//------------------------------// // Morning/Rainbow Dash 1 // Story: The Day the Darkness Died // by lunabrony //------------------------------// The air was filled with the sounds of cheering ponies. Hurtling down a steep hill was a massive boulder, which just so happened to be on fire. Racing down an equally steep hill on the other side was a three headed dragon, each set of its massive jaws snapping more dangerously by the minute. In the middle of these two things, sat a foal carriage, cradled in which was a very upset infant Discord. The baby draconequus wailed with fear and anticipation, wondering which of the two objects would cause his untimely demise first. Or would they? A bolt of blue shot down from the clouds, seemingly flying at hundreds of miles an hour. She flew like a streak from the stratosphere, a sonic rainboom pulsating from within the clouds. Then a second, then a third. Although nopony else could hear it, she was singing her own theme song. "With a bit of a mind flip, You're into the time slip! Nothing can ever be the same! You're spaced out on sensation, like you're under sedation! LET'S DO THE TIME WARP AGAIN!" She pulled up at the last minute, missing the ground by inches. "AW, YEAH!" Spectators were pointing upward and flashing cameras in every direction. Children balanced on their parents backs as if the Princess herself was making an appearance. "Wow, look at that!" "A triple rainboom!" "She really IS the most amazing pony in Equestria!" Rainbow smirked. Of course she was, this was not news. She landed between the two deadly objects with a force that gave off a shockwave, and spread her wings. *CRASH!* The dragon and fiery boulder smashed into her wings at the same time, both objects exploding into her wings with deadly force, but they were no match for her incredible wing power! The boulder and dragon burst into a shower of gold coins which fell from the sky. The Wonderbolts themselves approached her, with awe in their eyes. "Rainbow Dash, that was amazing! We'd offer to let you join us, but you're just too cool for us! You'd make us all look bad." Rainbow waved it off. "Aw, geez, it was nothing. All in a days work. I'm just doing what any other super amazing pony with my talents would do." "I know, I know!" Spitfire insisted. "We can start a whole NEW division, we'll call it the RainbowBolts! Three cheers for Rainbow Dash, the most spectacular and truly awesome pony in Equestria!" The crowd took up the cheer almost instantly. "Rainbow Dash!' "Rainbow Dash!" "RAINBOW DASH!" The eyes of the pegsaus flew open. "Huz-wah?" "RAINBOW DASH!" That wasn't the Wonderbolts. It was Applejack. Rainbow peered over the edge of the cloud, annoyed. "This better be good." She muttered. Applejack pointed unquestioningly to a familiar creature held both by the Crusaders and one by Applejack herself. They were no challenge for the speedster. She zoomed around the creature A.J. held, and plucked it from her hooves. Same deal from the Crusaders, who protested that it wasn't hurting anything. "Yeah, that's just what it WANTS you to think." Dash whispered to them, and plunked both Changelings down on the ground where they were swiftly tied. She tried to punch one of them, but was held back by Applejack. "Aw, come on, lemme beat em up! Please?" Dash protested. She had fire in her eyes. Applejack denied the request, and the two quickly set a course for the Library, which was opened using Twilight's spare key. "Isn't the egghead here? She's ALWAYS here." Rainbow complained, setting the Changelings in the center of the rug. Applejack shrugged. "Ah think she was goin' tah help Fluttershy with somethin'." She said calmly. They waited for a while, but nothing seemed to happen. Rainbow Dash was getting impatient, and headed for the door, only to narrowly avoid being smacked in the face as it swung open. She threw her hooves up, expecting a fight, but put them down when she recognized Rarity instead. "You too, huh?" Rainbow Dash asked, noting the Changeling the pair was carrying, which was quickly deposited by its friends, who, despite the circumstances, seemed rather happy to be reunited, and looked around as if expecting one more. But there weren't anymore. Not here, anyway. "Indeed." Rarity said, as elegantly as she always did. "So what do we do now?" asked Pinkie, who would likely bust out the party cannon if asked. "Now, we play th'waitin' game." Applejack, always the logical one. "Oh! Oh! I like games! Wait here! I'll go get Maneopoly!" She said, and rushed into the closet, only to Rarity's disgust. "I suppose I will involve myself in some entertainment, as long as you don't make me be that AWFUL tacky hat again, that thing needs to be burned at once." Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, and the game commenced, every so often one of the friends would look up expectantly at the door. Pinkie put her piece down in the middle of the Everfree Forest, and picked up a card. "Lost deep in the Forest, your friends desert you. Get turned to stone for three turns. Awwww..." Her ears flattened, and her mane deflated. "She's bound to be back sometime." Applejack said encouragingly. "Indeed she is." Rarity agreed. "And then we can get this whole mess sorted out and I can go back to my perfectly pristine environment instead of this dusty old cabinet."' Applejack shushed her. "Hush now, y'all. Ah think ah hear somepony comin'. Be ready in case it ain't friendly. S'dangerous tah have all these Changelings in one place. Bad voodoo, n'all." All four ponies leaned forward, on their guard, watching the door expectantly. Just then, the door cracked open.