//------------------------------// // Chapter One // Story: Dreams and Disasters // by Quillery //------------------------------// Dreams and Disasters by Quillery Chapter One Dreams and Disasters Nothing could stop Rainbow Dash now. She dove with practiced ease through the empty skies; spinning, twirling, and gliding on the currents of air. She gritted her teeth as she peeled into one sharp turn after another, accelerating further. She wasn’t going to fail, not now; she had spent too much time practicing. Too much time planning. Everything had to be perfect, and she was going to make sure of it. She straightened her wings and tilted, banking into another wide turn. The howling winds tugged at her, but she forced through them to continue her acceleration. Leveling out from another turn, she scanned the expanse of blue in front of her. Her gaze locked onto a single patch of white, far in the distance. She had her goal, and by Celestia she was going to make it. Her gaze wandered down. A rush of pride swelled in her heart as she saw the crowds of ponies in attendance. There had to be thousands of them here to see her. Only her. They wanted Rainbow Dash, and she loved every second of it it. The thrill of the crowd coursed through her as she pumped her wings to go faster and faster. If the crowd wanted a show, she was going to give them one. The shrieking wind doubled its efforts, screaming past her in a piercing wail. The faster she went, the greater the winds protest’s became, but she would not give in. She would win. She was Rainbow Dash. She always won. A flap of her wings surged her ahead, rocketing past the angry winds. The effort she put in would not be in vain, and she was going to prove it in front of all these ponies. Her grin widened. I’m going to make it! The wavering mach cone formed at the tip of her hooves, dancing with a corona of colors. Pressure squeezed at her hooves, pressing down on her as she pushed ahead, still gaining velocity. Her goal came closer, but it was still so far away. Almost there! she thought. I can almost taste it! The bending air at her hooves resisted her with every meter, threatening to snap at any moment. She knew exactly what would happen if she failed now, the memory of previous failures giving her the final push she needed to break through. The spinning colors bent and flexed around her, squeezing tighter around her. Wind began to suffocate her as it pressed harder into her sides, forcing the last bit of air from her lungs. Then, at the apex of its contraction, it snapped, just as planned. The sky exploded into a field of colors, stretching out in a massive ring that covered as far as the eye could see. The rainboom raced through the heavens, bringing with it a tremendous crack as the sky threatened to tear itself in half. Rainbow Dash had done it once again, her signature move. Even as she continued to improve its form, her body always felt tingly at this point, and she loved every part of it. The wind, the noise, the color, it was everything she was and more. It was a gift for her to share with everypony of Equestria, and they had come in herds to see it. Rainbow Dash finally allowed the winds to slow her. She banked in tight loops in the open sky to bleed off her incredible speed, aiming towards the screaming chorus of ponies waiting to see her up close. An impossibly large grin flashed across her face as she gently hovered through the open stadium, waving to the crowd as she did so. The din of the screaming fans could be heard for miles, and she ate it up. This was her time, and she was going to enjoy it for all it was worth. She landed on a small cloud poised in the center of the cheering ponies. When she felt the soft cloud beneath her hooves, she finally noticed how tiring her ordeal had been. Her legs began to wobble, but she stood strong. She wouldn’t allow herself to show weakness, not here. She scanned the crowds, her smile growing. Her gaze locked on an approaching group of ponies weaving through the crowds. She waved gleefully and rushed over to meet them. As she did, though, she noticed something was off. The faces of her friends were not as the should be. Their bodies were distorted, blurry. Their voices were muffled and distant. Most of them were, anyways. As the misshapen forms of her friends surrounded her, she saw that one was not like the others. Her lavender coat was distinct against the cloudesium, as were her deep violet eyes. Dash could make out every detail, every shape, every curve. Her face felt increasingly warm as the unicorn came closer, eyes fluttering with every step. A gentle wind passed between the two ponies, drowning out the distorted chatter of her phantom friends. A faint, lingering scent drifted to Dash’s nose, and her body felt like melting at its presence. Her wobbling knees returned, as Twilight Sparkle drew ever closer. They closed to mere inches in only seconds, a shift that Dash wasn’t sure she could handle, but the mare in front of her kept getting closer, not saying a word. They were nearly muzzle-to-muzzle now. Twilight paused for a moment, letting a breath of wind pass. Their friends had ceased their mumbled chattering. Dash glanced around, and her heart jumped when she noticed they were gone. Everypony was gone. It was just her... and Twilight. She swallowed hard, watching Twilight carefully. What is she doing? she thought. What’s going on? Her mind was racing, and it wasn’t coming up with an answer anytime soon. Before it could, Twilight made her move. She took one last step forward, bringing the two of them together in a sudden kiss. Dash felt her wings spring open as she absorbed the shock of the situation. What is she doing? Why is this happening? Why does she taste like... fabric softener? Dash’s eyes sprang open. Twilight was gone. So was the stadium. What she saw now was a bright blue ceiling, just like the one in her bedroom. She lifted herself up, carefully examining her new surroundings. A small table sat to her left, stacked with books, and to her left, an open balcony door to the outside. Looking down, she saw that she was wrapped tightly in her blankets, some of which had managed to end up in her mouth. She spat out the cloth, trying to shake the strange dream from her mind. “It was just a dream, Dash—Nothing to get worked up about.” She yawned loudly and stretched out her tired limbs. “But it felt so real...” She walked towards the bathroom, desperately seeking some cold water to calm her frazzled mind. As she did, she paused at a smaller table sitting just beside the door. A single frame sat on it, with a picture of her with all her friends. Their faces were no longer distorted and messy as they were in the dream, not that it mattered right now. Dash’s eyes were squarely fixed on just one pony: Twilight. “Did I want it to be real?” Her empty home replied with silence. She groaned loudly, leaving the room and trotting into her bathroom. It looked like it was going to be one of those days. ***** A cold morning shower seemed just like the thing to put Rainbow Dash at ease. She stood motionless as the faucet spilled the near-freezing water over her. Her body relished the feeling of the refreshing liquid, but it didn’t help clear her mind nearly as well as she’d hoped. She’d had that dream too many times. They were never exactly alike, but they always ended the same. Whether it was on a quiet hill or a grassy plain, it always ended up being Twilight and Rainbow Dash, alone, staring into each others eyes. She’s never kissed me before, though, she thought. She shook her head, sending rivulets of water scattering in the bathroom from her tangled mane. Did something change? We have been spending more time together, but its only been a few weeks since... that night. She sighed and shut off the water, but remained still. Two weeks... and I haven’t said anything. She hasn’t shown any interest, and I haven’t made a move. Her mind was pounding with these doubts, and had been for days. Each night brought the strange dreams, and when she awoke, she was even more flustered than the morning before. Although, that wasn’t the only thing pounding. Her ears suddenly perked at a strange noise. It was a dull thumping sound, coming from somewhere outside. She draped a towel over her dripping mane, and stepped out into the hall. The sound resonated more clearly out here, and Dash followed the noise towards the living room. She found the source of the noise to be her front door. She tilted her head in confusion. Who knocks on a cloud door? She paused a moment, blinking. Wait, who can knock on a cloud door? She trotted towards the door, her curiosity rising. She opened the door swiftly, and was assaulted by the brightness of the morning sun. She shied away from the light and covered her eyes with a hoof. “Good morning, Rainbow Dash!” That voice. It can’t be. Dash struggled to adjust to the light. She peeked from underneath her hoof, eyes widening at what she saw. A purple unicorn, standing on her front porch, sporting a saddlebag on her back. “T-Twilight?” The unicorn’s smile faded and her head tilted sideways. “Did I interrupt something?” Dash dropped her hoof back to the floor, shaking her head. “N-no, I just got out of the shower.” Twilight’s face fell further. “Oh. Are you getting ready for work soon?” Dash shook her head again. “Not today. I got the day off. I just needed to, uh... clear my head. Cold water seemed like the trick.” Dash waved her hoof dismissively, breaking out a wide smile. “So, what’s up Twi?” She grinned. “‘Sides you, I mean.” Twilight looked at her hooves and giggled. “I’ve cast the cloud walking so many times in the past few weeks, I might have to find a way to make it more permanent.” Dash blinked. “Y-yeah. I guess we have been spending a lot of time in the clouds.” She stepped aside and invited Twilight in. She gladly trotted in, glancing around at Dash’s living room. Dash went to close the door behind her, and her hoof paused on the handle. “How did you knock anyways? Clouds don’t make that noise.” “Well, I did try knocking on the door, actually, but that obviously didn’t work. So instead I just conjured a plank of wood and knocked on that. I figured eventually you would come and investigate.” Dash laughed. “Well, you’re right about that. It’s not often you hear the sound of knocking wood up here.” “How do pegasi know when company comes over if you don’t have normal doors or bells? Do they just let themselves in?” “Pegasi hooves are really sensitive to the movement of disturbed cloud. Most pegasi know to land with a bit of force on cloud homes to let the owners know they are there.” Dash glanced up and down at Twilight. “You teleported?” Twilight nodded. “I guess I didn’t land hard enough. I’ll remember that next time.” The two mares walked into the kitchen. Twilight sat at the table in the only chair, while Dash busied herself with the cupboards. “So, what can I do for you Twi? Did we have something scheduled for today?” “Well...” Twilight’s horn began to glow, unbuckling her saddlebags and removing them from her back. They glowed purple briefly before she let go of her magic, and the bags rested on the table. “I wanted to know what your plans are for the next few weeks.” “The next few weeks?” Dash scratched her chin thoughtfully. “Aside from work and training? Nothing really. Usually I just do whatever comes along, whether it's hanging out with you...” Dash swallowed quickly and turned away to mask her glowing face. “...or with the girls. Y’know? Whatever life throws at me.” “So what you’re saying is you have nothing concrete aside from work and your training sessions? For how long?” Dash turned around. The sound in Twilight's voice betrayed a lot more interest in her schedule than she thought normal. “Well, work is pretty regular, in fact I think I’m due for a pretty long vacation if I really wanted to supercharge my training.” Twilight sat up sharply in her seat, propping herself up on the table with her hooves. “How much vacation time?” Dash backed away from Twilight’s outburst. “Uh, a few weeks, I think? Maybe a month or two, with banked sick days. I usually just front-load hours if I think I’m gonna need time off.” Twilight's eyes twinkled, and an impossibly large grin stretched across her face. “That’s perfect!” “Uh, perfect for what?” “Do you think you could put in for a month of time off?” “A month? Why?” Twilight reached into her saddlebags, pulling out a unsealed scroll. It began to glow purple as Twilight moved the letter through the air towards Dash. It unfurled in front of the pegasus, and her eyes scanned through the message quickly. To my most faithful student, With the arrival of the new year, the Royal Library has presented a unique opportunity to broaden your studies further, should you choose to accept. This task will take you further out of Ponyville than you might be comfortable with, so I will allow you to take any number of your friends along with you. I must warn you, however, that this will take several weeks, and I would not wish you to burden them if they cannot devote the time. I am sending you several copies of Equestria’s updated histories that should arrive within the next few days after this letter. With these books in tow, you will travel to the eastern kingdoms beyond the seas from Manehatten, and complete a series of exchanges for similar tomes from the many ruling bodies along the continent. Included with the books will be a special travel ticket that will exempt you from any fees you may incur on the voyage to aid in expenses. If you have any questions, do not be afraid to ask before your departure in one week's time. Good luck, Princess Celestia Dash looked up from the letter. Twilight was staring intently at her, eyes wide with expectation. “A trip around the world? That’s what this is about?” Twilight nodded. “Isn’t it exciting? I’ve been up since Celestia sent me the letter planning for it.” “And how long ago was that?” “Uh.” Twilight rubbed the back of her neck. “Two days?” Dash glanced at the letter again. ...I will allow you to take any number of your friends with you... “So that’s why you’re here? You want me to come with you?” “Of course! Why wouldn’t I want to go across the world with my best friends?” Across the eastern kingdoms... “So where exactly is Celestia sending you? It doesn’t say here.” “Well... I imagine the full list will come with the books. I imagine Great Brayton will be one of them, maybe Prance, among others.” “That sounds like quite the trip. Everypony must be really excited.” Dash chuckled. “Prance, huh? Rarity will love that.” Twilight’s mood suddenly darkened. Her head slumped towards the table, and she began tracing the surface with her hoof. “Uh, Twi? What’s wrong?” “Rarity isn’t coming.” “What? What do you mean?” Twilight took a deep breath. “Well, yesterday I went out to let everypony know what was happening. Rarity was first, because her home was closest. When I got there, she was in the middle of a huge order. Apparently a noble family in Canterlot requested a few dozen dresses and suits to be completed in three weeks. “I offered to help so she could get them done in time for the trip, but she insisted that she could not pass up this opportunity to get her name in Canterlot. She won't be able to come.” “Well, that sucks. Well, I’m sure the rest of us can find something nice to bring back for her.” Twilight slumped further onto the table. Dash stared open mouthed as her friend’s mood kept sinking. “You’re kidding me. All of them?” Twilight nodded glumly. “Fall is coming, so Applebuck season is right around the corner. Applejack has to oversee the whole thing, so she said it’d be best not to wait on her. “Pinkie just got promoted at Sugarcube Corner, mostly because the Cakes just got hit with a huge catering order out of the blue and they needed the extra help.” “And Fluttershy? I can’t imagine her having much to do.” “I thought so too. But when I went to see her, she showed me a nest of phoenix eggs that appeared on her doorstep. She tried to find the parents, but they never came looking. From what she’s researched on phoenixes, their hatching period is within weeks of the summer solstice. She couldn’t bear the thought of leaving them alone, so she’s going to be keeping a close eye on them until they finally hatch. She even asked me for every book on phoenixes that I owned. “And so... That left you. In fact, the reason I didn’t come to you yesterday was because I was so bummed that the other’s couldn’t make it.” “I see...” Dash was quiet for awhile, watching Twilight twiddle a tuft of cloud between her hooves. “Well, you can count me in!” Twilight sat up suddenly. “You mean it?” Dash beamed at her. “Of course. I don’t have any reason not to. I just said I have the time off, and I’d feel pretty bad to let you go across the world all by yourself.” Twilight grinned madly and lept across the kitchen. She tackled Dash into a tight hug, squeezing with all her might. “Oh thank you! Thankyouthankyouthankyou!” “Urk!” Dash wheezed. “Uh, no problem, Twi. What are friends for?” Twilight finally relented her crushing embrace and trotted back to her bags. She swept them up with a flash of magic, and started towards the door. “I’ll let the princess know right away that you can come. Oh this is going to be so much fun. Just you and me, traveling across the world!” “Y-yeah, sounds like a lot of fun. I can’t wait.” Dash followed Twilight to the door and onto her front porch. “You say we have to leave in four days?” Twilight nodded. “Yes. We’ll be leaving Manehatten by airship. I should know more as soon as the Princess’s delivery arrives, which will be any minute now. I should be getting home to see if its shown up yet.” She gave Dash a fond look. “So you should have plenty of time to pack.” “Uh, yeah. I guess I’ll get started on that right away.” Twilight stepped to the edge of the cloud, her magic glowing. “I’ll come by as soon as I know more. Thank you again!” In a flash, Twilight was gone. Dash smiled as she watched her friend wink out of sight. “A trip around the world. Sounds like an adventure.” She returned inside, heading back to the kitchen. In all the fuss, she still hadn’t managed to eat anything, and she had a lot to think about. She had to pack; that was going to be a bother. She also needed to get out of work, which was going to be a hassle of its own. She had the time off for sure, but to suddenly take up to a month off with little to no notice was not going to make her a favorite at work. It wasn’t long though until the true brunt of what had transpired hit her with full force. She froze as she reached into the cupboard. Me... and Twilight. Together. By ourselves. For a whole month. The memories of her dreams came to the forefront of her mind with gusto. On a trip across the world. “This is going to be a disaster.”