Celestial Summons

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Celestia glides high above the land, even above the cloud layer, surveying their domain as they drift on thermals. Although they departed Canterlot with little fanfare and elected to travel without escort, they can still detect a fair number of ponies pointing them out and gathering to watch the monarch as they gently flap their wings. The princess's visage is iconic and distinctive enough that even from a substantial distance, they are quite recognizable.

Celestia smiles imperceptibly, as they think about those on the ground, imagining the conversations as they would question whether they had really seen the Princess of the Sun. But as they fly, the sight of Equestrian civilization gives way to the wild, and that smile disappears. Beneath them now is the Everfree forest.

Celestia can't help but gaze northwards to the castle poking out of the immense forest with a twinge of pain. It has been years since they had last seen it, and centuries since they had visited. Patience. Celestia thinks, steeling themself to present the calm and regal princess that their subjects expect. You've waited centuries; you can wait another hooffull of years.

Celestia puts those thoughts from their mind and focuses on the task at hoof. Flapping their wings harder, they pick up speed. For most of their reign, the vicinity of the Everfree Forest has been completely deserted, the subject of dark rumor and superstition. But now, there is a small village on the edge of the Everfree, named Ponyville. A village that, to the princess, is practically brand new. It’s by far the closest anypony had gotten to the monarch's old home since that fateful night nearly a millennia ago.

But that village is not their destination. Rather, a far older and more familiar city is. Floating above Ponyville is the pegasus capital of Cloudsdale, performing its typical weather service for the agrarian settlement below.

Banking in flight, Celestia wheels around the cloud city before gliding down to a landing at trotting speed on a plaza near the Wonderbolts academy. The ponies around show the typical deferential, awed expressions that Celestia is used to seeing, magnified by surprise at the princess’s visit. Folding their wings up, Celestia strides up to the guardpony on duty; the Wonderbolts are technically military personnel after all, so their compound is always under watch.

"Y-y-your highness!" The nervous guardspony gulps and lowers his head in a steep bow. Celestia takes the panicked reaction in stride and smiles at him reassuringly.

"At ease, guardspony. May I know your name?" Celestia asks, cordially. A millennia of reigning alone had given them plenty of practice with how to set ponies around them at ease; in their experience, the excessive formality that most ponies outside of Canterlot treated them with was counterproductive to getting to the heart of matters.

"U-um, I'm Blizzard Feather." The pegasus certainly looks the part, with his blue coat and white wingtips. Celestia nods encouragingly.

"Well, Blizzard Feather, it is a pleasure to meet you." Celestia smiles at their subject warmly. Though this is essentially padding to get to the point, they aren't lying; Any day they are able to leave court at Canterlot and see their subjects going about their daily lives is a good day, as far as Celestia is concerned. "Perhaps you can help me with something. There was recently a magical surge over half of Equestria, I'm sure you must have seen it. It could only have been a sonic rainboom, and I would very much like to see the pegasus who accomplished such a feat. Do you know who it was?" Celestia asks, keeping their tone pleasant and casual.

"I, um, don't know. Your Majesty," the pegasus states, nervously, keeping his head bowed.

Celestia cocks their head to the side curiously. "You don't know? Were you not stationed there when it happened?"

Blizzard Feather shakes his head. "No. I mean, yes, I mean... I was stationed here, but the rainboom didn't come from here. It came from the lower levels."

Celestia pauses. They had just assumed that the rainboom must have come from a Wonderbolt—after all, they were the most talented fliers in all of Equestria. But here they were, hearing that it had come from the lower levels. That... makes no sense. The lower levels are largely for cargo containers, shipping, and flight camp. Why would such a talented flier be there?

Nonetheless, it was a lead to go off of. So, Celestia kicks off the ground once more, and nods their head at Blizzard Feather. "Very well. Thank you for your help, Blizzard Feather. Oh, and give my regards to Windrider. I particularly enjoyed his last performance in Canterlot," Celestia states warmly.

"Y-yes, ma-am! I mean, sir! I mean, princess!" Blizzard Feather salutes as Celestia takes off once more, ascending away from the long airstrip and cloud base that serves as the Wonderbolts headquarters.

While they fly down, Celestia ponders why such an event would occur down in the training camps. Perhaps one of the fillies fell, and an instructor had performed the rainboom in their struggle to save them? That would certainly be a commendable feat. There are other buildings down here, of course—maintenance areas, housing for some pegasi who work in the shipping business, and the large cargo stations used for handling shipments to and from Cloudsdale. But it seems highly improbable the rainboom had anything to do with them, even more so than the training sections.

The flight camp area is not like the rest of Cloudsdale; there aren't many things one would consider 'buildings', just a variety of clouds connected by columns and pillars, with obstacle courses, racing circuits, and goalposts as far as the eye can see. These training fields serve not only the youth of Cloudsdale, but all of Equestria, with young pegasi traveling to Cloudsdale to learn.

Looking from cloud to cloud, a hubbub of attention catches Celestia's eye. There is a large group of excitable fillies, and one gryphon, all gathered together, cheering. Ah. These must have seen the Rainboom. Celestia thinks to themself before gliding down to join the group.

"Good morning, my little ponies. Can any of you tell me where the wave of light an hour ago came from?" Celestia asks gently. The young fliers, interrupted from the center of their attention, notice the princess and gasp in shock in unison.

"Is that... who I think it is?"
"P-P-Princess Celestia!?"
"I-I'm talking to the princess! T-the princess is talking to me!"

Celestia waits patiently for the awe of the ponies around them to fade, while a lone filly from the group struts up in front of Celestia boldly. She's a young, cyan toned pegasus with a messy prismatic mane. Unlike all of the other ponies around, this filly doesn't look even a little nervous or deferential to the princess, puffing out her chest proudly and standing upright and tall. Celestia raises their brow; it’s rare to see anypony, even young ponies who didn't know better, who would approach the monarch of Equestria so readily.

"It was me!" The filly announces. "I was racing to protect Flutters's honor, an' I made the rainboom happen by going so fast to the finish line!"

Celestia giggles a little. Not only is the filly bold, but she has quite the imagination as well. Celestia lays down, putting themself on eye level with the filly, who stares into Celestia's eyes with fierce pride writ upon her features. "Oh? And what is your name?" Celestia asks, softly.

Putting her chin up in the air and flaring her wings out to the sides, striking a quite heroic looking pose, the filly announces with all the gravitas she can muster, "Rainbow Dash!"

What a feisty little pony. Celestia thinks approvingly. It is a nice change of pace, compared to the normal deference—even fear—their presence usually instills. Like that experienced by all of the other colts and fillies around, who are currently standing back in nervous awe. "Well, Rainbow Dash, are you sure it wasn't somepony else? Maybe one of your instructors had to catch you…?" Celestia gently asks. They don’t want to directly accuse the filly of lying, but there is obviously no way such a young pegasus could have pulled off such a feat, which had never before been accomplished by any mere pegasus.

Rainbow Dash looks up at the princess, narrowing her eyes suspiciously. "What're you tryna say? You calling me a liar?" The filly stomps her hoof on the cloud belligerently.

Some of the other fillies cower in fear or dive under clouds, as if worried that Celestia would reduce the rebellious filly in front of them to ash on the spot, but the princess just shakes their head. But before they can say anything, another of the ponies works up the nerve to stand up on wobbling knees, giving a surprisingly proper military salute.

"U-um, she's telling the truth, sir!" The pony says in a tone of voice Celestia had heard many times before— not that of a frightened filly, but that of a subordinate talking to her commanding officer. Just a moment later, the gryphon of the group also takes a spot by the two fillies.

"Yeah, it's true! I saw the whole thing!" The gryphon pipes up. Celestia looks at her with interest. Ever since the gryphons had been integrated into Equestria following the Relic Wars six hundred years ago, young gryphons were sent to Cloudsdale for flight training to encourage bonds between the gryphons and pegasi. So it is not entirely unusual to see gryphons in Cloudsdale. Having said that, seeing one willing to stand up for a friend is unusual, and makes Celestia's heart glow with a spot of pride.

Celestia turns back to look at Rainbow Dash, appraising the filly in a new light. Could it actually be true? It seems impossible, yet... "May I ask where your instructor is, right now?" They would hold off on any judgements until they had heard from an adult.

Rainbow Dash ponders, then shakes her head. "Nu-uh, no clue. We organized the race ourselves," Rainbow Dash explains.

Well, that sure is convenient... Celestia thinks, still doubtful. But if that is the case, then there is still one more thing they can try, though it isn't reliable.

"Very well. May I have your permission to perform a quick evaluation?" Celestia asks the filly, who looks up at the alicorn's horn warily. Rainbow Dash has never been near a unicorn nor alicorn before, and though she knows about unicorn magic, she has little idea how it works. For the first time since Celestia had arrived, she begins to actually feel nervous, suddenly aware that if Celestia willed it, they could easily reduce her to ash on the spot. Had she done something wrong? Was the rainboom illegal!?

Gulping down her nervousness, Rainbow Dash sits back on her haunches. "Um... I mean... I guess." Rainbow Dash clenches up, hoping that the 'evaluation' would not be painful.

It turned out that she had nothing to worry about, as all she feels is a slight buzzing sensation as the alicorn's magic seeps through her body.

Celestia blinks in surprise and takes a step back, while all of the pegasi fillies watch in a mixture of fear and nervous anticipation. "Starswirl's beard..." Celestia mutters in astonishment. "You really did do it." The princesses tone of voice is matter-of-fact, not a glimmer of doubt in their mind now. The amount of magical energy swirling within the rambunctious pegasus filly in front of them is simply staggering, something that could only be explained by raw talent, vigor, and will.

Celestia looks back down at the pegasus filly with newfound respect. "Rainbow Dash, you have accomplished something today that no other pegasus in history ever has. And at such a tender young age, too... Your potential is, frankly, unrivaled," Celestia starts. "It would be my honor if you would come to my school in Canterlot, that we might hone your gifts to their fullest potential."

Rainbow Dash falls back on her haunches in shock at the offer. Her...? Being extended a personal offer by the Princess of the Sun themself? She knows she’s awesome, but... that awesome? Her mind whirls in confoundment, before she manages to pull herself together. "But... Everypony knows Celestia's school of magic is for unicorns!" Rainbow Dash blurts out.

Celestia gives the pegasus a sly smile and spreads their wings wide. Wingtip to wingtip, they’re far broader than any pegasus Rainbow Dash had ever seen. "These aren't just for show, you know," Celestia remarks, a playful tone to their voice as they suddenly rocket up into the sky and perform a hairpin midair loop before halting in place. Somehow, their ethereal mane and graceful form look even more elegant, backlit against the bright blue sky, and Rainbow Dash's jaw drops in awe. "I have had over a millennia to hone my flying skills, and I’ve flown alongside the best fliers in Equestrian history—Flash Magnus, Shadow Kicker, Firefly, Purple Dart, and Fairweather, to name a few.

"I think I can manage to teach a filly some tricks," Celestia gives an amused smirk as they glide back down from the clouds, lightly poking the filly in the nose with their hoof. But then, the alicorn's expression turns more serious. "But in all honesty, there is far more that I would teach you than simply flight. Harnessing your pegasus magic can do great things, both for yourself and Equestria at large. Such raw talent deserves to be explored."

Rainbow Dash's mind struggles to keep up, but even to a filly, the weight of what is being stated is readily apparent. An offer from the Princess of the Sun themself is no small matter, and it could easily change the course of her entire life. And yet...

Rainbow Dash glances at the other ponies near her, and more generally, at Cloudsdale. It’s home, and it always has been—high in the sky, above the earth, where flight is just a natural part of life. And more importantly, it’s the home of the Wonderbolts. Her dream to join them had only just been formed, and now another option was bludgeoning its way into her life. Seeing Rainbow Dash's hesitation writ plainly on her face, Celestia nods.

"You don't need to make a decision right now, my young pegasus. For now, you should think it over. It is, after all, not a decision to be taken lightly," Celestia states delicately.

"What? Don't tell me you're seriously considering turning them down?" The gryphon asks Rainbow Dash incredulously. "You're always going on about how awesome you are, and now the ruler of all of Equestria themself shows up to acknowledge it!" They prod Rainbow Dash from the side.

The other pegasus pipes up. "Yeah! It's not like you to hesitate on something like this!" she jeers. "What's the matter? Just take the offer!"

Rainbow Dash shakes her head. "It's not that simple, Cloud Kicker! I'd be leaving Cloudsdale..." she states fiercely, before looking back up at Celestia. "I'd have to talk to my parents, too."

Celestia looks on approvingly. The pegasus before them, though rowdy and rambunctious, also has a surprisingly good head on her shoulders, from what they can tell. "Of course. Regardless of your decision, you've accomplished a great feat here today, and you should be proud. May I meet the parents of such an extraordinary young filly?"

Rainbow Dash beams. Though she isn't sure about changing her whole course in life on a dime like that, it doesn't take a second thought to realize that having the Sun Princess visit her home personally would give her bragging rights for the rest of her life. So, she nods her head enthusiastically. "Uh-huh!"

Celestia lowers their head oddly deferentially, stifling a giggle at the filly's enthusiasm. "Well then, Rainbow Dash, lead the way."

Rainbow Dash turns around to say goodbye to her friends. "I'll be sure to let you both know what I decide. Catch you later, Gilda. Bye, Cloud Kicker." Rainbow Dash hoofbumps each of her friends in turn before wheeling around and taking off.

As Celestia follows, they are able to get their first good look at the filly's flying technique. Though it is... unrefined, it is easy to see the raw talent possessed; she moves with agility, confidence, and grace, though her technique is somewhat sloppy and could use some work. Nothing that a few afternoons with the premier flight trainers in Equestria wouldn't hammer out, though. Celestia thinks to themself.

Upon reaching the mid-layer of the cloud city where her house is, Rainbow Dash touches down. She could fly straight there, but she wants as many ponies as possible to witness the monarch of all of Equestria following her around. Puffing out her chest proudly and holding her chin high, Rainbow Dash basks in the awed and shocked looks from everypony she crossed paths with.

Slamming the door to her house open, Rainbow Dash struts inside confidently. "Mom! Dad! I'm home! And I brought a visitor. They'd like to talk with you!"

"Oh, sweetie, it's so good to see you're home! How did your day go?" Windy Whistles calls out from the other room as she quickly trots towards the front door to see her daughter. "Did you beat any records toda..." She trails off as her jaw goes slack, and, with eyes as wide as saucers, she notices Princess Celestia themself standing behind her daughter with a warm expression. Rainbow Dash beams proudly.

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Princess Celestia greets the slack-jawed pegasus. "To answer your question, your daughter has in fact set a record today. May I come in?"

"B-B-Bow, get in here." Windy stammers out, visibly vibrating. "C-C-Come right in, P-P-Prin..." She doesn't seem to be able to finish that sentence, but Celestia gets the message and nods their head gratefully.

"Thank you. My, what a cozy home you have here," Celestia remarks as they sit down at the table.

"Dear? What is it?" Bow Hothoof calls out from upstairs, trotting down the stairs, only to find the surreal image of Princess Celestia sitting down at the family dining table, patiently waiting for him.

"Dear Celestia..." Bow prays under his breath. "It's Celestia."

It takes some time for Rainbow Dash's parents to pull themselves together enough to string together a coherent statement, and once they do, it’s largely just to start asking if the princess needs anything. It isn't until cups of tea have been made and they all sit down at the table that they stop vibrating in awe long enough to introduce themselves and hear what Celestia has to say.

"This morning, your daughter accomplished an extraordinary feat," Celestia explains. "She became the first pegasus, and second pony, in all of recorded history to have performed a Sonic Rainboom. Even if she were an adult, that would have been an astonishing feat, but as a filly it is doubly impressive."

Bow Hothoof and Windy Whistles look at each other, and then back at Celestia. "Our Dashie," Windy starts, "performed a sonic rainboom?" Bow finishes.

Rainbow Dash winces as the living room is overtaken by a cacophony of parental cheering and pride. Somehow, in her eagerness to show off that she had attracted the eye of the princess themself, she had neglected to consider how embarrassing her parents could be. Before she can escape the couch, she is overtaken by a massive bear hug between the two of them.

"If any pegasus could do it, it would be our Dashie!" Bow gushes. "She's always been such a phenomenal learner!"

Celestia smiles with warmth and sincerity as they take a sip of their tea. It's good to see that she's well loved. "Now, onto business. I have extended your daughter an offer to come to Canterlot as my personal student, that she might learn how to best harness her abilities." Celestia explains. "If she should decide to take me up on my offer, she would learn from the best that Equestria can provide. But as she would be studying so far from home, she would have to live at the palace with me while she was studying."

As if everything else that had been told to them wasn't enough, this latest revelation sent fresh waves of excitement through her parents. "Our Dashie, being mentored by... By Celestia themself?" Windy Whistles utters in astonishment while looking over at her husband. "Where do we sign up!?" Bow asks, elated.

"Not so fast!" Rainbow Dash shouts, prying her muzzle out of her parents' grasp for long enough to speak up. "I haven't made up my mind yet. Princess, I have some questions." The pegasus announces, crawling out from between her parents and standing fiercely on the couch with wings spread out as if she thought she was getting ready for battle.

"Ask away. I wouldn't expect you to make such a large decision without full knowledge first. In fact, I wouldn't permit it." Celestia announces, firmly. Even though they seem calm, there is a certain weight and gravitas to that last statement which makes Rainbow Dash swallow nervously.

"Well, um, first off... What would I be learning? I'm not an egghead, I like flying and speed. And the Wonderbolts academy is here, in Cloudsdale, so if I want to learn from the best, wouldn't I be better off staying there?" Rainbow Dash asks, skeptically.

Celestia nods. "In some ways, yes. If you wish to only focus on your flight abilities, you would be better served staying in Cloudsdale. But I believe you have far more potential than simply being a racer or stunt pony. To assuage your concerns, the military school in Canterlot has some of the best flight trainers in all of Equestria, perhaps second to the Wonderbolts Academy, perhaps not. But you would also be trained by me, personally. So your flight training would not be lacking." Celestia explains. "But there would be much more to it than just that; You would be trained how to best harness your Pegasus magic, how to fight to defend both yourself and others, how to navigate the world, how to survive in the wild, taught leadership skills... And, of course, Academics." Celestia adds the last one as if it was an afterthought.

Rainbow Dash groans. 'Academics.' Just about anything else was preferable over that. But she still has one more major concern. "And... How would this affect my chances of getting into the Wonderbolts?" Rainbow Dash asks, finally.

Celestia's gaze softens, and they speak more gently than the previous, more formal answer. "I will be honest, if you take me up on my offer, it is unlikely you will ever become a Wonderbolt. You would likely take on greater responsibilities that would conflict with Wonderbolt training, and would be away from Cloudsdale too often to compete." Rainbow Dash looks like she is going to turn them down on the spot in response to that statement, but Celestia continues. "But I believe your destiny holds greater things for you than being a mere performer. I understand that is your dream, and if you wish to pursue it I will not hinder you. But with your potential, I know you could be so much more."

Celestia's words touch Rainbow's pride just right, leaving her once again uncertain. What Celestia describes is so different from how she imagined life going, such a departure from all the goals and hopes she has for herself. And yet...

Rainbow Dash sighs, looking down at the ground. "Can I... Think it over?" She asks, finally, eliciting gasps of shock from both of her parents. Celestia nods gracefully.

"Of course. Having said that, I'm afraid I cannot stay while you do. Duty calls. Take this." Celestia offers a hoof bracelet to Rainbow Dash, emblazoned with the royal seal on the front. "If you should choose to take me up on my offer... Present this to the guards at the royal palace in Canterlot. They will let you in."

Rainbow Dash takes the signet with unease, turning it over in her hooves. It's strange; She had just accomplished the greatest feat of her life and been told that she had nearly limitless potential. But all she feels is a strange sense of trepidation. She could, of course, simply refuse Celestia's offer and continue on her normally scheduled path towards becoming a Wonderbolt; The Princess hadn't put any pressure on her to accept, after all. Yet, what would she be throwing away if she did that..? At that moment, she feels uncannily aware that her decision would affect the course of the rest of her life.

Rainbow Dash finally looks up at Celestia, with a determined expression. "Alright. I'll think about it." She finally responds.

Celestia nods. "I would expect no less. Take your time to make your decision, it is not one to be made lightly." The Sun Princess states with delicate emphasis, before nodding to each of Rainbow's parents in turn. "It was good to meet you two. Regardless of what choice they make, you should know that you've raised an extraordinary young filly. You should be proud."

And just like that, the alicorn is gone, leaving Rainbow Dash with a confounding storm of warring emotions inside of her head.

"I'm going to tuck in early," Rainbow Dash reports from where she is lying on the couch. Since Celestia had left an hour or two ago, she had been lying near-catatonic on the couch as her parents did their best to comfort or talk to her. It wasn't like Rainbow at all, and it warrants considerable concern. The statement that she was going to tuck in early does not help that case; Rainbow Dash was usually more likely to stay up late and just catch up on sleep by power napping during the day.

"Rainbow...?" Bow asks, hesitantly. "Are you sure everything is alright? If you need help talking things through, we're right here," he offers, but Rainbow Dash just shakes her head and climbs the stairs up to her room.

It isn't that she's upset, exactly. On some level, she is as overjoyed as she should be given the circumstances, but that level is deep inside of her, and on the surface is the unusual pensiveness that encompassed her that day.

It's weird, Rainbow thinks to herself, as she lays back on her bed, staring up at the ceiling without the blankets covering her. I'm not normally like this. What am I even doing? She ponders, restlessly rolling over onto her side with her head tucked against the pillow. Thinking problems through slowly and carefully isn't really Rainbow Dash's forte; she's generally more prone to smashing her way through them with brute force. But this isn't like choosing what to do for the day or challenging a filly to a race; in the back of her mind, she is painfully aware that her decision here will change the rest of her life.

Maybe I'll think better on a full night of sleep… I hope She isn't really sure, since she didn't think she'd ever had a decision she'd had to sleep on before.

Rainbow Dash's eyes shoot open, not knowing where she is, as a flash of light emanates around her. It is only after the resounding boom of thunder passes through her that she realizes the light came from stormclouds hanging overhead. Where am I...? Rainbow Dash wonders in a daze, looking around at the crumbling stonework all around her. She seems to be in a massive, ornamental hall, badly weathered by the ages. The vaunted ceiling stretches up high above her, almost invisible in the darkness until another flash of lightning crashes through the sky above.

Rainbow Dash flinches reflexively, before cursing herself for doing so; she’s not supposed to be so easily scared! But despite telling herself that, she can't help but shiver in a combination of fear and awe. She looks up and around, seeing massive sections of the ceiling that are caved in, the rubble strewn across the floor, while vast stained glass windows on either side let in the dim light from outside.

Suddenly, a booming laughter, as loud as the thunder that was crashing through the hall, resounds. It hits Rainbow with a wave of physical force like a shockwave that blasts her backwards. She desperately flaps her wings in flight to catch her balance before she falls to the ground, landing in a combative stance. "Who's there?" she shouts, her voice filled with bravado that her heart doesn't match.

"Your fate." The voice calls Rainbow from down the hall. "Come and face it, if you dare." The voice continues to resound from all around her, speaking with all of the intensity of the thunderclouds hanging outside.

Rainbow hesitantly glances around. There are no side passages, and the hall just seems to fade into black darkness behind her, so she nervously gulps and begins walking forwards. Chunks of ancient stonework, still grandiose even in their ruined state, jut from the ground around her.

Rainbow Dash isn't sure how long she walks, but at some point, shivering in the cold air, she comes to the end of the hall. There are many such windows lining each side, but the two stained glass panels here are the only two that catch her eye, because she recognizes the ponies depicted within.

On one side... Shadow Kicker, her friend Cloud Kicker’s distant ancestor, armored wing to hoof, a pool of crimson blood at her hooves. An ancient hero from a bygone era.

And on the other, illuminated by a flash of lightning in the thunderstorm raging in the background, is a pony from far more recent history. In fact, one who is still alive. Wind Rider, captain of the Wonderbolts.

Rainbow Dash shakes her head and shields herself from the biting wind with her wings. Though she is technically inside, the numerous cracks and shattered glass in the hall let the storm winds in with little resistance. "What is this? Why are you showing me this?" Rainbow Dash shouts out, looking around in the darkness for her tormentor.

Booming laughter echoes once again, and Rainbow Dash involuntarily shuts her eyes, cowering under its weight. "You have a choice to make, my young subject. Stay in Cloudsdale if you value your life, for if you follow your fool of a princess, you shall share the fate of those who came before you!" Rainbow Dash's eyes shoot open once again, as the scenes in the stained glass seem to come to life. Shadow Kicker, impaled by a dozen spears and laying dying in a pool of her own blood. And Wind Rider, soaring high on the wings of a storm, without a care in the world. Rainbow's eyes grow wide, taking in the scene, as cracks like sparks of lightning crawl across both paintings, from the bottom towards the top, even while the figures in them continue moving. Wind Rider ascends up, up, until they have left the painting entirely, while Shadow Kicker's last, pained breaths cease.

A forked tongue of lightning crashes down from the stormclouds above, piercing each painting and shattering them into pieces along the cracks that had formed. Rainbow screams and jumps back, only for a sudden gust of wind to sweep her through the air. Though the pegasus filly tries to catch herself on the edge of where the paintings had once been, she finds herself plummeting down into the darkness before her. Soon enough, she can see nothing, feeling only the biting wind in her fur and her scream fading into the rumbling of the storm beyond.

Homecoming

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Celestia touches down on one of the platforms high in the Canterlot palace, folding their wings against their sides and letting out a huff of air. They'd put off their responsibilities with very little warning in order to investigate the magical surge, and although they don't regret that decision, it does mean that the rest of that day will be even more exhausting than usual. Steeling themself, Celestia holds their head up high in preparation for holding court and strides into the palace, noting a distinct lack of security with unease.

The two guards on duty at that entrance, momentarily ago sitting down playing a game of cards, gulp nervously and bolt to their hooves on either side of the door. "P-Princess!" One of them hastily salutes. Celestia wheels around, arching a brow.

"Is this what passes for discipline among the royal guard now?" The princess questions. "If I was trying to infiltrate the castle, I could have easily done so just now. The only reason you two saw me was because I was making no effort to conceal my presence. What are your names?"

"W-Wind lancer!"
"Ruby Hoof, Sir!"

"Hm." Celestia ponders. They didn't recognize the names, but that made sense; Although in theory part of the same organization, the palace guards are significantly less involved with Celestia personally compared to the Royal Companions which accompany the princess in the field. Still, that was no excuse for slacking. "Who is your superior officer?"

"General Apple Corps, sir!" Ruby hoof pipes up.

"Alright, Wind Lancer and Ruby Hoof. I'll let you off easy this one time, but if I catch you slacking on watch again, I'll make sure you're on sewer detail for a week. Understood?" Celestia states, triggering nervous gulps from the two as they stand up and at attention.

"Yes, sir!" both state in unison, and Celestia nods.

"Good." With that taken care of, Celestia continues into the throne room at a brisk pace, relieved to see that at least the throne room guards are properly standing watch.

Kneeling down before Celestia, one of the guards on duty reports. "Your majesty, General Apple Corps has been awaiting your arrival in the guest chambers. The dignitaries from Zebrica have also arrived, but have not yet petitioned for a meeting. Shall I dispatch for the general?"

Celestia nods as they take up their place on the solitary throne. "Yes, and please send my apologies for the delay. There was some unexpected business to take care of."

The guard nods, the doors shut behind him, and for a hoofful of minutes Celestia is left to their own devices in the throne room awaiting the general's arrival. But before long, the gates in front of them crack open, allowing the brown-toned earth pony into the throne room. Apple Corps strides to the center of the room and kneels down before the alicorn as the gates seal shut behind him.

"Your majesty," Apple Corps states deferentially.

Celestia sighs loudly. "Don't stand on ceremony with me now, Corps, it is just the two of us. I have to deal with that enough from everypony else."

Apple Corps nods and stands up, still with a somewhat formal posture, but at least dispensing with the kneeling. "Of course. I wanted to meet with you regarding the latest batch of new military reforms you are pushing through. With all due respect, I can't fathom why you're doing it now; replacing the equipment of the entire guard alone will take up twice our annual budget. Wasn't the expansion of the Royal Legions sufficient? The Nobility are starting to ask why we need such a large standing army."

"The Nobility. Right." Celestia lets out a small sigh. Though technically one of the pillars of their rule, the nobles tend to be more a thorn in Equestria's side than anything else. Celestia had meant to do something about that a very, very long time ago... But events had conspired against them. Celestia shakes their head to clear it from the momentary distraction that thoughts of the past had brought, and refocuses on the issue at hoof. "If the nobles had their way, we'd probably still be throwing spears and holding shield walls for all our battles. I don't seem to recall those tactics being particularly effective last time the dragons led an incursion." Celestia remarks dryly.

Apple Corps motions at a small stack of papers he had brought with him. "But many of these technologies aren't well established. I've caught sight of some of these folding claws. R&D is still having trouble making the hinge mechanism strong enough to survive impact. The continued development costs are going to cut into the guard's other duties at the current rate."

Celestia can't help but roll their eyes. By 'other duties', the general meant showboating and parades. Standing up and striding over to the window, Celestia gazes out over Equestria stretching off into the distance before turning to respond to the general. "General Apple Corps, what is the primary function of the Guard?" they ask.

Apple Corps frowns. "Well... To protect Equestria and represent its interests, I suppose."

"And do you feel that the current state of the guard is sufficient to serve that purpose?" Celestia questions.

Apple Corps looks uncertain. "Well. I can't see why not. The current state of the guard has been more than sufficient for peacekeeping and maintaining order."

Celestia shakes their head. "I'm not referring to peacekeeping or maintaining order, General. If an army wereto invade Equestria, say, this very afternoon... do you think you would be able to stop it?" The general opens his mouth to speak, but Celestia cuts him off before he can. "Mind you, I don't mean an army with antiquated tactics and weaponry like the Yaks. What if, say, the dragon lord chose to invade? Or the changelings? Equestrian intelligence informs me that they have a new queen sitting on the throne, who is far less isolationist than the previous. Or even a threat from within? Are you aware that there are presently no less than four insurrectionist groups operating within Equestria's borders?"

General Apple Corps bristles at the apparent insult to his troops, and stands up even straighter. "Princess, my soldiers are more than ready to handle any threats that might appear! We have kept vigilant watch over Equestria for generations, and will continue to do so!”

Celestia raises a brow. "Really, general? I caught two of your soldiers playing a game of cards instead of guarding the upper passage to the palace not long ago." Celestia sighs, and their gaze softens sympathetically. "I understand you are protective of your soldiers, General. But I need you to understand me. They are not ready. The guard has become a cushy position for second-sons of noble families to parade around in uniform and entertain dignitaries, not a modern fighting force. These reforms are necessary to protect Equestria."

Apple Corps gives an exasperated sigh. "With all due respect, your majesty, just what is it that you're afraid of? Equestria has been at peace for well over a century, and there is no sign of it ending."

"Nor will there be before the inevitable conflict, I'm afraid. We cannot wait until war is already on our doorstep to begin preparing; by then, it will be too late." Celestia broods, staring out at the distant horizon and shaking their head. "Between resistance from the nobility, traditionalists in the military, and opposition from pacifist elements of society, these reforms have already taken far longer to institute than I expected. We cannot delay any longer. If I have learned one thing in my time as Princess of the Sun... it is that the calm is always followed by a storm. Always."

The general grunts in frustration, but bows his head. "...Of course, your majesty. I will begin making the necessary changes." Though begrudging, the general salutes respectfully before making for the exit.

"Oh, and General... Tell the guard to let in the Zebrican dignitaries now." Celestia calls out to the departing figure of the general and returns to her throne. General Apple Corps might have been stubborn as a mule, and a staunch traditionalist to boot, but he was also one of the only ranking military officers in Equestria who had seen actual combat—not just a border skirmish here or there, but an entire campaign against insurrectionists in eastern Equestria. Because of that, Celestia was willing to overlook certain deficits, knowing the stallion to be a talented commander when it came down to it.

The rest of the day is filled with political niceties and fervent negotiations over trade routes running through disputed territory in southern Equestria. Though an infrastructure project to improve contact between southern and northern Equestria was underway, the desert at the far southern terminus of Equestrian territory was still an isolated enclave with spotty communication at best. Between that, and their scheduled appearance at a local school, Celestia is barely able to raise the moon in time.

Or more accurately, isn't. Two minutes late. Celestia thinks in moderate frustration, glancing at the nearby clock. The diversion to Cloudsdale that morning had made it difficult to get everything for the day done, and now they are just exhausted. Still, there is one more thing to do before they can allow themself some sleep.

Making their way to the guards headquarters, Celestia receives the day's reports- Newest updates from Equestrian Intelligence, frontier patrols, and more. Most of it is just the same as usual, though one tidbit from the Intelligence report does catch the princesses eye; Gryphonian separatists apparently have a new leader. They would have to keep an eye on that.

Satisfied that none of it requires their immediate attention, Celestia signs off, and makes their way towards the royal quarters, only to be ambushed by a pale-colored unicorn with bright yellow eyes and a white mane.

"Hey, Princess! Where didja go this afternoon?" The guardspony asks them, in an obnoxiously casual tone. This was Mooncrescent, one of the youngest members of the Royal Companions, with his older brother Starblaze following just a bit behind.

Celestia turns to face the two, a slight smile tugging on their lips. Technically, the two guardsponies should really have been expelled from the guard ages ago for insubordination, but Celestia can't help but have a soft spot for ponies who treated her less like a princess and more like any other pony. "You saw the rainbow earlier today?" Celestia asks. Mooncrescent nods his head vigorously. "I felt the need to track down the pony responsible, and flew to Cloudsdale to investigate." Celestia explains.

Mooncrescent pouts. "Cloudsdale? That means you had to go through the Everfree forest! Aww, why couldn't you have taken us with you? We might've gotten to fight some timberwolves or, maybe a manticore!" He announces, far too excitedly for the discussion topic.

Celestia stifles a giggle. "I think you may have had trouble keeping up with me, considering I was flying." Celestia stretches their wings out as if to demonstrate the point.

Mooncrescent sighs and flops down onto the ground. "Oh, phooie, we never get to do anything." He bemoans. Celestia looks down at the young unicorn, still just a cadet, and raises his head to look at her.

"Don't you worry, my faithful guardspony. You will get your 'action' as you say, sooner or later." Celestia remarks, with an odd hint of melancholy in her voice. Mooncrescent frowns; Despite his relaxed posture, he was actually quite observant.

"If you say so, Princess." Mooncrescent sighs. "Well, I'm going to go back to training now. Remember to take us with you next time!" Mooncrescent waves a hoof before galloping off. Celestia watches the retreating sight of the young stallion with bemusement, before heading off towards their own quarters at long last.

"Why do you think they even keep us around?" Starblaze asks his brother, trotting along after him. "I mean, like they said, we can't exactly keep up."

Mooncrescent glances back, and shrugs. "I dunno. Maybe they just like our company?"

Celestia gently shuts the door behind them as they enter their quarters, finally alone once again. The burdens of leadership falling from their shoulders, the alicorn steps towards the open balcony, and sits down. The two guardsponies in training might be insubordinate, but Celestia can't manage to feel upset about it. After all, there was only one other pony who had ever spoken to her similarly.

Gazing up into the night sky, Celestia finds her gaze drawn once again to the moon. "Dearest sister, I know you'll be coming home soon." Celestia speaks softly. "It's been such a long time. When the time comes, I pray you can forgive me."

Celestia sits there for a long moment, feeling the cracks forming in the protective facade they had kept up for so long, before jerking their gaze away with sudden restlessness. Slamming shut the door to the balcony, the princess stalks over to the massive bed and lays down. You should rest. You'll need as much as you can get. As every day, tomorrow will bring fresh challenges, and they will face them all for the sake of Equestria. Even if their heart is somewhere else, far, far away, within a distant nighttime sky.

New Horizons

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Rainbow Dash jolts back awake with a start, bolting up to her hooves on top of her bed. Her heart pounding in her chest, her head darts this way and that, as if looking for an unseen enemy, breathing heavily. It's just... My room. Just my room. Nothing is here. Rainbow Dash hisses at herself, irritated at her own reaction. So much for being a brave pony, here she is jumping at her own shadow just because she had a nightmare! "Who am I, Fluttershy?" Rainbow Dash mutters to herself sardonically.

Hopping off of her bed, she marches over to the window and looks outside. It is still dark, and she isn't entirely sure what time it is, but with adrenaline coursing through her veins there isn't any chance she is going back to bed. So instead, walking quietly, she slips out of her room and heads downstairs to the vacant living room. If she's stuck awake already, she might as well get breakfast out of the way.

The fillies cooking skills are not exactly spectacular, but she is at least able to stick a load of pasta in hot water and sandwich it between two halves of a potato. Hopping up on the chair and trying to keep from making too much noise to not wake up her parents, Rainbow Dash thinks back to the nightmare from last night. It was not the kind of dream she normally had, even if she was stressed out about something. She remembers feeling unsure about herself when she first started flight camp, despite her parents encouragement, but hadn't had any dream like the one from last night.

It just didn't seem right. Weren't dreams supposed to be something from her own subconscious? That dream certainly hadn't felt like something her mind would come up with. What would it even mean? It wasn't weird in the way that dreams normally were, either; No sudden scene changes, no inane tangents that didn't go anywhere. It felt more like a message being delivered concisely to her.

Ha! Even if it is, I'm not going to be that easily cowed! Rainbow Dash tells herself, even though in her heart of hearts she does in fact feel a bit cowed.

By the time she has finished her starchy sandwich, Rainbow's thoughts have moved on to the big decision ahead of her. Creepy dreams or not, she still has to make up her mind. Her parents wouldn't stop her either way, she is pretty sure, which means that the decision is ultimately in her hooves.

A part of her feels humbled, that the monarch of Equestria had flown all the way out here just to see her. How could she turn down such an offer? Yet, another part- the spunky, rebellious part- feels almost angry. She had just made her dream, just proven she could do it, and here the princess came in telling her she should do something completely different!

That's ridiculous. Even Rainbow Dash knew that. They have no idea what your dreams are, they're the princess of all Equestria for heavens sake. You should feel honored they took the time to come all the way out here just for you.

Her thoughts continue circling that way until, before she knows it, the sun rises and her mother comes downstairs. "Honey? What are you doing up so early?" It is, thankfully, not a flight camp day, and normally Rainbow Dash would have been sleeping in late. The dark circles under the pegasus' eyes give away that she had not gotten a full night of sleep.

"Oh, hey, mom." Rainbow Dash shrugs. "Just felt like it, I guess." No way I'm admitting I had a nightmare. Rainbow Dash can hear the warble in her own voice, but hopes it isn't too recognizable to her mother.

Windy Whistles walks up by her side and sits down next to her, wrapping a wing around her daughter. "What's going on, Dashie? I would have thought you'd be over the moon, but instead I don't know if I've ever seen you so down. Do you want to talk about it?"

Rainbow Dash hops off the chair she was on and glances back at her mother, shaking her head furiously. The last thing she wants is a mushy heart-to-heart about her feelings, she would figure this out on her own just like everything. "I'm heading over to my friends." Rainbow Dash announces, trotting towards the door.

"Don't you want breakfast first?" Her mother calls after her, so Rainbow Dash glances back and shakes her head again. "I'm good. I already ate."

Rainbow Dash strolls lackadaisically through Cloudsdale, the light from the morning sun still somewhat dim as it peaks over the horizon. Much of the land below is still cloaked in shadow, but the flying city is always first exposed to the sun. As Rainbow Dash reaches the edge of the particular cloud layer her house is on, she gently lifts up into the air. The cloud city is mostly calm, except...

Rainbow Dash shades her eyes with her hoof while looking up towards the upper levels, and in particular the Wonderbolts academy. As every day, the Wonderbolts are already out and about, barely visible against the brightening sky beyond, yet unmistakable as anypony else. After all, who else in cloudsdale would be doing a corkscrew dive at high speeds this early in the morning?

Rainbow Dash closes her eyes, hovering in place, and imagines herself up there with them, wearing the blue-and-yellow uniform and leading the aerobatics squad in flight. She knew she could do it, knew she could reach that. It's so easy for her to imagine, she can practically see herself diving and soaring through the air with them.

But then, as Rainbow Dash opens her eyes again, she finds herself gazing the other direction. Far to the west, where Canterlot is just barely visible in the distance. She had seen the city from a distance many times of course, as Cloudsdale passed above it occasionally as part of its weather routine. But try as she might, she can't imagine walking its streets, or soaring through its skies. She can't imagine what it would be like to live there. It was an unknown world, beyond her experience; She'd never even touched the ground below her flying home before.

Rainbow Dash snarls to herself. So what if it's unknown? Are you some kind of coward? Rainbow Dash scowls and beats her wings in flight, heading for the training fields, or more accurately, the dormitories. Her friends would be there, since they aren't native to the cloud city. On the way, her mind drifts back to the distant mountain city to the west of Cloudsdale. What would life be like if she were to go there? How would it change the course of her life? The city was the least of uncertainties that would await her. Being the personal pupil of the Sun Princess both sounds too good to be true, and an utterly terrifying prospect at the same time.

No, you've always wanted everypony to see what you can do. This isn't like you. Rainbow Dash shakes her head. Thinking this hard about something is a decidedly unfamiliar experience and, if you asked her, unwelcome. Besides, she had basically arrived at her destination now. The dormitory isn't active, given that Flight Camp is closed today, but Rainbow Dash feels confident at least Cloudkicker would be up. The filly came from a military family and had a strict policy of waking up every day at the crack of dawn drilled into her from a young age. Gilda would likely be up too, something about Griffin's having slightly different sleep patterns.

So it isn't a surprise when Rainbow Dash spots Cloudkicker in the yard doing wing-ups and Gilda lazing around on a cloud out in front, along with a couple of other colts. Gilda looks up at Dash with some surprise as she glides to a halt nearby. "Didn't expect to see you around today. Certainly not this early." Gilda remarks. "Did you really turn down the princess?" She sounds almost incredulous.

Rainbow Dash shakes her head. "No, she just had to go back to Canterlot. She said I can have as much time as I want to think it over. I don't... Know what I'm going to do." Rainbow Dash states, rubbing one of her forelegs with the other anxiously. She almost mentions the dream she had, but quickly decides not to; A cool pegasus like her isn't supposed to have nightmares.

Cloudkicker jumps up as she finishes her wing-ups, stretching out sore wings as she trots over to join her two friends. "You know, my family lives in Canterlot. We'd probably see eachother more, if you went there."

Meanwhile, Gilda scoffs. "I'm surprised you didn't take them up on the offer already, but if you don't want to go you should just tell the princess to stuff it." Gilda's beak makes a shape that could generously be described as a smirk, though pony expressions didn't really map very well onto griffins. "I still can't believe you talked to them like that. You're lucky they didn't throw you in jail, if you act like that all the time its probably safer if you stay far away."

"Who cares whats safer?" Rainbow Dash asks sardonically, shaking her head. "I just dunno what I want to do yet. When they visited yesterday, Celestia said if I went with them I'd probably never become a Wonderbolt. I just made that dream and now..." Rainbow Dash trails off.

"Ha, then just don't go! Simple as that. Wonderbolts is your dream, nopony has the right to take that away from you. Isn't that right, Dash?" Gilda advises.

Rainbow Dash is silent for a long moment, thinking back to her dream. In her minds eye, she sees the painting of Shadowkicker again, lying in a pool of their own blood. But dead or not, the pony was a legend, exceeding the reputation of even the most talented wonderbolt. Flying is what I do. Should I just stick in my lane? Rainbow Dash wonders, frowning. But... If I can be even more than that, reach even higher pinnacles than I ever dreamt possible... After a long moment, Rainbow Dash sighs and looks up. "Hey, Gilda? Is it alright if I talk to Cloudkicker alone for a minute?"

The griffin looks properly miffed at the question, but just rolls her eyes. "Pfft, whatever. Just tell me whenever you've made up your mind." The griffin stalks off, looking to be somewhat insulted by the question.

Rainbow Dash walks over to the edge of the cloud and sits down, and Cloudkicker joins her, sitting beside her with a frown. "What is it, Dash? Why don't you want Gilda here?"

Rainbow Dash takes a deep breathe. I know its embarrassing but, Shadowkicker is her ancestor! I think I should tell her. "I... had a nightmare, last night." Rainbow Dash confesses. "N-not that I was scared!" She hastily adds. "But... I saw two stained glass portraits. There was this voice threatening me, trying to get me to stay in Cloudsdale, and I saw... Shadowkicker, lying bleeding on the ground." Rainbow Dash explains, shaking her head. "I don't have dreams like that, and I don't know what it means."

Cloudkicker waves her legs back and forth, and looks up, oddly pensive. "I've... had a few dreams like that before, too. It runs in the family." She points up at the sky. "My grandfather says bad dreams like that come from the moon, and only happen when there's a full moon out." Cloudkicker explains, triggering a surprised look from Rainbow Dash.

"Seriously? It's not just me?" Rainbow Dash asks, incredulously, and Cloudkicker shakes her head.

"I'm afraid not. I've... I've had dreams where I saw Shadowkicker, too. Always hurt or dying." Cloudkicker looks melancholic, before standing up. "You sure you aren't a kicker, too? Maybe somepony just broke the chain of names at some point."

Rainbow Dash shrugs. Genealogy is well outside of her area of expertise. She groans and leans back, falling onto the fluffy clouds and staring up into the sky. "I don't even know what exactly would be waiting for me in Canterlot. I mean, I've never even been on the ground before, or seen an earth pony! How am i supposed to..." Rainbow Dash sighs and interrupts herself. "But from what the princess said the other day, it sounded like they'd want to teach me how to fight and survive. Maybe they think I could be a good soldier or something. It feels... It feels like the world is telling me I could be like Shadowkicker."

Cloudkicker pauses for a long moment, frowning. "That's what my folks want from me. But is that what you want?" Cloudkicker asks. "I mean, you don't need to live up to anypony's expectations, you're just doing what you want. Right?" She hesitates again. "You know it won't be easy if that's what you want to do. Trust me, I would know."

Rainbow Dash grows distant for a bit, staring up into nothing particular. "I just thought I should talk to you about it." Rainbow Dash gives Cloudkicker a sidelong glance. A part of her wants to thank Cloudkicker, tell her she's a good friend. But a larger part hates all that mushy stuff, and refuses to say any such thing. So instead, Rainbow Dash clambers up to her feet and spreads her wings. "Well, I'm going to take a flight around, try to clear my head."

Cloudkicker frowns slightly, looking concerned for her friend. But just like Dash, she keeps those 'mushy' thoughts inside, leaving Rainbow Dash to take off.

Rainbow doesn't know where she's going, but soon enough finds herself gliding above the mid-layer of clouds, recognizing the houses of other pegasi. Most of these, she isn't on particularly good terms with; Her tendency to get into fights and competitions meant most other pegasi around her had a grudge against her, with the only ones she had formed a positive relationship coming from out of town.

But there is one exception, a pegasi of such non-competitive nature that Dash's string of showing off and challenges hadn't hurt her relationship with them one bit. One who is presently watering the small cloud garden in front of her house, and Rainbow Dash swoops down to join her.

"Eek!" Fluttershy jumps as Rainbow Dash lands on all fours on the clouds in front of her. "Oh! Rainbow!" Fluttershy's voice, though surprised and perhaps scared, is just as soft and quiet as ever.

"Sorry, Flutters, didn't mean to scare ya." Rainbow Dash says. Suddenly remembering what had even triggered the race the other day, Rainbow Dash cocks her head at Fluttershy curiously. "Did those colts give you any more trouble?"

"Oh, no, I haven't seen them around." Fluttershy announces. "Of course, I only got home late last night, so I haven't had much time to."

Rainbow Dash blinks. "Huh? Why were you gone?" Something in the back of her mind clicks, and she furrows her brow. "That's right, I guess I didn't see you around yesterday after the race. What happened?"

"Oh, um, well you see, after you took off I fell off the cloud, but some sweet butterflies caught me before I could hit the ground." Fluttershy explains, and Rainbow Dash blanches.

"Wh-what? You almost died?" Rainbow Dash's voice raises an octave, leaving Fluttershy to cringe and cower before the suddenly increased volume, and Rainbow Dash quickly backtracks. "I-I mean... Are you ok?" The filly tries to keep her voice as mellow as possible to comfort the easily startled pegasus.

"Oh, yes. I met all kinds of adorable little woodland critters, and I even got my cutie mark!" Fluttershy exclaims, or at least, comes as close to explaining as the shy yellow pegasus could, turning sideways to show off the three butterflies that now adorn her flank.

Rainbow Dash takes the opportunity to turn her own self sideways and show off the prismatic bolt of lightning and stormcloud on her own. "No way, me too!" She cheers as quietly as she can manage. "That means the two of us are the only ones in our class to have our cutie marks! Lets see 'em try and make fun of us now!" Rainbow Dash proclaims confidently, before her smile fades a little. "Did you hear about what happened after you left?"

Fluttershy shakes her head, and Rainbow Dash explains the events of the previous day- The Sonic Rainboom, how Princess Celestia herself had arrived in Cloudsdale, as Fluttershy looks on in increasing degrees of skepticism.

"Oh my, that certainly is quite the story..." Fluttershy states, looking highly unconvinced, while Rainbow Dash narrows her eyes.

"What are you tryna say? You calling me a liar?" Rainbow Dash demands, triggering the already nervous Fluttershy to duck behind some foliage.

"N-no!" She stammers out, in an incredibly quiet tone that Rainbow can barely hear. "J-just that you like to exaggerate sometimes, th-thats all."

Rainbow Dash grunts, offended. How could her longtime friend think she was lying to her? Sure, the story sounds pretty far fetched but... Rainbow Dash wouldn't make up stories, she was way too cool to need to do that! The truth is already plenty awesome without any exaggeration needed.

“Well, whatever. The point is, I have to decide what I’m going to do now.” Rainbow Dash shrugs off Fluttershy’s disbelief. “Celestia invited me to Canterlot, but said if I go I probably won’t ever become a Wonderbolt. I still don’t know what I’m going to do.” Rainbow Dash feels a little more comfortable talking about this with Fluttershy, compared to Cloudkicker or Gilda she doesn’t feel as much need to posture or keep cool. Though, that is counterbalanced by her continued offense at Fluttershy’s apparent distrust.

“Well, if you really were invited to Canterlot, I don’t think I would want to go.” Fluttershy says uncertainly, shivering in imagined discomfort. “Too many ponies. All staring at you.” Fluttershy gulps nervously, apparently finding the thought alone disquieting. “Are you sure you’d be able to handle that much pressure? I mean, if it really was the princess asking you, that’s alot of expectations to handle.”

“Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence, ‘Shy.” Rainbow Dash replies dryly, before zipping up into the air and puffing out her chest. “I’m awesome, I can handle whatever the world throws at me!” Even if something doesn’t want me to. Rainbow Dash finds the last thought coming to mind inadvertently, remembering her dream from the previous night.

“Well, if you’re sure about that.” Fluttershy replies meekly. “I’m just telling you what I would do.” Fluttershy shrinks away, and Rainbow Dash tries to resist frowning in response. Fluttershy’s feelings are quite delicate, and she doesn’t want to give her the impression she was upset at her, even if she does feel a little insulted by the implication that she couldn’t handle the pressure.

“Well. I’m going to go back to thinking things over.” Rainbow Dash sighs. “Oh, and by the way... Proof!” Rainbow Dash triumphantly shows off the sigil that had been given to her by Princess Celestia.

Fluttershy’s eyes widen in shock. “T-T-The royal seal! Y-Y-You really did see the princess!” Fluttershy shudders on her feet, while Rainbow Dash looks on smugly.

“Ha, I told you!” Rainbow Dash smirks, while Fluttershy staggers in place. “...Um, Flutters, you ok?” Rainbow Dash’s pride is quickly overtaken by concern as Fluttershy wobbles, and the cyan pegasus quickly swoops down to support Fluttershy, as she collapses, fainted on the spot.

“F-Fluttershy! Fluttershy, are you alright?” Rainbow Dash yelps in shock, holding Fluttershy’s weight up. At least the cloud cover is a suitably comfortable place to collapse suddenly.

After making sure Fluttershy was ok- She woke up just a minute or so after fainting- Rainbow Dash takes off again. She always thinks better when flying, and now is no exception. If she is making such a major decision, she wants to be in the best possible headspace to do so.

As she flies, she keeps thinking of more and more reasons she should stay in Cloudsdale. Not only is this where the Wonderbolts are, but also her parents, and Fluttershy too. Who knew who would be there, if she went to Canterlot? Sure, Cloudkicker lived there most of the time, but she hadn’t known that pegasus for that long, only having met her a few months ago when flight camp started. Canterlot is a complete unknown to a pegasus who has always lived among the clouds. And to boot, even her dreams warned her away from it.

And yet, despite all of that... The distant city to the west feels increasingly more and more alluring. Maybe it's the fear itself; The allure of proving to herself that she wasn’t so easily cowed, that she can reach greater heights than she had ever dreamt of. That she was awesome at everything, not just flight, that she could carve out a new destiny for herself.

Just about when she had finished a single lap around the entire city of Cloudsdale, Rainbow Dash realizes with a start that she had made up her mind without even realizing it. As much as she had longed to be a Wonderbolt, to become the pinnacle of flying athleticism, this new possibility is just too alluring to let up. If she turned her back on it, she would spend the rest of her life wondering what she could have been, had she been brave enough to dive into the unknown, to embark on a new path in life she had never considered before. And just like that... Her mind is settled.

Overthinking things isn't my style. I’ve decided what I want, it’s as simple as that. Rainbow Dash tells herself, her speed quickening as she flies back towards home. The trepidation that had filled her heart since the Princesses visit finally begins to give way to the excitement of a new horizon ahead of her.

What will it be like? Though Rainbow Dash had asked herself that question many times since the previous night, the meaning is different this time. It isn’t a statement of fear or uncertainty, but one of eager anticipation, as Rainbow Dash takes another step towards her home with a new sense of resolve and certainty.

Rainbow Dash Flies West

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Rainbow Dash trots in through the door of her home with considerably more enthusiasm than she had left it earlier that day. It's still not that late in the day, and her mother and father are currently having breakfast at the table. But as soon as Rainbow Dash opens the door, they both whirl around, faces lighting up.

"Oh, sweetie, you're back! Did you have fun with your friends?" Windy asks, and Rainbow Dash shrugs.

"Maybe. Not important right now. I've thought it over, and I want to go to Canterlot." Rainbow Dash announces, not mincing words. Once she made up her mind, that was all there was to say.

Windy Whistle blinks at Rainbow Dash, surprised. "Just like that? After all that fussing about you did this morning?"

Rainbow Dash nods, and jumps up on one of the chairs to talk to her more directly. "I made up my mind, what more is there to say?" Rainbow Dash states, bluntly. "I mean, I gotta go tell my friends I guess."

Bow walks up by his daughter and ruffles her mane. "There's the Dashie we know, always eager to run off at a moment's notice!" But after that statement, his tone turns more serious. "But, that might be for the best. Cloudsdale will be heading south soon and the trip will only get longer. I'm afraid you'll probably have to fly there, the train from Ponyville isn't operational yet, and the forest is too dangerous to cross on foot." Bow frowns. "That's quite the journey to undertake. I should go with you."

"No!" Rainbow Dash rejects the offer quickly, shaking her head so quickly her mane whips from side to side. "No, no, I can get there on my own just fine.." I do not want my first impression in Canterlot to be getting a noogie from Dad... Rainbow Dash groans internally at the thought.

"But, honey, it could be dangerous..." Windy protests, but the filly just jumps up onto the counter, striking a bold pose.

"You're always telling me how awesome I am, but you don't think I can fly to Canterlot? I could fly there with one wing tied behind my back!" Rainbow Dash boasts. "Watch me!"

"That won't be necessary!" Windy quickly relents, sighing. "Alright, sweetie, we just worry about you, you know that. But you are pretty amazing. If you were any other pony..." Windy shakes her head. "Well, Celestia themself showed up and seemed to think you could do it, given that they didn't give you any other way to reach them... So I guess that's good enough for us." Windy looks at Bow to confirm, receiving a nervous nod in return. "But, I want you to write to us as soon as you get there! And don't you even think about leaving us out of the loop, young lady, understand?" Windy tries to say firmly, although the impact is lost as she starts tearing up at the thought of her daughter going away for a prolonged period of time.

Uh-oh. Better get out of here before the waterworks start. "Well, there's no time to waste! I'd better set off now if I wanna get there in time, Cloudsdale is moving tonight!" Rainbow Dash blurts out, eager to get going.

"Woah there, Dashie, are you sure you're ready to go, just like that?" Bow asks, reluctantly.

But Rainbow Dash was prepared for such a question. "I can’t keep the princess waiting, can I? What if they change their mind? And I’m sure they’ll have whatever I need in Canterlot, anyway, so I should only pack the essentials." Rainbow Dash justifies.

Bow and Windy look at eachother, then back at Dash reluctantly. "You... Have a point." Bow admits. "Still, you should at least pack some basic survival equipment. I know you're a good flier, but... Bad things happen to good fliers all the time." He finishes a bit darkly.

If I agree, I'll be able to get out of here faster. Rainbow Dash nods. "Uh, duh, I'm not stupid." ...Even though I wasn't planning to do anything of the sort until you brought it up. Rainbow Dash keeps that thought inside, wanting to make sure to portray herself as responsible and competent as possible. She flies around the house in a blitz of speed, ransacking the rooms to get whatever she felt she would need- Some light saddlebags that wouldn't weigh her down too much, survival flares, and a snack. In ten seconds flat, she is once again standing in front of her parents, fully packed and tapping her foot impatiently. "There! Can I go now?"

Bow and Windy just sit there with their jaws hanging open in awe for a long moment. "You really are amazing..." Windy eventually breathes out, almost in shock. "We'll come see you in Canterlot as soon as we're able to get time off of work. But you have to remember to write to us! We want to know all about everything you get up to!"

"I... I guess we can't keep you around all day, huh?" Bow replies, frowning and glancing out the window. He would have preferred to think this through more, talk to his daughter for longer. But Rainbow has a point- Flying to Canterlot would be much harder if she waited until after the cloud city moved, and it isn't safe to fly at night. Right now is the best time to go. "But be careful, it would kill us if you got hurt!"

Rainbow Dash nods. That was all the excuse she needs. "Alright Canterlot, here I come!", and with that a prismatic blur bolts out the door.

"You're really going, huh? This is... Really happening?" Gilda sounds unusually hesitant, her cool veneer slipping for just a moment. "You're sure?"

Rainbow Dash nods, confidently. "What’s the point in second guessing myself?"

"Well... Alright. You'll write, right?" Gilda asks, an undertone to her voice that suggests nervousness, even reluctance. Rainbow didn't think she'd ever seen the griffin like this before.

"Uh, yeah, of course." Rainbow Dash replies. That sure is going to be alot of letters I gotta write... Rainbow Dash groans a little inwardly, trying to keep her reluctance from escaping. Writing is... Not really her strong suite. But if all her friends and parents wanted her to write, then write she would.

"That's awesome! As soon as flight camp is over, I'll be able to see you again!" Cloudkicker beams at Rainbow Dash excitedly. "Oh, there's so much I'd wanna show you in Canterlot, just like you showed me here in Cloudsdale! It's going to be awesome!"

"You know it." Rainbow Dash winks and hoofbumps the pegasus, then the griffin in turn- Even if Gilda was oddly hesitant about it. "Well... I don't think I can wait much longer. I've got to get a move out if I wanna get to Canterlot before evening."

"Yeah, alright." Gilda snorts, the cool veneer sliding back into place. "Cloudkicker and I gotta... Go... Practice our flying, anyways."

Rainbow Dash winces a little at the coldness in her friends voice. Just what's going on with her? But despite that, she flaps her wings, pulling into the air. "Alright, you two. Stay cool, now!" Rainbow Dash salutes the two of them one more time before zipping away.

Despite what she said, there was still one more stop she had to make before she left Cloudsdale for real. Returning to her oldest friend Fluttershy's house, she knocks at the door. A faint-looking Fluttershy peaks through the curtains of the window, trying to be stealthy, though Dash saw her immediately. The yellow pegasus then disappears for several moments, before the door slowly opens, with Fluttershy inside looking a little pale.

"H-hello?" Fluttershy asks, unconfidently. "Did you forget something?"

Rainbow Dash shakes her head. "No. I just came to say goodbye." She takes a deep breath and puffs out her chest. "I've decided to go to Canterlot."

"Oh, wow..." Fluttershy pins her ears back. "Sounds scary... I'm glad you're going, and not me." She shudders a little. "Though it would be nice to see all the animals there. Ah, maybe one day..." She states, wistfully.

"I don't have long... I gotta get going just about now." Rainbow Dash explains, frowning slightly. She almost wishes she could say more, but she wasn't really one for sentimental words. "I... I'll miss you. But I'll come back up and visit when I'm able, alright?" Rainbow Dash promises, before giving her longest lasting friend a quick, awkward hug.

"Please do... I hope you know, I'll miss you alot, Dash." Fluttershy states. "I'll always be grateful for all the ways you've helped me. I wouldn't be nearly this confident if not for your help."

Rainbow Dash resists scoffing at that notion. She wouldn't exactly describe Fluttershy as confident on a good day... But that was not something that needed saying right now. "Well... I gotta go, I guess." Rainbow Dash finally says, reluctantly. "Duty calls." Rainbow Dash shoots one more salute Fluttershy's way, before zipping off. As she goes, she can only dimly hear the 'Take care of yourself, now!' that Fluttershy practically whispers on Rainbow's way out.

Goodbye's out of the way, Rainbow Dash lands at the northern edge of Cloudsdale one more time, steeling herself for the trip she would be going on. She still isn't entirely sure how she was able to talk her way out here so quickly, but she can't deny a certain feeling of nervousness looking over the vast distance. She is a good flier—That much she knows, even the princess had recognized it. An amazing flier, even. But still, it's a long way to Canterlot, and she had never had to fly that far before. For that matter, she'd never even touched the ground before, or been near it. It was always just... A distant landscape far beneath her. I wonder what it feels like, to walk around on dirt and rocks. Rainbow Dash wonders idly.

Well... Nothing for it but to go, now. Rainbow Dash's wings buzz to life and she leaps from the edge of the city. It's mostly slightly downwards on the way there, so I should mostly just glide to save energy.

As soon as she catches flight beyond the rim of the city, Rainbow Dash feels her nerves relax. Whatever might await her when she arrives, right now, she is free, soaring through the wild blue skies.

The filly closes her eyes, feeling the wind in her face and running through her feathers. This, right here, is what she lived for. That feeling of pure freedom, the rest of the world just passing by in a blur as she soars through the endless blue yonder. Rainbow Dash opens her eyes, just in time to avoid running head-first into a black stormcloud ahead.

Woah! The filly flaps her wings hard, climbing up over the black cloud. That's right, I'm over the Everfree Forest now! Weather out here is unpredictable, I have to be careful. Rainbow Dash reminds herself, dipping down to the top of the cloud, just enough to dip the tip of her wing in the top. It feels different than the white fluffy clouds she is used to, thrumming with electricity and turbulence. Nopony out here to tell me what to do! Just me and the sky! Rainbow Dash grins broader, and with one hoof she scoops up a chunk of stormcloud just as she passes the outer side of it, watching the dark particles released from it as the small chunk of cloud dissolves.

"Ow!" It takes Rainbow Dash a second to realize the voice came from herself, as a jolt of electricity stings her hoof. “Stupid cloud...” She mutters, shaking the rest of the storm cloud on her hoof off and directing her attention back to the landscape ahead.

The landscape ahead is vast and untamed, not a pony in sight, as she soars across the expansive forest. The sky is unruly, with an easterly breeze and dozens of clouds scattered at various altitudes. It is one of the most interesting skies that Rainbow Dash had ever seen, at least. If nothing else, she would have safe places to rest if she needed them.

It’s only when she glances downwards that Rainbow Dash feels a pang of unease. The forest below her has a grim reputation, and its appearance doesn’t do it any favors either; The canopy seems completely impenetrable, thick with dark needles and leaves. Who knows what kind of things stalk the land in the shadows beneath the treetops? As if the weather moving on its own isn’t bad enough...

As if to fuel Rainbow Dash’s slowly developing feeling of paranoia, an unearthly wail echoes from somewhere far below, standing the fur on the pegasus filly’s neck on end. Ugh, creepy. Rainbow Dash shakes her head and tries to keep her attention on her destination in the mountains, to avoid thinking too long about what could have made such a noise.

“Alright, let’s see if I can get this going again...” Rainbow Dash grins broadly, and tries to imagine like she’s in a race, flapping her wings as hard as she can. C’mon, c’mon, Rainboom! Focusing all of her attention, both of her hooves placed perfectly in front of her face to block the wind at the cost of visibility, Rainbow Dash dives forwards.

There’s a feeling of weightlessness as she bolts through the sky, a familiar rush of exhilaration that reminds her again why flying is her joy and passion. She doesn’t even feel the soreness in her wings, long having since trained herself to ignore it and push further. But as she squeezes her eyes to a slit to not be blinded by the wind passing across her face, every fiber of her being straining to go faster... She stops accelerating, capping out.

C’mon, c’mon! Faster! You can do better than this, you know that! Yet despite telling herself that, she can’t seem to squeeze any more force out of her wings, and at long last, she is forced to break off her descent for fear of crashing into the forest, which is now uncomfortably close. From this range, she can actually see a little bit of what’s inside, a small creek flowing between two rocky ridges covered in moss and foliage.

As she passes by, Rainbow Dash stares at the gap in some degree of wonder. She’d never been near the ground before, and here it is, so close to her. A small part of her urges her to go touch down, explore this whole new world before her.

But a much larger part is frightened by the harsh growling sounds of a fight breaking out somewhere below her. Uh, that’s my cue to leave, I think! Rainbow Dash beats her wings at the air again, using her momentum to climb back into the sky.

But now, with the rush of exhilarating speed having worn off, Rainbow feels the soreness in her wings once again. “Ah, shucks, guess I overdid it again.” The filly groans. She’d used up too much of her energy in that attempt, and now she needs to find someplace to rest.

Powering through the pain, Rainbow Dash soars back up until she feels she is at a comfortable distance from the forest below, landing on a modestly sized stormcloud. It's not an ideal rest point, but she doesn’t particularly care right now.

Compared to your standard wispy or fluffy clouds, storm clouds have more of a physical feel to them. They don’t make as nice of a bed, but the feeling of power inside of them has its own kind of charm. I mean, it's where I belong. Just look at my mark. Rainbow Dash glances back at her flank, smirking to herself. She’d just gotten the thing a day ago and hadn’t really taken the time to look at it much, given everything else that had been going on, but now that she took a moment to actually think about it... She had gotten, undeniably, the coolest Cutie Mark possible.

By performing... The Sonic Rainboom. An old mares tale, yet she had done it. Yet, though that thought was meant to be encouraging, psyching herself up for when she would arrive in Canterlot, a pang of fear enters her heart.

I wasn’t able to do it again. Rainbow Dash bites her lip. Was it just a fluke? What if Celestia asks me to show them what I can do, and I can’t do it? The fear only intensifies as she thinks about it more. The whole reason they wanted me to come was because of what I did, but they didn’t even see it! If I can’t do it again, will they think I’m a fraud? Maybe they’ll send me back to Cloudsdale! Rainbow Dash gulps anxiously.

To turn down the offer would have been one thing. She can just imagine bragging to her friends about how she was so cool that Celestia themself had invited her to Canterlot, and she just turned them down to focus on training. But... To get all the way there, only to be rejected as a failure and have to return to Cloudsdale in shame...

The thought is almost enough to turn the pegasus around on the spot. Maybe she can still get away with it, say she had changed her mind?

No! The thought cries out in her mind with surprising ferocity. No... I'm not a coward. Stop doubting yourself, you’re awesome, you know that. Rainbow Dash tells herself, strutting back up to her hooves as she tries to psych herself up again. Do you really want to wait the rest of your life never knowing if you could have made it?

Of course she doesn’t. The doubt vanishes almost as quickly as it had appeared, resolve quickly returning to her. Her endurance, alas, did not... Her wings still feel sore.

C’mon, you don’t wanna just wait around all day, do you? Rainbow Dash groans, stretching out her wings.

But to her surprise, that sentiment is suddenly reinforced when the cloud in front of her opens its eyes, and she realizes suddenly that it isn’t a cloud at all.

“AHHHH!” Rainbow Dash screeches at an inequinely high pitch, silently grateful nopony is around to see her screaming like the little filly she is, as she bolts upwards, adrenaline giving her the strength to move. The “cloud” moves after her, a long sinuous body of stormy gray and silver linings, with limbs stretching out like the wings of a storm.

In a moment, Rainbow Dash realizes what she is staring at; It's a cloud sprite, an aerial predator that makes its home among the clouds, with a serpent-like body and wings that blend into the clouds where they wait in ambush. The usual advice upon meeting one was to keep your cool, not act scared, and certainly don’t fly away—They would give chase if you did, but could be frightened away if you stood your ground.

Well, it was a little late for that. Rainbow could see not only the one flying after her after she had bolted up, but two more companions joining it, all circling around her. Their predator instincts had clearly already kicked in, and Rainbow Dash isn’t going to get out of it that easily.

So instead, she tucks her hooves into her body and purposefully stalls flying upwards. It’s a trick she had tried a few times when showing off her agility at obstacle courses; It allows her to reverse her direction extremely quickly, though at the cost of all forward momentum. But she doesn’t have much of that to begin with, and the cloud sprites are swooping in for the kill.

“Ow! Ow! Get away from me!” Rainbow Dash kicks at the winged serpents as she starts her dive, little bolts of electricity nipping at her from the stormcloud scales of her pursuers. A particularly strong jolt of electricity pulses through her as one of them bites her tail, thankfully just barely missing her flank and getting only rainbow hair in their mouth instead.

That was way too close! Rainbow Dash glances back, panic building up. She would have to take things up a notch if she wants to lose her pursuers, but as tired as she is, she isn't able to fly at top speed, and she doesn't know how much longer her endurance will last.

As another of the cloud sprites swoop after her, Rainbow Dash commits to a corkscrew dive trying to lose them, her wings batting away the pursuers while only sustaining minor electrical burns in the process. This... Isn’t... Good! The canopy is coming up ahead of her, but she can’t afford to pull up. Gulping anxiously, Rainbow Dash dives down below the tree line.

“Woah!” Rainbow Dash screeches as she barely avoids flying directly into a tree trunk. Thankfully, time spent on maneuvering obstacle courses had prepared her for this, now. Having said that, the visibility is far worse here under the canopy, and the obstacle course didn’t include random branches placed directly in front of her. Nor did it tend to feature three wild animals chasing you who would eat you alive if they caught you!

Rainbow Dash can’t afford to look backwards, given how hard it already is to dodge the upcoming trees, but she can hear her pursuers behind her, screeching and swooping after her- sometimes even feeling the air from their wingbeats.

I’m slowing down, I can’t keep this up much longer... Rainbow Dash realizes with a distinct feeling of cold terror. In desperation, she slams her wings down with all the remaining force she can muster, making one last attempt to break free. The pegasus filly soars out of the tree canopy below her, with the three cloud sprites hot on her tail. Almost literally, as her tail is currently sizzling from the little bolts of electricity that keep impacting it. If she had been a vain pony (Or at least, even more vain), Rainbow Dash might have feared that her tail wouldn’t grow back after this; As it is, she is far more concerned with survival.

“Augh!” Rainbow Dash can’t help but cry out as one of the cloud sprites gets a small nip of one of her legs, a thin stream of blood sailing through the sky behind her. Ok, if I can’t outfly them... Then that leaves me only one choice.

All other options exhausted, Rainbow Dash pitches up once more, stalling in midair even as the cloud serpents swoop in for the kill. In a last, desperate attempt, the prismatic filly puts all of her small body’s strength into flipping her body over, reversing her momentum and direction. Just as the cloud sprite dives for her, all of her strength is put into swinging her rear legs down from overhead.

Both hooves land square on the cloud serpent’s face, using its own momentum against it. For a split second, Rainbow Dash and the cloud sprite seem to hang in midair, blinded by a vibrant flash of lightning pulsing out in no direction in particular... And then, the serpent’s limp body falls through the air, smoke trailing from it. But Rainbow Dash hardly notices any of these things, as by far the strongest jolt of electricity pulses through her legs, eliciting a scream of agony from the filly. Blinded by the pain and flash of light, Rainbow Dash's consciousness begins to fade.

No! A voice inside her jolts her eyes open once again, unable to see still, her vision going dark. Fighting through the pain, Rainbow Dash flaps her wings for dear life, catching herself before she can plummet to her death. Not that it would matter much, if the other two cloud sprites decided to attack.

But her gambit had worked. Intimidated by both the thunderous screech that Rainbow Dash had just let out, and the fate of their erstwhile compatriot, the two remaining Cloud Sprites take off in opposite directions, apparently hoping to find less feisty prey.

Rainbow Dash could barely spare a thought for them, as she desperately flaps with the rest of her energy until she reaches the nearest cloud, hoping with all her heart that this one is safe. “Uuuagh...” Rainbow Dash moans, as she barely pulls herself over the side. That had hurt more than anything else in her life ever had, even that one time she had sprained two ankles at once trying to show off on an obstacle course. But it had gotten her away with her life—she hopes.

Uneasily, she glances back at the sky to make sure her two opponents aren't wheeling back around, but thankfully they are nowhere to be seen. Not that I’d be able to do anything about it if they did come back. Rainbow Dash thinks to herself ruefully, staring down at her rear two hooves. They are blackened and scorched, the hoof cracked with vein-like structures of blood stretching up her legs. “That... Doesn’t... Look good...” Rainbow Dash groans out. She tenses the muscles experimentally, hissing in agony but also some measure of relief. They aren’t paralyzed, just damaged. Too horribly damaged to use right now, that’s for sure.

Rainbow Dash feels tears of pain leaking down her face, and fights to hold them back. "C'mon, big fillies don't cry, big fillies don't cry..." Rainbow Dash hisses to herself, trying to ignore the shaking in her voice. “You gotta be strong and keep it together, I’m sure somepony can help you when you get to Canterlot...” She hisses to herself, trying to stoke the fire inside of her. “You just have to make it there. You just have to make it there.” Her wings still work, and that's what is most important. She has to reach Canterlot if she wants to get any medical attention.

She shuts her eyes tightly, trying to block out the throbbing pain in her hooves. Her wings had not had as much of a rest as they would like, but it doesn’t matter; The sun is declining in the sky, and she needs to get a move on. Besides, the pain in her wings doesn't hold a candle to that in her legs—And the pain in her legs isn’t going to go away just by resting, so there isn’t much point in waiting.

So as soon as Rainbow Dash feels she is able to fly once again, she takes off. Canterlot is not too far away now, the mountains loom just ahead of her, close enough that she can make out the individual platforms and towers now, rather than just the palace. “Just a little farther...” Rainbow Dash steels herself. She does not want her first impression upon reaching her destination to be a filly bawling in pain. So she blinks back her tears, and soars with all her remaining might towards her destination.

Medical Ward

View Online

“So then I had to shut the whole place down. It’s crazy what some ponies think they can get away with.” Windlancer chatters away to the other guard on duty at the front gate, shaking his head.

Ruby hooves shakes her head in response, chuckling. “Tell me about it. Noble's have been getting real uppity lately. Think they forget who keeps their precious 'status' intact."

"Uh, hold up. Hooves, do you see that?" Windlancer points a hoof at a flying object coming gradually closer as the two stand at attention.

Ruby Hooves gapes up at the sky, holding a leg over her eyes to shade them. “Is... Is that what I think it is?” The two guards watch in surprise as the shape of the wounded pegasus comes fully into view. “Lancer, go get a doctor. They look hurt.” Ruby Hooves orders, prompting Windlancer to salute quickly and then dash inside the palace.

That leaves only Ruby Hooves standing guard as the wounded prismatic pegasus soars down to the landing in front of the palace, landing with a fierce expression somewhere between “Agony” and “Bursting with fighting spirit”.

“I’m here to... See... The princess!” The filly hisses out between clenched teeth, presenting, to Ruby's surprise, a royal signet hoofring... Just before promptly collapsing on the spot.

“Lemme up! I need to see the princess!” Rainbow Dash shouts from the bed where she is currently restrained. The restraints in question were not there when she arrived—They had been placed afterwards, on account of the pegasus’s persistent attempts to get up despite her injuries.

“You are in no position to go anywhere, much less a royal audience.” The doctor on duty—An odd looking earth pony, with greyish stripes over an ashen coat, named Bonezaw—lectures, harshly. “I have no idea what you’ve been through on your way here, but it’s a miracle you’re in one piece. What did you do, pick a fight with a cloud sprite?”

“Yes.” Rainbow Dash responds bluntly, not recognizing the doctors sarcastic tone. “Three of them. Well, they picked a fight with me, and I was too tired to outfly them, so...”

Bonezaw looks at the filly incredulously. “Why is a filly like you out flying on your own and picking fights with cloud sprites?”

Rainbow Dash puts her chin in the air, fiercely. “I’m here to see the princess.” She states, stubbornly.

The doctor shakes his head, groaning. A good bedside manner is really not his strong point, given that his job mostly consists of helping guards who get injured in training accidents or out on patrol. Dealing with a stubborn filly like this is kind of outside of his wheelhouse. “Well I’m sure the Princess would rather see you properly rested and bandaged than wearing battle wounds like you just got out of a skirmish. So if you’d just sit still and let me patch you up before you do any permanent damage to yourself, I’m sure you’ll see them that much sooner.”

Rainbow Dash reluctantly settles in at that, suppressing the occasional grunts of pain as Bonezaw applies poultices to her wounds. He does not work gently, but efficiently; And though that does mean it hurts more, Rainbow Dash finds herself thankful for that, as it means the experience won’t last as long.

“Ok, now. Drink this, and I’ll be out of your mane.” The doctor offers the filly a tonic, which Rainbow Dash stares at dubiously.

“What... Is it?” She asks, warily.

“Electricity suppressant. It’ll neutralize the Cloud Sprite magic residue and allow your lightning burns to heal easier.” The medic states, directly.

Rainbow Dash eyes the tonic warily, but eventually relents to downing its contents. After all, she is inside the palace of the Princess of the Sun themself... If she can’t trust the ponies here, she can’t trust anypony. The tonic is bitter, a bit salty, as it goes down, and Rainbow Dash makes a disgusted face but resists complaining.

“Now, if you could just expl-“ Before Bonezaw can finish his sentence, he is interrupted by the door being bucked open by a thunderous kick.

“Where is she?” An imperious voice demands from the other side of the room, and the doctors belligerent tone instantly disappears as he slams down to the ground and lowers his head.

“P-Princess! She’s right over here!” The doctor stammers out, momentarily taken aback before regaining his cool. “She’s been asking to see you ever since she got here.”

Rainbow Dash picks out the clatter of hooves on tile for just a moment before the princess themself wheels around the curtain beside her. The filly tries to force a weak smile at them, but the Princess is apparently not ready to focus on her just yet.

“What is her condition? Is she safe?” Celestia demands, a certain ferocity entering their voice which Rainbow Dash had not heard at all when the princess had visited her in Cloudsdale.

Bonezaw cringes at the forcefulness of the demand. “I-I’ve patched her up as well as able. She had electricity burns but her pegasus magic was able to keep them from damaging her nervous system, so she should make a full recovery, other than some scars. Some of her veins popped and there was some severe swelling as well as cracked skin, so I gave her a poultice and electricity neutralizer to prevent further damage. She's in rough shape, but I’ve seen much worse.”

Celestia breathes a sigh of relief. “Good. Leave us, I wish to speak with her alone.” The medic nods affirmative, picks up his medical equipment, and quickly leaves the room. The princesses gaze softens as they look back over Rainbow Dash, sitting by the bedside.

Great, the first time they see me in Canterlot, and I’m bandaged up and bedridden. What a great second impression. Rainbow Dash winces, but before she can say anything, Celestia speaks.

“I’m surprised to see you so soon, my little pony. What happened?” All the fervor of mere moments ago had completely left Celestia’s voice, leaving it gentle and reassuring. Rainbow could swear that Just the sound of it eases the pain in her legs. As Celestia speaks, her horn lights up with a gentle glow, and a thin thread of golden magic siphons from the horn before swirling into Rainbow Dash's legs. There is an odd buzzing sensation as it courses through her veins, and the pain in her legs fades away.

“What did you do?” Rainbow Dash can’t help but gasping in relief. She hadn’t even truly realized just how much pain she had been in until it was suddenly taken away.

Celestia looks exhausted as they fix Rainbow Dash in a tired, but caring, gaze. “I just lent you some of my magic to aid your body in repairing itself, as well as shutting down some of your pain receptors. It would still be best if you don’t move too much, as you might injure yourself without realizing it. But at least you can be comfortable while you recover, and speed up your recovery as much as possible.” Celestia sighs. “Now, you answer my question. What happened? And how did you get here so quickly?”

Rainbow Dash winces, hoping nothing she had gotten up to would get her in trouble. “Well, um, I decided this morning I wanted to take you up on your offer. Now, Cloudsdale was going to move south tomorrow, so I didn’t have a lot of time to leave, so after I told everypony, I flew here.”

Celestia stares at the rainbow filly in shock. “You... Flew across the Everfree, by yourself?” She asks. Rainbow Dash hesitantly nods her head. “I... Expected you would wait until Cloudsdale was over a railway, then your parents would bring you here. I never thought... You would just come here directly.” Celestia fixes her in their gaze, and Rainbow Dash finds she can’t look away. “Do your parents know where you are?”

Rainbow Dash nods again, and Celestia breathes out a sigh of relief. “They must have a lot of faith in you to allow you to make the journey on your own.” Celestia keeps the thought that they might just not care enough within themself. From what they had seen the previous day, Rainbow Dash seems very well loved. “Then... How did you get hurt?” Celestia’s voice is gentle again, and Rainbow Dash sighs in relief- At least for the moment, it seems she is in the clear.

“Uh, while I was flying over the forest, I landed on a cloud to rest for a bit.” Rainbow Dash starts, conveniently leaving out the detail of what had exhausted her—Failing to perform another Sonic Rainboom. “But it turned out it was a cloud sprite nest. I tried to escape, but I was too tired to outfly them, so I was forced to fight... And this happened.” Rainbow Dash motions at her legs.

Celestia’s hoof goes up to her mouth as she blinks in shock. “My goodness...” She mutters. She had known the filly was tremendously talented, but this... This is just unprecedented. She knew seasoned soldiers that are less brave than this... Or at least, less reckless. “I’m relieved that you are alright. Or at least, relatively alright. I simply couldn’t conscience it if something were to happen to you because of my offer.” And with that, Rainbow Dash suddenly finds herself wrapped up in an unexpected embrace from the most powerful pony on Equus.

“H-huh? Am I not in trouble?”

“What? In trouble? Heavens, no! I’m just thankful that you’re alright.” Celestia steps back, raising back up to their full height towering above Rainbow Dash. “But in all seriousness, please do not try anything so reckless again. It did not even occur to me that you would come to Canterlot the same way I did. And at such a young age, too. I’m astonished you were able to make the journey in just one day.” The monarch clears their throat, returning to a more stoic and serious tone of voice and expression. “So, you’ve chosen to take me up on my offer, then..?” They ask, showing an odd amount of hesitation.

Rainbow Dash nods yet again. Should I tell her that I wasn’t able to perform the rainboom again..? No... No, she can’t know. The thought of disappointing the regal pony before her is just too much.

“Well. It shall be my honor to teach you all that I can, my little pony.” Celestia bows their head before Rainbow Dash, causing the small pegasus filly’s cheeks to warm up. The princess of all Equestria, and here they are, showing her deference. What is up with that? Is she dreaming? It's just too surreal. “I’m afraid you’ll have to stay here, for now. At least until you recover enough to walk. We don’t want to aggravate your injuries any further, after all. But once you are healed, we shall see about getting you a proper room in the palace, near my own quarters.” Celestia dictates in the benign, tender way they do.

“A-Alright.” Rainbow Dash stammers, taken aback by the care being shown for her. But while she is getting that attention, there are a couple more things she needs, she remembers suddenly. “Oh! Can I have a quill and a few scrolls? My folks back at home would want to know I’m ok, so I need to send them letters.” Rainbow Dash asks, followed by her stomach gurgling hungrily. Blushing slightly, she rubs her mane—Or at least what is left of it, given how much of it had burnt away to smoke earlier that day. “...um, and maybe something to eat? I’m starving.”

Celestia smiles at the pegasus, and nods their head. “Of course, Rainbow Dash. I'll have it right in.”

As Celestia stands up, and strides out of the room, all Rainbow Dash can think about is the bizarre course her life has suddenly taken, with the solar princess themself waiting on her as she rests in bed. If I’m dreaming... Please don’t wake me up yet.

Much to Rainbow Dash’s shock, the food and quill she'd requested is not been delivered by a servant or chef or nurse or anything of the sort, but by Celestia themself. By the time she has gotten over her surprise from that and finished her meal, it is well past sundown and the sky outside of the window is pitch black.

Given her struggles through that entire day, and how early she'd gotten up that morning, Rainbow Dash feels absolutely exhausted. But despite that, she can’t quite allow herself to sleep just yet. There is still one last thing she has to do.

The filly stares down at the scroll in front of her, clenching the quill in between her teeth, wondering what to write. She is not a very wordy pony in the first place, and the exhaustion of that day’s events did not help that, but she feels she needs to at least write something to tell her parents she is ok.

Hey mom, hey dad.

Rainbow Dash briefly considers writing about their injury, but quickly decides against it. Her parents don’t need to be given reasons to worry about her. But, that doesn’t mean she can’t brag about the fight.

Some cloud sprites bugged me on the way here, but I gave them what-for and they left me alone after that. Now I’m here in Canterlot, in the palace. I got here at around sundown, and I already got to see the princess!

They tell me I’ll be getting my own room in the palace, and the food here is to die for. Don’t know yet when I’m going to start lessons, though. I’ll keep ya posted.

From, Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow Dash reviews the letter she had just written, only to be interrupted by another pony’s voice.

“You ready for lights out?” Bonezaw asks. “Celestia didn’t tell me when you were supposed to go to sleep, but I imagine they want you well rested for tomorrow.”

Rainbow Dash stretches out the scroll she had just written with barely-legible hoofwriting. “Um, sure, but could you drop this off at the mail office? It needs to go to Windy Whistles and Bow Hothoof in Cloudsdale.”

The doctor just gives her a dull, unimpressed stare. “Really, kid? I’m a doctor, not a...” Bonezaw sighs, remembering the gentle way Celestia had treated the filly, and reluctantly reaches out his hoof. “Alright, just give it here, I’ll make sure it gets to them.”

Rainbow Dash gives the stallion a grateful smile as he takes the letter, before shutting the lights off and closing the door behind him. Done with her letter, and in surprisingly good comfort following Celestia’s spell, Rainbow Dash closes her eyes and allows herself to get some rest.

The next few days are dreadfully boring for the young pegasus. At one point, another pony is also hospitalized in the same room—A unicorn guardspony, with a dappled dark blue coat with white spots and bright white mane. But other than that, Rainbow Dash is largely left alone while she rests and waits for her hooves to heal enough. Although they don’t hurt, courtesy of Celestia, that doesn’t mean she’s free to get up; apparently, she could hurt herself more if she put weight on her hooves too early.

It’s on the fourth day when Bonezaw comes in for a routine bandage change and examination. Rainbow Dash heavily considers just bolting out of there as soon as her bandages come off. She is just so tired of sitting still, it's agonizing for a pegasus who is as obsessed with flight and movement as her.

But before she can make any admittedly stupid decisions, the doctor’s words cut through her distraction. “Well, it looks like you’re healing well. I think it’s about time we got you on your feet.”

“H-huh? I can go?” Rainbow Dash utters, excitedly.

The medic looks up at her with suspicion. “No. I said you can stand. If you are doing ok, then you can slowly start trying to move around, and we can see about getting you out of here. Normally you would have been in here for a while longer, but you seem to be healing remarkably quickly.” The medic fixes Rainbow Dash in a serious, somber stare. “You should thank Celestia for that.”

It takes Rainbow Dash a minute to realize that the medic means that statement literally, and not just as a saying. “Why? What did she do exactly? I remember her taking the pain away but, she didn’t really explain what the magic actually did. It didn’t stitch up my wounds or anything.”

Bonezaw shakes his head. “No, it wouldn’t, that is my job. Not to say it would be impossible to stitch up wounds with magic, just... Exceedingly, and unnecessarily, exhausting. Its like... Hm, how would I explain...” The medic pauses for a moment, thoughtfully. “So everypony has magical reserves—yes, even earth ponies—that fight to keep us healthy. They protect us from harm, and help us recover when we are hurt. That is why seasoned guardsponies can survive injuries that would kill a lesser pony outright. The princess just... Reinforced yours with their own to bolster your natural healing processes. Thats why you don’t have any scar tissue, otherwise you’d likely have some ugly lightning-shaped scars crisscrossing your hooves the rest of your life.” The doctor’s tone shifts from instructive to more grim and somber. “The Princess does not do that for just anypony, they don’t have the endurance to do so willy-nilly. Even guardsponies usually only get the treatment if their wounds are life-threatening. You should feel extremely grateful.”

Rainbow Dash is taken aback. The princess did that just for her..? But why? She can’t understand why the monarch of the nation has taken such a keen interest in her, even if she is awesome. A sinking feeling emerges in her gut as she remembers that she hadn’t been able to repeat the Sonic Rainboom... Will the princess be angry, learning that she had come here under false pretenses and wasted her time? She can't keep up the ruse forever, sooner or later the princess would want to see her perform the feat again.

That sense of fear is almost enough to counteract Rainbow’s excitement at being able to stand up. Almost. “Alright, well, I can get up now, then?”

“Slowly.” The doctor cautions. “No tough filly acts, now. You’re likely to feel faint after being stuck in bed for this long. If you need somepony to lean on you had best tell me right away.”

Rainbow Dash is tempted to ignore the warning and just run, but reluctantly admits to herself that taking the time to carry out the medic’s orders will probably serve her far better in the long run. The sooner she jumps through his hoops the sooner she can be out of here.

And it's good that she did, because when Rainbow Dash slowly slides out of bed and places her hooves on the ground, she feels fine for a moment. And then, she starts shaking on her legs, her vision turning dark and hearing hazy as an intense feeling of wooziness washes over her. “Ugh...” She murmurs, leaning on the bed for support while the doctor holds her by the other hoof.

“Are you alright?” Rainbow’s vision clears, though the pins and needles sensation throughout her entire body has not.

“Y-yeah, I’m ok. Just... Woozy.” Rainbow Dash reports, shaking her head to try and clear the confusion.

“That’s normal. Your body is used to lying down, so it doesn’t know how to keep getting enough blood to your head. You’ll just need to take it slow for a bit, you should feel better soon enough.” Rainbow Dash nods in response to the instructions and starts unsurely putting one hoof in front of the other.

The ground feels different to anything she’d been on before. If stormclouds feel more physical than normal clouds, then this is far more physical than either. Instead of the soft, spongy feeling that the “ground” in cloudsdale has, the rock floor here is solid, hefty, and sturdy.

The feeling gives the filly a small shock. She is here, for real. Somehow, in all the time she had been laying in bed, it hadn’t really set in. But now, feeling the unfamiliar ground, the full weight of it sets in upon her. She’d flown all the way to Canterlot, by herself!

After Rainbow Dash had successfully crossed the room a couple times, the strength quickly returning to her legs once her body was able to get used to it, Bonezaw signs off on their clipboard. “Well, you seem alright. I’ll walk you out to your quarters, but you will have to check back in here in a week to make sure you are healing properly. If anything happens that aggravates your injury, you will have to come back here again. Consider that a threat.” The doctor smirks, as if amused by his own jest. “So take it easy unless you want to spend another night in bed.”

Rainbow Dash gulps. That point certainly cut right to the heart of it, so she nods. “Y-yeah, you got it.”

Empire of Mercy

by Daelyx Len Auphydas

Celestial Summons

Homecoming

New Horizons

Rainbow Dash Flies West

Medical Ward