//------------------------------// // 7 - Air and Water // Story: Return to Flight // by Outlaw Quadrant //------------------------------// “What am I going to tell her?” Swift hated being late, especially when it was for important matters such as a friend who needed his help. Yet he was also Ponyville’s temporary weather steward, and his duties on this Sunday proved more daunting than yesterday. All across his body were nicks and scratches, thanks to one disaster after another. From sandbags suddenly failing at Sweet Apple Acres to a massive hole on the roof at Town Hall, he found himself between teaching and actually doing the physical work. Time to think about Rainbow’s recovery proved hard to find as a break in the clouds. Despite the dim lighting around Rainbow’s home, it was only half an hour past six. His mind was scrambled eggs, not just because of the day’s events but also because of sleep deprivation. Images long unseen came back in his dream and jolted him awake an hour too early. Even now, the dream had him pacing around Rainbow’s front lawn, indifferent to the rain dampening his fur. I just had to tell Rainbow about Saddlecloud. He stopped and slapped the side of his head. Don’t think about it! That was a long time ago! Last thing I need is getting her worked up about nothing! Before he could knock on her door, Rainbow opened it for him. “Fly,” she exclaimed as though he’d been gone for years. “You made it! How about we—” She stopped, noticing the stallion’s appearance resembling that of a pony that had fought a bear. “What in the hay happened to you?” He laughed away his nervousness. “Oh, um, just some floods, accidents, Raindrops and Thunderlane.” Rolling his eyes, “Again. So, are you ready to do, um, stuff?” Rainbow noticed his hooves buckling, trying to hold his weight. “I don’t think you’re ready to do anything except taking a break. Just look at your wings. They’re not supposed to bend like that.” The stallion brushed off the offer. “Naw, I’m cool. See, I can close them.” He made a painful, but unsuccessful effort. “Shoot. Maybe not but I’ll just deal with it.” She wagged her hoof, “Oh, no you won’t! You’re coming inside, Fly! There’s something I have that will make you feel one hundred percent in no time!” “But what about your reco—” Rainbow pointed past the doorway. “Now! I’m not taking no for an answer!” Under his breath, “Gotcha.” Swift hobbled through the doorway and into a living room with light tan walls with a carved labyrinth pattern. Multiple windows had their openings draped in sheer white curtains. A cream-white three-sided sectional sofa provided seating for guests and at the center, a table held up by small roman style pillars. On his right, the wall blocked his view, save for a square opening that showed him a small rectangular kitchen area. All the appliances there had a brand-new shine as though she never touched the dials. A few discarded pizza boxes garnered a chuckle. Take out every day, huh? Further down and to the right was a round dining table with a bowl of half-eaten apples. Across from the eating area was an L-shaped cabinet pressed against the walls, holding pictures of Rainbow with other ponies, some that he already knew. Many of the small doors hung open, the shelves all but bare. Before he could ask why, he found game boards with its pieces out, plush toys, knick-knacks and an electric guitar sprawled in front of the cabinet on the tan rug. “About that mess,” she started, “I was keeping myself busy. Well, trying to anyways.” Was she playing against herself? “I can see that. Are you feeling okay, Rainbow?” “Um, y–yeah. Why do you ask?” “Oh, nothing.” His ears detected a rushing sound above his head. “What’s that? Do you have a leak in your roof?” Rainbow snickered. “No! Well, actually… you’ll find out! It’s what I want to show you!” She led him straight ahead through a second doorway and up a spiral staircase to the second level of the structure. As he wondered why Rainbow installed stairs inside a cloud home, she gestured at a hallway with doors on opposite sides. “The right one’s the bathroom and the left’s my bedroom. Right is right. Left is—” Rainbow smashed her hooves together, producing a sound that echoed through the tall round chamber. Swift shuddered. “Gotcha! Loud and clear!” Both continued their climb. The third and final floor proved to be much further away from ground level and with every step, they headed deeper into a hazy cool mist. Fortunately, he had enough visibility to find his way past the last step and through another doorway. “Wi-cked!” He was inside a domed room with a ceiling five stories high. A sparkling waterfall with every color of the rainbow cascaded into an oval pool, spilling its hues evenly across the shimmering wavy surface. Ivy-covered columns littered the dry area along with plain patio furniture. Slits on the roof allowed a peek into the outside world, the glass holding back the constant rain from seeping into the chamber. Glowing orbs on the walls gave the area a soothing, almost calming glow. “Pretty neat, huh? Put this in just last month,” she said, holding her head up high. The mist seeped into his wounds, which gave him a tingling pain-free sensation. Whatever the vapor was doing was miles better than having a strict nurse apply burning ointment. “This is so wicked,” he moaned. “You think this is great, take a dip!” Swift pushed down his goggles and made a beeline for the water. In his glee, he forgot about his sore hooves. One of them buckled, sending him flipping backwards into the pool. Rainbow pounded on the tiled floor, laughing away at his carelessness. He couldn’t care less, for the water washed away the day’s frustrations and all the associated pains. Soon, he was floating on the surface with wings spread across. This was just what he needed, serene and uninterrupted bliss. He could do this all night if he wanted to. “Cannonball!” All his flying skills proved useless in water; much of the rainbow colored liquid slipped into his lungs. It tasted nothing like candy and it even burned his throat. “Shoot, Rainbow,” he spoke in between coughs. “You couldn’t give me a few minutes?” She swam toward him, bearing a mischievous grin. “Um, why are you looking at me… no, wait! Don’t—” Rainbow raised a hoof, “Water fight!” He ducked underwater, avoiding the initial attack. “Oh, c’mon,” he whined after resurfacing. “I just wanna chi—” Rainbow delivered a second salvo but he hid once more. “Don’t hide from me, you wimp!” Swift remained submerged. “Ugh!” She slammed the water. “Can’t you see I’m trying to help you here? Not that I don’t enjoy pushing you around, but you gotta push back. Remember what I told you about pegasus pride. Defend it!” Rainbow no longer saw the air bubbles giving away his position. She assumed he swam deep within the surrounding mist. “Get your butt out here or I’m gonna use your name again!” The only sound was the falling water right behind her. She would’ve made good on her threat if she wasn’t overwhelmed by disappointment. Darnit. It’s just like the first time we met. If I keep this up, I’ll just drive him away. Suddenly, a small wave crashed right into her face. “H–hey,” she coughed. “What, who, how did you… ugh!” “You sound surprised,” he answered, his presence unknown. “I live right by the ocean, so I’ve had my share of water fights.” Rainbow huffed water from her nostrils. “But a surprise attack? You got a lot of nerve! Wait. Since when did you have nerve in the first place?” “You used my name as bait,” Swift replied casually. “Gotta draw the line somewhere but that should make us even, right?” Rainbow thought otherwise; there would be no peace treaty with this stallion. “I suppose we are, Swift!” His subsequent yells gave away his location. Rainbow quickly swam closer - full battle cry in effect - and then returned fire. Swift splashed water in return but with the cyan torpedo threatening to strike, he backpedaled deeper into the pool. She then took a lunge at him, grabbing him by the hind legs and yanking him a few feet underwater. Like a worm, he wriggled free of her grasp and finally switched to wing power. She tried to do the same but forgetting about her condition did nothing to stop it from flooding her engine. Even so, Rainbow had just enough momentum to float her head above the waterline and cough out everything that went down the wrong tube. Swift thought of helping her by hitting her back but held back at the last moment. “What happened?” Patting her chest, “Ugh! The you know what hit me just now.” He slapped his forehead. “Shoot! My bad, Rainbow. I forgot that you can’t use your… wings.” Swift looked around the chamber. “So you felt that thing in the water? How is that… tell me. How bad was it?” “Bad but—” She ejected the last of the water “—not bad bad. Why?” His smile grew, before a laughing fit overcame him. “Rainbow, I’ve got it,” he said, tossing himself backward and back into a floating position. “I’ve totally got it!” She believed he lost his mind. “Ummm, what are you talking about?” “Don’t you see? This can be our training spot today! Think about it! We use our wings underwater in the same way we do in the air, except in slow mo. Let’s treat the pool like the skies! If you practice the motions to hover underwater, it’ll make doing it in the air a lot easier! Shoot! This might actually work!” His idea was nothing like Twilight’s elaborate plans but she didn’t find herself lost in the details. “Whoa. I totally hear ya. That’s a great idea! I bet it’ll get my busted wing back to full strength too! Since when are you so clever?” “Eh? Clever?” He paddled up to her side. “C’mon, now. More like lucky. So, you wanna try this?” “Hey, you’re the one call the shots. If you think this will speed things up, go for it. Just one thing, though.” “Yeah?” She splashed him one last time. “Ok! I’m ready!” He rubbed the moisture off his goggles. Should’ve seen that coming. “Rainbow, I want you to swim all the way down to the lowest part of the pool. Then use your wings to get back up. Keep your hooves out of it the best you can. I’ll keep an eye on you in case something goes wrong. Got it?” After acknowledging the order, she dipped back below the water and swam deeper into the sparkling depths. She followed the floor’s sloping surface until reaching the point where it leveled off, twenty feet based on her recollection. Now at her starting point, Rainbow stood still, allowing her wings to float freely in the water. C’mon. You can do this. Nothing fancy. You’ve done this a million times. She carefully added power, only for her condition to startle her and wreak havoc on her concentration. Some pool water seeped through her lips, robbing her of what little air she held in her chest. No! Keep going! Rainbow sensed her body rising but so did her heart rate and the urge to breathe. Five feet into the climb, her resistance collapsed. In a panic, she switched to her hooves for propulsion but her mind couldn’t figure out where was the exit. The lights were everywhere, fading closer to black. Then a grayish figure grabbed onto her and in seconds, she was safe. This time, Swift helped her clear up her airways. “Darnit,” she wheezed. “You could’ve given a few more seconds. I could’ve pulled it off.” Swift shook her shoulders, “Are you bonkers? You almost drowned down there!” “But I knew I wouldn’t.” She hacked out even more water. “I trusted that you had my back and you did. I’m not sure what the problem is.” She trusted him - that made him smile. “Gotcha but if you’re pushing it that far, I’m joining you underwater.” Rainbow’s eyebrows twitched. “Oh, I see. So you want to make this a race.” “Eh? That’s not exactly what I—” He caught lightning in a bottle. How silly of him not to season this training with a dash of challenge. That should make the whole experience for her a lot more palatable. “—you’ll have to keep up with me,” he finished. “Down and back up again. If something goes wrong, though, I’ll—” “Nothing will go wrong,” Rainbow reassured him. “Well, other than you losing, of course.” He had a long chuckle. Maybe it was the grind of a long day’s work or the length of time since his arrival but her brashness didn’t annoy him at all. In a way, he even enjoyed it a little but that would stay a secret. No reason to ruin a good thing. “Whatever you say, Rainbow. All right. On the count of three!” “Three!” In an instant, Rainbow dove for the bottom of the pool. The advantage she surely thought she’d have wasn’t there. He matched her stroke for stroke, forcing her to push harder so she could be the first to touch the submerged floor. When she did, Rainbow went for wingpower. Instead, fear pumped into her veins. Swift began pulling away, a searing whip to her pride. “Push”, she told herself. “Push!” Her appendages responded with the slowest of a flap but it was enough to keep her moving. Each one became more difficult, the air supply dropping like a rock until there was no more. Air bubbles formed above her head, the signal for her partner to aid her to the finish. “Pathetic,” she complained. “Eck! This water… getting really tired of it.” “Don’t tell me you’re quitting already,” said Swift. “Quit?” she answered. “Rainbow Dash doesn’t know what that word even means! Let’s keep going!” After a deliberate pause, she swung her hoof for a surprise splashing, except her target ducked under the water. Once he came back up, he flashed a smile, “Nice try but I’ve caught on to you. Oh, and you know what else?” “What?” With a cheeky grin, “Three.” Swift disappeared once more. Apparently, he subscribed to the idea that turnabout is fair play, something she would’ve approved if he had applied that idiom to somepony else. “Why you—” she muttered, before pursuing her friend. Eight in the evening. From one of the pool chairs, Rainbow checked a clock hanging on a pillar. Two hours of training did make her mending wing sore but she had plenty of juice left to continue. Swift, on the other hoof, had tossed himself into the chair next to her with a towel over his head. His occasional shifting assured her he wasn’t asleep but even if he were, she would’ve pestered him with the same question anyways. “Are you done with your break yet?” she whined. “It’s only been ten minutes,” he mumbled, waving a limp foreleg. “C’mon. You said I needed some rest when I got here, didn’t you? I never really got it, now, did I?” Rainbow snorted. “Yeah, yeah. That’s why you gotta take your daily naps. Once every three hours for me. That’s how I roll.” “I don’t take naps.” She rolled out onto the floor. “W–hat did you say,” she asked, stumbling back onto the pool chair. Swift lifted off part of his towel. “Naps throw off my sleep cycle. Even if I wanted one, there was no way I was getting one today. If constantly saving the town from flooding wasn’t enough, that Thunderlane wouldn’t leave me alone.” Adjusting his pitch lower, “Where do I put this cloud? Raindrop is messing with my cloud! Why is Granny mad at me?” “That’s Thunderlane for ya.” “There was so much to do, I literally ate on the fly. Well, if you count a few bites as eating.” “It was that bad out there?” He let the towel cover his face once more. “No worries. Things would’ve gotten real heavy if you didn’t fill me in about that stuff on Friday. Sure, I’m not where I wanna be but I’ll keep pushing myself to be the best weather pony I can be for Ponyville. That way, I can spend more time helping you.” She had newfound admiration for his dedication to his duty and to her recovery. If she had to perform his juggling act, she’d be a walking zombie by now. “Okay. Take all the time you need. I won’t say a word.” “Thanks, Rainbow. Another five and I’m good.” Rainbow relaxed on the chair when a bluish glimmer caught her attention. It came from Swift’s goggles lying on the table beside him. Something about his accessory had her quietly getting up and going for a grasp. She had a foreleg over the strap when Swift tossed out a cough. “Ah!” “What do you think you’re doing,” he asked amusingly. “If you wanna try them on, go right ahead.” She slapped them on and then ran to the pool’s edge to use it as a makeshift mirror. These goggles were nothing like the plain brown ones worn by pegasi weather teams. The straps had a soft yet sturdy feel while the lenses gave her world a touch of blue without narrowing the field of vision. However, the biggest plus was how she and the goggles were the perfect marriage of cool and awesome. If she could find the perfect pose, that would be even better. Swift sat up on his lawn chair, perplexed. “Um, what are you doing?” “Just styling. Oh, oh! That’s the one! Fly, what do you think of this?” In front of him, Rainbow had her head whipped back, goggles pulled slightly downwards and she accentuated her posterior. He’d seen mares pose in suggestive postures before; living by the beach guaranteed regular sightings. He never paid much attention to it other than saying a brief compliment if asked. This time, Swift had nothing to say at what he saw: damp hair, alluring eyes, sly smile and all those curves he didn’t know existed. Who was this pony that had sparkles flashing all around her, he thought. “Looking cool, huh?” she said, unaware of his stupor. “Eh?” With a headshake, Swift rebooted his mind to find the same old Rainbow Dash. “Wicked stuff,” he easily answered. Before returning to her lawn chair, Rainbow tossed him back the goggles. “Flashy and ridiculously expensive. I’m surprised somepony like you would buy this.” Swift adjusted his eyewear over his forehead. “I didn’t. My friends at Brayside bought them for my birthday.” He hopped up and walked toward the pool. “They said I needed something to complete my look.” He began a stretching routine, starting with his wings. “Not really my thing, though.” “Then why do you even put it on?” “Because,” Swift started on some hoof extensions, “they remind me of my friends. If I have these on, I feel like they’re with me.” Her pupils shrank, realizing that the goggles were not a fashion statement but a symbol of his devotion to his friends. It was an odd way to demonstrate loyalty but she gave him a nod of endearing approval. Then she had a naughty thought. Rainbow rolled off the chair, careful to avoid making noise. After a few breaths, she went full speed at the stallion, ready to tackle him into the pool. However, the grey in her sights suddenly vanished, replaced by a body of rainbow liquid. “Ahhhhhh!” The water punished her folly with a hard strike to the face. Staggered, she let her body float back to the surface where hysterical laughter echoed within the chamber. The stallion responsible was flat on the floor. “My—my bad,” Swift blubbered. “But you—” He could say nothing more other than point and cackle some more. Bubbles formed from her submerged muzzle. She gave him points for a demonstration of his talent but she wouldn’t let this go unpunished. Emerging from the water, “You’re gonna get it!” “Ah!” He ran into the mist, still laughing but somewhat afraid of the mare’s wrath. While the moon was approaching its apex for the night, the massive cloud layer floating above Ponyville hid it from view. Therefore, the solitary clock at Rainbow’s pool was in charge of providing the time. However, it wasn’t until the hands went past twelve that Swift finally checked it. He had just finished a lap around the pool with Rainbow surfacing next to him moments later. “You’re almost at my pace now,” he remarked. “Almost isn’t good enough,” she replied. “I’m not faster than you yet.” Swift moaned. “Forget about that. You’ve got the swimming up to the surface part down. How about using your wings in a straight line? Is it bothering you?” “Well, I dunno,” she said, feigning uncertainty. “I really need some more laps to—” Swift drew in closer with beady eyes. “Rain-bow?” Rainbow grumbled disappointment. “Fine. I guess I feel good enough that we can stop. Does that mean I can try real flight now?” “Tomorrow. Now don’t get the idea it’s gonna be easy like this was, more like less hard.” He muffled a long yawn. “Shoot. If I’m lucky, I can actually catch a few good z’s tonight.” “What do you mean by that?” Swift looked away. “Um, n–nothing. Let’s get out of here. Any longer and I’ll transform into a prune.” Once both pulled themselves out of the pool, she went toward a rack with towels. Her partner, however, did a quick body shake before heading for the staircase. “Hold on,” she begged, wrapping a towel over her head. “Can’t you sta… I mean, you’re not gonna dry off even a little?” Swift stopped and turned around. “It’s raining outside. Not much of a point.” That was that. He was really going to leave for the night. The prison door would be closing with no chance to see any more visitors until he came back at who knows what time. Solitude couldn’t laugh at her jokes, play board games or even be an eating companion. Instead, it would remind her of all her friends in Manehattan. On a desk in her bedroom was a sheet with Fluttershy written on it. The pencil that made that mark was now in two pieces, the eraser end by the incomplete letter and the usable part thrown out the window. “Right,” she replied, her voice losing vigor. “What’s the plan for tomorrow?” His ears folded, “Well, we’ll see. Just wait for me, okay?” Another chance to say something about the demon that was loneliness but all she managed was the face of a sad puppy. “Mhm.” He gave her a curious stare. “Good deal. I’ll help myself out. Later, Rainbow.” Swift disappeared down the spiral staircase, leaving her as the only soul within the rotunda. A few seconds later, she heard the bang of a door closing at the bottom. “Cya,” she whispered. Rainbow took her time descending through the moonlit stairway, every hoofstep making a hollow sound. When she reached the second floor, rather than go into her bedroom, she continued onto the first floor. The sectional sofa in the living room would be her bed tonight, just like yesterday. She tossed herself onto the couch and gripped one of the many pillows. Eyes closing, her Ponyville friends materialized in her head with smiles on their faces and a bounce to their trots. Can you hear me, Fluttershy? You better be having fun. She tightened her hold. Darnit. I miss you, and Applejack, Pinkie, Twilight, Rarity, Spike. All of you. A few drops trickled out of her ducts and she did nothing to wipe them. I hate this. I don’t wanna be alone all day again. A knock spooked her off the couch. At this hour of the night, there could be only one possible visitor. Even so, she crept up to the eyehole just in case somepony wearing a black mask was on the other side. Instead, the one at the door was such a thrilling site, she fumbled through the locks. Calm down! Play it cool. After swinging the door open, she sneered at him “Oh, back already, Fly? What’s wrong? Need directions to Cloudsdale or something?” His eyebrows slanted downwards. “Whatever, Rainbow. I just wanted to check if there was anything you want me to fetch for you. Something you need like, I don’t know. Supplies? Food?” Rainbow bopped her head. Other than icicles in the icebox, she had finished the last of the grub this afternoon. “Well, the fridge is kinda empty but, um, how… takeout? Is there any way I can get takeout?” Rubbing a hoof on the floor, “I–I’m not exactly a great cook. I just… never mind. You don’t have—” “No worries,” Swift chirped with a twinkle in his eye. “If you want takeout, then you’re getting takeout. Actually, I just had a thought. Maybe I should get takeout too and eat with you here. I am supposed to get a lunch break.” He chuckled. “And a break from the weather team. You don’t mind, do you?” She stood there dumbstruck, unable to figure whether he recognized her problem or this was mere coincidence. With one look into those blue pearls staring back her way, Rainbow had her answer. “Oh, okay,” she said, shrugging. “I’m not picky about place. Surprise me.” “Will do,” he answered. From the doorway, she watched him zip into the clouds and vanish. No amount of falling rain could dampen this moment of relief and appreciation that she would have an extra visit. Tomorrow brought more challenges but on this nippy evening, she could sleep a little easier and a little less alone.