Hunting Hope 9

>As Rainbow Dash coasted up to the train station, it became immediately clear that something was wrong.

>Her five friends were arguing up a storm, and the discussion had become heated enough that Rarity had refused to speak and Twilight's words echoed menacingly, rattling the simple wooden enclosure.

>Dash fluttered into a smooth arrival, deciding to avoid attracting attention to herself for once.

>"If we don't prepare a trap," Twilight yelled, "How on earth are we expected to catch her at all?"

>"Ah agree, but th location is completely wrong! We cahn't guard every single entrance into the city. It's too big!"

>"But if we funnel her t'a choice'f only a single entrance, we'll have th' advantage."

>"And how do you expect to do that?" Exclaimed Twilight wildly. "Should I just put up a giant field around the entire city and leave one small hole to get in? Do you think she wouldn't, I don't know, NOTICE?"

All the ponies in the vicinity, even the other five, flinched at the torrent of noise, flicking their ears away and averting their eyes.

>"That's enough!" Rainbow Dash finally shouted, her loyalty to her friends forcing her into action as she flew into the now-glowing space between Applejack and Twilight.

>"Calm down, Twilight!" She hollered, "And I'll tell you what we're going to do!"

>"Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Fluttershy! You're going to spread out to the four cardinal entrances to the city.

>"Twilight, you're going to go West with me and Fluttershy, and you two will keep an eye on the sky.

>"I'll fly out over the plains and find Hope. That way I can tell Twilight which entrance she's heading towards, and she will be able to teleport us all to meet her there.

>"Meanwhile, whomever's entrance that is closest to will have prepared a strategy that works best for the location and will direct the others.

>"Any questions?" Dash demanded roughly of her wide-eyed friends, breathing deeply as her pupils slowly relaxed from the points they had been in during her outburst.

>"Then, uh..." She stammered, voice cracking as she was accosted by the unexpected expressions of respect and shock displayed on her friends faces, "let's, er... uh... head out. Yeah!"

 

The team split up and all but galloped away from the train station to their posts.

>"Wow, Dash." Applejack exclaimed in an awed voice, "you've really picked up on that Wonderbolt leadership training, haven't you?"

>Dash rubbed the back of her head almost ashamedly as Applejack turned and thundered away.

>"Sorry, Rainbow." Twilight hung her head apologetically, "I suppose I got a little carried away there"

>"YOU did?" scoffed Rainbow Dash with a grin, "I think that was completely forgotten after the outburst of *Drill Sergeant Dash*. I should be the one apologizing."

>"Really?"

>"Nah. Did you see how I took charge back there? I flew in like a bolt of lightning and saved the day! I'm such an awesome leader, I wouldn't be surprised if Celestia gives me a whole glass window to myself when they commemorate this! Heck, I could have an entire new wing of the castle named after me!"

Rainbow lost herself in the imagined scene, drifting almost accidentally towards a small, puffy-looking cloud.

>"Rainbow!" Shouted Twilight, snapping Dash out of her daydream, "The plan!"

>"Eh?... Oh, right. On it!" Dash hovered indecisively, then blasted off skyward without a backwards glance.

>Suddenly alone with her thoughts and the still silent Fluttershy, Twilight sighed and headed towards the East-facing edge of town.

It would be a few hours until sunset, and she had to steel herself for the impending exertion that was rapid long-distance teleportation.

>She only hoped that her friends would be able to capture Hope without her prodigious magic at full strength.

>Around the edges of Baltimare the six steeled themselves for whatever was to come.

The next few hours would be excruciating, as each pony prepared themselves physically and mentally for a prey who seemed would never arrive.

>Meanwhile, far above the city, Rainbow Dash scanned the desert intently, violet eyes focused with raptor-like precision as she scanned across the sandy fields.

 

This tasteful cut brings our split stories, those of Hope and the Six, back together both in location and in position in time. Again, I apologize for the delay and shortness.

There's something that I really like about the two-paragraphs-of-fifteen-or-so-lines format, and I honestly promise that these are being released as quickly as I can bear to write. [spoiler] I'm sorry. [/spoiler]

Anywho, I hope you've enjoyed this latest installment, and I'd expect the next chapter to be up at a similar hour tomorrow, give or take a few.

And as always, stay frosty!