Rainbow Dash told them, quite confident. "And no, Pinkie Pie, she didn't figure out I was Rainbow Dash. As for your question, Rarity, yes, it was romantic."
"Magical, even?"
"Magical even."
Rarity nodded, satisfied.
"She came kinda close, though." Rainbow Dash added as an afterthought. "To figuring it out I was me." Rainbow Dash slapped her forehead. "I mean, close to figuring out Firefly was Rainbow Dash."
At the mention of this, the warm greetings and jovial teasing Rainbow Dash had been greeted with upon her return disappeared. In their place were concerned frowns, disapproving lips bites, and glares from one pony to another.
"Guys?" Rainbow Dash noticed the change in the mood. "What's up?"
"Rainbow Dash, are you sure you shouldn't tell her?" Twilight asked. "A relationship built on lies … it's not a strong foundation. Once the lies have been exposed, the whole structure tends to collapse."
"Yes, darling." Rarity said. "There's still time to reveal your true self."
"Now why would I want to do that?" Rainbow Dash questioned, resting her head on her hooves.
"Because, darling … imagine if you – or should I say, Firefly – develop a healthy, long-lasting relationship with Tresemme. Say you go steady and get together for years to come. We'll be at a party, a shindig, a hoedown or what have you … some punch will loosen our tongues, and one of us will let slip to Tresemme the pony she's been loving for all those years has been lying to her. Do you realize the impact that has on a relationship? Tresmme will confront you about it, you'll shrug it off with her, as you have with us, and she'll never be able to trust you again. It will cut a deep scar into her that may never heal. She may still love you, but she'll never be able to trust you."
Rarity paused to let the full impact of her words sink in. Rainbow Dash rubbed her chin, mulling it over.
"But if you reveal yourself now, while you're both young and beautiful and impetuous, she'll forgive you. You can both laugh it off as a silly joke. That scar of mistrust will instead be a tiny scrape of amusement which will go away and you'll only talk about it again when you're trying to amuse your guests at dinner parties. So please, Rainbow Dash. Think about the consequences to keep lying to somepony you love. Imagine if Fluttershy came and told you she wasn't a different pony than the one we've come to know and love over all these years! Imagine if I told I was different pony than the one you know me as!"
Rainbow Dash nodded, appearing to take in the full meaning of Rarity's words and the invisible, immeasurable weight they carried. She nodded to show she understood.
"So you'll tell her?" Twilight asked with a note of hope in her voice.
"Not yet." Rainbow Dash answered, producing a round of groans from everypony in the room. "I still don't … gosh, I am just so head over hooves for this girl. I want to know her better before I do anything risky."
"Oh, so dating her under a false identity ISN'T risky?" Twilight asked, pointing her hoof.
Rainbow Dash rubbed her forehead. "You don't get it, Twilight. What if … what if she doesn't like me? What if I'm not good enough for her? What if she doesn't like the real me and breaks my heart?" To show her point, Rainbow Dash crossed her legs over her heart with a ginger care.
"So what if she doesn't like the real you?" Twilight responded.
"Sugarcube, if she doesn't like the real you, well … she's sure missing out on somepony special." Applejack said. "Believe me when Ah say, Rainbow Dash, if you're not good enough for her, well then … she's not good enough for us."
"We'll always love you and we don't care what she thinks." Fluttershy said.
"Aww ..." Rainbow Dash cooed, a little overwhelmed with her friends' praises. "Thanks, guys!"
"GROUP HUG!" Pinkie Pie shouted. The others complied, engaging in Rainbow Dash in a fuzzy, affectionate display of affection.
"So, will you tell her?" Twilight asked again.
Rainbow Dash's lip quivered, but she remained firm on her stance. "No. Not yet. I'm … I'm still too scared, guys."
The hug separated and everypony nodded, content with Rainbow Dash's answer. As superheroes, they knew better than most how powerful a motive fear was.
"Oh, last thing, Twilight." Rainbow said. "You're a tech geek. Think you can help me learn about motorcycles?"
Twilight grimaced, not sure she wanted to give Rainbow Dash more tools to support the deception. "I'll … see what I can do."
"Awesome. Thanks."
They exchanged good nights and headed off to their separate rooms to sleep.
Waking up the next morning, Rainbow Dash went to brush her mane and teeth, as any hygienic pony would do. She thought something was odd about the bathroom when she first entered it, but didn't let it bug her again until after she had gargled and rinse.
She realized what was odd.
There wasn't a line for miles because Rarity wasn't hogging it for her vanity issues.
"Hey." Rainbow called into the hallway. "Where's Rarity?"
"Hmm? Oh, I don't know. She said she was going out."
"Okay." Rainbow Dash went back to focusing on her morning agenda. Her second-favorite part of the day – breakfast. First place went to her favorite afternoon activity – napping in trees or clouds, sometimes to the consternation of Applejack or her fellow weatherponies at the weather factory.
Setting herself up a bowl of cereal, Rainbow Dash enjoyed it until she felt a presence loom over her. A menacing, ominous presence, full of trickery and deceit and ... hamminess.
Rainbow Dash threw her spoon into the bowl in frustration."What do you want, Discord?"
"Oh, relax, Rainbow Dash. I'm not here to do anything chaotic or disharmonious. I come bringing a message."
"A message?" Rainbow Dash raised her brow, somewhat incredulous.
"Yes, it should be arriving in about three … two … one!" Discord curled through the air and stretch himself out next to Rainbow Dash. The wing on his back begin ringing as if it were a phone. Rainbow Dash responded with a blank stare.
"Go on." Discord encouraged. "Answer it."
Not quite trusting of his motives, but knowing he wouldn't leave her alone until she played into his warped sense of humor at least a little bit, Rainbow Dash grabbed his wing. Lifting it up, it curled into the shape of an old rotary telephone. The springy cord customary of phones of the time extended from Discord's back.
Rainbow Dash put the phone to her ear. "Hello? Who is this?"
"It's Tresemme."
Rainbow Dash froze up, her heart skipping a beat and the blood draining from her cheeks. "O-oh! Tresemme! I didn't expect you would call back so … so soon."
"Well, I had fun last night!" Tresemme said. "I was wondering if you were available today?"
"Yes, I'm available." Rainbow Dash spat out of her mouth with a forceful velocity! So eager she was to lay eyes upon Tresemme again.
"Great! I'll see you soon, then? Maybe in an hour or so?"
"Yeah, an hour sounds good. Where do you want to meet?"
"I was thinking by the spa."
"Done and done!" Rainbow Dash sped off, leaving Discord's wing-phone twirling in the air. Tresemme's confused voice could be heard asking if Rainbow Dash was okay. Discord got up and snatched the whirling phone out of the air.
"Hmph. The least you could have done is hang up." Discord mumbled, plugging the phone into his back and having it resume its normal form.
"Rarity – where's Rarity?" Rainbow Dash muttered. "Argh, she's out! Okay … Okay ..." Rainbow Dash passed Fluttershy in the hallway, heading for the make-up cabinet.
"Rainbow Dash?" Fluttershy asked. "What are you doing?"
"Tresemme called and said she wanted to meet by the spa so now I need to get in my Firefly make-up pronto without Rarity's help!" Rainbow Dash explained as she raided the cabinets, pulling out the face paint, hair dye and brushes.
"Or … you know, you could just be honest with her." Fluttershy muttered.
"You say something, Fluttershy?"
"Oh, no … nothing." Fluttershy shook her head, backing out of the room to leave Rainbow Dash to her sham.
Having made a successful effort to recreate the Firefly appearance without Rarity's help, Rainbow Dash – er, Firefly cut a path through the streets to meet the pony who had done more than steal her heart. She not only stole it, she locked in a safe and threw away the key.
"Tresemme!" Firefly greeted, running up to Tresemme at the entrance of the spa.
"Firefly, you came!" Tresemme expressed her glee by giving Firefly a hug. Firefly's eyes turned into beating hearts.
"Well, yeah." Firefly said. "Why wouldn't I?"
"You just seemed so masculine I didn't think you would like going to the spa." Tresemme said.
"Oh, yeah, sure. I LOVE going to the spa – wait, did you say going TO the spa?" Firefly asked. "As in, going inside and getting pedicures and manicures and all that other girly stuff?"
Tresemme nodded. "Yes. That's not going to be a problem, is it?"
"Er, see … the thing is, when you said you wanted to meet BY the spa, I didn't realize you meant you want to go IN it with me!" Firefly explained. "I'm not into that girly stuff."
"Oh?" Tresemme asked. She walked around Firefly, putting her hooves on Firefly's back and stroking her. "The whole masculine act is nice, Firefly, but can't you let your guard down for once and show a softer side?"
Firefly was reduced to purring as if she were Rarity's spoiled cat Opalescence instead of a pony. "Okay. Okay." Tresemme took her hooves off Firefly's back, flashing her a brief, beautiful smile which almost made Rainbow Dash's heart give out.
"Let's go inside." To demonstrate her willingness to the idea, Firefly put a hoof on Tresemme's shoulder. UNKNOWN TO TRESEMME, however, was Rainbow Dash's dread of the spa. To her, it epitomized everything girly and "uncool" and … there was another reason Rainbow Dash disliked going to the spa. A reason she hoped Tresemme and everypony in the world would never, ever find out. It was a deep, dark secret. The kind of secret which can wreck a pony's reputation and follow them forever as a perpetual mark of shame.
"'ello." The accented spa pony greeted them. "Ah, Tresemme! So good to see one of our best customers again. I see you 'ave brought a friend this time."
"Yes, Aloe. This is Firefly." Tresemme introduced her. "Firefly, say hello to Aloe."
"We've met." Firefly mumbled, rolling her eyes.
"Have we?" Aloe asked as she picked up a menu for them. "I don't remember you."
Firefly realized her mistake and grimaced. Firefly hadn't met Aloe before. Rainbow Dash had met Aloe before. She struggled to come up with a believable and quick lie. "Er, it was a long time ago."
Aloe nodded. "What will you and Tresemme be having today, madam?"
"Eh ..."
"A simple mani-pedi and rejuvenating mask combo will do, Aloe. Thank you."
Aloe nodded. "Right this way, ladies." Aloe guided them to the back, presenting them with reclining chairs to rest on. Firefly thought she recognized the mare setting on the next chair over from Tresemme, but she didn't say anything about it.
"So what do you have against the spa?" Tresemme asked Firefly.
"Nothing." Firefly said. "It's just not my thing, you know?"
"Hmm?" The pony sitting next to them asked. She lifted a cucumber up from her eye, showing a diamond pupil Firefly recognized as belonging to Rarity's.
Oh no. Firefly thought as her pupils turned to pinpricks.
"My, my." Rarity said, rising from her recliner. "Isn't this an interesting development?"
Tresemme looked at Rarity, confused about what she was talking about. "I'm sorry?"
"Rarity." Rarity offered her hoof. "I'm a friend of Firefly's."
"Ah." Tresemme shook the offered hoof with good nature. "And Rainbow Dash too, I take it?"
Rarity chuckled, glancing over Tresemme's shoulder at Rainbow Dash. "Yes. And Rainbow Dash too. Are you two getting along?"
"Oh yes. Just today, I was able to drag her in here even though she didn't want to." Tresemme said.
"That's nice." Rarity said, leering at Rainbow Dash with the unwelcome gaze of a predatory feline, toying with and tormenting its prey before devouring it. Rainbow Dash put her hooves together and scrunched up her face, a DESPERATE, silent plea for Rarity to keep quiet on the matter she knew Rarity wanted to talk about. She shook her head no. Rarity nodded yes, confusing Tresemme, who was locked out of the loop.
Tresemme looked over her shoulder at Firefly, who used her lightning-fast reflexes to hide the fact she was begging a moment ago. Tresemme ignored the oddity and moved on.
"So, are you and Firefly good friends?"
"Oh, yes." Rarity said. "Rainbow Dash introduced me to her just recently, in fact!" The high notes in Rarity's voice was an indicator of how much she was enjoying Firefly squirm and sweat.
Tresemme nodded. "You know, when Rainbow Dash first met me at the store and talked about meeting a friend of her's, I really thought she just meant herself in disguise." Tresemme and Rarity shared a good, healthy laugh though for different reasons.
"Oh, yes." Rarity growled, letting Rainbow Dash see the mischievous glint in her eye. "Wouldn't that be something?"
"Ah-ah! Yes, it would." Do you come to the spa often?"
"Plenty. In fact, Aloe tells me I'm one of their best customers."
"Oh, I bet she says that to everyone. She also tells me I'm on her best customers. You'd think we'd have bumped into each other before now."
Rarity laughed. "Perhaps we should form a club."
Tresemme laughed. "Oh, goodness! I just realized I've been asking you so many questions, you can't get a word in edgewise! Please, ask me a few things."
"Oh, no, I couldn't." Rarity said. "But if you insist. Do me a favor first, would you? Ask Firefly if she's got a secret she might like to tell you." Rarity was smiling as if she was a super villain, tapping her hooves together, enjoying the predicament Rainbow Dash was now in. She'd need to choose her words with extreme carefulness if she didn't want to reveal her secret to Tresemme.
"Okay." Tresemme said. "Firefly, do you have a secret?"
"Uh, yeah." Firefly said. "It's … not really something I want to share. You understand, right?"
Rarity pumped her hoof, still wearing her villainous smirk. Any moment now would be the "ah-ha" moment and Rainbow Dash would stand exposed and they'd could end this silly charade while there was still a chance of leaving Rainbow Dash's chances of a serious relationship with Tresemme intact.
"I do." Tresemme nodded. She placed a hoof on her chest. "I have a few secrets of my own I wouldn't want to share with anypony. Some things just aren't meant to be shared, you know?"
Rarity's jaw dropped as the possibility of the moment of truth slipped away, as if it was a snake made to slither on ice.
"Yeah." Firefly nodded, paying back Rarity with a maligned smirk of her own. "Some things you just gotta keep quiet until it's time, you know? And nopony can make you rush it."
"I don't know about that." Tresemme said. "I don't think I would want to share my secrets … ever."
"Eh." Firefly shrugged. "There are some things you let others know, some things you don't, I guess." She relaxed a little, having escaped the worst of Rarity's attempts at sabotage. She tensed up again when she saw the masseuse approach the two of them.
"What's wrong, Firefly?" Tresemme asked.
"Okay." Firefly said. "I'll share a secret with you right now. I don't like ponies touching my hooves."
Rarity scoffed. "It's not that bad, is it, darling?"
"Now, now, Rarity." Tresemme said, waving her hoof. "We should all be allowed our own quirks. To each her own. But … it would mean ever so much to me if you would at least give it a try, Firefly." Tresemme put her hooves together, working the charm. She batted her eyelids at Firefly, which was persuasive enough to her.
"Yeah, okay." Firefly gulped. She let down her hind legs for the masseuse to rub. "Have at it ..."
The masseuses went about their routine. Firefly did her best to stomach the experience. It wasn't as bad as she was expecting, but she was still moving her hooves away from the touch of the masseuse. It never got to the point where the masseuse couldn't do their job, though, they just had to readjust. Tresemme took particular interest in Firefly's face during the ordeal. She was blushing, a thick line of red on her otherwise blue cheeks.
"Okay … not as bad as I thought it would be." Firefly said after they were done. The three of them got out from their chairs together and waved goodbye to Aloe as they left.
"Tresmme, could I talk to Rarity alone for a sec?" Firefly asked. Tresemme nodded and left them. Rainbow Dash turned to Rarity and let out her pent-up anger with her.
"Rarity, what was with you back there? I TOLD you I wasn't ready to tell her yet!"
"I'm sorry, did I not make my point clear last night?" Rarity asked. "Forgive me for trying to force a light nick where there could easily be a deep scar. Although I admit I perhaps may have gotten carried away ..."
"You can take your forcing and keep it, because I don't need it." Rainbow Dash snarled.
Rarity huffed. "Well, pardon for me for trying to be a good friend to you and a good pony to Tresemme. But if you want yourselves to go through the kind of heartbreak and loss of trust which goes with a relationship built on lies, who am I to try to stop you?" Rarity turned and trotted off, leaving Rainbow Dash to lick the wounds her words would inflict.
"Everything okay?" Tresemme asked, re-approaching them. "I saw Rarity get kind of huffy."
"She's always kind of huffy." Firefly remarked. "C'mon. Is there anything else you want to do?"
"Actually, yes." Tresemme said. "I know this is a bit forward, but do you want to go to my place?"
This aroused Firefly's intrigue.
"Yes." Firefly said with a smile. "Yes, I would."
"Great." Tresemme grabbed Firefly's hoof and steered down the street and around a few corners until they arrived at a tan apartment building. Tresemme steered Rainbow Dash inside through a red door.
"It's not much." Tresemme said, as the inside of the building was messy and unfurnished. "But it's home. Sorry for the mess. I haven't really thought about cleaning it lately ..."
"Yeah." Firefly nodded, admiring the untidiness of the place. "I kinda like it, actually. It's cute." A stray candy wrapper there, an out of place utility there … it was quite like Rainbow Dash's room back at the mansion. It was cluttered, but without being a health hazard. It almost made her feel at home. Minus the part where Tresemme tackled her from behind and pinned her to the bed.
"Tresemme? What are you doing?" Firefly asked, going into a panic. What if Tresemme had some sort of dark secret? What if she was a criminal or something?
"Relax." Tresemme said in her soothing, bell-like voice. She rolled Firefly over onto the back, nestling herself on top of her. "I'm just being forward." She moved her head around until she reached Firefly's hind hoof.
"W-what are you doing?" Firefly asked. "Isn't not until after the third date we get to start with the foreplay?"
"Ah, but life is so short, Firefly." Tresemme said. She raised her hooves in the air. "It's better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all, isn't it? Besides, I couldn't help myself after seeing how cute and bashful you were at the spa."
"Eh, come again?"
"I know your secret, Firefly." Tresemme said, sliding down Firefly's body.
Rainbow Dash's heartbeat quickened, though not for the right reasons. "You do?"
"Yes." Tresemme grabbed Rainbow Dash's hoof. "You don't like having your hooves touched … because deep down, you actually like having your hooves touched. And you think that's embarrassing, so you keep it a secret. But you can't fool me."
"I-I don't know what you're talking about." Firefly fibbed. She should have been relaxed because Tresemme didn't know the big secret, the secret of her identity, but in Rainbow Dash's opinion, Tresemme discovering her secret kink for having her hooves touched was not much better.
"You don't have to hide it. I saw the blush on your face in the spa." Tresemme said.
"I-I still don't know what you're talking about ..."
Tresemme attempted to put the lie to Firefly's words, and her method of accomplishing such a feat was to stick out her tongue and drag it along the circumference of Firefly's hoof. Firefly bit her lip, attempting to suppress the feeling of pleasure it gave her.
"Let go." Tresemme encouraged her. "There's nopony here. It's just us. Anything that happens in here tonight will never leave these walls."
Firefly continued to dig her teeth into her lip. "You promise?"
"I promise."
A silence followed, as Firefly got a good look at Tresemme's face to gauge how honest Tresemme was being in her promise. Seeing Tresemme's comforting smile, while also remembering she was operating under a false identity, Firefly decided to let go to enjoy her kink. For once, without feeling ashamed of it.
"Lick my hoof again, Tresemme."
"As you command, Master." Tresemme gave a long, slow slurp.
"Master?" Firefly questioned as her wings rose up. "Wow, Tresemme. You sure how know how to get a mare's motor running ..."
Meanwhile at the Power Ponies' mansion …
Rarity stepped into living room, slamming the shut door behind her.
"Hey." Twilight said, loafing around on the couch. "Rainbow Dash was looking for you earlier."
"Well, she found me." Rarity spat as she went to the kitchen. She got into the fridge, levitating out a carton and pouring into a glass. "We bumped into each other at the spa with Tresemme. I tried to press her into revealing herself, but she managed to weasel her way out of it."
"Rarity, you know Rainbow Dash doesn't like it when you back her into a corner ..." Twilight said.
Rarity sighed. "Yes, I know, I know. I just – I just want for everything to turn out well for them. And that can't happen if Rainbow Dash keeps on lying the way she is ..." She took a sip from her glass. "Though perhaps I did come on too strong ..."
"I know." Twilight assured her. "I want them to be happy, too. But we shouldn't try to ambush Rainbow Dash like that. It won't get anypony anywhere and it'll just make her mad at us."
Rarity sighed. "You may be right, darling."
"I know I am." Twilight offered Rarity a small smile before her assistant Spike came running into the room, arms flailing around in a blind, sheer panic.
"Girls! Girls!" Spike shouted before noticing Rarity. He attempted to collect himself to seem cool to her. "Rarity." He said in a suave, husky voice. He bowed. "How may I serve you on this fine day?"
Rarity gave him a roll of her eyes in return.
"Spike, quit trying and failing to woo Rarity and tell us what's wrong!" Twilight snapped.
Spike scratched his head. "What's wrong?"
"Yes! You came in here screaming and waving your arms around! What's the problem?"
"Oh, yeah!" Spike snapped his fingers as he recollected what had distressed him. "I saw a bunch of mummies going down the street into the north district! I'm not sure, but it seemed like they were headed to the shampoo factory!"
"Mummies?" Rarity asked. "A shampoo factory?"
"Rarity, didn't the Mane-iac try to raid a shampoo factory the other night?" Twilight said. "And do mummies make you think of anything?"
"Why, yes, darling., it does." Rarity said, causing Twilight to smile. "How many shampoo factories ARE THERE in Maretropolis?"
Twilight facehooved. "No! I mean, those are probably Pharaoh Phetlock's minions working with the Mane-iac to raid another factory! Round up the girls. It's time to Power Pony Up!"
Spike chuckled. "Ha-ha. Still a great catchphrase."
Gathering up the rest of the team in their Power Pony identities, The Masked Matter-horn, Filli-Second, Mistress Mare-velous, Radiance, and Saddle Rager arrived to the scene of the crime in record speed, even without Zapp to ferry them on the back of a thundercloud.
"Where in the hay is Zapp?" Mare-velous asked, displeased to see their friend slacking off when there was crime fighting to be done and roughnecks to rough up.
"Probably hanging off somewhere with Tresemme." Matter-horn said with a roll of her eyes. "Come on. We can't worry about that now." Directing the group to carry onward with their mission, Matter-horn directed them to hide by a nearby dumpster.
Ignoring Radiance's complaints about the smell of the trash, Matter-horn focused her gaze on the factory. Just as she suspected, they were the mummies Spike spoke of – the minions of the phony pharaoh known as the cunning and egotistical Pharaoh Phetlock!
"Well, that confirms it. Phetlock's minions are working for the Mane-iac." Matter-horn said. "But why, though?"
"And to what end?" Radiance asked as she used her power to create a clothespin and clamp it around her nose. Matter-horn noticed this and gave Radiance a disapproving look.
"What?" Radiance asked. "You don't honestly expect me to sit here next to this dumpster without some form of protection, do you?"
Matter-horn shook her head, deciding the issue wasn't worth making a mountain out of a molehill over. "Fili-Second, you go in first. Scout ahead and see what you can see."
Fili-Second saluted. "Can do, boss!" Pacing in place to warm herself up, Fili-Second launched off like a rocket shooting through the stars. The blurry afterimage of pink and white which followed zoomed around the outdoor machinery of the building and sped past the mummy minions before disappearing.
"Something's wrong." Mare-velous said when Fili-Second didn't make an instantaneous return. "As fast as she is, she should have in and out like that. If she's not back by now, then ..."
"Oh, goodness!" Saddle Rager exclaimed. "You don't think she was captured, do you?"
"Maybe. Simple as they are, Ah wouldn't put it past Phetlock's goons to have a trap waiting fer her."
"Look! Here she come!" Radiance pointed as Fili-Second lumbered back to him, lacking her usual energy and walking at a lifeless, robotic pace.
"Fili-Second!" Radiance exclaimed. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, I guess." Fili-Second mumbled. Her eyes half-lidded and her hooves were dragging behind her. "Not that it matters anyway. We're all just dust in the end."
"What?" Radiance asked. "Pink- I mean, Fili-Second, this kind of talk is so unlike you! What's gotten into you?"
"Yeah!" Mare-velous. "We still need y'all to kick this minions backsides to the curb, so show us some of that super-energy you're famous for!"
"What's the point?" Fili-Second asked, collapsing to the ground. "We're never gonna beat them. And even if we did, we're all just specks of dust in the cosmos anyway."
"Wait a minute." Matter-horn placed a hoof on her chin. "Normally happy pony acting depressed … having existential angst about the universe … I've seen this condition before! It's -" The Masked Matter-horn was prevented from completing her sentence, as in the moment, she had to duck to avoid being sliced in two by a flung razor-sharp shoe which embedded itself in the wall behind her.
"Ah, Power Ponies!" A classy voice greeted them as the Power Ponies' eyes came to rest on their foes.
"So good of you to come!" High Heel said, accompanied by Long Face. High Heel was a shoe-sporting super villainess who wore a red suit with black boots and blue tiara with a red jewel embedded in it. Long Face was a white pegasus dressed like a mime wearing goggles which made his eyes appear red. He also possessed a snout much longer than most ponies, as well as a terrible, terrible super villain name. Both were members of the Mane-iac's villainous club, the League of Villainy! Or maybe the Sinful Six.
They were still working on the name.
"Oh, accursed Power Ponies." Long Face said, bouncing a vial in his hoof. "Why would you seek to undo such delicious despair? Let her bask in her misery. Let it grow. Let it spread and fester."
"After we're through with you, the only despair festering will be your own while in jail!" The Masked Matter-horn boasted. She shot a heat ray at Long Face, but Long Face dodged it by jumping in the air. Long Face retaliated by throwing the vial in his hoof, covering the battlefield in black smoke.
"Ugh!" Matter-horn covered her snout as she coughed. "Whatever you do, don't inhale it!" She ordered the rest of her team.
"Sure would be nice of Zapp to be here." Mare-velous commented. "She could summon up a gust of wind and blow this smoke away."
"I did notice you seem to be down a Power Brat." High Heel said she threw another shoe-weapon, this one striking Mare-velous in the head with acute precision, knocking her to the ground.
"I'll show you a Power Brat, you spoiled shoe saleswoman!" Radiance boasted. She made a construct of a motorized fan and worked on using it to blow the smoke away in Zapp's place.
"Radiance, look out!" Matter-horn shouted.
"What?" Radiance was too focused on her task of clearing away the smokescreen to notice Long Face sneaking up on her, holding a vial full of green fluid. Radiance looked around just in time to see him, but not soon enough to prevent him from waving the vial around her face.
"One whiff of this, and you'll be destabilized!" Long Face boasted.
"AAAH!" Radiance screamed, covering her nose. "Dear Celestia, that's noxious! I'd rather go hide in the dumpster again!" She joined action to words as she ran blind out of the smoke and jumped headfirst into the open dumpster.
"Um … perhaps this wasn't the brightest idea." Radiance muttered. She put her hooves on the lip of the dumpster and attempted to push herself out. But the mummy minions saw an opportunity and took her, climbing on top of the dumpster and slamming the lid down on her. "Aah! Curse you! You are all RUINING my coiffure!"
"Ugh!" Matter-horn groaned. "Well, Saddle Rager, it looks like it's up to us!"
"Oh my." Saddle Rager mumbled. She let out a squeak of fear when High Heel appeared in front of her.
"Don't just stand there, smash her!" Matter-horn said. "Get angry!"
"Oh, I don't know that I can ..." Saddle Rager mumbled.
"I saw her kick a bunny on her way over her." Matter-horn lied, trying to get Saddle Rager to rage out just to get any advantage in this fight they were losing. Two-thirds of their team were already down, but if Saddle Rager could just get angry and buff out, they could salvage the whole mission!
"What!?" Saddle Rager bellowed, stomping her hoof towards High Heel as a vein began to bulge in her forehead. "Do you really?" Saddle Rager roared at High Heel, her voice becoming deeper.
"Oh, come on!" High Heel whined. She pouted her lips at Saddle Rager. "Does this look like the face of somepony who would kick bunnies for no good reason?"
Saddle Rager fell for the act and calmed down. "Oh, well, I guess not."
"AAARG, NO! Saddle Rager! Don't fall for her vixen ways!" Matter-horn complained, just before being dogpiled by a herd of mummies.
"Say," High Heel put her hoof on Saddle Rager's chin, "I've always admired the muscles you get in your super-powered form. Why don't we go back to my place and we can do a few crunches with each other? Or maybe on each other, hmm-hmm!" High Heel giggled.
Saddle Rager blushed while her wings rose up. "Oh, I- I don't know, that sounds awfully, um … well, it sounds awfully naughty!" In spite of her reservations, Saddle Rager fell for High Heel's act, leaning forward with a dopey grin as High Heel continued to caress and rub her chin.
"High Heel!" Long Face shouted, taking to the air. "We have we came for. Let's get out of here."
"Oh, phoo." High Heel complained. She whipped out another of her shoe-devices and smacked Saddle Rager over the head with it, knocking her down. High Heel gloated as Saddle Rager rubbed her sore head. "But I wasn't kidding when I said I admired your muscles. Maybe next time, sweet-heart." High Heel jumped and bounded off the walls and rooftops while Long Face flew overhead.
"AAAAAAAAARGH!" With a mighty shout that could pierce the thunder and shake the north mountains, The Masked Matter-horn blew a stream of fire from her horn as if she were a volcano, blasting the pile of mummies off her and scorching them in the process. Fed up and frustrated with her team losing, she wasn't content to let the burnt minions crawl away, instead using her magic to drag them back towards her so she could vent her frustration on them by burning them more before she encased them in blocks of ice.
After purging her urge to commit violence out on the mummies, The Masked Matter-horn went to the task of regrouping her team.
Having spent most of the day with Tresemme and thwarted Rarity's efforts to make her unmask herself, Rainbow Dash was feeling pretty good about herself when she returned to the mansion from Tresemme's. She had just returned after a long period of letting Tresemme lick her hooves. She was such a good sport about it, too.
Rainbow Dash's good mood was soured by none other than Spike, who was giving her the glare parents give their children after they've been out too long at night.
"Uh, Spike?" Rainbow Dash asked. "What's with the look of guilt-shaming? Did I do something wrong?"
Spike nodded his head and turned away, refusing to answer any more questions Rainbow might have. Questions along the lines of just what she had done wrong.
"My, my!" Discord floating over her head, resting on a cotton candy cloud. "You seem awfully chipper for somepony in an imminent danger!"
"Imminent danger?" Rainbow questioned. "What are you talking about?"
"Oh, that's right. You little ponies aren't gifted with the power of foresight I have. Well, let's just say danger for you will be arriving right ... about ... now."
"RAINBOW DASH!" Twilight screamed.
Discord's prediction was on the mark. The mansion doors swung open with palpable force, with the rest of the girls battered and furious. Rarity was sneering, Applejack was scowling, Pinkie Pie was frowning, and both Twilight and even Fluttershy were blowing enraged snorts from their noses.
"Where were y'all!?" Applejack demanded, marching up to Rainbow Dash.
"Uh, hanging out with Tresemme?" Rainbow answered.
"Tresemme." Twilight repeated. "Tresemme, Tresemme, TRESEMME!" Twilight mocked in a whiny, high-pitched voice. "Ever since you went on that date, all we've been hearing about is TRESEMME! Well, guess what, Rainbow Dash, because of TRESEMME, Long Face and High Heel were able to raid a shampoo factory! You know why? Because you weren't there to help us fight them! Now the Mane-iac''s one step closer to completing whatever her evil plan is, and we still have NO IDEA what it is, and it's ALL YOUR FAULT!"
"Oh." Rainbow Dash nodded. She put a hoof on her head, reeling from the blow as the realization she had let down her friends struck with the force of a hammer. "Oh, wow. I'm sorry, guys. I didn't know you needed me on the field so bad. It won't happen again."
Twilight snorted again. She thrust a hoof into Rainbow Dash's chest.
"It better not."
Author's Notes for "Zapp's Sensitive Secret"
I gotta say, writing High Heel was really fun. I always have a thing for the femme fatale character. Which High Heel may not necessarily be, but according to my sources, the comic book itself calls her one, even if it doesn't show her acting like it.
Not sure the 80's-style comic narration came out as well in this chapter as it did in the last one.
Both DarknessRising and I agreed that "League of Villainy" is a boring, generic name. Though I felt the need to use it, as I didn't think it would be super-clear who I was talking about if I didn't use their canon name at least once.