//------------------------------// // Chapter Eleven; Preparations // Story: I'll Bring You Home // by Kodeake //------------------------------// I’ll Bring You Home Chapter Eleven; Preparations “Alright, so.” Hurricane unfurled a large map across the table, surrounded by four mares. She pointed to a spot near the center. “This is where we are-” her hoof trailed along a curving line “-if we follow the river, we can make it to Mount Othrys in about three days on hoof.” Rainbow looked up at her. “We?” “Yes, we,” Clover said, raising her eyebrow. “You didn’t think we were sending you off on your own, did you?” Twilight reached over and put her hoof on the pegasus’s shoulder. “I’m not leaving you now.” Looking at the hoof and following it back to its owner, Rainbow smiled slightly. “Twi, you don’t have to-” “Three days on hoof,” Twilight started, ignoring her attempted plea. “But I count two pegasi here. How fast can we fly?” Hurricane grinned, and she glanced at Rainbow. “I like your friend. If we fly, it’ll be about a day, assuming the kid can keep up with me.” “I’ll leave you in the dust,” Rainbow shot back, sticking out her tongue. “Even if I gotta carry both of them.” Chuckling, Gale shook her head. “If you say so, kid. Obviously, I’ll carry Clover if you carry Twilight. Othrys is a day’s flight away, but that’s the easy part. The hard part is going to be climbing it.” “Uh… hello?” Rainbow fluffed her wings. “Who said anything about climbing?” Clover rolled her eyes, lighting her horn and summoning a projection of thick clouds above the map. “Othrys is surrounded by an eternal storm, vicious and magic in nature, so that it can even affect those of us without physical bodies. There’s no way you’re flying through it. Especially not with a passenger.” “So we climb,” Twilight said, calling on her magic and turning the map into a three dimensional projection. The mountain reached up to her chin from the low table. “From what we know, it’ll probably be three days to climb it. Which is good, because we only have six days before the new moon.” Rainbow felt like a little filly in school again, and she blushed when she realized she’d actually put her hoof up. Snapping it back to her side, she cleared her throat. “What does the moon have to do with it?” “The Poppy of the Soul only blooms during the new moon,” Clover explained. She produced a book with a flash of magic and laid it in front of the rainbow maned pegasus. It was open to a page with a picture of a flower. “There’s only magic in it when it’s in bloom, so it’s worthless if you pick it at any other time.” “Legend says it was created by the king of the Underworld to propose to his mortal wife. It’s said it’s a marriage between the living and the dead. But when his wife was killed by the Dragon King, he hated seeing the reminder of his love and so concealed it atop the highest mountain surrounded by an impenetrable storm,” Twilight said in a tone dangerously close to lecturing, watching as the holographic storm raged around the mountain. “Well, that’s how the story goes, anyway. Point is, the poppy contains a magic unlike anything else that bridges the gap between life and death, which is why we need it for me.” Rainbow scratched the back of her neck. “I just know I need one. So, one day to get there, three to get to the top. If we leave today that gives us an extra two days in case something goes wrong, right?” “If we left today, yes, but the plan is to leave first thing tomorrow morning.” Hurricane pointed to another point on the map. “There’s another town here where we can get supplies for the trip. It’s about half a day if we fly, so we go there, prepare, come back here then leave tomorrow.” “Supplies?” Rainbow echoed. “What kind of supplies do we need? I’ve got enough food, and you three don’t need to eat or anything.” Twilight shook her head. “Usually we don’t need to, but like Clover said; the storm affects us as though we were alive. If we’re right about it, it’s going to try and drain our magic. We’ll be exhausted and need a way to recuperate. Which is where the supplies come in-” “Ambrosia,” Clover said, producing a glass flask filled with a bright golden liquid. She sloshed it around, the shimmering substance slightly thicker than water. “Also referred to as the nectar of the gods. It’s harvested from the flowers that bloom here in Elysium - I’m sure you’ve noticed them; they’re everywhere. Thanks to this plain’s proximity to the magic plain, the plant life here is overflowing with raw magic. This will allow us to keep our energy up through the storm, and it’ll help you, too.” She put the flask on the table. “Enough of this and we’d even be able to survive in the Underworld for a while.” Rainbow examined the liquid curiously, removing the cork and sniffing it. There wasn’t an odor she could detect, but it made her nose tingle. “Okay, so, supply run today, rest up tonight, and head out first thing tomorrow morning. That gives us five days for a four day trip, right?” She looked to each mare in turn, recieving nods from all of them. “Works for me.” “Thanks for your approval, ‘commander’,” Hurricane mocked, rolling her eyes. “It’ll just be you and me on the supply run; the bookworms are gonna try and dig up any extra information they can for us.” She rolled up the map, dispelling the magical projection atop it in the process. “If the plan’s settled, then let’s get ready to head out. I’d like to be back here before dark.” There were agreements all around and the mares split off to their respective tasks. As Twilight was about to wander outside, a hoof caught her shoulder. She turned, and Gale smiled at her. “You remember what I told you?” the pegasus asked, nodding towards Rainbow, idly sorting through her saddlebags. “You should tell her.” Twilight smiled slightly, walking over to the mare that had forced her way into hell. She glanced back, and Gale gave her an encouraging nod as she practically pulled Clover out the door. Twilight giggled a little, and the sound drew Rainbow’s attention. “What’s up, Twi?” She asked, standing and throwing her bags over her back. She shifted them until they sat comfortably. “You gonna be okay without me for a while?” Twilight rolled her eyes. “Can’t get rid of you fast enough,” she said, sticking out her tongue a moment before sighing, her smile falling. “I need to tell you something. Hurricane mentioned something to me, and-” Rainbow’s face went pale. “She told you?” Her voice came out as a panicked squeak. “W-what, exactly, did she say?” “Honestly?” Twilight chuckled and shook her head. “Nothing I didn’t know already.” “What-” “She said you blame yourself for what happened, and I knew that, but… she also said I should tell you something. So-” she looked up and smiled. “Thank you. For coming to get me. It… it really means a lot - everything you’ve done for me, how much you’re willing to risk, just for me.” “Oh!” Rainbow gasped, then sighed in relief. She shrugged casually. “No biggie, Twi; what’re friends for, right?” Twilight’s smile twisted. “Right… but… it is kind of a big deal. Like, violating the laws of nature big.” She chuckled. “More like a huge deal, especially with how dangerous it is for you. And… I can’t help but wonder if you really would have done it for anypony.” Cheeks lighting up, the pegasus had to look away. “‘Course I would, Twi.” “Then can I ask you something?” “Sure.” Twilight took a breath, chewing her lip. “When… when I was… dying-” she saw Rainbow flinch at the word “-I remember you holding me. All the girls gathering around… a lot of crying…” she trailed off, squinting through the hazy fog surrounding the memory. “And… it’s blurry, but I remember you saying something about… not getting a chance to tell me something?” Rainbow’s heart leapt into her throat and stopped dead, forcing her to swallow thickly. “I, uh-” “I was just wondering if that had something to do with it?” Twilight asked gently, frowning slightly. “Or, really, just what it was you never told me?” “It…” Rainbow hesitated, glancing between the mare in front of her and the necklace against her chest. She smiled breezily. “Nothin’, Twi; it was nothing. Just… shock after what happened.” She stepped past her before the unicorn could ask anything more. “C’mon; they’re probably waiting for us.” Twilight watched her go, her frown growing. “Why won’t you tell me?” She asked herself, then dismissed the thought. She’d known it was a long shot anyway. Getting Rainbow to open up was an artform, one which required patience and a delicate hoof. Begrudgingly, Twilight followed the pegasus out the door and onto the small dirt street outside. Gale and Clover were stood next to each other, and waved them over quickly. Hurricane raised an eyebrow, and Twilight nodded. Gale smiled approvingly. “Alright! If you’re good to go, let’s head out.” She leaned over and nuzzled Clover affectionately, pulling away after a chaste kiss. “I know the way, so just follow me.” Rainbow watched her jump into the air before turning to Twilight. “I’ll be back as soon as I can, kay?” Rolling her eyes, Twilight pulled her into a short hug. “I’m not a little filly that’s gonna wander off without you, featherbrain. Get going.” She shoved her playfully, and Rainbow grinned as she took off, both pegasi rapidly blending into the bright blue sky. “Think you can keep up, kid?” Gale asked tauntingly over the winds, grinning as Rainbow caught up to her. “Or am I gonna have to slow down for ya?” Rainbow didn’t share her smile. “What did you tell her?” “Relax; I didn’t let anything slip.” Gale rolled her eyes, but the other mare’s glare didn’t relent. “All I said was that she should let you know how much what you’re doing means to her. That’s it, promise.” “Why?” Rainbow growled. “You didn’t have to say anything.” Gale’s smile fell. “Look, kid, I like you, but you’re hopeless. I told you already you need to tell her the truth - before it’s too late. I don’t need to tell you how well putting it off last time went for you. You gotta face the facts, kid; there’s a real chance here that one of you isn’t going to make it back.” “Gee, thanks for the pep talk ‘commander’,” Rainbow groused, flapping her wings faster and pulling ahead. “So what if I want to wait until we’re not literally in Hell?” She shouted over her shoulder. Hurricane frowned, keeping pace with the mare. “Don’t get me wrong; I’m gonna do everything I can to make sure you make it out of here with your mare, but you have to know your chances.” “I’ll beat the odds. Like I always do.” “You’re gonna get yourself killed faster with an attitude like that.” “At least I’ll die saving her!” Rainbow shot off ahead faster than Hurricane could react, a rainbow trail left in her wake. Gale sighed, cursing under her breath. “Damnit, kid…” she shook her head and pushed ahead. Twilight’s eyes flicked across line after line of words, pages flipped idly in her magic. On the wall a clocked ticked quietly, noting the passage of time. Clover was somewhere, doing much the same. It was dark, the smell of must and paper filled her nostrils. By flickering lantern light she read anything she could get her hooves on, eagerly devouring the information this place offered. She turned the page. Focused on the words in front of her. Ignored the scene in her mind. There was a staircase leading down. More floors? More books? More knowledge. She grinned eagerly at the thought. Just to think of everything she could learn here. The book was closed. Another was opened. The memories continued against her will. The lower floors were darker, but the books were becoming more advanced. Contained knowledge long lost to the ages or information yet to be discovered. There was just so much. How could she ever leave? Twilight shuddered, closing her eyes. There was a sound. She’d grown so used to the silence, the noise felt out of place. It was a quiet, slow creaking. “Are you okay?” Twilight head snapped up, and she saw endless darkened halls of books and shelves, and before her was a tattered black cloak holding a lantern that glowed an eerie white. She screamed. Her book was thrown across the room in a burst of uncontrolled magic as she lost focus on her grasp. Then she blinked, and felt a hoof on her shoulder. Clover looked at her worriedly. “Twilight?” “I…” she was panting, eyes flicking around the room. The same room she’d been in for most of the day, reading Clover’s impressive collection and whatever they could find from the others in the town. She shook her head. “Yeah, sorry, I-” “You’re crying.” Twilight lifted a hoof and rubbed at her cheeks, feeling the dampness there. “Sorry, I uh… was thinking about something…” Clover frowned empathetically. “The Halls, right?” “Y-yeah…” Putting a hoof over her own chest, Twilight felt the pounding pulse of her heart. “It’s-” she felt a shiver run down her spine. “It’s like I’m back there, when I’m reading.” “Imagine what it’s like for me,” Clover said with a humourless chuckle. “I swear I can hear the Keepers everytime I pick up a book. The walls shifting…” she trailed off, eyes glossing over. Shaking her head, the unicorn smiled. “Hey, how about a break? Gale said there was a gryphon around here who makes the best ice cream.” Twilight raised an eyebrow. “We don’t need to eat?” Shrugging her shoulders, Clover was already stood at the door. “Well I mean yeah, but that doesn’t mean we can’t. What’s endless paradise without a little ice cream? I’ll tell you; not a paradise.” Looking between her book and the door, Twilight sighed and stood. “Ice cream sounds good.” Together they trotted out of the small house. Twilight glanced over her shoulder as she shut the door, and for a moment she saw those same, endless hallways before it was closed. “It’s gonna take a while,” Clover said, reading the other unicorn’s expression. “But I think we’ll be okay.” Twilight smiled slowly. “I think we’ve both dealt with worse.” “Snow demons come to mind.” “A god of chaos for me. Or the shapeshifting queen who trapped me in a cave. And there was-” Clover cut her off with a laugh. “It’s not a contest, but if it was I think you’d win.” She shook her head. “You certainly lead an interesting life, didn’t you?” Twilight blushed, rubbing the back of her neck. “I guess you could say that. Funny thing is, I never really wanted any of that, you know? When I was young I dreamed of being a great magical researcher who had her own library. Then I met my friends and… well, I suppose life had other plans for me.” “I know what you mean. When the Platinum family took me in I was still too young to really know what I wanted to do with my life. Due to the food shortage my parents had abandoned me on the castle's doorstep, and before I knew it I was taken in by royalty. Trained by the servants, I spent a lot of my time in the castle's library. One day I wanted to take it over, but I guess it paid off a little more than I expected in the end; I became the Princess’s personal advisor and eventually the head mage of the castle. Then when we left to find a new land…” she sighed wistfully. “And I met Gale. I became the Arch Mage of Equestria for a time, but… I was just looking forward to when I could retire and spend more time with my family.” “It must have been hard, leaving your entire country behind like that,” Twilight said softly.     Clover just shrugged, looking to the bright blue sky above. “My country was dying before I was even born. I’d never even seen the open sky until I left. There wasn’t any love lost for me.” “Still, I couldn’t imagine. Just moving from one city to another was hard for me. To leave my country behind, to know I could never come back…” she trailed off solemnly. “Hey, this break is supposed to be about cheering up, not getting depressed. C’mon; Gale said he’s usually around here…” Clover turned a corner, forcing an extra pep into her step and making Twilight keep pace. The dirt roads were surprisingly busy, various creatures milling about and just… enjoying themselves. It reminded her a lot of Ponyville, if she was being honest. A small, simple town for those who had earned a reprieve from the worries of life. On the side of the street a large, muscled gryphon stood behind a cart. Several scars coated his body, and his eyes seemed to be set in a permanent glare. Clover seemed unphased by his intimidating appearance as she rushed over to him. Her looked at her and raised an eyebrow. “Are you Remus?” She asked. The gryphon nodded slowly. “Indeed,” he said in a thick, unplaceable accent that sounded just as rough as he looked. “Who’re you?” “Clover, I’m-” “Clover?” He interrupted her, eyes growing wide. “You’re Gale’s mare, ain’t you?” He received a nod, and a grin stretched across his beak. “I don’t believe it! You’re finally here! Gale’s told us all about you!” Clover blushed, looking away. “S-she has?” “Shoot, a day doesn’t go by she don’t talk about you. Some of us thought she was makin’ it up.” Remus stepped out from behind his stand and offered a talon that was taken in a firm shake. “A pleasure to finally meet you, Clover the Clever.” He looked up and saw the other unicorn standing awkwardly a few steps away. “And who might you be?” Twilight jolted, realizing he was talking to her. “O-oh, Twilight. Twilight Sparkle.” He hummed in thought, scratching his chin. “Ain’t a name I recognize. You must be a newcomer then?” “Y-yeah, you could say that.” Twilight received the same offered talon as Clover, and Remus quickly slipped behind his stall. “Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you both. Seeing as you knew my name, I’m gonna guess miss Gale told ya ‘bout me?” Clover nodded. “Said you make the best ice cream she’s ever had.” Remus laughed again, opening a cupboard on his cart and fiddling with something inside. “You’d better believe it. An old Griffonstone tradition, just like my pa used to make. Here-” he passed them each a paper bowl piled high with white, fluffy balls. “You must try some.” They took the bowls in their respective magic, giving each other a glance before shrugging and taking up the provided spoons. As one they took a bite, eyes lighting up. Remus grinned. “Is good, yeah?” “Oh my gosh- this is amazing!” Clover cried, eagerly shoveling more into her mouth. “How-” “Ah-ah-” he held a feather over his lips. “Family secret, I’m afraid. Still, glad to know you approve.” Twilight nodded her agreement, moaning happily around her spoon. Remus looked between them with a smile. “So… if you don’t mind me asking, where have you been? Gale’s been here quite some time.” “It’s…” Clover’s face fell, and Remus quickly shook his head. “Ah, I see. Don’t worry about it; you don’t need to tell me anything. Miss Twilight, would you mind sharing when you joined us?” Twilight nodded. “A little over a year ago. First time coming here, though.” “Interesting. Well, we’ll have plenty of time to get to know each other-” he laughed at his own joke “-but you two should enjoy the treat. I’m usually around here if you ever want anymore.” “Thanks, Remus!” Clover called as he returned to his cart, the two unicorns turning to walk away. “Well, he was surprisingly pleasant,” she noted quietly. When Twilight didn’t respond she looked over to see the unicorn’s face contorted in thought. “Twilight?” “Is… this all the afterlife is?” She asked, more to herself than the mare with her. “Just… enjoying yourself?” Clover shrugged. “How am I supposed to know? This is all as new to me as it is to you.” “I guess…” Twilight trailed off, looking around the sleepy town. She smiled slightly. “I think… I like it. It’s simple, but there are no worries here. Just doing whatever makes you happy. Remus likes making ice cream, so he just… does.” “Hey now; don’t start enjoying yourself when you’re gonna be getting out of here,” Clover said jokingly, nose still buried in her ice cream. “It’s not all sunshine and rainbows; most ponies don’t make it here. You’ve still got friends and family that miss you on the other side.” Twilight rolled her eyes. “I’m not talking about staying, just that… I think I’ll enjoy myself, the next time I get here.” “Rise and shine, kid!” Rainbow groaned as the shout rang in her ears like a gong. Rolling away from the noise, she quickly found a distinct lack of bed beneath her. She hit the floor with a thud, and the laughter that filled the air woke her up fully. “Har-har. Laugh it up while you can. I’m gonna be flying circles around you in a minute,” she grumbled pushing herself onto her hooves. Gale grinned wolfishly. “We’ll see about that; this old mare’s still got a little fuel in the tank.” “Don’t worry; if you run out of gas half way I’ll carry you,” Rainbow bit back, dusting herself off and throwing her bags over her shoulders. She heard the clinking of the many jars of ambrosia they’d gathered the previous day, but didn’t feel any of the added weight. Making a mental note to thank Twilight again for the bags, she followed Hurricane out of the small bedroom. The living room was lit by the first rays of the sun just barely peeking over the horizon. Already Clover and Twilight were there, their noses buried in books. Gale rolled her eyes. “Alright bookworms, that means you too.” Twilight glanced up, smiling as she saw the pair. “Good morning, Rainbow,” she greeted chipperly. Far troo chipperly for that early in the morning. Her eyes were bright and shining and her fur seemed to glow. Rainbow raised an eyebrow. “You okay?” “Hmm? Oh!” Twilight giggled. “Never better! I tried some of that ambrosia stuff- I finally know how Pinkie Pie stays so energetic all the time! It’s like sugar if sugar was, like, magic and coffee! We should see if we can take some of this back with us; imagine how much studying I could get done!” Rainbow took a step back. “Okay then…” she leaned over and whispered in Hurricane’s ear; “can we trade?” Huffing, Gale shook her head, whispering back. “Take a look at mine. She drank almost a full jar. Yours only had a sip.” Rainbow looked at the other unicorn and, sure enough, she seemed to be just as hyperactive as Twilight, only she twitched and fidgeted like she’d had five more pots of coffee than could be reasonably advised. “Huh. Fair enough; have fun!” Rainbow laughed as she walked over to her passenger. “You good to go, Twi?” Twilight nodded rapidly. “Yep! All packed and ready.” She shook her shoulders, then frowned and glanced back when she didn’t hear the rattling of her bags. Spinning in a circle, Rainbow had to reach out and grab her shoulder to stop her, pointing to a pair of brown bags against the wall. Twilight giggled. “Right. I knew that.” “Sure you did…” she looked over and saw Gale trying to force Clover’s bags onto the unicorn's back and counted her blessings. “C’mon, Twi; let’s wait outside. They… might be a while…” “Clover Cleverhoof I swear if you don’t put your bags on right now I’m going to-” Rainbow closed the door, trying her best not to burst out laughing. Twilight was doing much the same. “They’re fun,” she said matter-of-factly, looking at the quaint little house. “I like them.” Rainbow chuckled. “Yeah, I like ‘em too. Never thought I’d meet Commander Hurricane though.” “I know! And that’s the real Clover the Clever in there! That’s amazing!” Twilight’s endless energy seemed to dampen slightly. “I’m gonna miss them.” Rainbow shrugged. “We’ll be back, one day. Then we can introduce all the girls to them, and a bunch of others, too! Hurricane Mentioned Private Pansy was around here somewhere. This is where all the heroes end up, right?” Twilight looked at her own hooves. “Heroes…” she trailed off and looked to rainbow. “I guess we are, aren’t we?” “Huh? ‘Course we are, Twi.” “I mean yeah, we are, but…” she shook her head. “I never really thought of it like that. We were just… ponies. Friends, doing the right thing.” Rainbow’s smile fell slightly. “Well, a bit more than that, maybe, but… I guess you’re right. I mean, I certainly never expected to be an Element of Harmony and have to help protect Equestria against all those crazy bad guys. But that’s how it happened, and I don’t regret one second of it.” “I don’t regret it!” Twilight said hastily, waving her hoof back and forth. “Not at all! I’m really glad it all happened the way it did, just… don’t think about it, usually.” “Yeah, I get that. You’re not exactly the bragging type.” Twilight giggled. “Unlike somepony I know.” “Eh.” Rainbow smirked, rubbing the back of her neck. “Gotta let the world know how awesome I am, right? Can’t help it.” Mouth open to respond, Twilight was cut off as the door slammed open Clover came running out, laughing manically. Her saddlebags were, thankfully, strapped around her barrel, but by the look of the pegasus that followed her out it hadn’t been an easy victory. “Alright,” Hurricane growled, patting down her mane. “I think we’re good to go. Finally.” “Lighten up, Gale!” Clover sang, running over and wrapping her hoof around the mare’s neck, practically hanging off her. “We have plenty of time!” Gale did anything but lighten up. She looked longingly to Rainbow. “Still wanna trade?” “Nah. I think you got this,” Rainbow responded with a laugh. She adjusted her saddlebags, glancing around. “We good?” The gathered mares all nodded, and Hurricane groaned. “If we’re going let’s go. I wanna make it to Othrys by sundown if at all possible.” She looked to the sun, frowning. “Which means we gotta go.” Rainbow watched as Gale crouched down, her passenger hopping on in a single, fluid motion that told of their years spent together. She did the same, and noted Twilight struggling for a moment to find purchase. When the unicorn was secure, she wiggled to make sure everything was sitting right, then spread her wings. “Try and keep up, kid!” Gale shouted, launching into the air. Rainbow rolled her eyes. She jumped up and was alongside the pair in an instant. Sticking her tongue out, she asked; “I’m sorry, who beat who to the town yesterday?” “Yeah, and who got back here first?” Gale shot back. They glared playfully at each other, but were quickly distracted by the laughter of both their passengers. Hurricane glanced back. “What?” Clover giggled, shaking her head. “Nothing. Nothing. Just thinking, is all.” “What’s so funny?” Rainbow asked sharply, eyes narrowing at her own rider. “Something you’d like to share?” “You,” Twilight stated flatly. She smiled over at the other unicorn. “I think they’re gonna try racing while carrying us.” Snorting, Clover nodded. “I think they are. You should probably talk yours out of it, though; Gale here has never lost a race.” “Oh, hasn’t she?” Twilight’s eyes narrowed. “Well, then maybe we shouldn’t. Wouldn’t want to break a perfect record, after all.” “As if she could manage that.” “Try her.” Rainbow Dash and Gale traded a look. “Girls, could we-” Clover scoffed, cutting her pegasus off. “You think she’s so fast? Gale could fly circles around her.” Laughing haughtily, Twilight patted Rainbow’s side. “Rainbow’s been racing since she was a filly. Gale wouldn’t be fast enough to eat her dust!” “Uh, girls?” Rainbow asked, waving her hoof and trying to break the suddenly intense glaring match that had developed above her with little success. “Alright, fine!” Clover pointed ahead. “There’s a town ahead. First one there is the fastest.” Twilight lifted her nose. “Sounds good to me.” “Is…” Rainbow trailed off, looking between the two unicorns now refusing to look at each other. “Is this what it’s like to be married?” Gale laughed. “More often than you might think. Still… feel like humouring them? We are tied, after all.” “Another chance to race a legend? Anytime. To the town they mentioned?” “Yeah, it’s pretty well due west; between us and Orthrys.” Hurricane rolled her neck, and both of them slowed to a stop. “You ready kid?” Rainbow grinned, stretching her shoulders. “Born ready. Hey, Twi-” “On three!” Twilight shouted, glowering at the other pegasus’s passenger. “One!” “Two!” Clover tucked herself as close to Gale as she could, burying her muzzle into the back of her neck. Twilight did the same, and Rainbow had to fight down a blush. “Three!” Hurricane and Rainbow yelled as one, their cries echoing in the void of air they left behind them as they shot off towards the horizon. Instantly they were both leading rainbow colored trails, their tails whipping wildly behind them. Rainbow couldn’t resist the grin that spread across her muzzle, the wind rushing in her ears. Her wings burned in the most pleasant way, pumping relentlessly against the air. Glancing to the side confirmed her suspicions; Hurricane was having no problems keeping pace, and the look on her face was very much the same. Gale caught her eyes and winked at her before pulling ahead. “Oh no you don’t…” Rainbow mumbled, forcing herself ahead and overtaking her opponent for only a moment before Gale was once more right next to her. Gale shouted something, but the wind was whistling too loudly for her to hear. From the grin though, it was probably some lighthearted trash talk. Rainbow’s eyes narrowed, and she twisted her head back. “Hey, Twi!” She had to yell to be heard. “Hold tight!” Twilight didn’t respond, but she felt the unicorn’s hooves tighten around her neck. Nodding to herself approvingly, Rainbow brought her hoof up in a mock salute before redoubling her effort and shooting past Hurricane. She glanced back and saw the smile on Gale’s face - as well as the glare on Clover’s. Then she heard the whooping laughter from the unicorn on her back, and Rainbow chuckled. “Enjoying yourself!?” Twilight grinned into Rainbow’s mane, lifting her head just enough to see ahead of them. “It’s amazing, Rainbow! I mean, I had wings, but I was never this fast!” She trailed off into more laughter. “And we’re winning!” Rainbow raised an eyebrow. “We?” She asked, more to herself than the unicorn thoroughly enjoying the ride. Merely rolling her eyes, Rainbow looked ahead just in time to watch Gale go screaming past her. If she didn’t know any better, she’d have sworn Clover was sticking her tongue out at them. “Faster!” Twilight all but demanded, and Rainbow was more than happy to oblige. It had been a long time since she’d felt like this. Too long since she’d felt this alive. For just that one moment, nothing at all had happened. The past year of pain and searching and the days on end of travel were all nothing more than a hazy dream. An unpleasant nightmare. This was real. Then she was broken from her reverie when she saw the tell-tale crackling cone of energy form. Around Gale. Rainbow’s jaw fell open as, with a burst of speed, Commander Hurricane smashed through the sound barrier, a vibrant rainbow ring exploding outwards. The inside of the ring, however, was tinged the same shades of green and silver as clover’s mane and coat. “Whoa…” Rainbow’s eyes were wide as she slowed slightly, taking in the sight. She’d never seen a Rainboom from the outside before. She was quickly shaken from her admiration by a prodding at her side. “They’re getting ahead!” Twilight shouted, throwing her hoof forward. “You gotta catch them!” Rainbow frowned. “Twi, did you not just see what I saw? She did a Rainboom. With a passenger.” “So? You can do it, too! Get a move on!” “Twili-” “GO!” Twilight hissed, and Rainbow got the distinct impression she’d never hear the end of it if she didn’t. With a sigh, she took off, hooves outstretched and ready to push through the barrier. Sure, the Rainboom had almost become second nature to her, but doing one with a passenger was an entirely different can of worms. Although, she could already feel the tingling in the tips of her hooves, and she didn’t even feel strained yet. Then she remembered that her magic was stronger here, and Rainbow grinned as the mach cone formed. The air was rough, and she cringed as she was hit by a particularly turbulent spot. Hurricane’s own explosion had messed with the air currents, and the unicorn on her back wasn’t helping. “Aerodynamic, Twi!” She yelled. “There’s no way I’m breaking through if you’re creating that much drag!” Rainbow felt Twilight’s belly press hard into her back, and the turbulence lessened noticeably. She smiled to herself. The air sparked with energy, and Rainbow felt more resistance than she ever had before. It was like all those times before, when she’d struggled again and again to overcome that barrier. This time, though, she knew she could do it. Another flap of her wings. Another deep breath. Just one more push and- An explosion filled her ears, and suddenly there was no resistance at all as Rainbow flew through the sky faster than the speed of sound. She looked back and saw her own rapidly expanding ring of colours, meshed with Twilight’s own purple hues. Ahead the rainbow trail left by Gale was passing her by, and the pegasus herself wasn’t far. Below them, the town that was to be their finish line approached rapidly, growing from a spec in the distance to clearly defined houses in a matter of seconds. Rainbow’s eyes darted back and forth between her opponent and the finish, and she couldn’t tell which she’d reach first. Gale glanced back, and her eyes grew wide. Her wings faltered for just a second, and Rainbow caught up to her just as the first house passed by beneath them. As soon as she saw the town below Rainbow fanned her wings and lurched to a halt. Finally the sound of her passenger laughing caught up to her, and she turned to see a wide grin stretched across Twilight face despite the unicorn’s frazzled mane. Gale caught up to them a moment later. “Nicely done, kid! I had no idea you could do a Sonic Rainboom!” “I didn’t know you could!” Rainbow shot back, bumping her hoof against Hurricane’s. Clover humfed, sitting upright and crossing her hooves. “Well we still won. Looks like mine’s faster after all!” “Oh please, we totally beat you!” Twilight scoffed. Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Would you two knock it off?” “It was a tie,” Gale declared, reaching up and jabbing Clover in the ribs. “Now be a good sport about it.” “That goes for you, too,” Rainbow added, glaring at Twilight. “Shake hooves. It was a fair race, and we tied.” Despite neither unicorn looking particularly pleased about it, they begrudgingly took each other’s hoof and shook, immediately drawing back when it was over. Rolling their eyes, the pegasi set out at a much more restrained pace.