Chapter 2
The Son of the Rainboom
An old marestale, that is what the Sonic Rainboom was known as to about everypony in Equestria. To me it has always been a lot more than that.
Every marestale is based on something. At least nopony just made up a story about the Sonic Rainboom and it just happened to be true. A pony had once done the Rainboom and all the tales are rooted to that exact happening. It just so happens to be that the pony who did it was named Color Flier, and he was my very own dad.
A lot has changed since my dad did the first ever Sonic Rainboom. It's been about a thousand years, give or take a few years, and I haven't seen him at all for the last five years. I still can't believe he would have done that. I was in the hospital, for crying out loud! Why would he choose to leave me and just walk out of my life at a time like that?!
I looked up to him, admired him, wanted to be just like him. I have happy memories all throughout my foalhood. The day he told me the story behind his cutie mark, also known as the story of the Sonic Rainboom. The day he decided to teach me how to do the Sonic Rainboom. The feel of the wind in my mane as my rainbow colored wings left a streak of color behind me, leading to the blast of rainbow's colors spreading over the land. I also remember how proud my dad was when I kept working on the Rainboom, up to the day when I could pass the sound barrier with a single flap of my wings on takeoff.
Life was great. I had everything I wanted, that I'd ever want. Right up till the day I did the... experiment. I was so STUPID! I had idolized my father and the Sonic Rainboom adorning his flank. I wanted to know anything and everything about the Rainboom. Over time I had decided to examine it closer than I had ever before. I've seen it more times than I can count, but all of them I've seen from distance. I figured if I were to add a spin and severely decrease my speed, I might find out something new about the Rainboom.
I was a fool. I didn't even think about the power released by the blast. If I had been any closer to the center of the blast... I wouldn't be here today. In all truth, I should have died right there. But if my dad was anything, he was fast.
We lived far from any city, any village, any place ponies resided in. With all the Sonic Rainbooms we did, well... we just thought it would be best to keep to the down low. Still, my dad got my limp body to a hospital before I died from blood loss.
He visited three times in the duration of my stay in the hospital. After that... I haven't seen him again.
It was a time I needed him! He was always there to comfort me in the past. But was he there during the many days, many weeks I lied on that bed, wondering what would happen next? No. Was he there when I was learning to walk with the new mechanical legs replacing my right side legs? No! Was he there to dry my tears when I realized, that I was never going to fly again, WITHOUT MY WINGS?! NO!!
He had always told me to keep loyal to the ones I care about. But what did he do? Was he loyal to his one and only son?
Five years have gone by since I was released from the hospital. I still feel the betrayal burning inside my heart. I'm not even sure if I want him back or just forever hate him for what he did. That's the reason I have devoted the past two years to finding him and discovering how I feel about him. And to find out why he left me at the worst time possible.
I hadn't lost my thirst for knowledge about the Sonic Rainboom after the accident and the time in hospital was excellent for reading. The few weeks in hospital were followed by three years of learning. I wanted to know exactly how it is possible something like the Rainboom can even exist. Over my research I came to the conclusion, that it's impossible that, even by breaking the sound barrier, a pony could create such a blast.
So I turned to another source, magic. I studied magic to the point that I knew more about it than the average unicorn, even though I couldn't even use the abilities I learned. Over time I created theories, based on the idea that all ponies have magic. In the theory, all ponies, regardless of race, contain an inner source of magic. Earth ponies use it to enhance their ability to work with the land and grow plants, while pegasi use it to enhance their wing power and control the weather. Without magic, the pegasi wouldn't have the power to fly as the wings are just too small to create the required lift. The unicorns, of course, channel the magic through their horns to use it.
It is this inner magic that creates the Sonic Rainboom. If a pegasus was to exercise their inner magic and develop it stronger, they could use it, mixed with the breaking of the sound barrier, to create the Sonic Rainboom. The rainbow part is just an addition to the sonic boom. With me, the colors came from my wings. And with my dad, the colors extended from his wings to his mane and tail. I believe if a pony did not have a rainbow coloration anywhere on his or her body, the sonic boom would not be a Sonic Rainboom, but one with different colors, taken from the brightest parts of his or her body.
You might think this is crazy... but I don't care. It is because of this theory brought into practice, that I am once again able to fly high in the sky.
I manage this by using the magic source inside me, channeling the magic onto my back. Even though I have no wings, I can 'form' wings from magic itself, giving me the ability to fly.
But I can't have the wings all day long. I don't have the strength for that. I use them when I need them, that's all. So for the ignorant passerby who sees me walking down the road, I might go for an earth pony with velvet mane and tail, hiding his light black coat behind a white shirt, a leather cloak and a set of boots. I always wear clothes to cover my metal legs and the bumps on my back that are the remainder of my wings.
“CAN YOU HEAR ME, RED PAGE?!”
The shout of the pony working beside me finally reached me, snapping me off the memory lane. I turned my head to look at her.
”Yea, Apple Crumb? What is it?”
Apple Crumb rolled her eyes and gave a small sigh.
“You've been standing there, staring out into the space for some time now. We Apples don't pay many bits to ponies that just stand still.”
I smiled sheepishly and walked over to the nearest tree, just three hooves away. Planting my fore hooves firmly onto the ground, I brought my hind legs up and bucked the tree trunk with them. To my surprise, the only reaction I got was some leaves falling off the branches.
Hearing a large sigh coming from Apple Crumb, I looked up to see her shaking her head.
“What?” was all I could think of saying.
She looked up with a level gaze.
“Repeat my actions”, she said, then lifted her right fore hoof.
Confused, I repeated the action. She then proceeded to put her hoof to her head, right between her ears, and I, again, repeated the action. That was when I noticed a small bump right on that spot.
“How did I get that?”
Once again, she rolled her eyes before speaking.
“You got that when an apple fell on your head after I bucked that tree you were trying to get apples out of. You didn't notice because of how busy you were having a staring contest with nothing.”
I gave another sheepish smile and headed for a tree that still had apples on it. Apple Crumb trotted up next to me and matched my pace.
“My sis told me you're heading off in a few days.”
“That is correct. As soon as I get paid for this month's work, I was going to take a ship to Equestria.”
“Equestria, huh? It's a great place. I have family in about any city they have on a map. That is, if there is room for an apple orchard. Which city are you planning to go to first?”
“Ponyville”, I answered simply.
Apple Crumb gave a small smile and said.
“If you need to pick up some bits, I could write a letter to my cousin that's living there. Her name is Applejack.”
I turned and nodded my head as a small bow.
“That would be a great help, thank you.”
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Elsewhere, outside of Equestria, after the sun had set and Luna's moon rose.
I swept over the fields of Zebrica, the Zebran homeland. My dark wings were alight with a silvery gleam, speeding my flight to an even greater speed.'
The magic faded from my wings as I neared my home. It was but a small hut, about an hour's walk from the closest zebra settlement. I kept decreasing the speed of my descent till I was standing on firm ground outside the door. Wrapping my magic around the knob, I turned it and entered.
A bed was set against one wall and a small window decorated the wall opposite of it. In the middle of the room was a table. I tossed my saddle bag on top of it and began to empty it. I retrieved a small bit pouch, a map of the area, a book on zebra magic and a black dagger, all items common to the explorers of far lands. I proceeded to put each of the items to their respective places in the hut.
As the last item, I pulled out a black metal band with a silver gem imbedded into it. It was once a symbol of power and authority of an Equestrian ruler, doubling as the resting place of the Element of Magic. Now, it was just a fancy piece of metal.
I placed this last item on the table as I paced around it to look out of the window. I looked up to the sky, where the moon shone in its peaceful spot among the stars. It seemd much more peaceful and kind, now that my sister's face was not darkening half of it anymore.
It had been three years since I had used the power of the stars to help free Nightmare Moon from her lunar prison. Three years since the Element of Magic left the black circlet now residing on the table. Three years since peace was restored, for I could not see Equestria as a place of true peace without Luna. Three years since...
A light beginning to shine out of the corner of my eye ceased my mind's musings. I started as I turned around to see the silver gem on the table shining bright. What was this?! It was impossible for the Element of Magic to return to its last source. Not unless the present home of the Element was destroyed, possessed or chased out, none of which could be done on accident and all of which were a sure sign of trouble for, and in, Equestria.
Something was happening to my homeland. The Elements of Harmony would be worthless without the Element of Magic and that endangered my home, my past... my family... 'No! Not family!' I thought to myself. 'You left that behind many years ago. But I am still needed.'
It was time to return to Equestria!