Rainbow was pulled out of the land of dreams by some severe coughing. “Cough cough cough!” Her throat was dry and the faint taste of blood was lingering in the back of her throat. She opened her eyes and realised that it was in the middle of the night, she heard a noise and the creature was now right besides the bed, its massive body towering over her.
A bowl of water was brought towards her and and she felt a hand that was gently pushing her up so she could drink properly. At the moment Dash was so drowsy and thirsty, that she was able to ignored her fears, the only thing on her mind was the need to quench her thirst. She lowered her muzzle and drank deep from the cold water.
Once the bowl was emptied, she was carefully lowered back down into the bed. With her thirst quenched and the taste of blood no longer present, she shut her eyes. It did not take long for her to once again drift of to sleep.
The green eyes in the dark never lost their focus. Like a parent watching over a wounded child, or perhaps like a falcon looming over its next prey. The creature would not leave her side. But what is it’s purpose, only time will tell.
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Meanwhile in the humble village of Ponyville. The rain was pouring down and lightning struck in the distance, on a night like this anypony would prefer to stay inside their warm little houses. But there was one lonely pegasus who was outside, she was on her way to the local library. Ignoring the storm and the cold wiping of the rain. The yellow pegasus would not stop for anything.
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Twilight sparkle was enjoying a pleasant sleep in her bed after a long season of late night studying. She was drooling and enjoying a wonderful dream.
“Twilight Sparkle, my most faithful student. I have asked you here today for one reason only.” Celestia said splayed out on her back on a silk bed, her royal regalia was nowhere to be found and her usually everflowing mane had subsided, her now pink mane was covering one of her eyes. The aroma of chocolate and wine lingering it the air was intoxicating.
Twilight's eyes were wide open and she were unable to say anything, she just enjoyed the view.
“Princess I Do-”
a white hoof was gently place upon Twilight’s lips. “shush shush shush. Now don't say a word, come to mama and let her take care of you.”
Celestia pulled Twilight onto the bed. “I want you t-”
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*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!* Twilight’s dream was interrupted by the hard knocking on her door. With the grace of a slug, twilight slided out of her bed and walked towards the door.
“I swear, if this is a joke of some kind. I will transform whoever is responsible into an orange and then I’ll eat that orange.” Twilight muttered to herself.
*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!*
“Yes I’m on my way, take it easy!” Twilight opened the door, only to reveal a soaked fluttershy, her eyes were swollen and bloodshot, it was obvious that something was not right.
“Fluttershy are you ok? Come inside, I don’t want you to catch a cold from standing outside in the rain.” She said with worry in her voice.
Fluttershy leaped onto Twilight and cried her eyes out. “I can’t find Rainbow Dash.” She said between sobs.
Twilight hugged her friend tightly and stroked her mane. “There,there. Now come inside and clam down. Sit down I’ll get you some hot tea and get a fire started. Once you are all dry and have calmed yourself we can talk, ok?”
Fluttershy nodded and walked to the fireplace, tears still streaming down her cheeks.
A few moments later.
A nice warm fire was crackling in the furnace and the scent of herbal tea filled the air.
Twilight was drying Fluttershy with a towel, once she was dry she was handed a cup of tea.
Twilight took a sip of tea from her own cup, she then placed it on a nearby table.
She took a deep calming breath. “So what were you saying about Dash, Fluttershy?”
Fluttershy had not touched her tea, her lower lip was trembling and tears were once again beginning to form in her eyes.
“It is awful, I have not seen Rainbow Dash since yesterday. She had promised to help me give Harry the bear a massage, once she finished practicing, and Rainbow never breaks a promise. When she did not show up I went looking for her, I was worried that she might have crashed or something.” Fluttershy began to sob and tears were dripping into her tea.
Twilight walked up to fluttershy and put a hoof on her shoulder.
“Fluttershy, Rainbow is the best flyer we know, I doubt anything serious have happened. But you are right, Rainbow would never break a promise.
*Clink*
Fluttershy’s teacup hit the floor and she was trembling like a scared puppy. Twilight levitated the teacup on the floor, she then sat down in front of Fluttershy. She hugged her and allowed her to cry on her shoulder.
“Sniff, what if *sob* she is hurt *sob* and can’t get back home?!” Fluttershy sobbed like a foal who had lost it’s mother.
Twilight levitated a tissue and wiped away her tears. “I promise that nothing bad has happened, maybe she took a nap on a cloud and it drifted away on the wind. I bet she is taking cover for the rain and will be back tomorrow. Now calm down and blow your nose.
With the grace of an angel, fluttershy blew her nose.
“But what if she’s not?” Tears were dripping down her face and down onto on the floor.
“I promise that if Rainbow Is not in Ponyville by tomorrow, we will gather everypony and search for her, ok?” Twilight smiled.
Fluttershy nodded her head, a big yawn escaped from her mouth. Her eyes were puffy from all the crying and she was feeling very tired. She rose from to her hooves and started walking towards the door. To her surprise Twilight teleported in front of her with a stern look on her face.
“Just where do you think your going?”
“Umm, home, if thats okay?” Fluttershy was a tad confused by the way her friend was acting.
“Oh no you don’t, it’s raining outside. You are emotionally unstable and you are probably not feeling too good, I'm not letting you walk home in this weather. I'm not allowing you to take the risk of catching a cold. you are staying here tonight.”
“But, I umm-”
“No buts Fluttershy! Now walk up those stairs and when i'm done cleaning up the tea. I want you to have brushed your teeth and gotten ready for bed.”
“Okej.” She whispered.
A few moments later, Twilight emerged from downstairs. She found Fluttershy standing outside her bathroom, with a slightly confused look on her face.
“Is something wrong Fluttershy?”
“Umm, I know you wanted me to be ready for bed. But where am I supposed to sleep?”
Twilight flashed a friendly smile to her. “You are sleeping in my bed, we are sleeping together tonight.”
“Epp, what, I mean I.... I can sleep on the couch, not that I would mind sharing the same bed with you. But I don't want you to feel uncomfortable.”
“Oh Fluttershy, I don’t mind. Besides I think you will feel alot better if we sleep together. Now come on, in the bed with you.” Twilight commanded.
Fluttershy slowly climbed into Twilights bed, shortly after Twilight climbed in, she pulled the covers over them both.
“Goodnight Fluttershy, sleep tight and have wonderful dreams.”
“Umm, likewise.”
Twilight turned of the lamp and she drifted off to sleep. Fluttershy was looking up in the ceiling, thinking about the things that had occurred that evening. She looked over at the sleeping Twilight.
“Thanks for being such a good friend Twilight.” She thought as she closed her eyes. She felt so lucky to have such a wonderful friend.
Suddenly Twilight rolled over and hugged her tightly. “Mmm, Celestia I promise to be gentle.” she muttered in her sleep and she gently nibbled on Fluttershy’s ear.
Fluttershy did not dare to move, she did not want to wake her friend, and thus the most awkward night in Fluttershy’s life had begun.
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Rainbow Dash woke up a few hours later. As she sat up in the bed she could hear That rain was pouring down and the thunder rumbling in the distance. She turned her head left and right, looking for the monster. When she realised that it was not in the cave she gave a sigh of relief.
Dash had only one thing on her mind, escape while she had the chance. She made it to the edge of the bed and slowly lowered her hooves down onto the ground. The pain shooting through her hooves was not pleasant, she cringed a little. But once she manage to get her hind legs on the ground she almost passed out. The pain was too great. She had forgotten that a timberwolf had brutally snapped one of her hind legs. She was about to smash into the ground, when something snagged her torso. She was carefully lifted into the air and that’s when she realised that the monster had been sitting in the ceiling the entire time.
The monster was clutching one of the many stalagmites in the roof, and it very gently lifted Rainbow into the air. Once she was on eye level with the monster, it said.
“You should not move around ssssso much, little one.” It carefully placed Dash back on the bed, still holding her carefully by her torso.
Dash looked up in the ceiling, for the first time since she was taken to the cave. She got a good look at the monster.
But what she saw made her regret ever looking, a giant snake like creature with six arms.
Dash panicked and squirmed like foal in a highchair. But the snake monster was too strong, she tried everything but she was unable to escape its grip. She was scared, she was at the mercy of the monster. Tears started to form in her eyes and she wanted to scream.
The snake moved closer to her and it started to reach for her. Dash thought her final moment had come, she covered her head with her hooves and cried silently. But to her surprise the snake did not harm her instead it used one of its hands to wipe away the tears from her eyes. Dash slowly lifted her hooves and looked at the snake with a confused, terrified look on her face.
“You don’t have to be afraid little one. I'm not going to hurt you, but you need to move around lessssss violently, I underssssstand that you mussssst be terrified. But if you move around like that you are going to end up hurting yourssssself even more.” The snake said in a hissing but gentle tone.
Dash was breathing fast and she was still scared. But she gathered her courage and asked the first thing that came to her mind.
“So you are not going t..t...to ea..ea..eat me?” She said her voice trembling.
The grip on her torso loosened up and she was now sitting down on the bed. The snake leaned down to her eye level and smiled.
“Of course not, why would I have saved you in the first place if I simply wanted to eat you?”
Dahs looked down and begun to fidget with her hooves. She was uncertain of of how to feel about her current situation. On one hand she was wounded, and inside a cave with a giant snake monster. On the other hoof she knew never to judge a book or in this case a monster by its cover. She looked back up at the monster.
“What is your name?”
The snake turn its head and produced a few cracking sounds.
“You would not be able to pronounce my birth name properly. Ssssso you may call me by the name of my kin. My name is Naga, nice to meet you.” Naga held out one of his hands to Rainbow.
Rainbow assumed that he wanted her to grab his hand. So she reached out with one of her hooves and touched his big hand. He shook it slowly and carefully.
“My name Is Rainbow Dash, the fastest flyer in Equestria.” She smiled.
Could this be the beginning of a wonderful friendship or is something hiding in the dark?