//------------------------------// // Rainbow At Dawn // Story: My Little Academia: Friendship is Heroic! // by Fullmetal Pony //------------------------------// Below Princess Luna’s room in her tower of the castle were some barracks. Thick curtains covered the windows. Silver helmets and breastplates rested on one side of the room near the door. Deep blue tunics could be glimpsed inside the shelves under them. Sugar Glider slumbered in her bed. At this point in the day, everypony else in the room was so deep in their own rest that her snores did not bother them. Her leathery wings occasionally twitched in her sleep. Like the rest of the Night Guard, she belonged to the batpony subspecies. Sugar Glider. Upon hearing Luna’s voice in her head, Sugar Glider flared open her eyes. Without making a sound, she flew out of bed and stood up. Princess, I am ready for your command. There is a matter I must deal with and I need to prepare, said Luna. I will swap you in. You’ll just need to give some commentary every now and then. Sure. Sugar gulped. In a separate corner of her mind she groaned, Shoot, I thought for sure Moon Shadow would get chosen if this came up. Brace yourself, said Luna. There was a flash a moment later. It was just bright enough that Moon Shadow, who slept above Sugar Glider, turned over in his bed. He mumbled, “More pancakes and extra… jalapeños…” ~~~ “Rainbow Dash!” Shadowbolt bellowed. He shot up from his seat and spread his wings, scattering the ponies around him. He rocketed into the sky and hovered behind Rainbow Dash. “So, you’ve finally accepted my training! Excellent! Now use what I’ve taught you to surpass me! To surpass all flyers! To fulfill my ambitions!”   “It’s him!” Bow rose to his hooves. “Where does he get off interfering with Dash’s match?” “Wait!” Windy called out. “Look!” Despite Shadowbolt’s voice booming across the colosseum, Dash did not turn her attention away from Twilight. From his angle, Shadowbolt glimpsed a smile on Dash’s face. “We, uh, welcome the encouraging words from the number four hero. We would like to remind our pegasi attendants that flight is generally prohibited though.” In the corner of her eye, Vinyl thought she saw Tantabus waver for a second. She turned to him, but he was still just a floating mass of cosmos in the shape of a stallion’s head. “Any idea what he’s talking about?” “Oh, um…” “Tantabus” paused for a second. “I’m not really sure either. He’s, um, not related to…” He glanced down at the roster. “Rainbow Dash?” “Not to my knowledge.” Vinyl turned her attention back to Dash and Twilight. “Regardless, it looks like Rainbow Dash has pulled out a trump card with a massive display of weather manipulation! Twilight is past even her last legs, but with all the surprises she’s come up with, I’m sure this fight is heading to quite the climax!” Still wearing a grin, Dash wiped away her tears. Taking a breath, she stared at Twilight with fire in her eyes. “Got something else for me? I don’t mean to brag after everything, but with those wounds and in this situation… it isn’t looking too good for you, Twilight.” Dash thrusted her forelegs out to her sides. Air swirled around her left leg and lightning crackled around the right. “Especially because this will be my best shot.” “Bring it!” Twilight grinned and lit up her blackened horn. It ached and blurred her vision, but she could still make out the rough shape of Dash in front of her. Nurse Redheart is going to kill me, but I need to redirect some of the backlash into all my legs! Aura tore through Twilight’s limbs, producing a few cracks. Bits of fur got singed off. She gritted her teeth while her aura flowed around her horn. It waxed and waned in a few spots with sharp pops accompanying the shifts in aura. Rockhoof looked up. He took in the damage Twilight was doing to herself and the weather gathering around Dash. The air around Dash’s left leg had swelled into a gale that was on the verge of becoming a miniature cyclone. Just one of the bolts coming off her right leg looked like it could knock Twilight out. “This was quite the fight, but I think it may be time for us to step in.” “Right!” said Cheerilee. She whistled and a pegasus guard swooped over and carried her up. A bolt zapped by Fleetfoot, singeing her mane. “Okay, don’t need to feel another one of those to know it ain’t gonna be pretty if that hits Twilight!” Walls of clouds sprung up between Dash and Twilight just as Dash yelled, “Storm Breaker!” Twilight, thanks. She threw both her legs at Twilight and combined the lighting and wind coming off them into a maelstrom. Twilight launched her spell at the same time in a burst of magic that exposed the nerves under her horn’s alicorn. Both attacks were barely slowed down by Fleetfoot’s clouds. They crashed into each other in an enormous blast that cleared away the remaining clouds. Lightning rent the air and thunder forced swaths of the audience to cover their ears. Fleetfoot got shoved backwards and smacked into the barrier. Air hissed between her teeth when she felt one of her wings bend at an odd angle. She managed to stay airborne, steadied herself, and braced against the shockwave. The guard carrying Cheerilee was thrown into a nosedive. He managed to pull up before hitting the ground but slammed into the barrier which was now rock-hard. The unicorn guards strained to maintain the barrier, which was now thick enough that it partially obscured everything within. Cheerilee got to her hooves and dusted herself off. “I’m fine with being a little rough, but this is a bit much for first years.” “What is up with your class?” Vinyl exclaimed. She peered up at the attack, but the blast had sent out a violet-tinged haze around Dash and Twilight. “I think this might be it, folks! Let’s see if our air support can confirm anything!” Fleetfoot rubbed her head. “Sheesh, ought to tell these fillies to dial it back a little.” Thanks to her goggles, she could make out a figure through the haze. Gliding down while trying to put as much of the strain onto her good wing, she got closer and was able to make out Rainbow Dash. Dash glanced at Fleetfoot and huffed, “Is it… over?” “I’m not sure.” Fleetfoot swiveled her head around. “Why can’t I feel Twilight around here?” Dash gulped. “Don’t tell me I incinerated her.” “Relax, kid, that was a pretty strong attack, but from what I fe—” “Fleetfoot!” Vinyl yelled. “Get your flank in gear! We’ve got a crash landing on our hooves!” “What?!” Dash and Fleetfoot yelped. Below them, Twilight dropped out the haze and rocketed to the ground. The crowds paled. Rarity and Pinkie gasped. Fluttershy, already at her limit, fainted. Spike sprung over the railing to get into the ring but slammed into the barrier. “Twilight!” Night Light screamed. “My baby!” Velvet cried. “No!” Dash yelled. With a flap that sent Fleetfoot spinning through the air, Dash dove. Even using weather manipulation, she was still worn out from the fight, and the last attack had taken a huge bite out of her stamina, but she pushed her muscles harder. Faster and faster she flew with Twilight plummeting down below her. A cone of air pressure formed around Dash. Celestia leaned out of her box and coughed, “Oh my stars!” Dash’s eyes watered. The pressure sealed up her mouth and nostrils. Her lungs burned as did her back, but she pushed with all her might. The air exploded around her in a spectrum of colors. Dash shot toward Twilight with a rainbow trailing behind her. A noise louder than any clap of thunder roared out from where Dash had broken the sound barrier. The explosion she had created spread out in an iridescent ring that sliced through the barrier and knocked all the guards maintaining it off their hooves. Feet from the ground, Dash scooped up Twilight, executed a ninety degree turn without any ill effects and arced back into the air. She instantly climbed up the top of the barrier, turned back around, and finally began to decelerate. It was only when she was sure Twilight was safe that she marveled at the brilliant display she had created. “Whoa.” “No way,” Fleetfoot muttered. “Could that have been…” “The Sonic Rainboom!” Shadowbolt grinned from ear to ear. “Finally, it’s in my hooves.” Celestia fell back in her chair. “Thank the stars.” “Folks, I’ve seen a lot in my career, but nothing like this!” Vinyl exclaimed. “Not only did Rainbow Dash knock Twilight out with that last attack, but she saved Twilight from a fall with a move I’ve never seen before!” “It’s amazing!” Sugar Glider cheered before remembering she was playing Tantabus. She coughed and muttered, “Um, very well done.” “Well done enough to get some emotion out of you,” Vinyl teased. “This was one Tartarus of a way to start off round two! Both fighters threw everything into the ring, but in the end, the winner is Rainbow Dash!” Dash heard the announcement and cracked a smile. She looked down at Twilight as she floated toward the ground. She was so focused on not shifting Twilight around that she did not even notice the scars had vanished from her right flank too. “Maybe I won the match, but Twilight? You’re the real hero of the day.” ~~~ Twilight blinked and lifted her head. She found herself floating in a sea of stars. Recognizing it as the dream plane, she looked around, but stopped when she saw that the lower half of her legs was gone. There was only purple mist swirling where her hooves and shins should have been. Recalling all the damage she had accrued in the fight, she looked up at her horn. It was still there, but it had a fuzzy outline. Before she could inspect it more, a voice called out, “Wow, you really did a number on yourself, but I’m sure Redheart will handle the worst of it.” Twilight swung around.  “Hello? Tantabus?” “Well, she’s busy with the Festival,” said the voice. With her head clearing, Twilight noted that while the voice sounded feminine it also sounded much younger than Tantabus’s. Something tapped Twilight on the shoulder. She spun again and came face to face with a grayish blue pony with a light azure mane. Due to her lengthy legs, she stood a bit taller than Twilight, but overall looked to be only a few years older. “So, I thought it was time I finally came to meet you.” Twilight’s eyes shrank as she took in more of the pony’s body. The small black tiara that rested above her horn,  the wings laid at her sides, and her cutie mark— a crescent moon surrounded by black splotches—could only belong to one pony. Grass sprouted up under the pony and spread until Twilight found herself in the middle of a meadow. A tree with colorful wood and limbs that bent into spirals resembling those of galaxies grew up behind the pony. The sea of stars churned like a river to surround the meadow and also flowed upwards, creating inverted waterfalls. “You’ll be here for a bit, so I thought I’d make it a little more comfortable.” The pony took a seat under the tree. She signaled with a hoof for Twilight to join her. Twilight stood with a slack jaw, making the pony laugh. “Oh, Twilight Sparkle, I had thought your time with my sister had relieved some of the nervousness ponies tend to get around the two of us.” Twilight blushed and bowed her head. “S-sorry, Princess Luna.” “Oh, no need for formalities,” Luna chuckled. “Just Luna is fine.” ~~~ Equality rested atop one of the few clouds that passed over Appleloosa. She hummed to herself while using an enchantment to gaze down at the alley below. Braeburn slumped against a wall. His vest and the flesh underneath were marred with claw marks. A few shallow breaths escaped from him, but his head drooped to the ground. There was a blotch on the back of his hat. Above him, bits of an adobe wall crumbled. In front of Braeburn, a great shadow loomed over Big Macintosh. Its fur and feathers were jet black in contrast with its predatory golden eyes and front legs. Blood dripped from its talons. Above, Equality grinned and intensified the glow around her horn. Below, the black griffon raised Big Mac’s limp body up by his mane. His right hind leg flopped around, producing a sickening squinch. The griffon bent Big Mac’s head to the side, exposing his neck. It opened up its razor-sharp beak. The air reverberated. Equality was knocked to the edge of her cloud. The glow around her horn vanished when she scrabbled back up onto her perch. Behind her mask, her pupils contracted. A massive rainbow ring was spreading over the horizon. Equality ground her teeth. “No!” she hissed. “No, no, no!” She snapped her attention back down to the alley. The black griffon now laid on the ground between Big Mac and Braeburn. The rainbow ring was rapidly approaching. Equality snarled and lit up her horn. “Damn, if I had just gotten Rainbow Dash. Well, this will just have to do.” In a flash, she and the black griffon vanished. A second later, the rainbow ring washed over the sky above Appleloosa. Those that had been watching the Festival on the monitor glanced out their windows. Meanwhile, Big Mac and Braeburn remained unconscious in the alley. ~~~ “Dashy!” Windy cried. “Oh, my little girl!” Bow rushed alongside Windy to Dash’s side. In the past, Dash would have wrinkled her nose and pushed her parents back before marching away from them. This, time, she accepted their embrace and sighed, “Hey, Mom. Hey, Dad.” “That was incredible out there!” Bow cheered. “Not even Wonderbolts could pull of a stunt like that!” Dash blushed. “Well, I think that might have been cause Fleetfoot got her wing messed up.” “We’re just so proud of you.” Windy nuzzled Dash. “Weather manipulation has been such a sensitive issue for you, but seeing you give it your all out there reminded us of how much you liked playing around with weather when you were little.” “Yeah.” Dash bowed her head. “Sorry about how I’ve been these last few years. You’ve always been so supportive of me… even if you can go a little overboard sometimes, but it means a lot to have great parents like you.” Before Bow or Windy could respond, Shadowbolt flew into the hall. “And what about a great teacher?” Windy tightened her grip on Dash. Bow stepped in front of the two of them and raked his hoof against the ground. “Not another step further, Speedy.” Shadowbolt bristled as being called by his civilian name, but it was only for a second. Maintaining his grin, he spread his wings and focused on Dash. “Now, no need to get hostile. This is a day of great celebration. Rainbow Dash, your tantrum is finally over. That was a wonderful display, but you’re probably out of practice. I’m sure the rest of this Festival won’t be a problem, but learning to handle your weather manipulation, especially against villains, will be a different game.” He extended out a hoof. “Join me, Rainbow Dash. It’s time to complete your training as my successor.” It was silent for a moment. Then, Dash detached from Windy. She looked at Shadowbolt with clear eyes and a neutral expression. “I haven’t set anything aside.” Shadowbolt furrowed his brow but Dash spread out a wing and stared at it. A few feathers were missing, and more were askew or singed. “It’s just that when I was up there, I forgot all about you.” She turned her attention back to Shadowbolt. “I’m still not sure what that means, but for now I need to think.” Dash left Shadowbolt searching for words. While he searched, Dash moved past him. Her parents followed while shooting glares at Shadowbolt. ~~~ “Dashy!” Pinkie exclaimed when Dash approached the infirmary. She moved as fast as her injuries would allow and gave Dash a hug, being careful to avoid putting too much pressure on her back or wings. “You and Twilight did great out there!” “Just wish it hadn’t hurt Twilight so much,” Spike muttered. “Right,” Dash sighed. She spotted Velvet and Night Light. Both wore tense expressions and Velvet’s cheeks had streaks running down them. Dash bowed her head. “You must be Twilight’s folks… sorry for roughing her up.” “It…” Night took a breath. “It’s not fully your fault. Our little Twily has always been devoted to being a hero, no matter the risk.” “Oh,” Velvet sniffled and buried her head in Night’s neck. “I should have done something to stop her.” Night put a hoof around her. “We couldn’t have done anything, dear.” “I don’t think you should feel sorry,” Dash declared. She raised her head and stared straight at them. “Twilight put everything on the line for me. I’ll never be able to thank her enough for that. You’re lucky to have a kid like her.” Velvet cried into Night’s neck, but Night managed to murmur, “Thank you.” Dash took in the scene for a second before turning toward the infirmary and going in. “Rainbow Dash!” Fluttershy coughed from a bed. “What did I say about resting?” Redheart muttered from the other side of a partition that blocked Fluttershy’s view of her and Twilight. She stood over Twilight with her horn aglow. Aura coated Twilight’s limbs and parts of her torso. Two of Twilight’s legs were bound in casts and rested on slings. The other two rested on slabs next to her bed. Scalpels, suction tubes, and syringes floated over them. A salve had been applied to her horn, the smell of which burned Dash’s nose. She noticed that bits of alicorn writhed around and spread out over the exposed nerves. Dash gained a shade of green looking over the scene. “Not the prettiest sight.” Redheart pulled her medical instruments back for a second and glanced at Dash. “This may take a bit, but help is on the way. Feel free to rest on one of the beds until he gets here.” Dash accepted the invitation to keep her stomach from growing more upset and to rest. She flopped onto an empty bed next to Fluttershy. She felt herself sink into the mattress and the pillows but willed herself to stay awake for a little longer. Glancing to her left, she saw Derpy curled up on a bed and facing a wall. “Hey,” Dash called out to her. Derpy flinched. Dash hesitated a moment and then, in a softer tone than she was used to using, said, “sorry about not practicing some more with you. I’m not sure how it would have helped with your fight, but it looked like you got pretty roughed up.” Derpy replied with a sniffle. Dash sighed and turned over to face Fluttershy. “I’ve got a lot of work to do once I’m rested up.” “I’m just so happy for you, Rainbow Dash.” A few tears trickled down Fluttershy’s cheek. “Geez. I swear, when you’re better, I’m gonna give you a piece of my mind for pushing yourself too hard, even if it was for me. For now though…” Dash yawned and covered her mouth with a hoof. “I need to rest.” “You’ve more than earned it.” Dash glimpsed Fluttershy’s smile as her eyes closed. It reminded her of the grin Scootaloo flashed after Dash performed some stunts for her. “Sleep well, Rainbow Dash.”