Cumulus clouds are a genus-type of low-level cloud that can have noticeable vertical development and clearly defined edges.
Wikipedia
* * *
Taking off from the plant, Scootaloo felt that stress releases her. And she felt her wings ache. Quite much, even like the joints creaks. She wanted to come down and go to sleep, but she knew that this sleep will become her last. Still she hadn't strength to fly and really needed rest.
She planned under the factory building and tried to find a suitable cloud to catch her breath. But this proved a bad idea: the moon had risen high, and under the Iridescent Plant was dense shade. "Not needed to bump into anything," she thought, and went back into the moonlight. Flying about fifty yards in the direction of Canterlot, Scootaloo saw the night air around her pierced with beams of searchlights. The chase continued.
To avoid falling into the beam of light, Loo planned sharply left to the clouds. Approaching to the suitable cloud, she found that she did not turn off flashlight. Cursing herself for obtuseness, Scootaloo pulled off flashlight and turned it off. However, she lost the thread of movement and tumbled sideways. Fortunately, the cloud was already close, so she just slammed into soft springy surface. Scootaloo knew if searchlights illuminate the cloud, her orange skin is clearly visible, so she crawled behind a large ledge and tried to shrink into a little ball.
Searchlights a few minutes unsuccessfully rummaged around nearest clouds. Scootaloo caught her breath and began to recover. Little pegasus knew that plant personnel are unlikely to stop the search, so she was going unnoticed at the appropriate moment and quietly escape towards Canterlot. "And as soon as possible," she thought. "Every moment I spend here without informing princess about the atrocities of Rainbow Dash, increases the risk faced by my friends."
Finally she was going to fly and peered around the cloud, when there was a thunder. Half a second, she realized that falls, and almost screamed with fright. Somehow align, she spread her wings and tried to navigate. She had a feeling that fright removed fatigue – wings ached no longer.
"Gotcha!" A cry very close. "Light here!" And a red fire.
Scootaloo saw at her with face contorted of rage sweeps Rainbow Dash. In the teeth of her burned flare, and eyes of blue pegasus were burning with hellfire too. Squeaked of horror, Scootaloo literally jumped aside, and Rainbow Dash in the rays of searchlights flew past, hitting her with the tip of the wing. Shuddered from such close death, Scootaloo turned around and sprinted to Canterlot at full speed.
At first time Scootaloo felt excited about the flight: finally she flew through the sky! All the body work at the same pace, even legs helped breathe better, every muscle sang, heart beating fast and smooth, in the face beat tight flow of oncoming air.
But it seems that she had overestimated her strength: rear, closer and closer, heard the noise of the wings of the huntress. Rainbow Dash never known defeat, and this time also did not give up. For a moment, Scootaloo felt the abyss of despair, such a black that even Discord heart compared with it would shone like the sun. It seemed her back burns from hot breath of hellish mare. But Scootaloo called for help all the rage against the Rainbow, which turned into vile traitor. Wings waved at the drop of a hat, whistling breath burst from her nostrils, heart pounding with anger. Rainbow Dash was not catching up. Scootaloo doubted that she could escape from the best flyer of Ponyville (moreover Rainbow has picked up new tricks somewhere), but she was determined not to give herself to catch up. If Dash will not apply Rainboom again Scootaloo can hold until Canterlot. Must hold. Princess should know everything. If Scootaloo will not stand, Rainbow will kill her and her friends.
"Not. For. Tof. Fee." Thought Scootaloo in rhythm of beating wings. "No. Way."
Wind roaring in the ears, and to this noise became admixed new – like the buzz of Flim and Flam machine. This noise appeared rhythm – buzzing and beats – that's what she heard. Something strange happened to her. Scootaloo never sang as Sweetie Belle, but she suddenly wanted to sing. And she heard the words: give me fuel, give me fire, give me that, which I desire!
Sang nasty voice, not everyone stallion had such, but words strangely went on Scootaloo's mood and she wanted to fly faster, faster than Rainbow, faster than everypony!
Suddenly there was an explosion behind and sky above her traced a faint rainbow.
"Damn!" thought Scootaloo. "She finally decided to overtake me."
She still could not compete in speed with Dash, but continued to fly in the hope that she will be able to bypass crazy pegasus when she'll be near. She looked in all eyes, but in the ghostly moonlight had seen nobody.
But suddenly in front of her appeared Rainbow Dash! In the moonlight, Dash's eyes dimly glowed with fire of underworld and Scootaloo again heard the strange words: Yeah! Turn on, I see red, adrenaline crash and crack my head, nitro junkie, paint me dead and I see red!
Almost collided, Scootaloo banked and touched Dash with tip of left wing.
"Wait, dunce!" called after her Rainbow. "You cannot change anything!"
Realizing that in the clear sky Rainbow overtake her even in the dark, Loo decided to descend to the ground. In her head (she finally realized that the song comes from the inside) sounded strange words: give me fuel, give me fire!
Scootaloo flew down, helping with strokes of wings. She thought that Rainbow, soundless and deadly, hangs over her, swift and sharp, like a spear. In any case, leaning left and right, she still heard the Dash maneuver. Blue was not so close. "If only the wings stand," thought Scootaloo, approaching to the dark mass of trees. She was so accelerated, that if she stood on the ground, her knees were shaking of fear. But she flew, and therefore, clenched her teeth, braced and opened wings over the glade. Yet she was too accelerated: she barely had the strength to stay in the air, and she brushed hooves by the ground.
"Moron!" came the cry of Dash from behind.
* * *
"So," began Twilight, "all started two years ago or so. Rainbow in that day gone all mad, but I still did not know her very well, to judge categorically. She was spoke some nonsense about a fortune teller, and the fate, and so on. In general, I first thought it was some kind of prank, and Rainbow fallen for the bait. In general, she said she lay down to rest after work, and then on her fell some pegasus. Naturally, she woke up and threw him off from herself, and he fell down and almost crashed, but she managed to catch him." Twilight rubbed her cheek, remembering. "Well, it turned out that the pegasus is not able to fly. Who is he, from where fell, and the other – is not so interesting, interesting that, as claimed by Dash, he is not from our world, and that evening he disappeared. His name Lirein.
"Lirein?!" exclaimed Apple Bloom. "That is that monster? Did you see the photo?"
"Yes," nodded Twilight, "I did. He is not such a monster compared to… others. But it was later, and then Rainbow said that some fortune teller in Cloudsdale predicted her meet winged stallion who can not fly, with a strange name, and this meeting would change her life. I do not know what Rainbow actually coined, but she really falling for that guy. And when he was gone, she had a terrible depression. She recovered a half of a year. But now is not about it."
Twilight moved to the far table, and rustled with papers.
"So… here it is. Fifty-four days ago RD got into a terrible storm. Then she visited Zecora, and when she got over her forest she was caught by a very strong air flow. It's what she told me. Surely, she tried to get out of the storm, but it did not work. Though she does not like to admit it, but Dash likes to boast, so she said, the wind was so strong that it tore ancient trees with roots. Later me and Zecora checked it and really found a lot of fallen trees. Hurricane was not the end, and Rainbow sucked into some funnel. When she fell out of it, she was in the guise of human – that being, which you saw in the picture."
"That's disgusting!" exclaimed Apple Bloom. "And after she managed to return, she believed that she obliged of return to a normal appearance to that monster?.."
"No, it's not so," stopped her Twilight. "As it turned out, this man created Equestria. Some time ago, he dreamed about the faerie world, and when in sleep he suddenly fell into this world, he decided to recreate it at least in the form of drawings."
"So… it was that pegasus?" surprised Apple Bloom.
"Yes, from it all started," confirmed Twilight. "There is some confusion with the time, because Equestria exists many thousands of years, but in principle it is possible."
"This is only possible if we run across the fields of nonexistence!" furiously protested Apple Bloom. "I have not heard about it yet!"
"Reasonable remark," agreed mauve. "Though it may be structure of time between our worlds differ. In general, they are synchronized. Will I continue?"
"Of course," nodded Apple Bloom. "So far all is very logical."
"Still, you strangely talk for a little girl," noticed Twilight.
"Conversation is not about me yet," said Apple Bloom. "Please continue."
"Well, in general, it appears that such gaps here in the boundaries between the worlds arise under strong mental impact. That day Lirein was at gathering of fans of the world he created, he watched from the side, and he really dislike what he saw. He shared his concerns with Rainbow Dash. At first he did not understand who she is, but then brought up to date and help her very much. Only thanks to him that she's back. Lovers of our world, which have a negative effects on it, calling themselves "brony" – ie "pony brothers". In fact, there are very few of them who can be called bro. They have an incredibly negative influence on our world."
"So, this is what is obtained, at any time, we will start to fall into that terrible world?" asked Apple Bloom.
"No, negative impact so far has focused on the border. That one time was provoked mention of Rainbow at the gathering of "brony" and was like a pinprick. What is happening now can be rather called a sledgehammer blows."
Apple Bloom came to the table.
"And what's going now?"
Twilight sighed.
"Now is going the destruction of our world."
* * *
Scootaloo rapidly flew through the trees, peering into what appeared ahead. Suddenly she realized that she knows the area: it was a neglected part of the garden next to the Cutie Mark Crusaders' headquarters. Flying past the tree house, Loo turned to the north-east – she remembered sides of the world. After a few strokes of the wings, she realized that coming to the site of morning tragedy, and began to take away the right. Still, she has deflected not enough and looked to the left. In a clearing, she noticed only dug earth – or something similar to it.
For a moment has flashed the thought to pick up scooter, forgotten at the morning, because she was a consummate master of riding a scooter, but then she will be tied to the ground, and the unlit soil under the trees was dangerous. She regretted parting with the idea that she no longer have to ride a scooter, but thought Scootaloo now could fly. It was good. But what was bad – Rainbow Dash was chasing her, and obviously not with friendly intentions.
Scootaloo thought maybe she can deceive mad pegasus, and turned sharply to 180 degrees. Trying not to make noise, she flew two dozen yards away, and only at the ground waved wings again. Now she moved back, and for a while there was no sound of stalker's wings.
But suddenly flapping of wings resumed right over Scootaloo! Looks like Rainbow noticed that the orange pegasus changed direction, and also glided after her. It was like a nightmare: no matter how Scootaloo tried to get rid of the pursuit, she was not successful, and the enemy was overtaking her. She began to think that at next moment Rainbow Dash will sank her teeth into Scootaloo's neck.
Discarding the bad thoughts, engulfing her, Scootaloo tried to remember the song that so helped her last time, but it didn't work. Then she focused on her perturbation of the actions of who she considered a decent pony. Causing a contempt Scootaloo feel like she found second breath. Still, she think she mixed in contempt too much anger, so contempt more like hatred – it boiled in her chest and little pegasus realized that softly growls. But it helped her to add speed, and after a few swift bends tightly to trees, she realized that Dash little behind.
It was not enough, and Scootaloo regretted that he could not lure blue pegasus in some trap. Frantically flapping her wings Scootaloo struggled to come up with something, but nothing worked. The only thing she has achieved, judging by the quiet flaps behind – that Rainbow Dash again rose above the apple trees and watched her from above. Loo had to do something. "It would be better all the time I flew to Canterlot," thought Scootaloo. But the time for regrets was not: she was close to Ponyville.
* * *
"How our world is destroying?" asked Apple Bloom. "Who is involved?"
"Obviously not the internal forces. All the forces of evil, which we were able to identify with the princesses, neutralized long ago. Furthermore, if the attack was inside, it is likely to be pursued any clear objective. For example – to usurp power in Equestria."
"Not necessarily," objected Apple Bloom. "Discord, for instance, primarily arranged chaos in Ponyville, and then usurped the power. Maybe it's a chaotic creature like him attacks?"
"It would be nice if it were so," said Twilight. "Then it could be defeated with the Elements of Harmony. But the destructive effects are multi-level and cover all the structures of our world. It all started with a dark storm. In the ocean around Equestria appeared black wall of clouds moving at an incredible rate – more than three hundred miles per hour – counterclockwise. From the wall were separated sleeves, which harmed the cities and agriculture. It turned out that these manifestations not bad could be neutralized by rainbows, which are produced at the Iridescent Plant. However, for some acceptable neutralization of the negative manifestations of the hurricane the rainbows had much more than the plant could produce. Moreover, the production of clouds no longer needed – a whirlwind threw many clouds in the inner regions, and we had spent a lot of effort to destroy them."
"Now I understand why it took so much rainbow," said Apple Bloom, "but how do you come up with the idea subjugate pony into the anal slavery? It is unnatural!"
"I'll explain it later. This idea at first seemed not so terrible, moreover, Rainbow Dash first tested all by herself. How she vomited! It was… disgusting. It's luck that nearby appeared Zephyr. We brought him into the ropes, and he quickly found nutritional supplements. Actually rainbow produced in this way is not much better than the one that makes Rainbow Dash with Sonic Rainboom – it doesn't lasts more than an hour and it's catastrophically insufficient. Tornado just slows down and does not stop. We had to call for help princesses' magic."
"Too bad," surprisingly calm said Apple Bloom. "I still hoped that they are not involved."
"They should be posted!" exclaimed Twilight. "They are responsible for the safety of Equestria, and that time it was the only way… which turned a dead end. We simply do not have enough strength. Calculated as Mengele, even if put in a stall all ponies in Equestria, hurricane gets to the middle of the country just six months, maximum – seven months. And now we have a two hundred sixty times less ponies at work, and so we've got a maximum of one and a half weeks, if the princess lay out completely. But this is not the worst."
"What could be worse than the complete destruction of Equestria?" surprised Apple Bloom.
"That 's what I told you – this is the problem, which can be handle at least theoretically. In principle, if we had an unlimited amount of rainbow and had no problems with logistics – freight airships added complexities – we could restrain the wall of destruction at a safe distance." Twilight rubbed her forehead with her hoof. "The fact that at the borders of the country have begun not only weather disruptions. There are earthquakes. Due to the recent earthquake – induced wave almost completely destroyed Manehattan. We expected that we will have a few days to evacuate, but this earthquake took us by surprise. There are victims, about forty ponies."
"What with Babs?" asked Apple Bloom. "Is she alive?"
"I have no idea. Identification has not been conducted, and if it was conducted, the information isn't reached me yet. The inhabitants barely had time to take the dead and some stuff. Hurricane coming. But that's not the worst."
"Gosh! What could be worse more?" exclaimed Apple Bloom.
"The most unpleasant thing began with the appearance of a cloud wall. First ponies who watched hurricane, said that they heard voices. Some terrible voices whispering to them terrible things. Somepony went crazy. Some even saw the terrible images, destruction and lechery. Now it is happening all over Equestria. So I have to ask you – have you heard anything at the last time?"
"No," Apple Bloom spread her hooves at side. "Nothing like that."
Sweetie Belle was lying near the wall, grabbed her head in her hooves, and moaned softly.
"I hear something right now!" she moaned. "It's right in the head and sings "Oh, Sweetie Belle!"