//------------------------------// // I'll Fly // Story: The Girl Who Cried Wolf // by J3sterking //------------------------------// "And I'll fly! I'll fly until the end of the sky!" Rainbow Dash, "I'll Fly" “Huzzah! Food hath arrived!” Luna wheeled in a small cart, unloading a large quantity of fish. “I took a guess and thought that you might prefer it raw, so I hope all's well.” Rainbow Dash let out a happy whine, then began digging in with little regards for manners. If Luna was in any way disgusted, she didn't show it. “And Sunset, I did prepare some food for us, if that is--” She paused. At some point, the sun had set, and Luna stared at Sunset, sleeping on her bed. What seemed to concern the princess, however, was the way Sunset was tossing and turning. Luna closed her eyes, her horn lighting up. The weird line-thing that ran up the horn's length glowed a bright, pure white, and from the tip of her horn came a sphere of white light. A single thread of light stretched from it, attaching itself to Sunset's forehead. After a minute of watching, Sunset calmed down, then the thread suddenly disappeared just before Sunset blinked awake. “Are you alright?” Luna asked. “I—I guess? I had the weirdest dream--” Her eyes snapped open, and she looked down at Luna's bed. “Oh! I'm so sorry, I just--” “You need not apologize,” Luna interrupted. “I forgot that you don't use magic in your world. I should have known it would tire you out. Though, I suggest talking to your friends if the nightmares persist.” Sunset flinched. “Yeah, maybe,” she muttered. Rainbow Dash sneezed to get her attention, then fixed her with an icy stare. Sunset chuckled, climbing off of Luna's bed. “Yeah, alright,” she said. “You actually showed up in this one, Princess Luna. I guess my brain recognized you were here, and--” “No, I went into your dream,” Luna interrupted. Sunset blinked. “I am the princess of dreams, Sunset. Why do you think I sleep during the day?” She smiled, then levitated a plate over to Sunset with...some kind of burger on it. Rainbow's jealousy was non-existent, as she could plainly see the bits of hay sticking out from between the two buns. “Oh.” Sunset lifted up the burger, staring at it. “Never thought I'd see a hayburger in Princess Celestia's palace.” “The quantity of high-quality foods has increased over my banishment, yet I still find my tongue prefers simpler delicacies,” Luna said, sitting down with her own 'hayburger'. “Yet I accept these.” “I have a question, but you'd probably find it offensive,” Sunset said. “Clearly, you know not why Tia handles the diplomacy,” Luna said casually. “Well, um...you are...were...Nightmare Moon, right?” “No, I have never eaten naughty little fillies,” Luna said firmly. Rainbow Dash blinked, staring at her. It was clear that this wasn't the first time she'd been asked this, either, and that was the worrying part. Sunset let out a low breath. “Oh, thank God,” she said. “It's been nagging me all day.” Luna chuckled, a slight smile crossing her...lips? Did horses have lips? Rainbow made a mental note to ask Applejack. “Tis but another exaggerated tale told on Nightmare Night,” Luna replied easily. “I'm somewhat preferential to naughty adults. All the satisfaction, none of the guilt.” She took a large bite of her burger, coating her muzzle in something red. Ketchup. Probably. “Tis a joke,” Luna told poor Sunset. “You're right. I think it's better that your sister handles diplomacy,” Sunset whispered. “Glad to hear I'm not the only one who thinks so,” a new voice said from the doorway. Rainbow Dash looked up to see an alicorn even taller than Luna stride into the room, though her wings were kept at her sides. Her mane was a flowing stream of green, blue, and pink, and she had a slight smile on her muzzle. Sunset bolted to the farthest corner of the room, staring at the newcomer in wide-eyed surprise. Princess Celestia—with that mane, who else could it be?--stepped into the room, looking right into Sunset's face. “I've missed you.” “I-I-I'm so sorry,” Sunset whispered, eyes filling with tears. “I--” Celestia stepped over, wrapping one wing around Sunset in a hug. “Shh,” she whispered. “It's okay, Sunset.” The fish Rainbow was eating crunched loudly. Celestia paused, then turned to look at Rainbow. She blinked, shook her head, then stared at Rainbow Dash. Her gaze traveled to the few uneaten fish, then back to Rainbow's face. Rainbow swallowed her bite of food. “Well, that explains what the castle cooks were up to,” Celestia murmured. “Luna, why is there a lycanthrope in your bedroom?” “She's the Rainbow Dash from Sunset's world,” Luna said. “Didn't Twilight explain this?” “Some of it, when I met her a few minutes ago,” Celestia said. “Though, admittedly, I left in a hurry.” “You came rushing over here to meet Sunset?” Luna clarified. There was the slightest moment's hesitation. “Yes,” Celestia admitted. “Really?” Sunset said, looking up at her. “I--” Celestia used her wing to pull Sunset closer. “So, is everything alright with your...friend?” She nodded towards Rainbow Dash. “I think so,” Sunset said. “Right, Dash?” Rainbow gave them a big, happy wolf grin. “They don't seem encouraged by it,” the wolf within her said. “I think it's how many teeth we're showing.” Rainbow blinked her eyes open, taking her time slowly catching her breath. Changing back had been considerably more difficult with a full moon the next night as well. Her muscles felt raw, her wings stiff. Spending a considerable length of time here was not really pleasurable, as it stood. Rainbow stretched, listening to her muscles finish popping back into place. She worked her jaw, then stopped to focus. The second person inside herself was very much still there, only...quiet. Like she was sleeping, until she was needed again. “You're gonna need a name,” Rainbow told the wolf. “Hrmm.” Rainbow shrugged at that. “Later, then.” She stepped out of Luna's bedroom, saying, “Alright. I'm good.” Bon-Bon, Lyra, and Twilight stood outside. “Like, fully good?” Bon-Bon asked. “No more danger of eating people,” Rainbow said. “Which...I'm very, very glad about." “And...you talked to your...what? Alter ego?” Lyra shrugged. “Inner wolf.” Rainbow smiled. “We're cool.” “Does she...talk?” “Not a lot,” Rainbow answered. “Why? Having second thoughts?” Lyra shook her head. “Heck no. That is not for me, Rainbow, even in the slim circumstances that it happened.” “Still, it will probably make dealing with future werewolves easier if we can maintain contact with Equestria,” Bon-Bon said. “I could get you a journal like Sunset has, without too much effort,” Twilight offered. “That would be amazing,” Bon-Bon said. “Especially for when some random Equestrian boogeyman banished a thousand years just happens to show up now.” “I might be able to do some digging into which ones were banished there, but that'd be harder,” Twilight said. “Thank you so much. That'll take some pressure off me,” Bon-Bon said, wiping her brow—did ponies have brows?–with one hoof. “It would be great for us, too, as the ones who'll have to deal with it,” Rainbow countered. “But it's not your job to deal with it,” Bon-Bon said. “Tell you what, next time something magical comes up, let us know, and I'll report it to the superiors to be dealt with.” “That—sounds fair, actually,” Rainbow said, tapping her chin with one hoof. “Sure, we can do that.” Twilight chuckled. “Okay, list of banished creatures, journal for Bon-Bon, and the mementos for the gang at CHS,” Spike said, finishing the list with a flourish of the quill. “Got it. Is that everything?” “Should be,” Twilight answered. “Why not you go ahead and get that stuff ordered?” “You got it,” he said, saluting. Then he rushed off, carrying the scroll with him. “What an absolute chad,” Lyra said approvingly. “Lyra,” Bon-Bon muttered, slamming one hoof into her face. “Ow. Okay. Don't face-palm. Got it.” Lyra took another picture of her. “Seriously, don't overdo it,” Bon-Bon said. “Tempest is gonna see every picture we take. I'd rather say we didn't spend the whole time goofing off, okay?” “Relax, I've got some good ones here,” Lyra said. “See? This is one of Princess Celestia. This is Princess Luna. This is Sunset saber-dueling Princess Luna.” “She what?” Rainbow asked, blinking. “It's a unicorn sport,” Twilight explained. “Using telekinesis to duel with sabers. It can be a bit thrill-seeking, as if things go poorly, you might actually get stabbed. Not that swords are particularly good weapons, but anything sharp can hurt if swung at high speed.” “Oh, come on! How'd I miss that?” Rainbow demanded. “What is this one?” Bon-Bon asked, pointing at one of the pictures. “Um—I'm not sure,” Lyra said. “I've been meaning to ask, Princess Twilight, um--” She held up the picture with her magic. “These pegasi are moving clouds around. How and why?” “Oh, that's just pegasus magic,” Twilight explained. “And they must be on the weather team. Rain wasn't scheduled until tomorrow, so these clouds we're seeing must be an accident of some sort.” The castle shook, as a loud sonic boom resounded through the halls. Twilight grimaced. “Not again,” she muttered, stepping to the side and opening a door onto the balcony. Two blurs were speeding across the sky, ripping through cloud after cloud as they left trails behind them. One of them, however, was notably faster, leaving a rainbow trail that crackled with energy, as a massive, circular rainbow expanded across the sky, disintegrating clouds as it grew. Lyra snapped a photo. “What the hell is that?” Rainbow burst out. “A sonic rainboom,” Twilight explained. “A trick passed down in myths, until you recreated it in this world. Of course, it's loud and distracting and slightly alarming if you don't know about it, and it certainly wasn't necessary for cloud-busting.” Twilight let out an exasperated sigh. “Wait—that's the other me?” Rainbow stared at the rainbow trail. Twilight shot a slight spark out of her horn, which exploded into a glowing, six-pointed star, like the one tattooed on her flank. “This'll just be a minute,” she said. After a second, both of the blurs stopped abruptly, hovering next to each other. Then, they shot towards the castle, floating just above the balcony. Both were wearing blue body suits and flight goggles, though the rainbow mane was a dead giveaway. The other Rainbow Dash lifted up the goggles, saying, “Yeah, what's up?” Twilight wordlessly pointed to the 'rainboom', which seemed to have stopped expanding, leaving a massive rainbow in the sky. “I know! Awesome, right?” She grinned. “Rainbow Dash,” Twilight said, patience thinning. “Please. Every time you do this outside of a Wonderbolts show, it leaves everypony in a panic, because they don't know what it is. I have to handle a ton of complaints every time. Is it really worth it just to show off to your coltfriend?” “He's not my coltfriend,” Rainbow immediately said. “We're just friends. And I wasn't showing off—I was winning a bet.” She grinned at the other pony. “You owe me lunch, Soarin.” “Um—do you have any sisters?” the other asked. Rainbow recognized that voice immediately, even if the pony didn't look like she might have expected. Though, to be honest, she wasn't sure what she had expected. “Nope,” Rainbow interrupted her pony-doppelganger. “I'm from another dimension.” “Oh! Sunset Shimmer's place?” Her doppelganger landed on the balcony, looking her up and down. “Awesome! How long are you here for? We should hang out some time.” “A few days, at least,” Rainbow said. “Though I don't think I'll visit too often. Not that Equestria's not awesome, it just causes some trouble with my being a werewolf.” “A what?” “Er...ask Twilight later,” Rainbow said, smiling and shrugging. “Hey, do you have a moment? There's something I always wanted to ask myself.” “Uh...sure?” Rainbow looked over her shoulder, then made a shooing motion towards Twilight. “Uh, could we have a minute?” “Sure,” Twilight said, smiling. She lead Bon-Bon and Lyra back inside, closing the balcony door behind her. “I'll go bust the rest of those clouds,” Soarin chuckled. “See you at lunch. I'm paying, yeah, yeah.” “You bet you are,” the other Rainbow said, grinning broadly at him. Soarin zipped off, then pony Rainbow Dash looked at herself. “So, uh—what's up?” “Do you love him?” “What—oh, for--” “Be honest with yourself, because I'm the only one you can't ever lie to,” Rainbow Dash told her doppelganger. Rainbow Dash bit her lip. “Maybe a little,” she admitted. “Let him know,” Rainbow said. “All this time you're spending in denial is precious time wasted. Trust me. You can come to suddenly regret it.” She flashed a sad smile. Pony Rainbow Dash stared at her. “What happened?” “Long story short?” She gave a low chuckle. “He's not around anymore. I regret all the time I could have spent with him, if I'd just...I'd just been more honest, with him and myself. So, don't make my mistakes, alright?” “...Okay, fine,” Rainbow Dash admitted. Rainbow grinned. “It's not often somebody—or pony—gets to tell themselves not to make the dumb mistakes they made, eh?” “Yeah, you're right,” she chuckled. “Hey. Let me give you a shot of advice back. If you're having trouble, talk to your friends. They can help a lot.” “Yeah. I know.” She gave herself a grin. “I've been making sure to do that.” “If that's all, I've got a free lunch to be off to,” the 'Wonderbolt' said, lifting off the ground. “Yeah, that was it,” Rainbow said. “Though, tomorrow, we should totally hang out. It'll be awesome.” “Yeah, totally.” She held out one hoof, and, after a second's pause to figure out what she was supposed to do, Rainbow gave her a 'hoof' bump. “Later!” Rainbow Dash said, before zooming off. Rainbow Dash smiled, seeing the rainbow trail shoot towards the other one. “You're crying,” the wolf said. “Yeah, yeah,” Rainbow said, wiping away the tears. “Even cool guys cry. It happens.” She turned around, pushing open the doors and walking inside. “Everything alright?” Bon-Bon asked, a supportive smile on her face. Rainbow gave her a reassuring smile in return. “Yeah. Everything's alright.”