//------------------------------//
// Chapter 15 
// Story: Old memories 
// by TheSourceCode95 
//------------------------------//

	Twilight quickly walked out of the icy water. She was soaked, top to toe. A quick swing of magic caused the water to disappear instantly, forming a small cloud around her. Two more spells caused her to stand next to Rainbow, not falling through the cloud this time. Both ponies were still laughing. It seemed to be the only way to shed off the remaining influence of the Everfree Forest. Twilight laid down next to Rainbow, shaking heavily. “Twi, you’re cold. We should go inside,” Rainbow spoke gently, noticing the shivers through the cloud.

The sun was gently approaching the horizon, making way for the wonders of the night sky. “No, Rainbow. There is something I want you to see.” Twilight closed her eyes, and her horn began to spark. The sun took one last breath for that day, as it fell below the horizon. The moon was not coming up just yet, like it had always done. Instead, across the horizon, where the sun had just went to sleep, a magenta line crept up. Slowly but steadily, rising and growing. After rising for a while, it stopped. From above it the pitch black began to darken the earth, showing off the countless stars. The magenta started to fall back down, shrinking and giving way for the moon.

Rainbow’s jaw fell, amazed by the magical wonders that had just happened right in front of her own eyes. Twilight had opened her eyes again, and was now smiling at Rainbow. “It’s what they call twilight,” she said.

“Twi, you... how...” Rainbow tried to find the right words. “How did you do that?”

“I have practised. A lot. The princesses told me about this time of day a year after I came to ponyville. They asked me if I could study up on it, and it seemed like something interesting to me. So I started practising.”

Rainbow was staring at the horizon, not knowing what to say. Next to her was somepony whose powers were greater than those of any unicorn who had ever lived, she realised. Even Starsworld, about whom she had learned quite something in Twilight’s dreams, had never been able to do anything with the sky. But even such powerful ponies were just ponies, and they could still be very cold. The shaking next to her had increased a lot. She shifted herself towards Twilight, slowly unfolding her wing and draping it carefully over her. “It is beautiful.”

“Thanks,” Twilight said. The moon had climbed up behind them, and the night time had come. The cool breeze blocked out by the feathery wing, Twilight quickly fell asleep. A bright sky blue mist formed, to disappear and make place for the wonderful sights of twilight.


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Her wing moved gently. A cold breeze hit her flank as the pony next to her moved away. Her eyes partially opened by the first golden rays of sun as the last stripe of magenta fainted from the western sky. “Morning Twi,” Rainbow yawned as she folded back her wing.

Twilight stood up, her horn still glowing a bit. “You wanted to do it today, didn’t you?” Twilight asked grimly.

Rainbow sighed deep. “Yes Twilight. We have to do this. I have to do this. And I don’t want any more ponies to get hurt. Let’s go look for the princess.” They stood up and jumped off the cloud, onto the solid ground below. They walked through the doors into the castle. Even though they had spent quite a while in this castle, Rainbow was still not able to remember what place was where.

They had walked through quite some hallways and now stood in front of two large doors. The two guards next to them swung them open, revealing the majestic room behind them. Even though it was remarkably similar the room was entirely different from any other room in the castle. Though the size of it was enormous, it was very welcoming and almost cozy. On one of the couches the two princesses sat. One enjoying a cup of tea while the other sipped her hot choco.

“Welcome, both of you. Has your quest been successful, Rainbow Dash?” the elder spoke. “Please sit down and tell us about it.”

Rainbow and Twilight walked towards the couch across the Princesses and sat down. Then Rainbow started to tell their story. There was not a whole lot to tell, as they had not come across that many obstacles along their way.

When Rainbow stopped talking Luna spoke up. “But you did not come here to tell us your story, am I right?”

“Indeed. I think it we should do it now,” Rainbow said. “There is nothing else I want to do that wouldn’t take years, and I don’t want more ponies to go through all this pain.”

Silence fell over them. Nopony wanted this to happen. But they all knew, that it had to. Celestia nodded, and stood up. They followed her towards a door on the other side of the room. Through the door was a large balcony. You could easily fit fifty ponies on there, but today only four were needed.

They walked to the center of the balcony. Princess Celestia turned around. “Twilight Sparkle, I think you should go back inside. My sister and I can take care of this.”

Twilight had gone pale. She had known what would have to happen for a while, but had never realised what it would mean. Rainbow would be... gone. “No, I want to stay,” she said. “Until the very end.”

Celestia nodded, and then looked at Rainbow Dash. “One last show?” she asked.

Rainbow flapped out her wings. “One last show.” She shot up into the sky. The clear blue sky, her sky. Her sky, and her domain. It had been like that for so long now. But now, it was time to leave that domain. She climbed higher and higher, shooting through the layers of cloud. Those clouds. They had played such a big part in her life, she realised. Without those clouds, that first day she flew would have ended up very differently. She might never have gotten into that hospital, and might not even have met Golden Knife. She might not have survived the streets. Never have come to ponyville. Never have met Twilight. Never have found her feather.

The air had become thinner and colder up here. She was now far above the clouds. Most of them she had cleared away while flying upwards. Right below her she could see the platform. One last show. She folded her wings, and shot down. Faster and faster. Winds pounded in on her. Harder and harder, trying the best they could to sling her back up. A thin cone of water drops started to form from her front hoof, spreading backwards. The cone became tighter and tighter, trying to stop her. Then it shattered. A wide array of colors spread out in a circle across the skies of Equestria, brighter than ever before.

One last show, and one last gift. She raced down towards the platform, aiming straight between where the two princesses were standing. Her eyes zipped around the platform. There, in the corner. A small magenta mare, tears falling from her cheeks. Now. She released some pressure in her right shoulder, releasing a feather gently snuck beneath it.

The feather quickly lost speed, until it was gently flowing down on the winds. Slowly swinging from side to side. Gliding down through the gentle morning breeze. Down further and further, away from it’s original owner. Down and around. The feather gently touched down. It’s pin sank in between the magenta hairs. The pin touched the skin, merging with it with the magic inside of it. Never to let go, finally at it’s destiny. The long trip was over. It had finally found it’s new owner.