I appeared on top of the tallest spire in Ponyville – the peak of the gaudy crystal castle. I stood there a moment to let my hair billow in the wind, looking all mysterious and cool. Then I looked around for the source of the disturbance.
I sure didn't have to look long! There was a hydra rampaging on the far side of town.
Oh, good. A simple, straightforward monster fight. Well, this should be—
As I flew closer, I realized there was a slight complication. Apparently, some other rainbow-themed hero had gotten involved before I could! She was zipping around the hydra and confusing it, and generally limiting the damage it could do while the civilians fled.
Whoa. She's awesome!
Which means I need to find some way to out-do her!
I quickly scanned the area, and formulated a plan. I was getting good at throwing those together at a snap pace. I swept down at a crazy pace, grabbing a cloud on the way, and dunked it in the little stream that ran by the outskirts of town, turning it into a black stormcloud. Then I banked upwards over the creature and gave it a sharp kick; I apparently messed up a bit, because it shocked me a bit too, but it still sent a satisfying bolt of electricity straight into one of the hydra's heads, causing it to stagger backwards in shock and yowl in pain.
"Whoa! Kid, get out of here, you just made it mad! Er, madder!"
The rainbow-maned pegasus was hollering at me and waving her hooves, and quickly dove under a bite from the hydra.
Get out of here? She thinks I can't handle it! I'll show HER!
I swept under the head of the hydra that had tried to bite the mare, plowing into the ground, and I charged my energy into my hooves. Then I swept up in a massive flying uppercut as my magic radiated from my upraised hoof, slamming into the bottom of the creature's jaw and sending the entire hydra keeling over onto its back.
"FLYING HYDRA PUUUUNCH!"
I blew on my hoof, which had caught on fire, and congratulated myself on the awesome move name. The pegasus flew up to me with her jaw slack, which got a giggle out of me.
"That... was so AWESOME! How did you do that?!"
I had just looked the technique up in one of the books, and turned it into an uppercut, but I wasn't going to tell her that!
"Well, y'know, heroes train hard to defeat the enemies of Equestria. It's how we roll. I'm Dashing Savior. You are?"
She laughed at that. "Oh, you're a fan! Well, I'm Rainbow Dash!" She extended a hoof to me.
I wasn't sure what she meant, but I bumped her hoof regardless. Both of us looked over to the hydra, which was slowly regaining its footing. I looked back at Dash and grinned.
"Let's send this bozo packing!"
Rainbow whooped and punched the air.
"Yeah! Alright, somepony who knows how to get stuff done!"
We each banked in opposite directions around the hydra, causing its outer heads to track us and fight with itself over where to go. Then we both swept in from the rear and kicked the center head in the back of the skull, causing the whole creature to lurch forward. The center head swiveled drunkenly, eyes unfocused.
"Hah! We really did make it see stars!"
"Huh?"
"Nothing! Inside joke! Let's finish him!"
Dash needed no more prompting; she dove into the hydra's stomach with a flying kick, while I swept around it and stomped on its tail. The resulting wheeze-shriek was hilarious, and the creature yelped like a dog the whole way as it ran back into the forest. I chased it a bit, screaming after it.
"IF YOU EVER COME BACK, THAT'LL BE THE LEAST OF WHAT YOU GET, UGLY! KEEP RUNNIN'!"
Both of us landed on the ground laughing and traded another hoofbump. Dash shook her head and grinned wildly.
"I totally thought I'd need to get the rest of my friends together to deal with that guy, but we sure showed him!"
"Well, when Rainbow Dash and the Dashing Savior unite, who in Equestria could possibly keep up?!"
"Right!"
We laughed some more, and while she was distracted I dispelled my rainbow-wing illusion and hid my real wings. She looked me over appraisingly.
"For a unicorn, you fly really well! That weird wing-spell thing you do is way beyond the other wing spell I've seen!"
"Yeah? Thanks! It took a long time to develop."
That was a blatant lie, but a real wing-conjuration that worked that well would be incredibly hard, so I had to keep up appearances. The rainbow mare shrugged.
"Well, every hero's gotta practice and train like crazy. Can't believe you can do all of this stuff at your age, though. Say, you wanna cool off with a burger and some cider?"
I was about to reject the reward, as per my newly-established usual, when my stomach growled. I realized grazing in the forest hadn't really been the most robust dietary plan.
Really, what's the worst that could happen? And she's a hero! I'm sure I'll be fine with her around.
"Sure, just let me get changed back into my 'civilian' getup. Can't let my secret identity get compromised. You promise to keep it a secret, right?"
Dash's eyes lit up.
"You really have a secret identity? That's so awesome! Yeah, I'll definitely keep it under wraps."
Careful not to reveal my wings, I put on my regular cloak and teleported off my spandex. I might trust this mare, but there was no telling who was in cahoots or under the influence of those evil wizards; couldn't be too careful!
I extended a hoof. "I'm Quillon. Pleasure to meet you for real, Rainbow."
"Likewise!"
And just like that, we set off to get hayburgers and goof off for the rest of the day.