//------------------------------// // The Celestial Trials: Red // Story: The Rainbow Pigment // by Jetstream S //------------------------------// The Celestial Trials: Red A series of green flashes lit the room where Rainbow Dash was sent. She came out of the portal, letting a yelp of surprise as she saw a wall headed for her face. She extended her wings in a vain attempt to stop herself as the portal behind her sealed. knowing she was going far too fast, she finally turned to her side allowing her back to take the brunt of the collision. She hit the wall of rock hard, bouncing off backwards slightly and falling a few feet to her side. The dimly lit space was small to say the least, about the size of Applebloom's bedroom. Small candles lit the way into a pony-sized tunnel in the wall. Shakily, Dash rose to her hooves. "Owwww..." she moaned as she rubbed her back with her wing. She was surprised to find her wing was uninjured. Her thoughts immediately went back to the orange filly that was supposed to be on her back. "Scoots?! Scootaloo!!" she called out. The room was lit enough to let her see that her only company was the settling dust. Her heart sank. Was that fun? Star Prism asked trying to hold back laughter. "Sh-shut u-up.." She stammered, trying to get her regain her bearing. Oh I'm sorry, I didn't mean to ruffle your feathers... He couldn't help but giggle, Rainbow Crash. "What..." Rainbow was practically fuming. You heard me. "For your sake I'm gonna pretend I didn't," she growled. Looking into the makeshift hall, she could see an opening near the end that seemed to blossom into a far bigger room. If she was anywhere, Scootaloo would be there. She swallowed what little fear was left in her, and trudged forward. ---- Kuvvet paced through the enclosed area that was the site of the Red Trial. He gave everything a last look over, making sure all testing material would work correctly and at the time it was supposed to. The test of physical and mental strength would be like no other she would face, and he wanted to make damn sure Rainbow Dash would master his practice. From the exit of the room, a bright green flash shined through followed by a yelp and a muffled thud. "Looks like she's here," Kuvvet sighed. "Time to get to work." From outside, Kuvvet could hear a faint feminine voice. "And so it begins..." He used his magic to close off the tunnel at both ends as she entered it. He could hear the yells of anger and fear as he began closing them toward one another. "HEY! WHAT GIVES!?" She squealed as the walls inched closer. With each passing second, the two walls closed in another five centimeters with a ground shaking rumble. She could make out a faint red glow coming from the two sides. She thought of the red unicorn from earlier. The Red Trial. "Red.. red.... What the hay is red?!" she racked her brain for the information. Thinking back, she remembered the muscular stallion adorned in a red gilded cloak. Tall, muscular... Strong! "That's it! Strength!" She yelled. Kuvvet smiled as her voice reached him through the rock. Although very muffled, her realization was enough to make him feel some pride for his "student". "Alright... If I can just stop these things from...moving..." She ran up to the stone in front, bracing her forelegs against its surface while digging her hinds into the loose gravel that made up the floor. She pushed, but the wall still kept coming. Harder and harder she pushed, but her hooves simply made the ground streaked with two lines of disturbed gravel. She needed another way out, and fast. She quickly jumped to the middle of the enclosing space and sat down. She tried her best to drown out the fear of being crushed in order to think about what to do. Despite her concentration, the rumble of the walls nearing her flanks and muzzle began to strip her of her nerve, and she began to panic. What would Scootaloo think if she saw you like this? Star Prism suddenly asked. His question seemed misplaced among the intense moment, but it did begin to make sense. Rainbow Dash... Scootaloo's idol. The all go, no quit, hard flank, rainbow maned pegasus of pegasi cowering in the middle of a small room?! No.. I won't let this be the end... She could feel the power begin to stir within as the red stripe in her forelock began to glow dimly. Let it go Rainbow Dash. The power to stop these rocks is within, you just have to release it! Make your body able to stop them! Images of her friends, of Scootaloo, of her mother and father, and of Soarin graced her mind as she slowly stood, opening her eyes. To anypony standing to her front, her eyes would have been a fierce shade of red. Her forelock was glowing brightly with a pulsing light, and her legs felt like they could move a mountain. She calmly approached the rock, and with one quick motion, slammed her hoof into it. The blow punched through the dim aura, stopping both rocks cold. Kuvvet reeled at the sudden blow to his aura. His concentration on the telekinetic spell driving the rocks was broken, and he knelt slightly from the magical backlash. Oh my, she's far stronger than I thought... he thought in a panic. Dash smiled slightly as she bashed the rock again. It was cracking and splitting like a peppermint under her teeth. "Hm," she breathed, "one more should do it." An idea crossed her mind as she positioned her hoof for the final strike. Whoever was moving these things had to be on the other side, and unicorn magic relied on line of sight and intense concentration. She figured the caster was just on the other side of this rock. Her smile turned evil as she turned around and lined up for a massive buck. Kuvvet was finally able to stand up as he heard another slam echo throughout the area. He saw the hairline cracks in the stone growing as yet another blow shattered it further. He concentrated on the spell again, using his power to hold the rock together and push it back. Dash was met with yet another red aura between the cracks. it seemed to be mending the cracks and pushing the rock at the same time. She would have none of that. She extended her wing, using it to stop the rock in its track. She then spun, connecting the back of her leg to the rock. Again, the red aura shattered and the rock completely exploded this time. Kuvvet was taken off guard as the rock -now in pieces- hurtled toward him. He involuntarily created a barrier of red, deflecting the larger pieces. He then lowered the shield, looking at the entrance to find a very annoyed and very strong Rainbow Dash. The red stripes in her mane and tail were glowing brightly. she began walking slowly "Alright, "Kuvvet", just what the HAY is the big idea with you trying to crush me?!" Dash yelled. Her voice was far louder in the enclosed space, but both were too out of it to notice. Panting, Kuvvet rose to his hooves again. "I'm impressed... You used your bare hooves to crush solid granite. Not even Star Prism could do that his first ti--" "Can it, "Mr. Red," Either you tell me what happened to Scootaloo or I'll do what I did to that rock to your face!" Kuvvet flinched slightly at the threat, before letting a smile of challenge cross his muzzle. He was hatching a plan to truly bring out her inner strength. "What did we do with whom?" Kuvvet innocently asked. Dash let a snarl escape her lips, eyes boring into Kuvvet with an extreme desire to kill. "Don't act like you don't know who I'm talking about..." Dash spat so hard it shattered a nearby rock. Kuvvet could feel his own power emanating from the prismatic mare... and it was interesting to say the least. "You know, addressing me in that tone of yours will not get you any closer to your answer..." Kuvvet mocked. Dash was practically thinking of many different ways to kill the stallion before her. Her rage at herself for losing Scootaloo and at the ponies responsible for foalnapping her was beginning to climb to unbearable levels. She needed release, and she was about to unleash all of her rage upon Kuvvet's skull. "Oh come now, Rainbow Dash, do you really think your strength can surpass mine?" Kuvvet asked the fuming mare, sharpening her desire. Rainbow Dash simply stomped the floor, creating a crater so large that she had to hover to avoid falling. Several rocks fell from the ceiling, cracking over her head. She simply shrugged off the blows and continued staring at Kuvvet with murder in her eyes. Kuvvet's smile only widened at the little display. "So you're ready then?" He asked, widening his stance and taking off his robe and revealing his hulking muscles. "Let's see what you can do." Dash snapped as her forelock and tail streak of red began pulsing wildly. The Red power of strength coursed through her forelegs, and she blasted from a hover into supersonic flight, straight toward Kuvvet. She reared her left foreleg back, steeling herself for a massive punch to Kuvvet's nose. However, as soon as Dash brought all of her rage forth into her hoof, Kuvvet's horn lit up once again and he lifted his own left hoof catching hers. The force of the collision was so massive that the ground behind Kuvvet's hind legs was blown apart and the wall behind him was caved in so hard, coal formed on the spot. Dash simply remained hovering, mouth agape and her sense of power suddenly dwindled down to that of a filly. "That's...not..possible.." she gasped through labored panting. "I put everything I had into that hit!" She yelled. Kuvvet, still holding Dash's hoof, looked behind him to see the glittering coal now lining the wall. "If all you can make with your strength is a little coal, you really aren't worth my time." Kuvvet deadpanned. He then pushed Dash hard all the way back to the entrance of the tunnel, where her back impaled the rock. "A hint?" Kuvvet called over. Dash mumbled something under her breath as she peeled herself out of her personal indention in the rock face. Ohhhh, good one, Star Prism laughed. "Shut it," Dash commanded. Kuvvet laughed to himself, seeing the raw potential before him. This could get messy... he thought. Dash landed on all fours, undamaged by the collision. She again looked over at Kuvvet, who was standing unmoved in front of the now ebony-black wall. She decided on another attack, still wanting to see the red unicorn in pieces. Knowing she would have to change her tactics, she thought only deception would be the key to a successful, painful attack. "Alright Red, what's your "hint"?" Dash called over, her voice itching with suppressed rage. Kuvvet smiled. "Anger will get you nowhere. The purpose of the Pigment was to protect the innocent, and you just tried to murder an innocent." The amusement radiating from his smile was almost sickening. Dash spat again, this time blowing a hole in the far wall of the massive room. "You call yourself "INNOCENT"?!" Dash roared. "You foalnap my little sister, you ponynap me, you would have KILLED Scootaloo if I hadn't stepped in, I have this random stallion poking around in my head, and NOW YOU'RE saying I'm WEAK!? You're anything BUT innocent!!" Kuvvet's brow furrowed at the accusations. "I take responsibility for the actions of my kin, I am sincerely sorry for Scootaloo's earlier," he cleared his throat, "predicament. I have conversed with Kavrama personally, and I can guarantee that she will not be brought any harm." "Who's this "Kavrama"?" Dash interrupted. "Is that the pony that foalnapped Scoots?! You better hope I don't find her until I see Scootaloo is safe, GOT IT!?" You're so funny when you're angry, you know? Star Prism stated. Oh the drama, it almost burns! "Well, if we're done with the formalities..." Kuvvet stomped the ground, "what do you say we get down to business..." Dash grinned. "Let's." Kuvvet and Dash tore after each other, hitting both pairs of forehooves dead center of the room. The ground erupted underneath the pair, forcing them down into the earth. Kuvvet was holding back a considerable amount of his power, but he needed to teach Rainbow Dash, not kill her. With a short burst of strength, Kuvvet threw Dash into the side of the newly formed crater, sending dust erupting into the air like a concave volcano. Dash coughed, recovering and nailing Kuvvet in the cheek with a hard punch. Kuvvet couldn't feel any trace of his magic in the blow, indicating that Dash was still hot with rage. He needed to defuse the ticking time bomb he was exchanging blows with before her mind was consumed by hatred. Recovering from the blow like it was nothing, Kuvvet grabbed her foreleg, and put it into a lock. He then used his hind leg to pin her wings to her sides and the position was rather... compromising. Dash struggled in vain to get Kuvvet off of her, cursing loudly and flailing her unpinned legs. "Rainbow Dash, you must listen to me! The Pigment is directly affected by the emotions of the wielder. The rage you're feeling right now is affecting your ability to control your power!" Dash stopped flailing, straining to lift her head from the dirt and look at her captor. "You must let go of your anger if you are to pass this test, and you will be able to control the power within at will!" Dash considered for a moment, attempting to let go of the anger that bound her. She relaxed, physically softening under Kuvvet's weight. The Red Mage released her and jumped from the crater, watching as Dash's breathing slowly returned to normal. He could feel a small glimmer of his power beginning to surface, as Dash carefully converted her anger to sheer determination. The red in her tail and forelock began glowing slightly, before exploding in a bright flash to a constant radiant glow. Dash could feel the emotions flowing away as she picked herself up, and she noticed her mane was glowing fiercely. She turned, locking her gaze with a proudly smiling Kuvvet. Dash felt like she could take her new found power further, and decided to test it. With a menacing smile of confidence, Rainbow Dash lunged at Kuvvet; his expression changing from admiration to dead fear. Kuvvet barely had time to use his own power before accepting the blow Rainbow Dash had wanted to give him since arriving, and instead of being ripped apart, the Mage of Strength was sent careening into the coal-lined crater. Kuvvet's impact was nothing short of devastating, sending him deep into the rock. When Dash exited the crater, she looked into the hole he had created, seeing a bright orange glow lining the entirety of the "tunnel". Unbeknownst to her, Kuvvet's impact was so powerful that the friction had superheated the coal, and his body had compressed it into a massive diamond in the shape of his toned back. Rarity would have died from astonishment right then and there. A faint grunt echoed through the tunnel as Kuvvet regained his composure. "Most impressive, Rainbow Dash... Most... Impressive." Dash couldn't help but feel a sensation of pride. As she did, the red in her mane and tail returned to its normal glossy sheen. Kuvvet was walking back through the tunnel, carrying something on his back. His face and horn seemed to be carving through the rock as he walked. Dash could see a small trickle of blood from his lip as he neared the entrance, and he simply walked carved through the rock, jumping down. The diamond he was carrying was easily worth a few million bits. "Congratulations, Rainbow Dash, you just used my back to make your first diamond." Dash's mouth was agape as Kuvvet slid the back-shaped diamond off his back and onto the ground with a loud thud. "That's...mine?!" She stammered. "Yes, and you've effectively mastered my teachings..." Kuvvet trailed off, preparing himself for one final blow. This blow would be the deciding factor, determining if Dash actually had his teachings down. Without warning, Kuvvet reared his right hoof back, let his power come forth at maximum, and let fly a mighty punch. Dash caught his hoof; her mane again glowing brightly along the red seams. Again, the pressure between their hooves caused the ground to crater and crack beneath them, but this time, neither adversary moved so much as a millimeter. Kuvvet was truly putting everything he had into this battle, but Rainbow Dash simply smiled and put out just as much power as he did. She was ready to move on. Between the two, the pressure was only increasing as they pushed harder and harder, forcing the ground below to warp and crack. Kuvvet began breathing heavily as his horn began to pulse brighter. "What's wrong Red? You look like you're having trouble keeping up." Dash whispered. Kuvvet lowered his head, blasting a bolt of red into the ground between them which was still being forced together with their combined strength. The ground began to twist into a spiraling whirlpool of glowing red and dirt. Kuvvet's horn lit up in a blinding red flash- the sign he was laying the last of his strength down on the proverbial table. "I...am not finished...yet!" Kuvvet followed his words with a final massive push that sent Rainbow Dash sliding backwards into the side of the crater. Dash's surprise turned to awe as she looked past Kuvvet, resting her view on the spiraling earthen disturbance. "If... you cannot keep... our combined strength over... that... this entire place will come crashing down... and NO amount of strength will be able to keep those rocks from... crushing us BOTH." Dash's expression changed from awe to horror over the time it took Kuvvet to utter those strained words. Behind him, the spiral was becoming more and more unstable, spreading out and covering a larger portion of the still growing crater. The walls began to shake as the disturbance widened further. Dash realized she was still being held back, and the clock was ticking. "You're insane!" She yelled, returning her gaze to match Kuvvet's. "On the... contrary... your inability to... defeat me is.. INSANE!" He pushed even harder, maxing out his strength. Dash's face contorted with strain as the red in her mane began to fade slightly. "What's the matter... Rainbow Dash? Is my power exceeding yours?! Will you let yourself die tonight... all... because of your own... failure?! That was it. Rainbow Dash was NOT called a failure by ANYpony. The red in her mane again flared as cracks began protruding from the spiraling hole in the ground. She regained her composure, pushing back with all her might. "You might wanna..." Dash was finally gaining ground, pushing Kuvvet's hind hooves over the disturbance, "Brace yourself!" Kuvvet had finally reached his limit. No matter how hard he tried, no matter how much he had trained in the past, no matter HOW much power he had inside, Rainbow Dash was finally overwhelming him. He smiled a little inside, knowing full well he had accepted his defeat, and needed to inform her of the awaiting trials... and the gem. "You thinkin' about... rrg... losing yet?!" Dash yelled. Kuvvet closed his eyes and let a smile cross his muzzle. Dash continued pushing, now holding Kuvvet's forehooves firmly over the disturbance. The resulting pressure radiating from their combined power was containing the eminent death bearing cyclone beneath them. In fact, it seemed to be condensing back to its point of summons. "You are doing it... Rainbow Dash..." Kuvvet opened his eyes to see the spiraling red begin to rotate faster as it was drawn into a single point. The point grew into a small, crystalline rock, and that was when Kuvvet began fading. Dash could feel Kuvvet's hooves losing strength, and she opened her eyes to see him smiling and fading. The area had ceased its rumbling and rocks had stopped falling. Everything was quiet save for the shimmering mage in front of her. She released her hold on his hooves, falling weakly to the floor of the crater. Her blurring vision fixed on a small red gem, pulsing with a red light. "Congratulations Rainbow Dash, you have proven that your power of inner strength far exceeds my own. You have proven that you can draw from this power using the mindset it was intended for: Determination. You have passed the Red Trial." Dash's eyes fluttered for a moment, trying to hold on to consciousness in order to hear what Kuvvet had to say. "Be warned, four more trials await, and they will be just as challenging as mine. I wish you the best of luck." Kuvvet's voice was growing more ghostly as he faded halfway. "Before I go... I must mention the gems. Each trial's reward harbors a gem that when acquired, will unlock full access to the specific power of the color it represents." Dash looked up at Kuvvet, smiling dumbly and reaching a weak hoof over to the waiting gem. She touched it, and it flashed wildly before flooding her mind with the information she required to use the power at will. Before Dash finally gave in to her weakness, a thought crossed her dimming mind as Kuvvet smiled and disappeared completely: What happened to the green gem? Before she could figure anything else out, sleep wrapped itself around her like a warm blanket, gently removing her from consciousness.