The Celestial Trials: Yellow
Silence. Everything surrounding Rainbow Dash felt like something out of a serene cinema as she lay there, sound asleep. She was aware she was sleeping, feeling the energy slowly but surely returning to her muscles and revitalizing her being. Truthfully, it was the best sleep of her life.
Unfortunately, the trials that were still awaiting completion were finding a way past her mental barrier of serenity, forcing her from any more restful sleep. She thought of Scootaloo… how she wasn’t there to protect her from her captors… how she wasn’t there for her now. She must be so scared right now, wherever she is…
---
A bright red flash filled another seemingly empty room as the sleeping Rainbow Dash appeared from nowhere. She merely stirred slightly, curling up into her normal sleeping position. The area’s only other occupant let a bright smile crack his muzzle as he walked over to her. He bent down, removing his gilded golden hood. He reached out a hoof to wake her, when a sinister idea popped into his mind. Let’s have a little fun…
“PRIVATE DASH!!” he screamed.
In a panic, Rainbow shot into the air, torn from her peaceful sleep into an uneasy position of attention. Her heart was beating at a pace only known to her, for any other pony’s would have given out.
“Sleeping on the job Newbie?! I oughta have you court martialed!!”
Dash’s heart suddenly returned to normal… and so did her frazzled mind. That isn’t Spitfire, she thought. Her vision focused to see a yellow adorned unicorn stallion, just taller than her, standing there with a playful look on his face. His face carried the features of a colt, the only thing separating him from colt status being a bit of peach fuzz in his upper lip.
“Mahiri, right?” Dash deadpanned.
“Aw c’mon Dashie, you say my name like it was a pile of salt on your tongue! Say it with feeling! With gusteau!” he commanded playfully, puffing out his armor plated chest.
“Don’t call me “Dashie” first of all,” Dash said, walking forward and forcing Mahiri backwards. “And get out of my face. You woke me up… and everypony who’s anypony knows I don’t like it when ponies interrupt. My. Sleep.”
Mahiri continued smiling, his horn lighting up. Before Dash could say anything else, a zipper manifested itself on her lips with a yellow flash, and Mahiri used his hoof to seal it from her left to right.
Dash’s facial expression could level a small building from the sheer unamusement. This yellow adorned stallion (she thought he was a stallion, but judging by his attitude he might as well have been a small colt) had just zipped her mouth shut as if she was some cartoon character who was talking too much. The red in her mane and tail lit up brightly as she stared at Mahiri, the ground beneath beginning to crack under the mental strength she was effortlessly applying. Taking the hint, Mahiri dispelled the zipper, soon wishing he didn’t.
“WHAT THE HAY WAS THAT?!” Dash yelled in anger. “I swear to Celestia, if you do that again, I’ll smash your head like a watermelon! Got it?!
The Yellow Mage nearly burst into laughter at her empty threat. He only succeeded in keeping quiet by performing the same spell on himself. Seeing the zipper from the other side somehow made Dash a little less angry, and a little chuckle escaped before returning to a rigid scowl. Mahiri caught her suppressed chuckle and raised a happily amused eyebrow. He began to speak, but only succeeded in letting a few inaudible mumbles escape due to the zipper. This finally sent Dash over the edge, making her burst into laughter.
Dash was feeling better than she had all night at the present time. She had a hunch that Mahiri was simply trying to lighten the mood, seeing as though the last two trials had been very stressful and tiresome. From his shenanigans, it seemed to be working. Mahiri unzipped his lips, able to smile again.
“You see? Any and all stress can be alleviated with a simple laugh. Tell me, how do you feel now?”
Dash’s laughter had reduced to a light chuckle, and she smiled slightly. “A little better, thanks.”
“Good,” Mahiri cooed, “quick, what’s your favorite color?!”
Dash furrowed her brow again, trying to see the logic in the sudden question.
“Uh…”
“Time’s up!” Mahiri interrupted. “It should be obvious! Yellow is the best color!”
Dash crinkled her nose, knowing full well that her true favorite color was--
“Think fast!”
A flash of light caught her eye as Mahiri flung a metal object at her from point blank range. It was impossible to dodge, but it seemed to miss anyway, striking the ground and skidding with a shower of sparks across the concrete floor.
Dash’s eyes were wide as Mahiri stood in his throwing posture, a twinge of uncertainty lining his painted smile.
“When I said, “think fast,” I didn’t mean about your next monologue…” Mahiri smirked.
Dash’s vision suddenly began to swim slightly, accompanied by a harrowing sense of disorientation. She could feel a warm trickle down her right cheek as the dark room began to seem lighter… then darker… and lighter again.
“Uh, Dashie?” Mahiri asked, clearly worried. “You alright?”
Dash began losing focus, swaying to and fro, her wings involuntarily extending to maintain her crumbling balance.
“Don’t… call me… Dashieeeeee……” she slurred, falling flat on her muzzle, then onto her side.
Mahiri facehoofed, mentally scolding himself for throwing a poisoned kunai. He then looked down to the paralyzed mare, unsure of what to do. The poison was a neurotoxin used by griffon hunters of olden times. It usually took down a full grown elephant with ease.
Boy, those Curare plants sure do the trick eh? Better give her the antidote before she can’t breathe.
Using his magic, he brought a small syringe-type vial of clear liquid and injected Dash just under the shoulder blade. Her eyes focused from their crossed state, and the room finally came to a standstill as the antidote took effect. She inhaled deeply and slowly rose to her hooves with the aid of her wings for balance. She focused on Mahiri, positively livid.
“Hey! What the hay was that!?” she shakily yelled, panting.
She wiped her cheek with her left hoof, causing her to lose her balance and fall partially to her side. She took a good look at her hoof, seeing it was slick with blood.
“What did you hit me with?!”
Mahiri flinched before shrugging and putting away the syringe under his armor. “It might have probably been a sorta, kinda, maybe poisoned kunai?” he hesitated.
Dash was almost beside herself, feeling the rage and the Red Power begin to stir. Her mane and tail’s red stripe began to shine, and the ground beneath began to shake and crack. The thought of a scar on her cheek was more than her already fragile patience could bear, and she rushed at Mahiri as fast as she could.
Seeing this, the Yellow Mage smiled a little, gracefully stepping aside the train of anger that was Rainbow Dash. He then flicked his head, creating a magical wall of yellow in front of her. Unable to dodge, she flew face first into the wall, cracking it like a pane of glass and sliding down to her belly, heavily disoriented. The red in her mane died down again, as she was in too much pain to focus on her power. Her cheek throbbed with a heavy sting and on her forehead rested a large bump that resembled an enormous mosquito bite.
“I’ll get you for that,” Dash groaned, much to Mahiri’s amusement.
“That’s the spirit Dashie. Now, come get me,” he taunted, lowering into a position that would make a dog want to play.
The wall holding Dash partially up fizzled out, making her fall onto her chin. Dash’s bemusement level was already in the negative, and she shot to her hooves, having gained all sense of balance and coordination back. She turned to see Mahiri still in his playful pose, taunting her with a hoof to come get him. Wanting nothing more to oblige, she again lunged for him, only to barely see him step out of the way again to meet another wall of yellow. This time she was able to stop herself a little better than last time, and she hit the barrier with both forehooves, shattering it.
Still trying not to laugh, Mahiri’s position hadn’t changed as far as Dash could see. It was like he moved without moving…
Seriously? Star Prism chimed. When are you going to see that he is just playing you? He knows you will never be able to catch him, and he wants to make the most fun out of it as he can before the Trial is over.
Dash’s only response was a cooling exhale and a light nod.
“So what now?” Dash deadpanned.
You must look for a way around his technique. He moves far faster than anything in this world, and your eyes will never be able to follow his movement unless you see the world as he does with his own power.
“And how exactly do I do that?” Dash asked, knowing Mahiri was getting impatient by his stiffening smile.
Good question.
Dash waited for more information, only to be rewarded with nothing but silence. Star Prism was messing with her. Again.
“Come on now Rainbow Dash, will you not try to pass your Trial? I’ll give you a proclamation. If you can take these,” a pair of small bells materialized with a yellow flash, “you pass. If not, well, at least I’ll have my fun while you try!”
Again the fire of pride was fed by the Yellow Mage’s words. Facing him, Dash steadied for another head-on attack. The last time, Mahiri jumped to the left. If she could follow him…
She leapt, beating her wings once and hard, flying straight toward her target. She reached for the bells, expecting Mahiri to dodge. Instead, he jumped, smoothly cartwheeling over and looking Dash in the eyes the whole time. That same smile of his. It made her furious.
Not wanting to fail again, Rainbow halted her mad dash just in front of the yellow wall that appeared in front of her and she used her new power of strength to push upward, following Mahiri expertly. Mmm, she’s learning, Mahiri thought as Dash tore after him. Faster than Dash could see, Mahiri’s magic sparked to life, creating a small yellow plate of magic that he used to land on and push off in a different direction. This was the secret to his uncanny maneuverability.
To Dash’s eyes, only a quick flash of yellow and a golden blur of Mahiri disappearing crossed them. She whirled, seeing the blur become whole again about twenty yards away. Mahiri bent his armored foreleg toward himself, egging Dash on.
You know, this is getting you nowhere, Star Prism deadpanned. I said, think like he does…
Dash considered his words and immediately thought of a certain pink mare. All those times she had been there when she had flown far and wide to get away, it was like Pinkie was predicting her own moves before she even knew where she was going.
Guess you aren’t as dumb as you made yourself out to be all those years… Star Prism trailed off.
You’re lucky I can’t see you right now, Dash growled inwardly.
“What are you waiting for, Dashie?” Mahiri called.
He had conjured a cup of steaming liquid and the plate of magic was now a large armchair. Dash could swear she saw a monocle.
“Gimme a sec, Yellow Snow,” she sneered back.
Mahiri crinkled his nose and took a sip of his beverage before promptly tossing it away in a fizzle of yellow magic. “A comedian eh? I like that! Tell another joke!”
Dash’s own nose crinkled, hating seeing Mahiri so relaxed and nonchalant about the ordeal taking place. As much as she wanted to pound his teeth down his throat, she knew she couldn’t, let alone catch him. Yet.
What would Pinkie do? Star Prism suddenly asked.
You mean besides hopping around and throwing parties? How the hay should I know? Dash answered.
Her tone carried a bit more ice than she had meant to give, but given her current predicament, nopony could blame her. After all, if there was one word to describe Mahiri’s “Trial”, it was frustration.
“Hello over there?” Mahiri called. He was now wearing a shimmering yellow top hat.
“Do you take anything seriously?!” Dash yelled, trying not to laugh from the ridiculous costume over his existing armor.
“Oh come on Dashie, you know what they say…”
“No I don’t,” she interrupted.
Mahiri chuckled a bit before dispelling the magical garments and armchair. “They say, “too much stress can lead to the inability to think… and the inability to think in the heat of battle could get you killed.””
Mahiri’s tone was taking a rather unpleasant dive from cheerful to serious as he spoke, the magic from his horn pulsating rapidly and the room becoming rather cold. Dash could see her breath.
“Wha- What’s going on,” Dash fearfully asked, taking note of the air becoming foggy.
“What?” Mahiri asked. “Did you think this was going to be an easy Trial just because I don’t act as though the world depends on you passing?”
That was rhetorical, Star prism cut in. It actually does.
“I am not like the others. Agility does not come naturally. It is a skill that must be mastered through years of focus and intense training. What you’re about to learn took me over two hundred years to master. You will learn it in five minutes.”
Dash’s eyes widened, taking in what Mahiri had just said. TWO hundred years?! That’s impossible! He looks younger than me!
Appearances can be deceiving, Rainbow Dash. I’d pay attention, he looks ready to-
Again, Mahiri let fly a kunai, striking Dash’s left shoulder. Yet again it missed, only the very edge slicing into her skin. It embedded in a shimmering yellow wall; a drop of blood hanging from the blade’s edge.
-Attack…
Dash reeled from her hovering position, holding her shoulder with her right hoof and glaring at Mahiri.
Okay Star Prism, that’s the last time I’m gonna take a hit from this guy. Tell me how to kick his flank so I can get outta here!” she yelled inwardly.
“You sure like those knives don’t you!” she yelled. “Why don’t you put those away and fight like a stallion?!”
Mahiri’s face of stone didn’t express any emotion or acknowledgement of Dash’s request. He simply reached for another kunai. Dash had enough. Her thoughts again went back to Pinkie, trying to strangle her memories for any hint to her strange abilities. She tapped into any memories she could muster; and they amounted to quite a bit.
“I won’t be hit again by those knives!” she called over, her right hoof slick with the blood from her shoulder.
“We’ll see,” Mahiri called back, holding four more kunai in his magical grip.
Mahiri is used to his adversaries staying still while he attacks. If you haven’t noticed, you’ve been still the whole time. He’s trying to get you to move. So move!
As if on cue, another knife launched from the aura of yellow, whistling through the air straight at Dash’s chest. If the she didn’t move, this one would impale her. Acting on instinct, Dash flapped as hard as she could, with the Red power adding to the force. She felt and heard the dull scrape off the kunai as is glanced off the very tip of her left hind hoof. She could hear the knife skidding along the ground as it passed.
“Alright Rainbow, just predict his moves, easy enough… right?” she said to herself.
Easier said than done, Dash.
“Do you HAVE to have something to say every time I do?!” she yelled, causing Mahiri to tilt his head in confusion.
“Talking to your imaginary coltfriend over there, are we?” Mahiri called, taking something from his armor and snickering.
If Dash had learned anything about Mahiri, it would be his deadly accuracy and lack of seriousness. Not to mention his every intention of killing her.
Dash eyed Mahiri carefully, waiting for a sudden move or flash of yellow. He seemed to still be digging through his armor, looking for something. Probably something sharp, she thought. She hovered in place, thinking of a way to get to the bells. She had just barely seen how he’d avoided her last time, creating a magical plate and using it to jump in a different direction. If she was to follow that type of maneuverability, she would need magic of her own.
One of the many perks about carrying the Pigment, is that each and every one of the powers of the mages are at your disposal. As you may have guessed, the only way you were able to outmatch Kuvvet was by using his own power along with your own. All you have to do is find out how to unlock and control them.
I already know that! But how do I do it? Dash snapped back.
Good question, but I’m not you, so I can’t answer that.
Just wait until all this is over… Dash threatened.
If you would just calm down and think things through, we’d already be finished.
Dash’s mind reeled as it came to a sudden realization. The reason she couldn’t keep up and land blows wasn’t because she wasn’t fast enough, it was because she was too eager and extremely impulsive. Through this realization, she could feel herself relaxing, and regaining control over her body and mind. She saw what to do.
Finally…
Dash ignored him, focusing on Mahiri who had seemingly found what he was looking for. A small piece of parchment with strange symbols inscribed onto the yellow surface.
“This should make things more interesting!” he called over.
Run. Now.
“What, why--” Dash asked before Mahiri tossed the paper over his shoulder and disappeared in a flash of yellow.
Dash saw a glimmer of yellow and felt a puff of air hit her back, and she whirled to see Mahiri floating right there, with forehoof reeled back as if to hit her.
“Hey, wha--”
Mahiri brought his hoof forward, hitting Dash square in the stomach and sending her flying in the direction of the strange paper.
Dash had never been hit so hard in her entire life. Her stomach felt like a railroad spike had been hammered into it. She could taste a slight tinge of blood in her throat, and she was still flying toward the mysterious piece of parchment.
Dash, I’d advise you to change your current trajectory. NOW.
As much as Dash wanted to, the pain in her stomach was keeping her from doing anything. She kept flying, opening her eyes to see Mahiri furthering in distance and holding a hoof over his eyes. He had essentially used her as a golf ball.
As she was flying and going down, she could hear a sizzling sound behind her. She strained to look behind, to see a faint fire glowing on the ground.
Mahiri watched as Dash didn’t pull out of her fall, and he knew the paper bomb would blow her to pieces if it exploded near her. He knew her time was running out.
Not wanting to see if she was going to be turned to gazpacho, Mahiri snapped into action, zigzagging through the air using his magical plates. He nearly broke the sound barrier in his dash, using a concussive blast to slow himself to avoid a painful collision.
Dash was still flying backwards, extending her wings to act as an air brake. It was then she was violently grabbed and flung to the side. Mahiri immediately covered himself in a protective ball of shimmering yellow, literally taking the blast head-on. To any other pony, the blast would have seemed impossible without magic. The ‘simple’ piece of parchment somehow exploded into a towering fireball at least fifty feet high, blowing Dash even farther than Mahiri had thrown her. The concussion nearly made her throw up, and the impact with another yellow plate to her belly finally made it happen.
She retched, sliding off the plate and falling hard onto her butt. She then fell to her side, sputtering and choking on the bile. She was still confused as to what had happened, but her anger was rising as was her will to fight. Her shaken mind then returned to Star Prism’s words… If you’d calm down and think things through, we’d be done already…
Dash wiped her mouth, spitting out as much of the tainted saliva as possible, leaving her mouth quite dry. She sat up, wincing through the pain in her stomach. Her gaze settled on the massive cloud of dust and falling debris about fifty yards away, and she could make out a glow of yellow within the darkness.
It wasn’t until then that she truly recognized the size, or lack thereof, the room actually was. She looked around slightly, noticing that there were essentially no walls, but darkness in every direction, including up. Somehow, this space was lit with an unseen, dull light.
She began walking toward Mahiri, weary of any sudden attacks. She saw him as the dust settled, huddled in a ball near the epicenter of the crater. He uncurled, standing and turning to Dash, smiling again.
“You’re welcome!” he chirped.
Dash was torn between feelings of hate and thanks as she knew he had saved her from his successful attempt to kill her.
“You really expect me to thank you after you nearly killed me? But OH, its okay because “I changed my mind at the last second?!”” Dash yelled in protest to Mahiri’s self desired thanks.
Mahiri lowered his ears, plastering them against his helmet. Unsure of what to say, he seemed to mumble to himself.
“That’s it, I’m ending this now,” Dash calmly said.
Mahiri raised a brow, surprised at Dash’s sudden confidence.
Ok, calm down, let the stress melt away…
Dash sat on her haunches, slowing her breathing and feeling her pulse slowly begin to decelerate. She kept one eye slightly open to keep track of the Yellow Mage. To her surprise, Mahiri also sat, removing his helmet to reveal his yellow highlighted mane. Again, the yellow highlight’s position matched her own, right down the left side of his forelock. So Dash sat, trying to releive the stress from her mind and focusing on what to do next.
You’re almost there. Now you must find Mahiri’s power inside of yourself. Once you do, you must learn to focus it into reality. Remember, the power is there, but you must project it using your own will.
Dash nodded inwardly, and proceeded to look inward for the Yellow power of agility.
Wandering the mind isn’t as easy as one might think. One must first get past the illusion of self limitation. Things your brain doesn’t see as possible, are indeed doable. Such as being a separate being inside of your own mind. For reasons unknown to her, it was anything but hard. She’d never done this before, and it was beginning to creep her out.
“Well, you had me worried for awhile there,” a voice said.
Dash turned herself in the void to see Star Prism, lying on his back with wings extended and forelegs crossed behind his head. His dark blue mane slithered in an unseen and unfelt breeze as he floated, eyes closed with a smile on his muzzle.
Dash, whatever she was, looked around in the starry void. It was like looking through a camera into the night sky, but the sky was everywhere. It almost made her sick with the floating feeling.
“Do you know where we are?” he asked without moving his mouth.
Dash tried to speak, but nothing came forth.
“Why can’t I talk?!” she yelled in her mind.
The resulting boom in voice rocked Star Prism, and his smile dimmed a bit.
“Not so loud,” he commanded.
Again, his mouth didn’t move. Dash took the hint, using her thoughts to communicate.
“Ok, I have a psychotic unicorn that’s trying to kill me, and I’m stuck in here. Let’s make this quick, huh?” Dash quickly thought.
Star Prism rose to his hooves, standing on nothing. He then approached Dash’s ghost-like form.
“Think of your body. Imagine yourself here.”
Dash did what she was told, visualizing her own body as if it were in a mirror. She could feel herself begin to materialize, starting from the bottom of her hooves, to her belly, to her mane and tail, then finally the top of her ears could be felt.
“Okay, I never want to do that again,” she thought, resisting the urge to vomit.
“Yeah,” Star Prism thought. “It’s always like that the first time. Now, about your current… situation. Mahiri is a master at what he does because he is calm, efficient, and extremely accurate.”
“And?” Dash interrupted.
“And all of those traits come hoof in hoof. For example. He cannot be accurate without being calm and collected. If he were to lose his cool, his moves would become more sporadic, rather than controlled. As such, the likelihood of him hitting his target, namely you, at that speed drops drastically.”
Dash pondered his words.
“So all I gotta do is piss him off? Sounds easy enough.”
“No Dash, it isn’t that simple. Angering him would release his full power. At which point, if you are not in tune with the same power, he can and will kill you.”
Dash shuddered a little, remembering what Kuvvet was like at his peak. She imagined what Mahiri would be like, having the speed at which he moved now doubled or even tripled spelling certain doom for her.
“So what now, Sherlock? Do I keep getting my flank kicked and playing mare in distress while he has his fun?”
Star Prism scoffed.
“Since when did Rainbow Dash, the greatest flyer in Equestria, let anypony push her around? If you really want to beat him, the power to do so is inside you, waiting to be wielded.”
Star Prism floated over to Dash, looking into her eyes. He tapped on her forehead, smiling.
“All you have to do is find it.”
Dash was in a sort of daze, those yellow irises almost hypnotizing her. She had seen handsome stallions before, but Star Prism’s sterling white coat and feathers really knocked her for a loop. The starry sky began to turn from black to a shade of evening purple as Dash stood there, mesmerized.
“Dash?” Star Prism asked, waving a hoof in front of her face. “Dash? C’mon, snap out of it,” he insisted, a deep blush shining fiercely under his white coat.
“Huh? Oh, right,” Dash stuttered, quickly looking around.
Star Prism smiled before fading into the now black sky. Dash turned back to see him gone, and she began wandering the vast expanse of her own mind.
-~-~-~-~-
Mahiri paced around Dash’s body, waiting for her to do something. She had been laying there for a good five minutes, allowing a small puddle of drool to form around her left cheek. Her eyes were half lidded and dull, seemingly lifeless. However, the occasional obnoxiously loud snore snuffed out any thoughts that death had found her.
He conjured up a shimmering yellow chair and sat down, taking off his helmet to reveal his navy blue mane with a single bright yellow streak down the forelock. His bright yellow armor began to shimmer and disappear, revealing his bright golden coat.
He turned, examining his cutie mark. In his thousand year slumber, he hadn’t seen it, and he was itching to catch up on older memories. The mark was comprised of a trio of black fading triangles in a triangular fixation, as though they were following each other at a dizzying speed orbiting around the Six’s insignia. On the insignia, one of the portions was a bright yellow, while the other colors remained dull and lifeless.
A stir from Rainbow Dash caught his eye, drawing his attention away from his flank. The sudden change in position made him wonder just what was going on in that head of her's…
-~-~-~-~-~-~-
“WAAAAAAHHH!!!” Dash screamed as several massive twisters chased her through the emptiness.
She had been thinking about all the bad weather scenarios as she was searching for Star Prism’s “solution”, and every one of her bad thoughts had come to life. Massive thunder clouds and hail storms chased her all around until Star Prism, once again, showed up and extended his wing, clotheslining Dash. The weather anomalies seemed to vanish as her focus was painfully torn away.
“Having fun?” he cheekily asked.
“Shut up,” she groggily said back. “What the hay is going on?! My past weather disasters are chasing me like rabid dogs!”
Star Prism simply smiled and extended his wing, offering her to take it. She grasped his wing with her's, hoisting herself up. It was then she noticed she was standing on nothing. The floor resembled the sky, dark as twilight with an endless sheen of stars.
“Now that I look at it, it's pretty awesome,” Dash whispered.
“Unfortunately, now is not the time for sightseeing, Rainbow Dash. There is still Mahiri and the other three Celestials to deal with. I am here to offer my final trinket of advice before I must not interfere any further.”
Dash gave a look of confusion, before nodding.
“Do you remember the insignia Kuvvet had placed on your shoulder?”
Rainbow looked to her left shoulder, seeing the tattoo-like symbol pulsing slightly within the red portion.
Dash again nodded.
“That insignia isn’t just a fashion statement. It is quite literally a gauge for your current magical potential. It is in tune with what you have learned and unlocked.”
Dash examined the hexagon carefully, seeing that it was neither on her coat, or the underlying skin. It was simply hovering as though a magnet was under her skin. The red portion was glowing decently bright.
“So I’m guessing I pretty much have Kuvvet’s “skill” down?” Dash asked.
Star Prism grinned, and shook his head. “Far from it. Brute force alone is not enough to win a fight. it also takes strength of mind and an unbreakable spirit. Two things you have yet to obtain, Rainbow Dash."
Dash blew a portion of her forelock in annoyance, clearly remembering how she had beaten Kuvvet with a single, massive push.
“Seemed like more than enough to me,” Dash retorted. “Plus I got a giant diamond that’s gonna blow my 401K out of the water.”
Star Prism’s face turned emotionless as Dash’s comprehension showed no signs of enlightenment.
“Even in your own mind, you still cannot locate the truth,” he sighed.
“Not like you’re doing a lot to help either, Prism.”
Shrugging off her remark, Star Prism again motioned toward the insignia on her shoulder.
“As I was saying, the insignia on your shoulder is attuned with your spiritual energy. Each of the Celestial Mages’ powers are available to you upon dire need, or simple request.”
Dash opened her mouth to speak, but Star Prism held up a hoof to quickly silence her.
“What happened earlier was not your doing. Your thirst for revenge on Velocita had activated the safeguard within the Pigment. Remember, it was created to serve the ponies of Equestria, not harm them. What happened earlier, to put it mildly, was a test. The Pigment sensed the feelings that you were experiencing, and saw an opportunity to escape and usurp your control.”
Dash was sitting on her haunches, listening intently.
“Had you not remained loyal to your friends, the Element of Loyalty would have never appeared and sealed the power inside.”
“But what if I had abandoned them?” Dash asked, her curiosity boiling.
Star Prism looked away and grimaced. “Nothing you should know, Rainbow Dash. You passed, and that’s what matters.”
Dash sulked a little, her curiosity not as answered as she’d hoped. Star Prism looked around at the starry sky and ground, thinking.
“Now, about Mahiri. What did he do for you when you first met him?”
Dash thought for a moment, images of their meeting from her own point of view conjuring from seemingly nowhere. The images displayed themselves on a sort of screen with no definite shape. She recalled how Mahiri had attempted to calm her during their first meeting. How he had used simple hilarity to nearly put an end to her unpleasant feelings. She realized that if she remained calm, she could think far straighter and more accurately than when she was riled up and anxious. She had always known this, but in these situations, it was nearly impossible to keep calm and remain focused.
Dash’s eyes went wide as the realization set it. That was his secret.
“So Mahiri is always calm? That’s his secret?” Dash asked.
Star Prism nodded and smirked a little. “Yes, he is… difficult to anger. But the mastery of his inner peace is what allows him to access the power of Agility. As you probably know by now, that is what you have to master in order to gain access to the power to defeat Mahiri.”
Star Prism nodded as Rainbow Dash stood, beginning to look around for a way to return to the fight. Dash looked around a little before flaring her wings in annoyance.
“How do I get ba--”
Star Prism had walked over and used the leading edge of his wing to hit Dash over the head. She stumbled, her mind reeling as she shakily turned to him. The world began to shake and ripple as Dash’s mind began to shut down. Her final action as she lost balance and fell was a small grin of thanks as the floor became transparent. She fell head first, looking up as her body began to dissolve.
Silence.
Mahiri looked up from his cutie mark as a fidget from Dash caught his attention. He stood, popping his neck and walking over Dash. He smiled as her eyes opened slightly, and reached out to take her hoof and help her up.
“How was your little trip?” Mahiri asked.
“N-not bad,” Dash slurred.
Dash took Mahiri’s hoof, hoisting herself up. A sudden ringing in her ears forced them down, and her nose crinkled as her jaw clamped shut. A massive headache ripped through her forehead and down into her neck. She stumbled, but Mahiri was there to hold her up.
“Wha- what’s going on?” Dash asked, partially deaf to her question.
Mahiri smirked a little.
“The side effects of entering one’s own mind- and especially for staying that long- are painful, huh?” he chuckled.
“You know, I’ve heard something like that bef--”
The headache seemed to intensify as Dash regained her balance.
“Can I make this migraine stop?!” Dash asked, or rather yelled, through gritted teeth.
Mahiri had already begun sifting through his armor for the poisoned kunai. The Curare-coated blade would be enough to stop the pain, but any overdose into the bloodstream would prove fatal. He found what he was looking for and took the handle in his magical grip.
“This might sting a little,” Mahiri said as he lined the blade up to pierce Dash’s shoulder.
Dash flinched a little as he poked her, just enough to draw a bead of dark red. Dash’s muscles began to unclench as the small amount of poison began doing its work. Her head soon began to even out, the pounding pain ceasing and her vision returning to normal.
“I-I didn’t know you to be the medical type…” Dash whispered under the influence of the drug.
Mahiri smiled warmly.
“Well, we couldn't have you fighting as you were, now could we?”
Dash’s face relaxed, knowing her trial had yet to be completed. She struggled to stand, the poison having not yet run its course.
“Dash,” Mahiri cooed, “You must wait for the poison to wear off before you can fight. Believe me, you won’t be able to complete the trial with that running through your veins.
Dash scoffed.
“Try me,” she growled.
She managed to stand, wobbly at first, but she gained a solid stance. She thought back to what Star Prism had said, and she relaxed to her fullest extent. Mahiri watched as Rainbow Dash had overridden the small amount of potent poison, standing straight. The fact she didn’t collapse onto her muzzle was a surprise in and of itself. Unknown to Dash, Mahiri had readied another syringe of the antidote, but he had replaced it within the confines of the armor after she managed to stand. He knew she had won that battle.
“So what now?” Dash asked, feeling the effects of the poison beginning to taper off.
Mahiri materialized the bells again, hooking the shimmering yellow noisemakers to his armored belt.
“Come get them,” Mahiri called as he darted away, leaving a cloud of dust in Dash’s face.
Dash immediately held her breath and began counting. The poison had all but vanished from her body, releasing its hold on her muscles. The difficulty she was experiencing while breathing had ceased. Now she only needed to get her mind under control so she could wield the power necessary to win this.
She focused on remaining calm, feeling her muscles tense and relax in a smooth rhythm. She could feel something begin to spark within her, something she had experienced only once since she got here: the feeling of inner peace. Her fears and abject feelings all washed away from her mind as she relaxed, allowing a more keen aspect of her surroundings to replace them. She could feel each individual muscle flexing and unflexing, each breath entering and exiting her lungs. She could hear every sound, every whisper of life within the dark space that surrounded them. The familiar tingle of the power awakening tickled her mane and tail as the yellow stripes lit up.
Mahiri braced as he watched, knowing that she would easily be on par with his own moves if she sustained the power. Dash opened her eyes, the ring of cerise encircled in a ring of gold. Her gaze landed on Mahiri with a cold force of pure, absolute control. He knew this was going to be fun.
“Well, it would seem you found out how to control my little piece of the Spectrum,” Mahiri laughed.
Dash looked at herself, marveling at the clearness of her view. She was encircled by an sheen of thin yellow light, rising from the floor in a circle around her. From what she could see, her own muscles were giving off a sort of signature, following the nerve impulses that directed each individual muscle to move. This was what it was like to read other’s moves before they even made them. The true secret behind the art of Agility.
She looked up from her legs back to Mahiri, seeing a system of nerve impulses from his head to his limbs. He turned slightly to the left, revealing a massive channel of nerves from his inner forehead branching into his horn. She paid no mind to that, focusing on his legs for any sign of attack.
Mahiri knew better than to just rush her this time. In the instant his brain sent the command, Dash would know and come up with a parry. He would have to find a way around his mirror image.
“Hey Dash, think fa--”
Before Mahiri could complete his sentence, Dash had already anticipated his move to go for a kunai, and was now rocketing toward him in a helix style flight. Her speed and trajectory made it nearly impossible for her opponent to line up an accurate throw. Dash was upon him in an instant, bringing her right hind leg to bear on Mahiri’s chest. She had never taken her eyes off of her intended target, and was shocked by what she saw. The light that was the nerve impulses moving through his chest had all at once retreated, leaving nothing but a dark hole where his chest was. She suddenly understood why as she made contact, seeing his facial expression remain the same as he was sent flying.
So he’s blocking the pain by controlling the pathways his nerves take, huh? Pretty cool…
Mahiri righted his back flipping spin, creating a wall of yellow and using it to land hard. The yellow flickered and his hoof fell through for a second before solidifying and supporting his weight. He looked up, seeing Dash standing in his former spot, mane glowing a fierce yellow and the red dying out a little.
“Clever mare, combining the power to create fast…”
A chip of his chest armor fell away, landing loudly on the ground beneath.
“And painful strikes…”
Dash was watching from afar, seeing the bright glow of electricity being passed by Mahiri’s nerves. From this distance, though, the many lights seemed to blend together creating a big grainy blur.
“What are you yammering on about over there, Mahiri?” Dash called, expecting a move to be made.
“Just admiring your blow, Dash.” Mahiri called back.
He levitated the piece of broken armor, tossing it over to Rainbow Dash with several loud clunks. It slid to a halt within reaching distance, and she picked it up, smirking a little.
“I think you dropped something, dude!” she wisecracked, tossing the sliver of armor aside.
Arrogant one, isn’t she? Mahiri thought to himself.
“Looks to me like I can cease to hold back!” Mahiri called, bracing himself for the fight of his life.
Never before had he faced an opponent of Dash’s caliber, that caliber being his own. From his days as Celestia’s personal guard, taking down Equestria’s enemies as easily as he crushed a cockroach, he was always accustomed to being the one on top. Every fight, every drop of blood that surfaced was never his own. But now, looking down to his chest at the slowly forming bruise, he realized something. This was one matchup he could not win.
Mahiri dispelled the barrier keeping him suspended, lightly falling and landing on all fours. He readied himself mentally and as physically as he could for the incoming assault that was bound to happen any second.
Dash was standing there, watching as Mahiri manipulated his nerve pathways like a pegasus foal playing with its cloud blocks. She knew he was attempting to divert the sense of pain away from his limbs and chest. She would have to hit him from behind to inflict the most amount of damage.
Easier said than done, Rainbow Dash…
She blinked in surprise.
When did you get back? Dash asked within her mind.
When did I leave?
Rainbow snorted loudly at Star Prism’s antics while she prepared her assault on Mahiri. She scraped the ground with a forehoof, enticing a loud scraping against the empty, black room. She slowly tensed and relaxed her muscles, flexing her wings and shoulders thoroughly.
Without a word, Dash launched into the air, flying in the most unpredictable pattern she could muster. She could see Mahiri preparing to launch a volley of kunai, so she pulled up, gaining altitude for more room to dodge. Sure enough, she could hear the sound of blades cutting through the air, and she watched in amazement as her body seemed to instinctively twist and dodge the lethal projectiles.
Mahiri reached again for more kunai only to find his supply was depleted. From the looks of the cyan pegasus, none had found their mark. He prepared to go in close, allowing his armor to shimmer away in a brilliant shower of yellow. He removed his helmet, setting it on the ground.
“Alright Rainbow Dash!” he called. “I believe we’ve had enough fun beating around the proverbial bush, wouldn’t you agree?”
Dash looked down, smiling a little at Mahiri’s eagerness.
“Alright, dude. Whatever you say!”
Mahiri began his usual head-on assault, jumping up to meet her where she hovered. Without his armor, he was many times faster than before, climbing the eighty feet in mere seconds. Rainbow Dash was caught off guard, flying back and blocking his punch just before impact with her face. She winced at the impact, regaining her stance and attempting to throw Mahiri off. Up close like this, he seemed bulkier than his armor let on.
Mahiri threw punch after punch, all either missing his target completely or parried away by Dash’s opposing limbs. Both parties were at a virtual standstill, unable to land any effective blows on each other.
“You fight well!” Mahiri breathed over the impacts.
“I know!” Dash managed to reply.
Mahiri laughed, bringing his hind leg to contact with Rainbow’s stomach.
Dash reeled at the blow, as Mahiri completed the combination of hits with a downward elbow strike to Dash’s cheek.
The mare careened toward the ground, the red portion of her mane erupting into its brilliant shine just before impact.