SonicRainboom- part 2: DRAGONFIRE
The next two weeks were spent in irony. Rainbow Dash working under Melancholy’s wing.
On the second day of training Melancholy had arrived at Rainbow's training field with an elastic cord. That day was spent on building explosive wing power. In other words, jump and get yanked back down into the ground. The clever rat came up with hundreds of drills like this, and he made her do them everyday. Rainbow Dash got used to the feeling of every muscle she owned being in pain.
After a practice involving a big balloon ball and a party cannon an exhausted blue pegasus collapsed on the ground in front of Melancholy. He smiled down at her sweaty snout, she glared daggers at his mandibles.
"This is fun for you isn't it?" Said Rainbow Dash
Once again Melancholy whipped his tail forth to administer the medicinal touch. The healing itched as it spread through the mare's body. Easing the ache of exhaustion was beyond the teacher and his doctor tail.
"Yess, and no." Hissed Melancholy. "The watching is fun. The thinking is fun. The anticipation is fun. The paining is less so. You may call it healing, but it is not. When I take away your pain, I must put it somewhere else." The big rat twitched its tail in the air and then let it fall in a pile behind its owner. Rainbow Dash looked at Melancholy, first in confusion, realization, then revulsion and sorrow.
"I- Melancholy, I didn't..." Started Rainbow Dash.
The grin stayed in place. The eyes that normally shone clouded over. Melancholy said, "A gift given to ignorance is a gift meant to depreciate. Pain is nothing compared to Nightmare, or Truth. Let us not speak of it. Fare-well Rainbow Dash, I will return in the morning." He disappeared. Like the world had blinked him away.
"Thank you, featherbrain." The sky colored pony whispered. Celestia was laying her sun to rest for the day. Luna preceeded her night with a cleansing breeze. Rainbow Dash slept the night away on the same patch of field she had collapsed on.
Some days Melancholy tortured Rainbow Dash.
"Just let me go! Please? Listen, I can't take this any longer."
"Stop being such a baby."
"My wings will stop working, then what will you do?"
"Move on?"
"No!" Rainbow groaned. "Why can't I fly?"
"Because it is important to rest, otherwise you might break yourself." Melancholy said, lending his attention back to the mirror in his lap.
Claustrophobia was setting in, Rainbow shifted under Melancholy's tail. "Then can you play the song again?"
Melancholy obliged and soon the air was filled with the voice of Orchestra Chord.
Come here, my love, my heart.
Leap the hurdles and strike down our grief
I wait here, your damsel.
Come and capture my heart you thief!
“Now, when you hit the sound barrier, don’t actually try and smash through it. Slip through it like a blade, and then part it.” Said Melancholy.
“You say that like it’s easy to even get close to the barrier, that alone drains me,” Rainbow Dash grunted and kicked at a rock. They were back on her favorite training field, together under a cloudy sky.
“Yes, however reaching the sound barrier doesn’t require the precision that you need to actually execute its breaking. The Wonderbolts already know speed, the only difference between you and them will be the boom. Now....”Melancholy continued his lecture and his student let her mind canter off. The clouds were getting plump, obviously in need of a trim. Where were the other weather ponies? Those foals needed to stop relying so much on their hero. Just because I represent Loyalty!
"...Dash? Rainbow Dash! Pay attention, this is important. Now, in regards to torque, the Back Barrelling Twister is one thing-"
"Back Barreltwist Blitz Banger!"
"'Twas more of a clop than a bang. Regardless, spinning through the sound barrier is not wise, at least on the second rainboom in history. Hit it head on, or not at all. The only thing that will break the barrier of sound is your will and that alone. Only six days left too."
"But maybe the extra power will-"
"Twist off your head like a bottle cap. Its a wonder you did not twist your spine apart in five places when you punched me, I think your tail and my tooth absorbed all the impact."
"Ya, I was actually wondering how those bricks are so strong. I hit you really hard too, is it still ringing?" Rainbow Dash hovered above and before Melancholy, gesturing with a hoof at his grin.
The student and her mentor took a moment. Filtering out the sounds of birds and wind. The tooth whined like a mosquito. Rainbow Dash was filled to the brim with pride. No one else could pack that much power in one hit.
"Back to the lesson." Melancholy announced, diverting the dialogue away. The pegasus was having none of it.
“Can you fly?"
… The silence was awkward
“Why would you ask?” Melancholy replied.
… Really awkward
“Wait, what? You aren’t going to expect me to believe that you can fly too! You don't have wings!”
Melancholy paused where he was. Rainbow flew a few circles around him and stopped to hover inches from his toothy face.
"Hyeck hyeck hyeck hyeck hyeck..." Melancholy burst out laughing. "Rainbow Dash you have NO idea!" He hopped into the air and floated there. He hung there for a moment, saying nothing.
"Your looking a little wobbly there for a flying coach." Said Rainbow Dash. She held out a hoof to 'help' him, pushing him out of the air. THUD He hit the ground.
"Ssix dayss left" Hissed Melancholy through his mouthful of dirt.
"Geshundheit," offered Rainbow Dash.
"Six days to repeat the greatest fluke in history." Melancholy brought himself up to glare at Rainbow Dash.
"Hey! It wasn't-"
"And you insult your coach!" continued Melancholy, bringing himself up to onto his hind paws.
"It was just a-"
"JOKE? I am NOT a joke." Melancholy said right before his body vanished, the world had just blinked him away. Four mirrors flashed into existence. Three around Rainbow Dash, and one directly above.
"Is this supposed to scare me?" The little rainbow pony snorted, eyes shifting between the pieces of glass.
Only one reflected Rainbow Dash, the one directly in front. To her left flank was a portrait of Orchestra Chord, holding two bundled baby ponies. To her right was Rarity, she wasn't moving.
"No, on the contrary, you scare ME, Rainbow Dash."
The mirror above contained Melancholy. Rainbow Dash kicked off the ground and smashed it, breaking open a wide road to the sky. She flashed a cocky smile and circled her training field, looking for Melancholy.
"Is this a lesson?" Shouted Rainbow Dash.
"You scare me because you just aren't any good Rainbow Dash." Melancholy whispered in her ear. Rainbow whipped around on the spot, not sure whether she had heard his voice or not.
"Don't lie, you've seen me in action. I'll pull off the Sonic Rainboom soon, you even said so yourself." She countered at the air.
"You talk and you talk, but do you know what you are missing?" Said Melancholy.
"Explosions?"
Melancholy hyecked from his hiding spot. Then he said, "You have six days."
Rainbow Dash tread air. She called out for Melancholy, but now even his voice had vanished. All that was left was her and her training grounds.
"I'll show you!" She screamed into the sky, scattering a couple of pegasi on their cozy cumulus.
Training resumed alone.
TWILIGHT SPARKLE
Twilight stood before them. Harmonic jewelery was the set attire for the loose circle of friends. The ground was divided into the five worlds; an orchard, a road of clouds, a meadow, a candyland that gave Twilight a toothache, the last world was beautiful. In every way. Twilight was stuck in the centre of it all on a small pedestal. Her friends all gave deadpan stares, only returned by the purple unicorn.
Boring! Twilight rolled her eyes to the heavens in indifference, rewarded immediately with the view. Interesting. The sky had been replaced with a continental piece of glass. Irresistible longing hit Twilight, taking over her hoof and lifting it above her head. Oh! Closer than I thought. Her hoof penetrated the surface and sent ripples through the faint reflections of the five worlds, mixing wisps of each.
Back in the worlds, Applejack had lost some apples in Rarity's world, the diva reacted by adding glimmer to the apples. Her eyes sparkled, ivory horn glowed. With a one sided giggle Rarity glimmered all of the orchard. Applejack's distress was audible, but nonsensical. Twilight watched from her pedestal. Clouds replaced patches of meadow, a bunny fell through one of the foggy patches. Fluttershy had her face hidden in her hooves while Rainbow Dash maneuvered herself through a storm of candy. Mint looks cold. But where was the smoke from? Violet eyes led the head as it turned to investigate candyland. Pinkie Pie was drooling and had started writing notes in frosting. She kept jerking her head in the direction of Rainbow Dash, or was it Fluttershy? Twilight Sparkle discovered that she did not actually care, the smoke had been coming from the glass. She looked into her new sky, and saw the image of her library, with-
"FIRE!" Twilight screamed herself awake. Of all the perils! She was a librarian in a library a library for Celestia's sake! Libraries are flammable! Well, not stone ones... no those too, unless the books were all stone as well. It might be nice to read off of tablets, maybe Twilight would 'recieve' orders from Celestia to investigate some ruins in-
-FIRE! Or just smoke. If it was just smoke she was smelling then it might all be ok.
"Ssmoke meanss fire." A melancholy voice added, almost a whisper.
Twilight bolted to her dresser, "where is it where is it?"
Library was a tree filled with paper. Trees are not fireproof, books were made of paper was made of trees are not fireproof. Why did she have to like reading by candlelight? Besides the light, warmth, ambiance. Facehoof. Focus Sparkle, first things first! Where was her list of emergency checklists? No, action first! That means that she would need a checklist of emergency actions! But she didn't have one, could she make one in time? She started ruffling through her desk with renewed vigor.
"Spike, where is the checklist of things I need to create a checklist?" When she did not receive an answer, Twilight took her first look at her smoke filled room. Her bed was fine, her bookshelf was fine but in DANGER! A quick purple hoof punched Twilight in the mouth to stop herself from re-initiating the yelling. Back to her list! Right, where is the checklist of things that I need to-... Twilight felt the gears in her head start turning, she narrowed her eyes and glared at the floor in concentration. There was something important about the floor. Scratch marks from a little dragon, books, carpet, all check. Baby dragon in his bed? Zilch, just a pile of smouldering garbage. In the far corner of the room were two piles of books, impeccably divided by relative age and...
“Oh my gosh I must be tired, there’s no fire! It’s just a pile of smoking- What are ashes made of?” Twilight had not meant to speak aloud, but she was not paying attention anymore. Her entire focus was now on the baby dragon’s bed, filled with black and grey soot. From paper?
Twilight felt her ears flop, they wobbled pathetically to the sides of her face when she blinked away a tear. The librarian crept over to Spike's bed. Her head was craned low as if to collect the burnt crumbs of knowledge. Her face was hot, like her head had become a teapot. Was that actually steam in my ear? Twilight thought.
"That dragon has no common sense does he? Well he IS a baby so you are not allowed to be mad at him." More melancholic whispering penetrated Twilight's conscious. She ignored it, probably nothing. Yet the voice continued, "at least it was just books!"
Twilight's ears jumped. "There is no such thing as JUST a book! Each one carries a message, a private faucet for valuable information to any reader in need. They are all that may be left for the the next generation. And every author put their very soul into every consonant."
"How many souls are there in the dragon's nest of ashes?" Said the melancholy.
Twilight stuffed her mouth with hoof before she started screaming. Some of it escaped in a squeak. the rest escaped as a roar.
"SPIKE! SPiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiike? What is the meaning of this?! Spike WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!?" Why had the dragon been sleeping among her books in the first place? He knew he had snoring problems. Twilight sifted through the ashes, looking for something, anything to salvage. Dust and smoke tickled her throat but she persevered. The distinctive rustle of a hoof and page sang out to the unicorn. Magic pounced, cradling the page into the air to be avenged by Twilight's teary eyes. When she was done she floated the page over to her dresser.
Breathe in. Open the window to dispel the smoke. Breathe out. Open the door, and leave the room. Breathe in. The purple unicorn trotted down through the tree. Breathe out. Acting as her tail, the generous melancholy whispered hints to Spike's location, as well as inserting quips about inconsiderate and destructive baby dragons. Breathe in. Cross the library. Breathe in. Twilight opened the door, and through the haze of rage surrounding her found Spike sitting forlorn on the step. Breathe in.
"SPIKE. What do you have to say for yourself." Twilight shook under her self-restraint.
"What are you talking about? I was dusting and then you used your magic, it was purple so I know it was you so don't deny it. You used your magic to push me out the door and then you locked it!" Spike returned, his voice waivered between a foalish whimper and dragon's growl.
"Don't lie Spike! My magic is magenta," Twilight resumed, not caring that she had been refraining breathing. "What am I going to do with you? I can't even tell what books you destroyed!" Stomp. "I am so angry I could SPIT! But I won't because I am no-not-nice- neanderthalic-nuisance like yourself, and you know what Spike? Ptooie! There, I spat!"
"Hey! Stop. I don't even know..." Spike paused to sidestep the spittle projectile. "That's just nasty Twi."
"And then you just left them SMOULDERING in a pile, I nearly suffocated, and what if you set the whole library on fire! You KNOW it's a tree right?"
"When was there a fire? I left you in your room ten minutes ago! And stop spitting." Spike wiped a gob of gross goo off of his scales.
"Then I don't know what's worse, you trying to burn down my library; or that you burned my books, ran away from the scene of the crime; or that you could not even come up with a decent alibi! I thought I taught you better. Hraaaaaagggghh PTOOIE."
Ponies were poking their muzzles out of doorways and windows, always eager to see a show. Spike intended to keep them dissatisfied. Based on the sizzle of phlegm on his forehead, Spike realized that the show was inevitable. Twilight was getting a lot of volume, she was learning!
Mustering control over his wavering voice, Spike stared down his big sister. "Twilight please." It looked like he was going to be cut off again, but the angry unicorn was reaping the consequences of oxygen deprivation, and could only breathe and fume at the moment. "Twilight, I am sorry. I do not know what happened to your books, I can even clean them up for you again. Just please, let's go ins..."
"Do you think I am stupid Spike?"
"Of course not but-"
"Because I know dragon fire when I see it. I KNOW you are lying, but I just can't believe it. I thought I was a good sister, I thought that I was good to you." There was a lot of sniffling, and full blown tears were forming a puddle on the ground.
Twilight looked down at the dragon through the tears. "Are you OK Spike, you look a little er... Sick?" Twilight said. The baby dragon was sweating, and there was a trickle of smoke from one of his nostrils. She did not notice the voice of melancholy leave. She did not notice the green and brown pony appear beside her. She did notice the colt's battle cry.
"HOLD ON I'M READY!" He shouted. Wrapping a hoof around Twilight and a hoof around Spike the new pony dragged the ensemble into the library. Quick as lightning he pulled a clump of green stuff out of his satchel, laid the dragon on the floor and stuffed his hoof, green stuff and all into Spike's maw.
BOMPF
Smoke filled the room instantly, leaving every pony in a coughing fit. The new pony was the first to recover and started talking immediately and enthusiastically.
"Whew! Isn't this just fantastic!? It's hard to find a controlled flame here in Equestria, but then I finally remembered that Spike could do fire. I can too, but only sometimes..."
Between hearty coughs Twilight tried standing, found it impossible, gave up, and settled on sitting What was with this smoke? It was thick, and smelled almost familiar. She saw Spike sit up, last to recover. He shook his head and labored up onto his feet.
"Thanks a lot!" Spike said before stopping to begin the coughing anew. "You really saved us back there (coughing) I'm Spike, who are you?"
Twilight was still having a fit. She was able to glance at the new pony but missed his name. His coat matched the brown tree bark of her home, making her squint for more definition. He was a colt a little shorter than her, and she decided right away that his mane was cool. It reminded her of fat pine needle hued caterpillars, or ropes that stuck out and fell down to frame his ecstatic dark chocolate eyes. He was still talking, as if there was too much to say. Something about inter dimensional damage control. She tried to make out the orange and black cutie mark but the colt was too busy bounding through his smokey clouds and chattering away about, what was that?
Who was Mendel? Why peas? And just WHAT was so intriguing about her tail? She twitched it behind her, making the hairs swish. Swishy swishy swishy she continued in fantastic merriment. If Mendel was close, he might have some more of those peas. Coughing ceased; Twilight's mind wandered to important things, like her stomach that grumbled with approval at the thought of peas. If she got a hold of Mendel's peas would she separate them based on their phenotypes? Would she have to share? Had she forgotten to introduce herself? Peas?
In an effort to correct the situation Twilight spoke, "Hi, my name ish..."
The new pony came to a stop nose to nose with Twilight and asked, "What?"
The purple unicorn leaned back onto her haunches surprised. One hoof down to support her, the other brought up to her chest as she continued, "My name is..."
"Who?"
"my name is..."
Spike resumed coughing for a moment.
"Twilight Sparkle." she finished. The hornless-wingless-must-be-an-earth pony bounced back into his clouds, laughing.
"I am honored Twilight Sparkle, I am Pottasches."
Melancholy arrived at the gates of Canterlot.