//------------------------------// // Rainbow, Rainbow Dash // Story: Possessions of a Third Kind // by Shroomkin //------------------------------// Living in the moment, basking in the glory, that's what Rainbow Dash often stands for. That and the Element of Loyalty, of course. But sometimes, there are days in which Rainbow simply basks in the sunlight, like a reptile simply relaxing and taking in the warmth of the sun. Laying up there in the sky in a comfortable cloud, such is the life of the one who wishes to soar into newer heights. Such is the life of a future Wonderbolt. And yet, she wasn't in her comfy cloud bed, nor is she up there in the sky with the wind flowing through her wings. No, she was on the ground, lying down on the grass, giggling alongside her friend, Twilight Sparkle. How is it possible for someone like her to be stuck on the very place she dreaded? On the ground where being slow is the normal? Well, it all happened a few moments ago... "Okay, maybe one more lap," Rainbow said as she stretched her wings once again, preparing herself to fly in order to beat her previous record. With one graceful leap, she flew towards the air, leaving behind dust as she tried to break the sound barrier. She began to increase her altitude, 5 seconds in, 6 seconds in, swiftly and steadily, a practiced maneuver. A few more seconds in and she began to dive in such a way that whistling and cracking sounds can be heard, like an arrow being shot from an enchanted long bow. And just like an arrow, her form was sleek and steady, her hooves in front of her. Like a speeding torpedo breaking the water current, the air pressure forming around her as it tried to stop her. She increased in her speed, and finally, she's done it. The Sonic Rainboom, as she calls it, was achieved at a staggering 29 seconds flat! She managed to at least beat her record of 37 seconds. She flew towards her landing zone, smiling like a filly. Her achievement of the day, breaking her record. She sat down as a pony offered her a towel. "Heh, thanks - GAH!" There upon her side was none other than Twilight, with a towel and a water bottle. How did she get in here without her noticing? More importantly, WHEN did she get here? There was the egghead of the group, the mare that brought her to "glory" in a sense, as she became the Element of Loyalty. There sat Twilight, smiling ever so gently at her as she offered her a towel. "H-hey Twi, what's up?" Rainbow asked, still trying to get over the initial fright. "Nothing much," Twilight said as she looked at the sky. "Nice thing you did there, Dash!" Nice? NICE? That's all that she could say? "Ugh," Rainbow simply muttered as she face-hoofed. Nevertheless, she gladly picked up the towel and wiped herself off. Still, she never truly explained it to Twilight what she wanted to do, so she could at least forgive her for simply calling her achievement as "nice". "So, what brings you here, Twi?" The lavender unicorn simply looked at her and smiled. "Nothing much, just visiting a friend." Rainbow nodded. "And, uh, you've told Spike where you are, right?" Twilight nodded slowly. "So, uhh, what do you plan to do?" Rainbow said as she wanted to at least continue the conversation. She finds the whole "Twilight Shenanigans" weird, as one moment she remembers stuff, the next she doesn't. Perhaps she's talking to a different Twilight, perhaps she's not. She thought it was a shapeshifter at first, especially from one of those comic books Spike have, and yet, Twilight could still answer her questions with ease, except for certain days, such as the day she started painting. Either way, this whole situation is a bit... crazy. "Walk with me," Twilight simply said, "through the autumn leaves", catching the pegasus off guard. "Come again?" Rainbow replied, only to see Twilight already walking away. "Well, I guess I could," Rainbow muttered as she got up and walked with her friend. She was, most definitely, with the weird Twilight, but hey, she hasn't done anything bad... Yet... The autumn breeze was cold, but it was bearable, unlike the winter chills. It didn't bother her, not one bit at all. And yet she could see Twilight shiver a bit as the winds blew unto her coat. "Freezing, isn't it?" Twilight said as she smiled at Rainbow. Rainbow simply smiled back, unamused and a bit lost in thought, pondering over what really is happening. She isn't a shapeshifter, she isn't a ghost. An alien, perhaps? No, that's stupid, and the rest would probably think so too. Still though, looking at Twilight, there was no other pony that she could think of that would replace Twilight for those shenanigans. And if Twilight was indeed replaced, where do they hide the body? She tried to investigate it as she was cautious of the whole thing, and yet, there were no bodies stashed in a chest, no traces of a hidden body, no nothing! Perhaps Rarity was right with her theory, maybe she really did a spell that backfired. It was the most obvious, after all. Twilight finds book, book contains spells, eggheadedness begins. Walking with Twilight was not really what she had in mind when she said that she would spend her time wisely. The leaves were falling off the trees as the winds blew, yet only a few were falling. Sooner or later, the next Running of the Leaves would start and she would definitely win this time. Twilight snickered at something as Rainbow looked at her. "What? What's so funny?" Rainbow asked innocently. Twilight simply pulled the leaf with a snail on it off of her mane as the cyan pegasus never noticed. "Rainbow Dash, snail magnet," Twilight snickered once more as Rainbow simply stared at her with annoyance. "Lighten up, Rainbow! It's merely a jest," Twilight said as she continued to walk, with Rainbow simply following suite. It was... awkward, for her at least. Twilight then stopped as she stared at a tree, making Rainbow look at her with confusion. "Would you still be my friend, even if I forget you?" Twilight's words hung in her heart. Would she still be her friend? Of course! Yet, why must she ask such a thing? "Twi, are you serious? Of course I'll still be your friend!" She said earnestly. "Even if I do random things?" Rainbow nodded as she went in front of Twilight. "Even if I am a different pony?" Rainbow, again, nodded as she slowly became worried about her friend. Twilight, meanwhile, simply chuckled as she smiled once again. "Thank you," she said as Rainbow smiled. Then, out of nowhere, Twilight booped her nose as she laughed and ran away. "Oh, that's it!" Rainbow said playfully as she chased down Twilight through the autumn leaves. They ran and ran, tagging each other once they had the chance. Sometimes running in circles, other times running in a straight line. In all of them, they were smiling, laughing even. Twilight tripped unto a pile of leaves, Rainbow hitting a branch, and yet, they laughed. Like fillies in a park for the first time, they ran and stopped, looking at different things that piqued their interests. A snail on a falling leaf, a few fish in the pond, all of it spent with Twilight as they laughed and smiled. At some point, Twilight made a silly face that scared the birds who were simply resting by the pond. As soon as the birds flew away, Twilight ran towards the edges of the pond and splashed a bit of water onto Rainbow. Rainbow, in turn, splashed the unicorn mare. They laughed at their shenanigans. Twilight then jumped unto the pond, inviting Rainbow to swim with her. Rainbow, at first, didn't want to but seeing her friend smile like never before quickly changed her mind. She launched herself unto the air, mustering the largest jump to make the BIGGEST SPLASH Twilight has ever seen. "Cannonball!" Rainbow shouted as she hurled into a ball, making contact with the water. They had fun, splishing and splashing, swimming to their hearts' content. The both of them then went out of the water, shaking themselves off as they saw a hayburger stand. Twilight bought 2 hayburgers, giving the other one to Rainbow. They ate with haste while enjoying their food as they then continued their walk, looking at the tall birch trees. They even reacted to the mushrooms growing on the ground, as if they never saw mushrooms in their lives before. From anthills to running away from snakes, all the while laughing. They talked about their days, they talked about Daring Do, they talked about anything! It was after a few minutes of walking that they found themselves the perfect place to rest. A clearing, just right outside the forest, near the edges of Applejack's orchard. After a relaxing day, Twilight decided to lay down as she stared at the clouds that floated ever so freely. She invited Rainbow to lie down next to her. They stayed like that for who knows how long. Twilight finally broke the silence as she gazed up in the clouds. "Dashie, how does it feel to fly?" Twilight asked, her voice was soft. Dashie looked at her as she tried to find the words that can fit. "Well, it's windy and awesome! The way the wind goes through my feathers is an amazing experience, and and-" Twilight simply shushed her friend as she giggled. "I don't mean the physical aspects," she said. Dashie looked at her, bewildered. She fell silent as she thought about it. How did she feel? "You know, Twi, I can take you there some time, up off the ground..." Silence loomed as the two stared at the passing clouds. "It feels... or well, I feel free up there, like nopony can stop me. I have no worries, other than being a passable excuse of a Wonderbolt, heh. In fact, whenever I'm up there, I feel... calm in a sense. Like, there's no pressure, no weights... no expectations! I'm free up there, so free that I can just sleep in a cloud... But in a sense, I like it here. Here has you, Twi, with Pinkie, Rarity, AJ, heck even Fluttershy is here on the ground. I'm free up there, but I'm all alone up there. I may not be so free here, but I'm not as alone, soo..." Rainbow said as she herself was confused. Had she become sappy over a simple question? Twilight smiled, still staring at the clouds. "If I have wings, I'd definitely make a cloud fort filled with books," she said as she giggled. Silence. That was it, peaceful silence. The calm, serene silence, where the chirping of the birds and the crickets can be heard. It truly was a relaxing day, not only for Rainbow, but also for Twilight. "Is there something wrong, Twi?" Rainbow asked, concerned about something. "No," Twilight said, and no, she thought. For the moment, nothing was wrong. And it should be that way. And there, right there, made the rainbow mare's heart ache at so many thoughts. Whoever or whatever it was that made Twilight forget things, be it an unknown alien or a shapeshifter, or whatever, she would make them pay. "Nopony hurts my friends," she muttered. And nopony should ever dare. By the time the sun was setting, both ponies went back home. She had to admit, she had fun, but a looming sense of dread was ever more present. What if that wasn't Twilight? Maybe it was her... but... "UGH! I don't know anymore!" Rainbow screamed as she placed her head on her pillow, muffling her voice. "Stupid curse alien shapeshifter thing, making Twilight so confusing!" She inhaled and exhaled, allowing herself to calm down. "No, something needs to be done." She glanced at her desk and drew forth a piece of paper and wrote on it. "Dear Princess Celetsia Celestia..."