''Where is it, where is it!?'' Squawked Twilight as she scampered around the library and rumaged in the sea of books.
"Where's what?" Groaned Rainbow Dash, who had lurked in Twilight's library for the last twenty minutes just to pick her copy of the new Daring Do book.
"My spell book!" Twilight replied instantly.
''Err, I thought you were finding my Daring Do and the Lurid Lair?'' Rainbow Dash frowned.
''I was! To tell you the truth, Rainbow, I can't find your book anywhere. So I'm looking for my defined search spell so I can just tweak it up to perfection and find your book!'' Twilight said, a little worked up.
''Uh, really?'' Whined Rainbow. ''Well, don't beat yourself up, you look a little flustered, so maybe we should just call it a day and I'll help you look tomorrow.'' She offered. She gave Twilight a lanquid smile and turned to leave.
''I found it!'' Twilight said suddenly. She grinned conceitedly and held up the book. Rainbow scurried back to Twilight's side and snatched the book eagerly.
''Thanks, Twilight!'' She tucked her book under her wing with satisfaction. ''Have a good night,'' She waved to Twilight, who sat exhaustedly, mane tangled and eyes drooping in the cluttered room, and made for the door. ''You sure could use one...'' She muttered and tittered to herself. Just as she clutched the book in her mouth and began to spread her wings, she saw a neat journal labelled Twilight's spell book that looked like it had been tossed into the plant pot. She dropped her book to say, ''Hey, I found your—" She glanced around to see Twilight leaning slightly forward, snoring. ''... book.'' She finished with a whisper. Gently, she picked it up and placed it inaudibly onto the table, before finally extending her wings and hastening into the starless ebony of the night sky.
Bright and early does it for Rainbow Dash every morning. Bright, early, refreshed and ready for whatever life throws at you: in today's case, being the victim of Rarity's new Sweet and Elite clothing range. Why is it always me? Rainbow groused while she stood like a statue on Rarity's dressing stand, the loose fabrics constantly tightening, loosening, then nearly knocking the breath out of her.
''Dear me, Rainbow Dash, you're quite the grumbler this morning, aren't you?'' Appointed Rarity, peering over her spectacles and adjusting the dress, despite Rainbow's detest at being there.
''Rarity, you know I hate being your model. Why do you always pick me?'' She scowled. Rarity examined Rainbow before fervently describing her answer.
''But, Rainbow, darling, you have the most luscious hair and sleek body out of a many I've worked with - Celestia knows why you refuse to let me put that beauty to use!'' She exclaimed. Rainbow Dash gave her a skeptical look.
''Yeah, yeah, don't give me that.'' She retorted. ''I don't care, I'd rather poke my own eyeballs out than stand here all day.'' She stomped her hoof on the ground to punctuate her statement.
''Oh, I know,'' Rarity whimpered sarcastically with wide eyes. ''It's the least you could do for your best friend, don't you think Dashie?'' She battered her eyelashes. Rainbow just rolled her eyes and ruffled her forelock with her hoof. ''Gah! Do be careful, you don't want to rip the dress!'' Rarity pushed her leg back to the floor in a shot.
''Oh, I do...'' Rainbow muttered.
''What was that?'' Rarity questioned in a polite manner.
''Nothing.''
''Listen, I know that you're fed up with all this fuss, but I've nearly finished... just a little there... oh, that's not supposed to be...'' Rarity trailed off, fiddling and fitting the final touches of the dress as she murmered to herself. Does she always talk to herself? Rainbow wondered as she gazed longingly out the window at the pleasant azure sky and puffed. ''... done!'' Rarity exclaimed with delight, taking a step back to admire her work.
''So... I can go now?'' Rainbow asked.
''Well, yes, I suppose. You've been of great help to me this morning, even if you were a little stubborn. I trust that you—" The window latch clunked slightly as it swayed from the force of which Rainbow Dash had exited. Rarity sighed and turned to continue to work with in her designs.
Finally! The breeze felt good as it rightfully whisped through Rainbow's mane and the cool air recuscitated her face. She closed her eyes and exhaled, looping freely. Her reverie was suddenly broken as a piercing shout punctured the air in front of her.
''Rainbow Dash!'' She stopped in mid-air and looked down to the ground at the source of the shout. Twilight Sparkle. ''Hey, Rainbow, I've got a job for you!'' She jumped up excitedly, flailing her wings. Rainbow Dash glared at her dubiously, then Twilight gave a sheepish grin. ''Oh yeah, wings.'' She blushed. Rainbow laughed and descended to the path where Twilight stood.
''Hehe, no biggie. It's a josh, really.'' She sniggered and offered Twilight a hoof-bump.
''Sorry... I'm just really not used to my wings yet.'' She returned the hoof-bump and guffawed.
''Don't worry,'' Rainbow replied. She flexed her wings and stretched majestically. ''I mean, it takes a lot of guts to fly like me.'' She beamed.
''Very funny, Dash,'' Twilight said. ''Anyway, are you up for it?''
''Up for what?'' Rainbow stopped and looked at Twilight with a keen eye.
''Oh, sorry! For the job I've got for you, I mean! Well, it's more of a favour, actually, but it's rather nutty, and I need some assistance, so I just knew that you'd be the pony for the job and—'' Twilight stopped rambling as Rainbow shoved a hoof to her mouth.
''Whoa, just tell me what it is will ya?'' She inquired, impatient. Twilight squinted at Rainbow in thought for a second, before pushing Rainbow's invading hoof aside.
''Follow me. It needs a long explanation, if you please,'' She spat. ''So follow me and you'll find out.'' Rainbow Dash blinked, thrown off guard. Nevertheless, she darted to catch up with Twilight who had hurried away towards the library.
The library door swung as Rainbow fleeted through it, her vivid spectrum of a tail whispering against the grainy wood. Twilight had already begun to fumble through her cupboards; she had found and sported the same journal she had lost last night - only it was looking much more used and worn. "This." Twilight stated, as she proudly held up her spell book to Rainbow's face, tufts of the leather ripped out of place. Rainbow Dash couldn't see anything interesting between the creased pages. "This," She repeated, taking a deep breath. Rainbow saw the twinkle in her eye as she tried to contain her excitement. Spit it out. "Is the spell I've been working on for the last month or so. It's finally finished, but I'm not entirely sure what it does."
"Soo... Why are you showing me?" Rainbow questioned. She tilted her head to peer beneath the books hardback cover, but the shadows concealed the curious scribbles.
"Because," Twilight paused again for emphasis. "You're going to help test it!" She squealed, and gave a small inflamed hop. She cast the journal upon the table, flicking through the stained pages till she admired a page with auspiciousness. She raised a hoof and beckoned to Rainbow: she tapped over to her with ease and glared at the book. "The only way I can find out what it does is to just go ahead and try it," Twilight began.
"No, really?" Rainbow interrupted with sarcastic curt, but Twilight hushed her, not noticing the incredulous expression on Rainbow's face.
"I figured that you might be the only pony who's willing to give it a go?" She looked at Rainbow expectantly, with a lightly fervent smile.
"Me? What could I do?" Rainbow said with secretive stubbornness. Twilight's words echoed in Rainbow's head, a faint sense of adventure lingering on them. She couldn't stifle a devious grin forming across her lips.
"You're going to be my model, Rainbow Dash." Twilight dictated. Rainbow's heart sunk, and she sighed,
"Not like a, modelling model? I've just about had enough of that..." She groaned.
"Oh, no! Don't worry! I know how much you'd despise that," Twilight giggled. "This is going to be waaaay more fun." She told Rainbow with a ratifying grin. Rainbow still wasn't psyched, albeit Twilight's gaiety. Twilight saw her leery look and stopped bouncing. "C'mon, Dashie," She was only called that when ponies were being sympathetic or friendly. Twilight's eyes widened with plead, and Rainbow gave in.
"Fine. I'll do it. What's your order?" Rainbow grunted, leaning on the table with her front legs crossed. Twilight's eyes sparkled acquisitively.
"Great!" She squeaked and levitated her spell book in front of her. "Ok... If you could just go and stand in the middle of the room, away from any other objects..." She concentrated. Rainbow did as she said. She trotted to the centre of the wooden floor and kicked a rogue book to the side. There she stood patiently while Twilight was wrapped up in the spell book.
"... Ok, here goes," She said finally looking up from her book, her eyes flickering back to the paper occasionally as she read the spell:
"Between two worlds, the walls rarely fault,
The universe's secrets forever locked in a vault—"
A green glitter began to brew beneath Rainbow's hooves, hissing like a snake, curling and twining around her legs, ruffling her coat. Rainbow's pupils dilated in astonishment; jolts of both terror and anticipation rushed through her as she eyed the dancing wisps of magic wearily. "It's working!" Twilight whispered tempestuously, oblivious of Rainbow's growing alarm.
"But now, as I wish to no longer watch from below,
The true dimensions are shaped to reality, and begin to show—"
Twilight's voice stopped abruptly again, but this time because she was taken aback by a huge force of magic, knocking the book from her levitation orb. Huffing furious breaths around the room, the green magic was now a vast whirlwind, rushing and tearing down the library piece by piece. Rainbow Dash was nowhere to be seen - she had been absorbed by the power of the tornado. But this was no controllable tornado. Not even for a weather pony like Rainbow. Twilight gawked at the treacherous twister, swirling, ripping, unstoppable: she instinctively stepped back and hid under the table from the ghastly winds.
"Rainbow Dash?!" She called, but doubted an reply. The roar of the blizzard would block out any noise besides. "RAINBOW DASH!" She yelled once again, franticly searching the room for any sign of cyan blue, or a ribbon of rainbow hair; she listened for Rainbow's desperate cries - even a headstrong pony like Rainbow Dash would surely be overwhelmed by this experience - but the whistling cyclone rolled on, refusing any sound to escape. Twilight's eyes shimmered with fresh tears of remorse and worry as she crouched and sheltered from the evil, emerald storm. "How could I be so impetuous?" She admitted through tears, but only she could hear her feeble cries. Why, she could barely hear herself think among the agonising howls.
Minutes passed and the violent hurricane dismissed any sign of dying down. Twilight had lay, her face buried in her hooves, crying helplessly. She couldn't even recall what time of day it was, or how long she had lay there, but she was so overcome with fear that she declined any chance of finding out. Clearly, the enraged mistral was the dominant one here. It's bellowing rumble was unbearable, and by now it shone a flamboyant neon green which stung Twilight's eyes whenever she strained to look at it. Snivelling chokes were all Twilight could manage when she tried to call for help, but she only cracked up into a flustered hysteria: nopony was going to hear her. They might be able to hear the terrifying bawl of the storm, they might even be able to witness it as it tore down the library. But nopony was brave enough to try and stop it. Nopony except Rainbow Dash....