Echo
Rainbow Dash, with her best efforts to keep her team together, was feeling her own body begin to burn. It was from a mix of an emergency storm call that she received midway through the night and the subjacent rush of having to wake up nearly half of all the Pegasi in Ponyville by herself; her ability to feel good about the work dwindled with every second. However what really kept her from feeling her best was how bad the timing was. This storm call was cutting into her plans for the morning.
“Cloud Kicker, Thunderlane! Quit making eyes at each other and get those clouds in place!” Rainbow Dash yelled as she slammed her cloud into the dark stallions. She pushed them both into the main body of the storm before allowing her body to stretch out some of its weariness. She launched herself over the dark gray puff to get a fast look at the rest of the storm. It was still nowhere near the size they needed it to be. “Hurry up everypony, we have to get this thing put together and going before sun up.” The shout only seemed to drain more of Rainbow Dash's energy and when a dawn hue started raising into the sky she groaned inwardly then looked down toward Ponyville.
Quickly scanning the town and all the houses she spotted the tree-house she was looking for, a dim light bobbed around the top floor. The sight of it brought her the first smile of the day, but even that didn't last long before a pony that had carted a large thunder cloud moved between the tree and Rainbow Dash.
Down on the ground the light in the window descended from the top floor. Twilight Sparkle levitated a candle in front of her while a saddle bag floated a long at her side, She moved quickly trying to get ready. The three books she needed to pack had been ready to go since the day before, the testing equipment, though a bit heavy in the bags, was secured inside with a blanket to insulate and hold them apart. Now she only needed to pack provisions for the up coming experiment and wait until sun up to leave.
“One dozen hay and oat pucks - check, half a bushel of apples - check, four canteens of water with the last one for an emergency – check...”
The list went on for some time and all the food quickly did its best to cause the saddle bag to sag. Even with her spell holding it up Twilight could feel the strain of the weight effecting her body. As she finished packing the food she flipped the strap and let her eyes glance towards her window. Waiting for the rising sun she noticed there wasn't any light in the sky at all. “That's not right,” she said once she realized that even the stars were gone and that the sky was full of Pegasi.
The saddle bag dropped as Twilight spun on her hooves and dashed back up the stairs to her bedroom. “Spike! Spike?! Wake up, we have a problem!” Twilight screamed as she forces herself up the flight of stairs.
Hearing his name rush into the world of his dream caused Spike to flip forward to attention, but he had woken up so fast he toppled forward over the lip of his bed. “Wha- what is it, I couldn't have over slept – the alarm hasn't gone off yet.” The baby dragon said while picking himself up off the floor.
“I don't know Spike, I was getting everything ready for this morning and I saw all the Pegasi in town putting a storm together.” Twilight threw the packing list on one of her bookshelves before heading up to the loft. Once up there she grabbed Spike by his top head spine and heaved him onto her back. “Rainbow Dash didn't say anything about a storm so she's probably going to be late, Spike, what I need is for you to stay awake until she gets here.”
“What are you going to be doing?” Spike asked, trying to right himself on Twilight's back, “And how late could she be?”
“I'm sticking to the plan we all came up with and heading over to Rarity's boutique, I don't know when Rainbow will get here though, so I'll be leaving you and the saddle bag here for her to bring to Rarity's when she's done.”
Twilight quickly turned and started at a gallop to the stairwell. Back on the ground floor she spun hard enough on the floor that Spike nearly slid off as she headed to the kitchen. Grabbing up the bag in her mouth then spinning again she finally came to a halt before her front door. “Okay, we already had everything set for today, right? Owlowiscious will look after Pee-Wee, Fluttershy will be here at Ten to help too, and everything else is – Books!”
Spike looked where the set aside books were and jumped from Twilight's back. “I got them.”
“Good, then all you have to do now is wait for Rainbow and have her bring the bags and yourself over to Rarity's.” Spike gave a salute to Twilight with a stoic smile, and Twilight pushed her front door open.
Winds began blowing through the whole of Ponyville bringing with them a cold chill and light flakes of snow. Rainbow Dash fought against the growing strength of the storm and did her best to feel anything other then disappointment and exhaustion at how long the storm took to get going, but it had finally started and that meant that she was now free to get to Twilight's tree-house.
'Please be ready.' Dash said to herself as she touched down and quickly lifted a hoof to knock. A yawn came through the door as a tired eyed Spike opened it. “You guys are ready right?” Dash pushed herself pass Spike and looked at an otherwise unoccupied room. “Twilight, lets go before we...”
Spike interrupted with “She's already left.” It caused a look of dread to cross Rainbow Dash's face. She started turning back to the door but Spike stopped her from doing anything brash by tugging on her tail and pointing out the saddle bag. “She went on ahead to Rarity's, the faster you can get me and this bag over there the better.”
Rainbow Dash dropped to her knees and haunches and confidently quipped “You got ten seconds before I'm out of here, so lets go.” Spike nods and heaved the bag off the floor, he let out several puffs of air while taking ladened steps just to move the bag the short distance from beside the door over to Dash's back. He set it just behind her wings but before he could even check that it was on right his tail was yanked up in Rainbow Dash's mouth as she flung him onto her back.
The two lurched into the stormy sky and made a bee line for the boutique with as much speed as Rainbow Dash could muster. The hurry she was in made the trip across Ponyville feel like nothing at all and when she caught sight of lights in her friends shop she didn't even bother with knocking; she simply aimed right for the center of the door.
The resounding blast of Dash's entrance made the two ponies inside jump. The shock and noise of the crash faded quickly before Rarity confronted her friend with ire building behind her forced smile. “Rainbow, sweetie, must you do that. I knew you would be late and even left the door unlocked so you wouldn't have had a reason to brake my it down. Shaving time off of being late does not mean you can destroy my house.”
“Twilight – is she ready to go!?” was all Rainbow Dash could manage to say through gasps for air.
“Of course Twilight is ready,” Rarity smiled, letting her ire turn to a more natural jaunty grin. “The saddle came in yesterday, just as I said it would, and Twilight and I have been working on cinching it up for the last twenty minutes so we should be able to get it on you in the 'ten seconds flat' that you like to boast about.”
Rainbow Dash couldn't help but put on her own grin before asking, “Then where is she? The sooner I get it on the sooner we can leave.”
“She's behind the changing shawl. I was giving her a moment to figure how to take it off by herself.” was Rarity's response.
A warm flush pumped its way up into Rainbow Dash's cheeks, as a quick image of Twilight wearing her saddle settled in. The thought made Rainbow Dash feel giddy until the real Twilight Sparkle walked into view with the saddle folded up neatly and unstrapped on her back.
“You couldn't have gotten here at a better time Rainbow Dash, I've cinched the saddle and harness up and down twice on my own so I have absolute confidence in myself that I won't be messing it up for the trip.” She levitated the saddle off her back and unfolded the straps, “Spike, if you could get the saddle bag for a moment.”
Rarity, for her part of helping with the saddle, only held up the instructions. She watched Twilight work, pointing out the areas that were done backwards, incorrectly,or simply in the wrong order, and since there was no more then two of each, Twilight's confidence in herself grew stronger.
Once all the straps were cinched tight Rainbow Dash twisted and flexed her back in every direction she could think of, the fit felt strong and comfortable on her. “Hows it look?” she asked with enthusiasm. Rarity brought over a large floor mirror and set it next to Dash. The bridle and bit hang loose around her neck like white puffy cotton ropes while the saddle itself covered every contort of her back with white and sky-blue. The border stitching, a simple cloud design, was embossed with the words 'Saddle-Bolt Companion Flying Harness'
“Now we just need to lock Twilight and Spike into the top half and you three will be ready to go.” At Rarity's words Twilight lined herself up next to Rainbow Dash. “Alright then Dash, if you would please lay down.”
Back on her knees and haunches Dash felt a knot form in her throat and a bolt of elation run down her spine, both sensations began mixing together as she shudders in anticipation. Her body stiffened at Twilight's touch. “You'll let me know if I snag you coat or mane?” Twilight asked as she straddled herself onto the saddle. Rainbow Dash only nodded before forcing her whole body to remain still. “I'm cinching up the first straps now. Rainbow.”
The grip and angle of the harness straps matched the saddle perfectly once it was fully set. A firm and mostly pleasant tightness surrounded Twilight's hips and flank while her fetlocks and hooves were held almost impossibly stiff in the stirrups; only allowing her legs to move half an inch in any direction.
“This feels a lot more awkward then I thought it would,” Rainbow Dash said at almost a whisper, a glow of pink spread over the length of her muzzle and under her eyes.
Twilight shifted as best she could, “This isn't too tight is it?”
“NO!” Rainbow Dash's eyes widen at the volume of her own voice and she quickly lowered back to the half whisper “No, it just feels wired - having you tied onto my back.”
Rarity stepped around to the front of her friends, and, examining the two, she asked Dash “Are you alright dear? You said earlier that the weight wouldn't be too much but maybe we should...”
“I'm fine." Rainbow Dash said letting, her voice regain its natural energy. "Lets just hurry up and get this done and over with so me and Twilight can get going, okay?”
“Very well.” Rarity smiled lightly at the blush on her friends face. “Spike, I'll take the bags.” she lift it from his hands with her magic. Almost instantly a sign of strain in her posture was noticeable as she brought it around to Twilight's back.
After the bag is secured Spike jumped onto Dash just in front of her wings. He too was secured with a tight strap that reached around Twilight's neck like a yoke. He took hold of the bridle then reached around for the bit. “I don't need that yet.” Rainbow Dash said. looking at to the two on her back in the mirror, she added. “Try wiggling around a little Twi, to see if you're in right.”
“Rainbow, you aren't going to be taking off at full speed so I'm sure they are perfectly secure as they are.” Rarity stated.
“No, she's right Rarity. I should try to see if it'll hold Spike and myself in properly.”
Rainbow Dash stood up with only little difficulty and opened her wings completely. With a few tentative flaps she made sure they weren't obstructed by anything. Her muscles gave out small burning cries that warn her of the earlier strain but she ignored them and fought the weight, lifting the three and the bags several feet into the air. Without warning Twilight flung herself to her right, then with even more force she wrenched to the left. Both actions caused Rainbow Dash to drift hard to the respective sides but she stayed aloft while Twilight and Spike staid tied on top.
Rarity's glee at seeing the saddle succeeding at its purpose rose higher then she thought it could. However, when Rainbow Dash landed and headed straight for the door without any thanks she couldn't help but feel the ire towards Dash return. “Rainbow, please be sure to bring our friends and yourself back in one piece.”