//------------------------------//
// A Dark Influence 
// Story: Cursed Bonds of Loyalty 
// by JavaChips 
//------------------------------//

The skies of Equestria were bathed in deep blue, the sun shining high in the sky. Rocketing across the horizon, on her usual afternoon flight path, was the high spirited Rainbow Dash. She looked down on the valleys surrounding Ponyville as she passed them by, feeling the wind rush through her mane and tail. She let out an annoyed sigh as she did a quick dive and recover. Every day she would fly the same path, moving along the breeze, it was enough to drive a pony insane. Looking over the eastern sky, she spotted the small mountain range that separated Ponyville from it's neighboring town, Campolina. Straying off toward them, she made her way through the peaks to the other side, looking down on the unfamiliar town. Even from above the skies looked different from those she was familiar with. Campolina was slightly larger and more together than Ponyville, it's streets hidden amongst the buildings. Distracted by the scenery, she didn't happen to notice the pegasus colt speeding toward her until he knocked her aside passing by. After getting her bearings back, she looked ahead to see the rude pegasus who had brushed her by. His mane and tail were a fiery red with a streak of black flowing through them. His body was a deep grey, a storm cloud on his flank. He turned his head and gave her a smug smirk, his confident emerald eyes staring at her. She glared back, racing after him as he sped away. Seeing he had caught the competitive mare's attention, he went into a dive into the streets of Campolina, leading her through dangerous turns and twists. Nonetheless, Dash stayed directly on course, keeping tabs with her challenger. Seeing that the winding streets were doing nothing to discourage his fellow aerial acrobat, he emerged from the city, moving into a nearby forest. Even through the unpredictable trees, however, Dash managed to keep up with the colt. Finally, Dash was able to push herself enough to get a lead. Feeling proud, she turned back and stuck out her tongue at the colt. Unfortunately, her shameless gloating worked against her, as she failed to miss the branch in front of her. She slammed her head hard into the branch, rolling to a stop on the ground before blacking out.
vvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
Starting to regain her senses, Rainbow Dash stood up, rubbing her head. Looking around, she could see she was in a cloud home, but it certainly wasn't hers. Getting out of the bed she had been lying in, she made her way up to the ice mirror on the wall. She wasn't much worse for wear, save for a bandaged bruise on her head. “Well, good morning.” Came a voice from the bedroom doorway. “You must have hit your head pretty badly, You were out cold all night.”
Turning her attention to the source of the voice, she saw the pegasus that had led her through the troublesome forest in the first place. “You!” she screamed, speeding up to stand in front of him.
The colt took a surprised step back, smiling. “Wow, you're as fast as they say you are, Rainbow Dash.”
“How.....How do you know my name?”
The colt smirked again, carefully removing the bandages on her head as he replaced them. “How could I not hear of you? Not only are you the embodiment of the element of loyalty, you're the winner of the best young flier competition, savior of three members of the Wonderbolts and one unlucky unicorn, and the only pony in history to pull off a sonic rainboom!”
Dash couldn't help but be surprised. Of all the things that she thought might happen by going off course, she never thought she would meet a fan. “Yeah, well...it was nothing really, I was just helping my friends.” she said with a false modesty. “Though I can't say I'm flattered, what's your name?”
“Dark Streak.” he replied. “I'm a weather pony for Campolina, in charge of creating storms.”
As he talked, Dash began looking around the room, examining the architecture. “Storms huh? I'm more of a cloud clearing weather pony. I guess creating storms must be really fulfilling, huh?”
Dark sighed and looked to the ground, flapping his wings once. “You'd think, but nopony likes a pegasus that hails thunder and lightning. The ponies of Campolina aren't big fans of my storms.”
“I guess that's why you live so far away from it.” Dash said, looking out the window.
Through the window, she could see the town below them, at the bottom of the mountain's slope. Moving away from the window, The two made their way to the door. The scenery on the cloud home's porch was a sight to behold. The mountain beheld a lovely meadow, a deep green scenery surrounding them. Dash turned to Dark and smiled. “Thanks for helping me out. I have to get going, They're probably worried about me over in Ponyville.”
With that, she spread her wings and rose into the air. “Hey,” he called out, “Could we do it again? Flying together I mean, I'd really like that.”
“Uh, yeah alright. How about I stop by tomorrow?”
Dark smiled and waved goodbye as Dash flew off. “Alright, I'll see you then.”
vvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
“You met a fan?” Twilight asked, using her magic to repair the bruise on Dash's head. “I mean, no offense Rainbow, but it's kind of hard to believe.”
Dash fidgeted back and forth, the uncomfortable tingle of Twilight's magic on her forehead. “It's true, his name is Dark Streak, he's a weatherpony in Campolina.”
With her bruise fixed, Twilight began putting away the books she had taken out, and throwing away the bandages from Dash's head. “I don't know, it just seems a little suspicious is all. If he was a fan, you'd think he'd have come by Ponyville once or twice.”
Dash took a look in the mirror, making sure her forehead was back to normal. Once she was sure it was, she turned her attention back to the conversation. “Well he lives up in the mountains, I guess he's been watching me fly around Ponyville. He seemed like one of those fans from afar types, you know?”
“Wait, he lives up in the mountains?” Twilight asked, starting to get confused. “I thought you said he was a weatherpony in Campolina, why does he live up in the mountains?”
“Well, his talent is making storms, not everypony can appreciate a pony who covers your town in thunder and lightning right?”
Twilight sighed and shook her head, looking worried. “It all seems really suspicious to me, just be careful, alright?”
“Be careful of what? It's just a flying session Twilight.”
Dash made her way toward the door, leaving a concerned Twilight behind in the library.
vvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
Dark stood outside his cloud home, watching the skies intently. As the sun reached the center of the sky, he began to worry that she wasn't coming. As his hopes were about to fall, he saw the rainbow blur making it's way across the sky toward him. With a delicate landing, Dash stood in front of him, smiling. “Sorry for taking so long, one of the weatherponies in Ponyville called in sick, I had to clear her cloud section. We've still got plenty of time to fly right?”
Dark smiled, nodding as he flapped his wings, jumping up off the ground. As Dash did the same, the two began flying across the skies over Campolina. Dash did a quick spin as she took the lead, turning back and smiling at the dark hued pegasus. “This time it's my turn to lead you.” she told him, folding her wings in for a dive.
Dark couldn't help but laugh as he followed in suit, being led down into the city streets. He found that, when she was paying attention, Dash was incredibly agile in the air, able to react to new obstacles in a split second. Dark was equally skilled, following behind the rainbow pegasus with careful agility. Feeling confident, Dash led him into the forest, Winding between the branches took more effort than Dash realized, and she began to lag behind. Dark caught up to her and the two flew side by side. “Come on,” Dark told her, banking to the left, “I want to show you something.”
Dash followed behind her black streaked friend, winding through the trees as she tried to keep up. It wasn't long before the two were out of the other end of the forest. Dash's eyes went wide as she looked over the scenery in front of her. The sun was setting in the background of a large lake. Dark stood on the edge of a cliff overlooking the lake. Trotting over to join him, Dash took a seat and stared out at the water, reflecting against the orange sunset. “Wow, the view up here is amazing.”
“I thought you'd like it.” he said. “I like to come here at sunset and watch the water, it's really calming after a day of flying.”
The two were silent for a while as the moon hid itself behind the landscape. “Hey, did you bring me here to try and impress me?” Dash asked with a smirk.
Dark blushed and turned to his cyan friend. “Did it work?” he asked, smiling.
Dash thought for a moment, smiled and leaned over, kissing his cheek softly. “I'd say it all went according to plan.”
Dark's blush deepened as he raised his hoof to his cheek. As he got over his shyness, the two pegasi leaned on each other until the sun fell below the horizon.
vvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
Once the two were back at Dark's cloud home, they bid each other good bye. Dark made sure Dash was well into the sky before he made his way inside. As the door shut behind him, a sly smirk went across his face, his kindhearted look turning devious. “All according to plan.”