//------------------------------// // Chapter 5: Blessed With Rainbow (Book 1) // Story: The Forgotten Elements // by Eternal Dawn //------------------------------// Chapter 5: Blessed With Rainbow “I… i can’t believe this how the…” “Mhm, as i thought. Try not to forget she’s here to get you flying by staring at her all day.” Cloudwind looked at the colt, who was already gone, and shook his head as he walked away. Lightning continued staring, until the masters noticed him, and brought the cyan pegasus with them in his direction. “Miss Dash, this is Lightning, the student. Our scholarly expert believes something very special indeed becoming of him, but he needs rehabilitation in his controls of flight which were lost in the accident.” The cyan pegasus nodded and stepped forward, closer to him. “Hi there, i’m Rainbow Dash. And i believe your name is White Lightning, right?” Lightning nodded, his movements somewhat numbed as his faculties were overwhelmingly clouded with staring at her. “So, do you know where your name comes from?” Shit… she asked him a question. In a panicked sort of state he shook free of his daydreams and attempted to regather himself quickly. “Well uh- i-uh, yes… i do. I was struck by white lightning, and i survived.” Rainbow Dash blinked, clearly confused and surprised at this odd information. “You guys have different color lightning here?” “Sure do. In several colors varying in purity. The levels in least to greatest are Red, Orange, Yellow, Blue, Green, Purple, White, and Rainbow. Only a few ponies have survived what i have.” This seemed to impress Rainbow, at least a little. Which Lightning thought could only be good. “Well, shouldn’t be too hard. He was strong enough to survive a lightning strike, and he can still walk. It might take a couple weeks, but he’ll start remembering the muscle movements pretty quick i think.” Lightning smiled. This meant he made a good first impression, right? She believed in him, saw strength in him somewhere. Now he had to find himself. Couldn’t make a goddess wrong could he? Well, he probably could, but would he survive if he did? “Very well then Miss Dash, we hope your confidence makes this process all the quicker. We’ll leave you to your work.” His masters nodded to her, and left, leaving Lightning with a mare truly capable of showing a rainbow what beautiful really was. She turned to him, and smiled. That warm smile… did the sun feel cold when she smiled? “Well, let’s go find an open field for you.” He nodded, and followed her as she led them out the colosseum and through the town. It was blatantly evident Lightning wasn’t the only one who thought she outmatched a rainbow in beauty. The number of eyes stealing glances was staggering. Maybe he should be hoping that Cloudwind was right. How else would he have a chance in this contest? He was praying she’d walk faster, the sooner out of the city and all these eyes the better. “Do people always stare at newcomers like that?” “Uh, not really, no, just you that i’ve seen.” Rainbow Dash looked at him, clearly in thought over the situation. “How strange...:” “Not really. What did you expect to happen as a pony was born with beauty of a rainbow built into her?” Rainbow looked at him, mostly surprised, and a bit red. “Uh… oh…. well, not usually the reaction i get at home.” “Rainbows are very special to here. The signify the greatest of purity, power, and beauty. Looking one, they probably think you’re a Goddess. I’m actually wondering if you are or not.” She looks at him, expecting him to be joking, and waiting for a punch line. “I’m serious.” Rainbow Dash blinks at this, and stares at him. “Seriously? Me.. a goddess?” She laughs almost hysterically. “You might think i look like one and i’m definitely as awesome as one, but i’m not really a goddess.” “Well you have everyone fooled into otherwise for sure.” They stopped, now, in the middle of a grassy field. A light breeze was blowing, and the sky was almost perfect without clouds. The sun was shining ever bright upon them, and Lightning which was brighter. Rainbow’s smile, or the sun? He hoped to find out. “So, can you even move your wings?” “Barely, not much. I can stretch them out, but it takes a while, and they’re stiff as Tartarus.” “You should be practicing opening them at least so that doesn’t happen. For now, just get them out. We’ll see how badly damaged they are.” Lightning takes a deep breath, slowly stretching his wings out. True to his word, it was a slow process, but within the minute they were fully extended. Rainbow began walking slowly around him, closely examining every feather. “Surprising they aren’t more damaged…” “They’ve been preened repeatedly, actually.” Rainbow nods in approval, making one last circle around him. “Not by me, i can barely move them…” “I figured as much. Doesn’t matter, as long as its done. Now, we have to loosen your muscles from being so stiff. Sit down.” He does so without question, his wings remaining out stretched as the cyan pegasus walked behind him. Lightning stared forward, wondering what, exactly, she was doing. He received an answer when he felt her hooves pressing into his back and around his wings. The motions were slow, obviously specifically targeted. And they were working… oh were they working. A shiver ran up his spine as he stared into the distance with a smile on his face, quickly wandering to a world of dreams. A dream, hopefully, of reality. He was to be a gladiator, he knew it. After another match, yet again slaying his opponents in a blaze of glory, he did retire to his quarters. His fame had done much, he had his own separate quarters, his own room, rather than a tiny cell. As usual, after his every victory, he knew he’d get a reward beyond that which was paid to him in wealth and adoration. Here he knew he could count on his lover, a mare so astonishing rainbows model after her. She would, after every battle, come to his quarters, and tend to his wounds, calmly, gently, lovingly. She would massage his wings, as she always did. So perfect in her ministrations, he would, for a short time forget his place in the world, and leave the harshness of his world for a place of the heavens. Soon, they would be in each others embrace, connecting their bodies together in a way of action over the option of speak. Not long, now, before all his stress would be gone, as she laid down and -- A hoof waved frantically in his face, a voice once subtle and muted becoming booming and ever present. “Hey, hey you alright? What world did you just go to and how can i get there? Looked pretty awesome.” He stared at her, still returning to the real world at this point. “Uh, nothing, just daydreams, not that awesome really.” Which was a lie, a stone cold lie, and he knew it. But telling her he was dreaming so vividly of her… well, it didn’t seem like the appropriate time. “Wish i could have daydreams like that. Alright, now, something very simple to get your wings strong again. You’re familiar with wing-ups right?” He nodded, of course he was. Every pegasus was. “Try to do as many as you can.” Lightning took a deep breath, and got into position. He was able to one, with a bit of trouble. Two, barely. On the third, he collapsed miserably on his face. Rainbow visibly winced at this, not realizing just how bad it was until now. “Uhh yeah… that’s… worse than i expected. We’re going to be working on this all day looks like.” All day was right. From 10 in the morning to 8 at night they went on. Ten hours. How he was walking he wasn't sure, probably because he couldn't feel the pain in his legs anymore. Though the burning in his wings was not ignorable. It wasn't Rainbows fault though, infact she talked his masters into giving him that extra five hours, which had started that morning. Unfortunately, they did demand at least 10 hours a day on training, and like it or not, she had to do it. Lightning was, though, at least thankful that the number of eyes staring her down were significantly less numerous now given the time. Which meant more of her beauty to intake for him, he thought. They entered the Colosseum, where the other slaves were still doing their training. They all looked at him jealously. Was it because of Rainbow, or that his training ends early? Probably both, although Lightning figured it was more the latter than the former. Who wouldn't be jealous that he got be around Rainbow all day? Even though he could barely stand, Lightning didn't care. And why would he? Some aching muscles are worth nothing compared to spending the entire day with her. And not just today, but everyday for the foreseeable future. He sighed happily as he entered his cell, and collapsed onto the bed. Hopefully, he could pick up where he left off on his earlier daydream, left with the happy thought that he’d been blessed with Rainbow.