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// Clear skies 
// Story: Outcast 
// by Rainbow Dashey 
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The bright summer sky was clear and inviting.  Warm air swirled around and brushed against the wispy clouds.  The sun shone its vibrant rays across the seemingly never-ending expanse of blue.  It was nothing short of perfect; weather that is envied by winter days and autumn nights.

There is something about a summer afternoon such as this.  An indefinable quality that makes them better than any other moment.  They give off a feeling of solitude.

Below, the land was displaying its wonders.  The birds warbled; their songs carried throughout the field.  Grass rolled like a green ocean as a light breeze caressed the ground.  There was the sweet smell of wildflowers wafting on gentle gusts.  Nature seemed as it rightfully should; working all of its unique aspects as a whole.

In the center of the field rested a small knoll.  An old oak rooted itself atop the crest, the roots dug deep into the earth through the long years of the tree's life.  In the wind the its leaves rustled and branches swayed.  The stolid tree provided shelter for many creatures, but one pegasus in particular was taking advantage of that.

In the comforting shadow of the tree, Rainbow Dash was fast asleep.  Lost deep in a dream of her own daring feats of flight.  Whether flying, or thinking of flight; not a single moment of her life didn't involve flying somehow.

On a normal day the light blue pony would be busy attending to the weather.  More often than not, she would find herself leaving it unchecked to attend to her aerial acrobatics.  There weren't many things that she would risk for such major consequences, but practicing maneuvers on the job, that was a risk she was willing to take.

Today was different than most; she had not a care in the world.  She didn't feel the urge to fly, she didn't want to go to work.  Right now was a time for complete relaxation.  Relaxation was her way of clearing her mind.  Unlike most ponies, who, when trying to clear their minds, would simply complete mundane tasks; Rainbow Dash preferred long naps.  Nothing soothed her mind like laziness did; well... laziness and flying.

The wind parted her mane and rubbed the tips of her ears.  Reluctantly, Rainbow Dash opened her eyes.  She sat upright, letting out a large yawn.  She twisted her back until it let out a satisfying pop.  Her muscles relaxed as she leaned back and slumped against the tree. 

There was no way to tell how much time had passed; that was the joy of relaxation.  Rainbow Dash sat against the smooth curved arc of the tree.  She had not a care in the world.  And that was exactly as she had intended it to be.  She didn't want to think; not of her friends, not of her life, nothing.

As Rainbow Dash sat there, she began to remember why she was here.  Thoughts raced through her mind.  She was facing the challenge of a lifetime.  The Wonderbolts had finally given her the chance to show her skill.  

Unlike her normally apparent over-the-top composure, she was nervous as could be.  Being worried was something she couldn't show.  She was the one that everypony knew as being completely outgoing and how nothing could get her down.

She despised the pressure she put on herself.  No matter how much she loved the attention, the responsibilities were agonizing.  There was more to her than met the eyes of the public.  Most would see that she doesn't back away from the challenges set before her.  And that whenever one was presented, she didn't worry about what its outcome was, because she knew it could be done.  But that wasn't what the reality was; she had fear and frets, just like any other pony would.  And never before had she shown this side of her, not even to her closest friends.

Thoughts crammed against one another as Rainbow Dash sat there.  She let out a long sigh as the stress began to well up once more.  Thinking was the one thing she didn't want right now.  It was the reason that she had come here in the first place.

Rainbow Dash often found herself taking leave from work to find a cloud in the sky to rest her troubled mind.  But when she did this, she had the chance of having somepony find her.  So when she didn't want to be found, she would gather herself in a place where nopony could bother her until she was ready.  And so far, this field has worked just fine.

There is something surreal about isolation.  It was seldom cherished by many and often enjoyed by few.  Rainbow Dash personally had taken a liking to its soothing qualities.

As the wind began to pick up; a bird landed in the tree above her.  She watched it for a moment, then the wind blew her mane in her face.  She ran a hoof through it and stood up.  Rainbow Dash rolled her neck and stretched her legs out; they were a bit stiff from the lack of movement.

A dark cloud began to break the horizon.  "Why must we have a summer storm on such a nice day?" Rainbow Dash thought to herself in frustration.  But she knew that it meant the weather pegasi were doing their jobs.  Reluctantly, she moved away from the idea.

The wind felt good on her face; it always did.  She loved the calm before the storm, more than any other part of the weather.  A loud crack of thunder could be heard in the distance.  Its low rumble spread out over the land from the heavens above.  The wind began to pick up; the grass now swaying violently.  Leaves were ripped from the trees and cast over the field.

Rainbow Dash knew with a storm approaching quickly she had to do one last thing...

Her wings snapped open; the wind ran between her feathers.  She crouched low to the ground, practically laying down.  She dug her hoofs into the soil.  Rainbow Dash's eyes narrowed and a grin spread widely across her face.

...She needed to fly.