//------------------------------//
// Chapter 2 Heart of the Storm 
// Story: Oh Captain, My Captain! 
// by Akashic Brony 
//------------------------------//

	Racing and generally being an ‘athlete’ had been Rainbow’s passion. Her life had been very goal oriented: join the Weather Team, become a Wonderbolt, then become a Captain, then change age old institutional practices. Never before had a goal been so clear to her than winning this race, and never had she been so focused.  
The Weather Factory had often made mistakes. Rainbow had a mind to go there personally and kick the flank of whoever ordered the thunderstorm. The thunder forced the racers to navigate the dangerous lower elevations. The route took them through the tall oak forest, forcing the racers to weave through trees. All but the most insane slowed their pace, yet Rainbow and Lightning lost no speed as they tore past the trees. Droplets of rain hit Rainbow with such force that she swore she’d have welts later. The pain only sharpened Rainbow’s senses as she chased the yellow tail of the Pegasus in front of her.
Lightning laughed, looking behind. “Eat my dust, Dash!”
In the breaths that took Lightning to gloat, Rainbow caught up by several wing beats. Rainbow smiled. Lightning growled and retrained her eyes forward.
Rainbow’s wing muscles burned as she spurred herself with the frenzied beating, but still Lightning had not lost her lead. Whereas they once might have been equal, Lightning seemed to have gain a noticeable edge. Rainbow lamented that she had been trapped training recruits and doing desk work as Captain. Lightning’s lesser rank and responsibility probably allowed her to train without pause.
Rainbow remembered Lightning had been very verbose in the locker rooms. She hoped she could steal a lead by getting her long time rival to rant, losing precious breaths.
She shouted through the whistling wind and water. “Why are you doing this?! Revenge?!”
Lightning scoffed. “You wish! I want to win!”
Rainbow reconsidered. Lightning had planned on joining the race regardless whether Rainbow was in or not. This wasn’t about Rainbow, she had to get out of her egocentric mindset. “That’s all?! Winning isn’t everything! You’re already a lieutenant!”
Lightning growled. “For all my life I wanted to be a Wonderbolt, but you made me settle for the regular Royal Guard! I’m going show all you ‘elites’ that I’m better!”
“Once you win it all then what?!” Rainbow’s own question echoed in her mind. What would Rainbow do when or if she won the race? She knew she had to stop Lightning, but beyond that was mired in a murky fog of feelings.
“Once I win, I’ll win some more!” Lightning had no reservations and regained the few wings beats’ distance that Rainbow had taken.
“Don’t you have friends? Do you have loved ones?”
Lightning snarled. “I lost those because of you! I was a hometown hero! But as soon as I flunked out of the Wonderbolts, everypony abandoned me!”
“Then those weren’t your friends! Friends are there for you: win or lose!”
“Buck you!” Lightning slowed slightly and rammed her rear hoof, cracking Rainbow’s goggles with the force of her attack.
Rainbow recoiled; she barely evaded a head on crash with a branch.
Lightning, turning to attack, had hit a branch a second afterwards.
Both were stunned. When the two Pegasi recovered, they faced one another, stopped in the middle of the dark forest.
Lightning grinned as she readied to attack. “Equestria Daily News Report: Rainbow Dash crashed and died. Boohoo!”
Rainbow tossed aside her shattered goggles. “Bring it!”

Twilight nursed her root beer as she sat at the platform. Her head was sullen against the wood railing, and her eyes fixed on the finish line.
Luna’s lieutenant, Nightshade, shouted orders. “Get those civilian balloons out of here! There’s a thunderstorm rolling in!” The bat pony waved her wings relaying orders.
“What of our War Balloons?” asked a guard.
Nightshade looked thoughtfully at the ominous clouds. “Keep them circling until the last minute.” She narrowed her eyes. “I don’t like this unscheduled weather. The Weather Factory wouldn’t mess up so badly.”
Luna approached Twilight tentatively. “Twilight, dost thou wish to stay? We may retire to the cover of the awnings to escape the coming rain.”
“It’s okay, I like the Rainbow.” Twilight clasped her hoof to her mouth from her Freudian slip. She sighed. “I meant the rain.”
“Thou art confused.”
Twilight smirked. “Obviously…” Her words were halting. “I… still love her.”
“Tell me truly, what aspects of her appeal to thee?”
Twilight shook her head. “Does it matter? …she doesn’t love me.”
Luna gestured her hoof to coax Twilight. “Prithee tell me anyway.”
“Believe it or not, I’m not outgoing. I didn’t have friends until I came to Ponyville. The first time I saw Rainbow, I thought she was a bit rude and rough. Then we became friends. I learned more about her, like that we love the same book series. We both would wait by the mail box for the delivery. I ran the library so, early access and all.”
“When didst thy affections first manifest?”
Twilight couldn’t help but grin widely as she thought fondly. “I never saw Rainbow ‘that’ way until she gave me personal flying lessons. I mean I always admired her for being bold and beautiful… ummm at flying. I guess I always loved her, I read books on body language. I thought the signals were right.” Twilight rubbed her eyes as she neared to tears. “I thought Rainbow…”
“Thou art not to tell Captain Rainbow Dash, I revealed this unto thee.”

Whatever greater speed Lightning had, Rainbow had superior training. If Rainbow could anticipate Lightning’s moves, then she could evade her sloppy attacks. The bark of the ancient oak trees splintered as Lightning missed her strikes. Rainbow’s memory took her to the days when she and her Griffin friend, Gilda, had their tussles. Much like the half bird and half lion, Lightning had unremitting ferocity.
“Stop dancing around and fight me!” Lightning missed again, in a shower of broken bark.
Rainbow rebounded off another tree and punched Lightning in the face, smashing her goggles. Lightning took the blow directly, shook off her broken goggles, and countered with her own.
Lightning and Rainbow’s ribs cracked as they traded blows. A timely thunderbolt that illuminated the forest shone on the hatefilled face of Lightning. In the blinding flash, Rainbow closed in and grappled Lightning.
“How badly do you want to win?!” Rainbow took her rival for a nose dive towards the ground.
Lightning squealed as her face almost hit the dirt. Rainbow veered in the last seconds. 
Lightning blinked her eyes open as Rainbow set her down. Both Pegasi panted heavily as they stood.

Rainbow sighed. “Look, back then at the Academy, I should have approached you more directly before I talked to the Captain. I’m sorry it lead to that.”
“And now you’re the Wonderbolt ‘Queen’! My family line goes back to General Firefly! You wanted in, but I needed to get in!”
Rainbow stood stern. “I’m sorry, but your actions put ponies at risk. My friends could have died.”
Lightning bit. “So?! They didn’t! I wanted to die after you got me expelled! You just wanted my place as lead pony!”
“It wasn’t that! On that day I quit; they only later dragged me back in. I realized the Wonderbolts weren’t what I imagined! The competitive cutting, backstabbing, politicking; that doesn’t have to be the way forward. We could have been friends; we still can be.” Rainbow offered her hoof to shake.
There was a moment when reconciliation seemed possible as Lightning lifted her own hoof tentatively. Written on Lightning’s face was hurt and confusion. Rainbow met Lightning’s hoof with hers on the last stretch. Rainbow’s boldness though had the opposite effect.
Lightning slapped away Rainbow’s hoof. “Buck you!” Lightning kicked a torrent of mud and sped off towards the sky.
Rainbow rubbed off just enough mud to see Lightning fly off lopsided, disappearing into the maze of forest trees. She felt a few warm wet rain drops: she knew them to be Lightning’s tears. Her rival had, in many ways, been a reflection of herself; Rainbow wondered if she would be any different if it were not for her friends… and Twilight.

Without goggles, Rainbow’s eyes burned as she wove through the forest. Her chest was hurting fiercely from the fight. The rain had washed away the mud from her face, but flecks of sand stung her eyes. She could still catch up to Lightning if she could see. She spotted a stream and flew down to wash her eyes. Their crazed full speed flight through the forest had also gained them a significant lead; she could still catch up, or even win the race.
Rainbow dunked her head in and took a drink as well as washing her eyes. When she opened them, she saw dark silhouettes moving through the forest. She darted behind a tree and peered past.

A large ebony feathered Griffin in charge shrieked in a hushed yet harsh tone. “Faster, you maggots! We must move under cover of the storm!”
Several dozen Griffins wore camouflage cloaks that blended with the gray and browns of the forest. They marched swiftly through the undergrowth.
Carrying bundles that appeared to be parasols, Rainbow noticed the metallic glint when one of the Griffins tripped and shredded the covering slightly. She recognized a lance when she saw one.
Griffins could manipulate weather like Pegasi: the rolling storm then had been planned. The war party was heading north. Past the forest were the parade grounds. Rainbow flew far away enough as not to be seen, then she beat her wings towards the parade grounds. Rainbow’s strength had been revitalized by the realization; hers was now a race against the storm.

Twilight removed her hooves from her face and leaned towards Luna. “What?”
Luna smiled. “Perchance, I danced in a dream of thy Captain Rainbow Dash. I saw not the flight formations of well arranged flyers nor the race track. Nay, I saw thee.”
“Rainbow loves me?! Then why?!”
Luna placed a hoof on Twilight’s shoulders. “Duty and loyalty... perhaps a dash of love. Thy emotions art like an open tome. Thy Captain could easily hath read them and taken thee, a so eager lover. Yet she withheld despite her ache for thy embrace.”
Twilight placed her hooves on her head to ease the pain. “Rainbow… she was sparing my feelings. She thought we wouldn’t work out even though she wanted it as much as I did.” She growled.
Luna tilted her head in confusion. “Thou art mad?”
Twilight’s magic pulsed as her mane became aflame. “I’m not mad, I’m furious! Why did she lie! She thought this would be better?!” Twilight calmed herself and blushed when she saw the officers on the platform had swiveled their heads towards her.
Nightshade approached Luna. “We have to withdraw our War Balloons from the security detail due to the approaching thunderstorm.”
Luna nodded. “Tis most peculiar. We decreed clear skies for this holiday. Where forth did this weather front come from?”
Nightshade pointed her hoof. “Our scouts suggest the storm originates from the unregulated forest of Everfree.”
Luna rubbed her chin. “Perhaps tis no worry.” She peered over the platform to see the crowds of ponies had set up their own parasols and tents. Many ponies were packing up their picnic supplies.

Fully exerting herself, Rainbow had become painfully aware to the degree of her injury. With every belabored breath she pushed past her lungs, she felt the distinct pain in her chest near her heart. She recognized her ribs had been broken; a bitter part of her hoped Lightning had received much the same.
Twilight was in danger, Rainbow reminded herself as her body burned. She realized then that Twilight somehow came before Equestria in her mind. Most of Equestria’s officers along with Princess Luna had attended the race. The thunderstorm would force them to withdraw their War Balloons. The days’ acrobatic demonstrations would have exhausted the best Pegasi guards. Equestria was in danger, yet Twilight was what her mind first latched unto.
Was it misplaced loyalty? No, Twilight was a part of Equestria. Another stabbing pang nearly caused Rainbow to nearly fall from the sky. Vague feelings of duty to country weren’t sufficient; she pictured Twilight and continued onwards through the hurt. Rainbow, regardless of her feelings, knew she had to be there before the Griffin war party.

The sudden storm clouds had caused an uproar in the crowds as ponies moved away from the rain. Some of the officers had already left the platform to get lunch.
“Luna, maybe the Weather Team from another town messed up?” asked Twilight. “I know the Ponyville team… wasn’t always so reliable.” Thoughts flashed in her mind of instances where she had been caught in the rain. 
“Indeed,” Luna smiled. “The Pegasi, their reputation as Weather Warlords, methinks hast become quite bloated. Twas a millennia ago such a mistake would be rewarded with forty lashes for each of Commander Hurricane’s honor guard.”
“Weather Warlords,” Twilight turned away. “I read some history in the national archives… were things really that violent back then, Luna?”
Luna swallowed. “The Pegasi hailed from lands far from Equestria. Then they were a great of enemy of the United Griffin Kingdoms. The skies were painted red by their battles… This holiday honors an independence: hard won.”  She grimaced as the first smattering of rain reached the platform. 
Twilight raised a hoof. “I thought the Griffins were also known as Weather Warlords.”
Luna’s eyes grew wide. “Captain Nightshade, have the guards doubled immediately.”
Nightshade’s bat pony ears perked. “Where shall we draw from?”
“Summon reinforcements from the local garrison. Thou art to do so discreetly.”
“By your will.” Nightshade saluted and flew off.
Luna glowered towards the incoming storm and the torrential wall that obfuscated vision beyond it.
“Luna?” Twilight asked. “What’s going on?”
Luna smiled, unconvincingly. “Tis a precaution.”
Twilight now had perked up. “For what? Luna, you’re scaring-”
From below the platform a swelling of gasps from the crowds were followed by a gush of screams. Golden armored Guards who were interspersed in the crowd disappeared one by one under the flickering of cloaks. They could see little past the umbrellas that been set up.  Louder than the screams were the sudden hawkish cries that came not from below but above.
Twilight swiveled her head upwards to see a Griffin soldier falling towards her with a lance in its claws. Twilight was startled as Luna shoved her aside and blasted the Griffin back with a spell bolt. The platform was pelted by rain of Griffin lancers. A half dozen Royal guards had already been skewered in the onslaught by a dozen Griffins. The Griffins dislodged their lances and motioned to finish the rest. Only Twilight, Luna, and a couple of bat-pony guards had evaded the initial strike.

Rainbow saw the silhouette of a watchtower in the thick rain; she had arrived at the edge of parade grounds. She beat her wings faster as she heard the explosions. How had the enemy beaten her to the parade ground? No, the war party from the forest couldn’t have. It must be another force attacking. The enemy had orchestrated a pincer trap. She had to find Twilight before the trap closed shut.

A couple of Griffins deployed a parasol atop a watchtower strewn with slain Royal Guards. Underneath the umbrella they had unwrapped a bundle to pick out black spheres that had been kept dry against the rain. They sparked the wicks of the grenades with claw flints and tossed them into the fleeing crowds.
“Like fishing, eh?” The first Griffin chuckled, as he chucked a grenade that his partner lit.
The other Griffin laughed, lighting another grenade. “Like fishing in a bloody barrel!”
The first Griffin cawed in alarm as he finished throwing the grenade. In a technicolor blur he was taken down.

Rainbow slammed her fore-hooves into the head of the first Griffin Grenadier. The second Griffin was taken out as Rainbow bucked, slamming her hind legs into his head and beak. Both Grenadiers collapsed. She kicked away a lit grenade that exploded in the sky before it took them all out.
The Royal Guard scouts at the watchtower had already been slain in ways that Rainbow needn’t check a pulse to know they were dead. Rainbow closed the fearfully opened eyes of a fallen Royal Guard and took his war-saddle along with the lance: mounted on it.
She noticed the grenades and the parasol set-up of the Griffin Grenadiers. Hearing explosions elsewhere, she surmised the Griffins had done the same at other taken-over watchtowers. She lamented she had no time to eliminate the other enemy crews.
Rainbow cried out as she tightened the straps of the war-saddle. The throbbing pain again reminded her of her cracked ribs. She took a cloth that had bundled the Griffin Grenades, biting into it she distracted herself from agony of moving. In the center was Twilight. She leapt from the tower and flew off towards the eye of the storm.

Luna readied to face the Griffins, her eyes darted between all her targets - too many targets. Her horn glowed with warning power. Already a half dozen had been slain by the Night Princess. The Griffins hesitated as to who would be first to attack and first to fall.
“Leap!” Twilight pulled Luna away over the platform.  
“Protect the Princesses!” The Night Guards attacked against the superior Griffin numbers as they escaped.
Twilight saw the last couple of Luna’s Night Guards stop their attackers from pursuing. It was as admirable and as futile.
Landing on the ground, Twilight saw below the confusion that had been hidden by umbrellas and tent tarps set up to stop the rain. Ponies ran in all directions. Royal guards engaged Griffin troops in battles which they were outmatched. The ground and grass had become a slurry in the activity of pony hooves and Griffin paws and claws. Heard distinctly in the rain was the clang of steel. They galloped without direction through the crowds to escape the Griffins.
Twilight looked to Luna. “What do we do?”
Luna’s face flashed with confusion that mirrored Twilight for a moment. “We hath fallen into the enemy’s trap; we must survive till reinforcement arrive.”
Twilight looked at the crying skies. “This storm will delay help. Shouldn’t we organize and try a break out?”
Luna nodded. “Thou art most keen.”
They ran to an area where there were concession stands. The mystery of how the enemy had gotten so deep was solved. Griffins pulled lances and crossbows from hidden compartments of the stands. 
A Griffin officer, distinguished by his ebony cloak, landed in front of the Princesses and gave a shriek. The black-feathered Griffin Commander’s cry echoed through the sounds of battle.
Griffin troops converged upon their Commander, leaping over concession stands and forming several squads.
“Mages Corp! Hurrah!”
Twilight looked behind him to see several ponies with blue cloaks and wizard hats come up. They took defensive positions in front of the Princesses.
The squads of Griffins stopped in front of the Captain of the Mages’ Corp. Twilight saw the Captain’s robe flicker with power.
Captain Crimson Flame laughed. “You face Captain Crimson Flame! My pyromancy rivals the dragons.” The unicorn’s horn spark with magic. “Feel fear, feel fire!” His magic sputtered to steamy puff.
A couple mages electrocuted themselves in the rain, while another delivered the same impotent puff.
Luna growled at the mages and smacked their Commander on his head. “Art thou so daft? Lightning and fire magic art useless in the rain!”
Crimson smiled impotently at Luna.
“Their magic does not avail them! Charge!” The Griffin Commander rallied his troops with the swing of his rattling saber.
Crimson’s lieutenant, Hawkeye, pushed her Captain out of the way and fired her automatic crossbow, sending the charging Griffins back. She grinned at her Captain. “Wet match.”  
“This looks like a job for good ole’ fashion infantry work!” Blueberry Frost and Dented Armor charged forward with infantry lances. They were accompanied into the fray by several regular Royal Guard squads.
“Switch to ice magic!” Twilight ordered the mages.
Crimson Flame gave a nervous smile. “We’re specialists, the Mages Corp has only few Ice mages.”
Luna huffed. “Use thine talents to form a shield at least! Use direct energy bolts even if thou art not adept!”

Rainbow scanned the parade grounds from the sky. As the battle raged below, she scouted for Twilight. Through the thick she saw a desperate defensive line set up at the concession stands. At the center she spotted a familiar purple pony. Remnants of Royal Guards were holding, but she spied a squad of Griffins hiding behind the concession stands and moving to flank them.
Rainbow observed them deploy their parasols and saw the light of sparking claw flints. She knew now the enemy’s routine. Rainbow folded her wings and dove.

Twilight looked at the line of Royal Guards valiantly defending. A squad of Griffins leapt onto the top of the concession stands and fired their crossbows.
Twilight projected her shield and blocked the bolts.
Luna had spotted the enemy as well and shouted to the unicorn mages. “Atop the stands!”
A couple of Griffins were nailed by flung icicles before they fell back to reload.
Twilight shouted. “Luna, we can’t hold this position!”
Luna nodded. “Advance! We must break out!”
Twilight turned from behind them as they heard caws. She shifted quickly to form her shield as a grenade exploded, bursting it.

Swooping down, Rainbow smashed both her hooves: taking two of the Grenadiers shrieking to the ground and grinding their beaks into the dirt, knocking them out.
Another Grenadier threw his bomb before noticing Rainbow. Drawing a saber, he slashed at Rainbow.
Rainbow blocked the Griffin’s swings with her lance. She leapt back and used the length of her lance to her advantage. The Griffin’s swing missed, but Rainbow’s didn’t.
The last Grenadier screamed for his fallen comrades. He reared up with a saber in his claw to attack. The Griffin’s shrill shriek was cut short as Rainbow’s lance entered his lungs. Rainbow had ran it through the Griffin Grenadier, causing the Griffin to drop his saber.
Rainbow was shocked when she tried to pull her lance loose: the Griffin pulled it back. Smiling, the Griffin revealed a lit grenade hidden behind his back with his other set of claws.

Twilight had turned to see Rainbow struggling with a Griffin. She saw the lit grenade in the Griffin’s claws for only a second  before the resulting spray of feathers and red. She was relieved to see Rainbow still standing, then horrified as she stumbled.
“Rainbow!” Twilight moved to embrace the Pegasus.
Rainbow stopped Twilight with her lance.
Twilight smiled despite the cold gesture. “Rainbow, you don’t have to hide your feelings from me… I know.”
Rainbow recoiled again and blocked Twilight again with her lance.
Twilight persisted. “No, Rainbow! We don’t have to hide! I care about you too much!”
Rainbow coughed with a light laugh. “No, ribs cracked; hug will kill me.” Her words were as short as her breath.
“Oh,” Twilight gasped. As she turned to inspect Rainbow, she saw her bloodied flanks where grenade shrapnel had entered. “You’re injured!”
Rainbow shook her head. “I’ve been through worse.”
Twilight hit Rainbow with a spell. Rainbow felt warm with a presence that seemed to be uniquely ‘Twilight’. She examined herself as her pain left her. She moved to find the pain had not entirely disappeared but rather dulled. “What was that, a numbing spell?”
Twilight shook her head. “A numbing spell would incapacitate you.” Twilight winced as she moved towards Rainbow. “I used an empathy spell; your pain is now half mine.”
Rainbow smiled. “Only an egghead such as you would know something like that… Thanks.” 
Luna turned towards Rainbow. “Captain Rainbow Dash, didst thou see an opening in the enemy whilst thou were above?”
Rainbow shook her head. “No, but we can make one.” Rainbow turned to Captain Crimson Flame and threw a satchel of Griffin grenades to the unicorn’s hooves. “Do that fire thing.”
Crimson smiled, dangerously. 

Concussive booms resounded, causing the Griffins to squawk fearfully as their battle lines were blown flying apart. At first came confusion at their own grenades used against them; then after the shock came horror. Timely tossed bombs sent the Griffin crossbow teams scurrying off before they could even take positions to fire. The enemy scattered like a flock of pitiful pigeons. 
The Royal Guards shouted as Griffins retreated in a disorganized rush. “The feathered rats are pulling back!”
Cheers emanated in the pony ranks, first as a scattered shouts then as a collective voice. Through the crowds of running Griffins, their Commander calmly shrunk back, seemingly disappearing in the downpour. Twilight remarked the enemy leader’s composure.
Luna reared upwards. “Advance, capture their Commander for interrogation!”
“Luna, wait.” Twilight noticed through the rain a pair of glowing azure eyes that seemed to peer at them.
Rainbow leapt onto a concession stand. She took in a deep breath and spoke. “Stop! It’s another trap! You’re trying to break out in the wrong direction! There’s another Griffin war party heading this way through the woods in the south.”
Luna nodded. “Thou hath saved us yet again. All forces press northward!”

At the noticeable movement of their troops, there came again the resounding Griffin screech. The ponies turned back to see figures in the rain. Dozens of black-feathered Griffins stared at them with eyes that seem to glow in gray downpour. A more menacing aura pervaded these darkly different troops. Their icy eyed Commander raised his saber.
Rainbow moved in front of Twilight to face the enemy Commander.
She glared at the enemy who match her intensity. Rainbow held eye contact, cool and calm. Crucial minutes seemed to pass before it was the enemy Commander who broke it off.
The enemy Commander gave an un-Griffin like hiss. Rainbow swore there appeared to be fangs in the Commander’s beak. The Commander grimaced as a column light formed behind Rainbow. The spots of light grew and widened. 
All ponies and Griffins looked upwards to see guard Pegasi rolling back the clouds, clearing the storm. Rainbow recognized a purple maned and orange Pegasus leading the weather teams. They heard the hum of War Balloon propeller engines as the airships moved in. The bomb bays of the ships opened.
The enemy Commander shrieked again. Walking backwards, he and his shadowy Griffin troops retreated with the storm.
Luna turned to see Captain Nightshade land besides her.
Nightshade bowed. “Forgive the delay.”
“Nay, thou hath arrived not a moment too soon.” Luna waved her hoof. “Pursue and destroy! Show them the fury of the merciless moon!” 	
Nightshade nodded. “Shall we capture prisoners?”
Luna shook angrily as she looked at ponies on the ground. “Capture only their commanders, the rest thou art to slay.”

A second round of cheering came, this time larger and longer than the last. Guards from all different divisions hugged each other. Twilight noticed then her shared pain was fading. She spun towards Rainbow. Still standing, Rainbow’s eyes were closed. However, a celebrating soldier accidently bumped Rainbow’s lance that was lodged onto the ground. Without the lance propping her up, the illusion was broken and Rainbow fell.
“No!” Twilight ran towards Rainbow. Catching her, she hugged Rainbow as lightly and as tightly as she could. Twilight felt Rainbow’s startlingly cold body.
Twilight pulled back and looked at her friend. Rainbow’s lips were curled upwards in a gentle smile that appeared frozen on.
Twilight cried. “Oh Captain! My Captain!” Parting Rainbow’s wet mane from her eyes, Twilight pressed her mouth against Rainbow’s cold lips.