Idea given by Markus (Freescript the bard) written by Erica (Hope)
Chapter 1. Solids
The skies were supposed to be clear, and for the most part they were. Clear blue, in shades of cerulean that encircled the sun, shining down on a spring afternoon, with whisp white flecks left from pegasus flights and dust kicked up by the well known pink pony that tended to vanish and reappear in those little puffs all around the town of Ponyville.
Yet the sky was not wholly clear.
Just out of sight of the earth ponies and unicorns of the town, land bound and busy with their tasks, but pondered on by the distant town of Cloudsdale, and by a few pegasi who flew high enough to see over the surrounding hills, a cluster of Cumulus clouds seemed to have been bound to a small valley, tightly pushed together, immobile, and quite artificial. But nopony paid it much mind.
But deep inside that sphere of white, a sky colored pony worked.
Rainbow Dash stood on a circle of metal, salvaged from a stop sign and anchored into the ground, she circled it’s edge while looking up at the dome she had made.
“It’s not enough...” she finally muttered, kicking an iron rod away, to tumble to a stop in the gloom that the enclosed space provided.
“It’s not enough, maybe Twilight can help...”
With the crack of air protesting, the pegasus shot from the platform, blowing a hole through her carefully assembled clouds, and arcing across the hills, rainbow contrail ruffling leaves and kicking up a second trail of dust, on her way to the house of her friend, Twilight Sparkle.
“It’s not possible!”
The lanky alicorn threw her hooves up in frustration, the heavy tome she had been holding landing on the table like a slap to the face. Rainbow just rolled her eyes, reaching out to close Smithing and Smelting before slipping it back into the bookshelf it had come from.
“You don’t deal with lightning, Twilight. You’ve never caused it, or felt it. I know lightning! I know this could work, you have to trust me! Okay? Just trust me on this one.”
Huffing, Twilight struggled to find an argument, as she looked from Rainbow to her books, and back. But she settled on a plea instead.
“Where did you even get this idea, Rainbow? It’s crazy, this isn’t one of Ditzy’s ideas, is it?”
Dash bristled at the last sentence, and shook her head. “Ditzy has better ideas than this. She’s smart, I just... Listen, I got it from a book, is that enough for you?”
This caught the curiosity of the bibliophile, and Twilight nodded slowly.
“Fine. I’ll help, but I still need a spell, or something from the princesses. I’ll send the letter off tonight.”
Zipping over to her, Rainbow Dash gave her friend a hug, grinning with ambition and determination.
“You wont regret this, Twi. Thank you.”
With that, she vanished through an open window into the mostly clear sky, and the library was once again quiet, except for the tapping of claws on wood, as Spike arrived, the young drake seemed curious, but no more judgemental than a scribe ready to get to work. After all, the blank scroll and quill showed that he had been listening to the conversation. He sat, laid out the scroll, and nodded to Twilight, who took a deep breath before speaking in slow and measured tones.
“Dear Princess Celestia.
I hope this letter finds you well, and in good spirits. I need to ask for a favor, on behalf of Rainbow Dash. This favor might be unusual, but I hope it is not too much of a bother. Rainbow has decided, for whatever reason, to make a foray into metalworking. She wants to do this, without using a forge or magic, but rather lightning.
This might be impossible, but she has assured me that it can be done under the right circumstances. However, she believes that it needs considerably more electrical energy than she can harness on her own. Thanks to my recent ascension as an alicorn, she thinks I might be able to handle the creation of large, dense clouds necessary for this project.
If you know of an alicorn spell that can be used to do things like this, I would appreciate getting to use it, as I am not currently skilled enough to create clouds on my own.
Thank you for your consideration
Your faithful student- Twilight Sparkle”
In the canterlot castle marked as capital of Equestria, Celestia lowered the scroll from her vision to rest before her, as Luna paced across the room, scowling.
“I should be there. I have more experience than any alive in--”
“And if this were an emergency, you would be there, sister,” Celestia reminded her, extending a wing, and waiting for the surly princess of the night to prowl over to her. She then sat beneath the white feathers, which quickly embraced her.
“If these young ponies can develop new technologies, we should not... steal their thunder, don’t you think?”
Luna smirked, and jabbed Celestia in the side with a hoof.
“”’Tis not a joke, sister. these children could hurt themselves. ‘Tis dangerous magic, which could run out of control. I don’t wish to have their injury on my conciousness.”
Gently bowing her head, Celestia conceded the point.
“Though I agree, we cannot prevent every injury. We cannot halt progress for the sake of our own fear, when it comes to mortality. We will give her the spell, and caution her on it’s dangers, but I have faith in Twilight’s prowess. She has certainly proven herself in these last months.”
With a half hearted shrug, Luna rose, and strode to her dresser.
“Very well. Give her this, at the least it will prevent some harm should lightning strike her.”
The silver necklace was swept up in a shimmering gold magic, and in a flash, a response and the jewelry were gone.
“Let us hope for the best, and celebrate regardless,” Celestia said with a wry smile, before leading Luna to the door, and out into the castle.