//------------------------------// // 1 - Crash // Story: Cloud Cover // by sunnypack //------------------------------// Chapter 1: Crash The trick to crashing without being hurt is to know when to execute a roll. Downwards momentum is transferred into forward momentum and you’re less likely to break your bones. The rolling, though, will cause you to be bruised all over. They say practice makes perfect, so the art of crashing was mainly instinctive for Rainbow Dash. “Look out!” she yelled in desperation. She saw Twilight’s eyes widen and imagined that the subsequent hesitation was more of a result of her deciding whether or not to dodge Rainbow or cushion her fall, rather than because of her slow bookworm reflexes. “Oof!” Twilight had decided to stand there gawking like a chicken. Tangled limbs, a muffled exclamation resulting from a hard poke of a horn in sensitive areas and a mouthful of feathers were all little things that Rainbow processed as she came to rest from the tumble. Rainbow winced as she picked herself up, freeing herself from the dazed alicorn. “Uhh sorry Twilight,” she said sheepishly, rubbing a hoof on the back of her head. “I kinda lost control there for a second.” Twilight got to her hooves, her legs still shaky from the collision. “Ooh,” she groaned. “You know, I think I might have second thoughts about this week’s flight lesson.” Rainbow affected a hurt expression. “Okay, okay! I’m sorry I crashed into you. Don’t worry,” she spoke quickly. “We’re not going to try anything advanced. Just a couple of exercises to get your wings under control.” Twilight had a guarded expression that told Rainbow she wasn’t one hundred percent convinced. Rainbow grinned broadly, but her smile felt a little forced. Twilight studied her for a moment longer, then nodded slowly. Rainbow perked up, with a few experimental flexes she nodded and took to the air, hovering a few feet above the ground. “Okay! We’re going to learn a little about gliding and wheeling. Are you feeling up to it?” Twilight splayed her wings out, like Rainbow had shown her, and flexed it into several positions. After a few strokes, Twilight indicated her readiness. “Awesome,” Rainbow commented in approval. She remembered the first time she ignored her instructor’s advice to check her wings before flight. For her troubles she had busted her nose and twisted a wing on that fall. Her nose twitched a little but Rainbow shook her head of the recollection, concentrating on leading her friend. “Alright, Twi’ just follow alongside me and remember to focus on your primaries when you make a turn. We’ll start with gentle turns and then move to wide circling and then wheeling. Ready?” There was a quick nod. “Okay, go!” Both took to the air, with Rainbow shooting forward quickly before checking herself and glancing back to see if Twilight was following. Their first lessons had been rocky. Rainbow hadn’t been used to teaching anypony before, so she had darted ahead whilst still instructing, only to find that Twilight had been left far behind. Rainbow grinned toothily. She didn’t make that mistake now. As they made a few gentle flaps of ascent, Rainbow was gratified to see that Twilight had vastly improved. She no longer laboured, her expression wasn’t of one of deep concentration but rather heady and free, enjoying the sensation of flowing wind and wild currents surrounding them. Seeing Rainbow looking back at her, Twilight waved. Rainbow waved back but nonchalantly added, “Heh, don’t get too distracted, Twi’, we’re going to do a turn now. Just remember, watch out for clouds, concentrate on the tips of your wings and make the turn slowly.” Twilight nodded, her face set into a frown. As Rainbow tilted slightly to make the turn, Twilight followed. “Don’t slow down too much!” Rainbow exclaimed as Twilight’s wings flared instinctively to make the turn slower. “You’re gliding! You need to keep your speed if you want to maintain lift!” Biting her lip, Twilight did as instructed but a wobble that had been present from the beginning of the turn had Rainbow worried. Did she notice? Maybe she should say something. “Watch out Twilight you’re getting a little—” Rainbow didn’t have the chance to say a word more as Twilight’s wing cramped on her left side, sending her corkscrewing violently in mid-air. “Twilight!” Rainbow yelled, diving to catch her friend as she plummeted to the ground. Rainbow instinctively knew that though there was a lake below, she had catalogued it in her pre-flight check. She bit her lip. Crashing into it would be like slamming into a brick wall at this speed. Straining hard, Rainbow flapped furiously, her hooves automatically stretched out to streamline her body. Rainbow flattened herself, trying to squeeze more speed as she rapidly caught up to Twilight. Rainbow’s mind raced, her body going into overdrive trying to think of the consequences of crashing into the lake. At this speed, Rainbow could catch Twilight a few feet above the water, but with only a split second to arrest their speed, all she could do is shield her friend from the impact. She gritted her teeth. Of course she would do it. No matter the consequences, she was responsible for teaching Twilight. She would never be able to forgive herself if she let her friend get hurt under her care. Her wings felt like they were made of steel, cleaving the air with every stroke. Rainbow wanted to go faster, faster, faster! Hooves out stretched, Rainbow grabbed Twilight just in time, wrapping around her just— The impact felt more like a reverberation through her soul than a shock to her body. Rainbow noted belatedly that she had hit the water on her back. The angle of her tackle had transferred some of the energy sideways, but they had still hit the water pretty hard. Rainbow dimly noted that she couldn’t breathe, but for some reason it didn’t bother her. Because she felt her friend’s heartbeat, and it was beating strong, even as Rainbow felt a little weak… ––––– Twilight paced around the reception her hooves tapping out a relentless rhythm on the floor. A couple of other visitors looked up with an annoyed expression, but when they caught her expression, their own ranged from sympathy to pity and they did their best to block out the noise. Twilight’s thoughts swirled around in her head. She couldn’t help but feel the situation was her fault. It had been an accident of course, a terrible twist of fate, but the worry gnawed at her gut, twisting it into uncomfortable knots of guilt. “Princess Twilight?” The words jolted Twilight out of her vicious cycle of anxiety. “Yes? You have an update on Rainbow Dash?” Twilight queried hopefully. Nurse Redheart smiled. The small action sent a wave of relief rushing across Twilight, the emotion so palatable her legs threatened to give way. Nurse Redheart held out a clipboard in her hoof. “Rainbow Dash seems to be fine for now. The main problem was the blunt force trauma to her spine but after several scans we’ve determined that there was no permanent damage. Her wings were broken in the impact as well, but there were no complications. Regardless, there are still multiple fractures so she’ll be in the hospital for the better part of this week. Apart from that, she is very, very lucky.” “Oh thank you, thank you, thank you! That’s the best news I’ve heard all day!” Twilight gushed, the emotions overwhelming her. She pulled the nurse into a hug and Nurse Redheart patted her on the back awkwardly. “I’ve seen Rainbow here several times, we’re practically friends now,” Nurse Redheart said, pulling away from Twilight. She rolled her eyes. “Though tell that mare that I’d rather have less friends than hurt ponies, no matter how invincible they think they are.” Twilight nodded sheepishly. “I’ll tell her that.” She neglected to mention that it was her fault this time. That had to be fixed. “I need to thank her, she saved me from crashing into the lake directly,” Twilight admitted. Nurse Redheart’s eyebrows shot up briefly and a slow frown spread across her muzzle. “Hmm,” she said. “When I first saw you dragging Rainbow in, sopping wet and almost hysterical, I thought you had seen her spin out of control with one of her crazy stunts and you were there just in time to rescue her from drowning.” Her eyes narrowed. “No offence, Your Highness, but I don’t want to be friends with you as well. Make sure you don’t get into the same trouble as Rainbow Dash.” Nurse Redheart sighed then gave her a light smile. “Rainbow is in room twelve. She’s in a lot of bandages and dosed with some strong pain medications. You might not have the most lucid of conversations at the moment. I have other patients to attend to, so with your permission, Princess.” With that, Nurse Redheart bowed slightly and retreated, signing a few documents quickly before leaving. Twilight hesitated, then headed down the corridor that led to room twelve. Twilight wryly reflected that this was the same room that Rainbow had been kept in when she broke her wing. She had embraced reading after being bored out of her mind. Twilight smiled as she recalled Rainbow sneaking back into the hospital to read the book when her friend ran the local library. The experience had bonded them over the same passion. Her hoof reached out to touch the knob but she hesitated. Will Rainbow be alright with seeing her? She set her jaw and pushed the door open. It was time to find out.