//------------------------------// // Preparing for the Festival // Story: The Second Pony to Become an Alicorn // by Razor Blade the Unicron //------------------------------// Rainbow carefully tightened her saddlebags, and made sure the pockets were securely held shut. Her Element was in one of the pockets, and she didn't want to drop it. "You know that you can take the train, right?" asked Twilight. "Of course I know that!" said Rainbow. "But sitting on a train is no fun at all! I've got wings, so I'm gonna use 'em!" Twilight sighed. Rainbow turned around towards Starlight, who looked less nervous than usual. "If you need something, just ask Spike to send me a letter." said Rainbow. "It might accidentally go to Celestia or Luna, since he's never tried to send any to me, but they'll give me the letter!" "But what if something terrible happens and I can't get to Spike to send a letter?" asked Starlight. "That's called a worst-case scenario. Starlight, don't worry! Nothing terrible is going to happen while I'm in Canterlot." She tightened her saddlebags a bit more with her magic. "Now I'd better get going. Don't want Luna to be worried about the planning for the festival alone!" "Be careful flying!" called Twilight as Rainbow took to the skies. "Twi, don't forget who you're talking to!" called back Rainbow, breaking through a cloud and flying out of hearing range. The cold wind didn't bother Rainbow as she flew through the winter skies. The light flurries of snow was what was annoying her, as they kept getting in her eyes. Her horn sparked up with bright red magic, and a thin layer of magic covered Rainbow's eyes. Sure, everything now had a red tint, but she wasn't getting any snow in her eyes. I've got to work on the Earth pony part of my alicorn magic. thought Rainbow. Since I'm already an expert on the pegasus part and pretty good at the unicorn part. I should know all of my strength. Canterlot gradually came closer into view, and the wind started to pick up. Rainbow smirked, before accelerating faster until a distinct rainbow trail could be seen behind her. She could go fast, and she was going to. "So how did Rainbow Dash become an alicorn?" asked Starlight as she and Twilight walked towards the Golden Oaks Library. "Did she preform a special act of magic or something?" "Rainbow was a pegasus, not a unicorn." said Twilight. "Oh, she was? I guess I should have figured that out from how good of a flier she is... So how did she become an alicorn?" "Honestly, I'm not quite sure. We were in the Crystal Empire to protect it from King Sombra, and she protected the Crystal Heart from being destroyed by him. Then she was surrounded in a red light, and then landed on the ground as an alicorn." "And how did she react to that?" "The first thing she did was fly over to everypony to make sure that they were okay. She didn't even notice that she had a horn until I pointed out!" "She didn't notice that she was an alicorn?" "Well, it wasn't her main concern." Starlight nodded as they walked into the library. To her, Rainbow Dash could be really odd. "Everfree is such a lovely place." said Shadow as they floated through the forest as an orb of magic. "So much fear is devoted towards it. But I need something better than a mere emotion... Something like actual magic!" Shadow continued through the forest, not worried about any dangers. None of the monsters in here could hurt them without magic. And any pony that came in here was as good as dead. "Maybe there's something left in that stupid castle..." muttered Shadow. "If I could find it." Shadow reformed into an alicorn shape, and stomped angrily throught the forest. However, they heard a voice, and quickly condensed back into an orb. "I need more ingredients for my potions." said the voice. "Otherwise they will simply be odd lotions!" "A zebra?" whispered Shadow to themself. "Maybe they have something good that I can use..." Shadow quickly zipped through the forest, until coming upon the zebra that had been talking. She was gathering some plants outside of a large tree that appeared to be some sort of house. "This, I can say, is enough for now." said the zebra. "To stay out long in this forest is something I will not allow!" The zebra turned and walked into the house-tree, making sure to shut the door behind her. Shadow quickly went over to the door, and looked inside. There was much of interest, except for one box that was radiating a powerful field of magic. "Now what do you have in there?" whispered Shadow. "No matter, I want it. But how to safely get it?..." "Who is there? Reveal yourself!" called the zebra, turning around. "I warn you, I have many potions upon my shelf!" Shadow had moved out of the way before the zebra saw them. The orb of magic that they were hovered close to the ground, where a thin layer of magic was emanating from. "What do we have here?" asked Shadow softly. "I can sense some magic from those blasted Elements, but something better below it..." Shadow quickly floated down through the layer of magic from the Elements of Harmony, down where there were may black vines with blue spikes. "Oh, Discord. Thank you ever so much. These plunder vines are sure to be of great assistance to me..." "-and then I come flying through?" affirmed Rainbow. "Yes." said Luna with a smile. "It will surely make this first Winter Moon Festival very memorable! I tried to see if Cadenza could also come, but she is still working things out in the Crystal Empire." Rainbow nodded, and then let out a large yawn. "Heh, sorry." she said, glancing outside at the moon. "Whoa, how late is it?" "Around midnight. I suppose I got a bit caught up in my excitement. You should go to bed." Rainbow simply nodded and walked over to the bed that was in the tower she was staying in. "We can continue planning tomorrow." "Yes, of course!" "G'night, Luna." Rainbow laid down and closed her eyes. "Beautiful night out..." Luna smiled, and quietly exited the tower, closing the door behind her. She began walking towards her bed chamber, when a small noise caught her attention. "Is somepony there?" asked Luna, before something suddenly wrapped around her hoof. "Wait, what is-" She was cut off as a black vine with blue thorns yanked her out of sight.