//------------------------------// // Chapter 6. Tests and experiments. // Story: Seeing Rainbows // by Android //------------------------------// Sorry for the shortness on this one. Next one will be longer You head out the door the next day. There’s a paper on your doorstep. You place your hoof on it, it's braille. You begin to read. Dear Storm, Can you come by the library after your weather duties? I would like to conduct some experiments on your hearing. We would be testing how precise your hearing is and how sensitive your hooves are. Don’t worry I won’t tell anypony, especially Rainbow, Sincerely, Twilight Sparkle. “Great,” you sigh. You fly to town hall. “Alright, rook. Today we have to make this place cloudy for tomorrow’s rain,” Rainbow Dash says. “Ok,” you sigh, slightly depressed. You work over the next hour to bring in and make the clouds. You sink to the ground once you’re done. “Hey, you alright? You look like you got a dark cloud over your head, no pun intended,” Rainbow counsels. “Yeah, I’m fine,” you put on a fake smile, “I’m just feeling under the weather today.” The joke solicits a laugh out of her. “That was a terrible pun, hotshot.” You can’t help but smile along with her; again she’s made you day just by being around her. You hope this feeling never stops. “So…you wanna do hang out today? We could go exploring again, you still have to show me all the places you’ve found,” she asks. “I’d love to but I have to… to….pick something up at Twilight’s and then I, uh, I, have to clean my cloud house. Ya know, parents.” “Yeah, parents,” she laughs, almost sadly, “Alright, I’ll see ya later then.” You head off to Twilight’s. You enter Twilight’s voice calls from the basement, “Storm?” “Yeah, so watcha got planned for today?” “Come on down and I’ll show you.” You head down the stairs. As you round the corner, your echolocation reveals a maze that’s been constructed, presumably for you. “Oh, hello. All you have to do is navigate the maze, simple enough.” “Alright, let’s get started.” You enter the maze, stamping you hoof loudly. The sound echoes through the maze. An image forms in your mind. Every corner, every turn, the whole layout of the maze is now loaded into your head, including the way out. You spread your wings and zip through the maze with ease, emerging triumphantly at the exit. Maybe this won’t be so bad, you think, as long as she doesn’t tell Rainbow or anypony else, I’m fine. “Wow, that was fast,” Twilight says, scribbling on a board levitating in front of her, “now, put these on,” she says, handing you something, earmuffs? “Why?” “I want you to navigate the maze again without using your hearing. Just hover while I rearrange the maze.” “Alright, challenge accepted,” you jump into the air and hover over the floor. Sometime later someone taps you. You’d fallen asleep. “You done?” you ask. “Yup. Just navigate the maze without your ears.” You land and put the earmuffs on. You hit you hoof on the side of the maze, feeling the vibrations of the impact. You stomp your hooves on the floor several times, ‘watching’ the shockwaves map the redone maze. You soon have a path through to the exit. You run through the maze this time, feeling the floor, making sure you’re on the right path. You reach the end within minutes. You pull the earmuffs off, “How’d I do this time?” “A lot better than I expected,” Twilight says impressed, scribbling away, “looks like we’re done for today.” “Really? We only did two tests.” “You fell asleep while I was rearranging the maze. And that took about four hours.” “Alright then,” you say as you head out, “I’ll see ya later,” You guess it’s about 3:00. You decide to head home. “GGUUUUHHHHH,” you moan as an object crashes into you. You feel pieces of…something landing on your body. You feel your face. Your glasses are out lopsided; you quickly readjust them. “Heh heh, Sorry Storm,” says a familiar voice. “Hi Rainbow, what were you doing this time when you crashed into me?” you say as you get up out of the dirt. “Oh, well I was posting flyers for Pinkie’s lakeside luau she’s having. Here,” she shoves a flyer in your face, “It’s next week on Saturday, you coming?” “I don’t know,” you joke, pretending to consider. “Aw come on, you’ve gotta come. You’re like, one of the best fliers in Equestria. YOU HAVE TO GO.” “Alright Alright,” you laugh, “and who says I’m one of the best fliers in Equestria? I’m just average.” “I kind of did some gloating on your behalf.” “Really. Well I guess I’ll see you there.” “Sure,” Rainbow opens the library door, “Twilight! Pinkie’s hosting a party at the lake next week, you coming?” “Yeah, just leave the flyer on the door,” Twilight calls from the basement. “Say, didn’t you say you had to clean you house earlier? Why are you at Twilight’s?” “Oh, uh I, forgot a book I was picking up earlier,” you lie. “Ok,” she says, cheerfully. She leaps into the air, “See ya tomorrow, rook.” You fly home. After you eat you decide to get ready for the party. You’ll need… what will you need? Hmm, you guess just going as you are will work. As long you don’t have to swim, everything will be great.