//------------------------------// // It's Always Good To Double-Check // Story: Ynanhluutr // by Imploding Colon //------------------------------// “That's incredible, Nick!” a mare cooed, her eyes aglow from his purple aura. “When did you start being able to do this?” “Just minutes ago!” the unicorn said. He stood across the table from her in the middle of a first floor library, surrounded by shelves, books, and tittering alumni. He spoke while levitating a book around in the air before her. “You'll never believe it! This mare—this pegasus mare with the most amazing mane just lands out of nowhere, and she's flying! Like... without flapping her wings off or crashing into stuff or making herself look like an idiot! Suddenly, every other pegasus on campus can fly no problem! As if the blight isn't even around us!” “You're right,” the mare exclaimed, nodding. “I can't believe it...” She gulped. “And every unicorn...?” The stallion nodded. “From what I can tell, I was the first one to give it a try.” He gave his levitating book a tap, then playfully twirled it about in midair, smirking. “I haven't given my horn this much of a workout in months. Could you imagine how much better my penmanship would have been if I could do this months ago?” “Heheh...” The mare smiled sheepishly, brushing a hoof over her hornless brow. “I'm afraid I can't. But I'm happy for you.” “This doesn't freak you out at all?” Nick asked. “Uh... not really, no. Why?” She squinted. “Should I be? I mean, with the Blight gone, what does that mean, exactly? You're the nautical expert.” “I... I don't think it's in my place to guess,” Nick said, gazing intently at his floating book. “But... but do you know what I think?” “Hmmm?” “I think that pegasus totally had something to do with it,” he said, smirking. “I mean... there was just something magical about her. She had this vague, mysterious look about her face, and... and this amazing gold pendant around her neck!” A commotion built up in the library, issuing from above everyone's heads. Nick continued: “And that saddlebag she was wearing! I swear, not even the Six Tribes have sewn stuff that refined!” The mare tilted her head up, pointing above and past Nick's horn. “You mean like that?” Nick and several other ponies spun around. His jaw dropped. “Holy cow! It totally is her!” Rainbow Dash was shuffling across a lofty balcony overlooking the lower library. She wasn't alone. Several pony students followed her at a distance, murmuring in curiosity and wonderment. A certain unicorn stumbled to catch up, phasing through several equine bodies, although Nick's eyes never once centered on her. Rainbow Dash took one glance down at the library—then froze in place. She squinted at the crowd, and at last she caught sight of Nick. Or—much rather—she caught sight of the book that Nick was levitating in front of him. “Uh... h-hey there!” Nick waved from afar while several ponies looked on. “You... uh... you shove any handsome colts lately? Eheheh...” Rainbow's eyes narrowed. “Oh... oh my gosh...!” Twilight suddenly cooed, a hoof over her palpitating chest. “So... so many books!” She grinned wide. “Why, I-I don't think I've ever seen any of these bindings before! Or these titles! Rainbow, where in Equestria could we possibly b—?” FWOOSH! Rainbow dove clear over the side with blue wings spread. Several ponies instantly gasped. “Gaah!” Twilight flailed, sinking through the floor and floating after Rainbow. Everyone gawked in surprise as the mare hovered to a stop, then landed on the floor across the table from Nick. She stared squarely at the unicorn. He looked back, shivering slightly. “So... uhm... are you gonna tell me... us?” He gulped, then tried harder to keep his smile straight. “Where you're from, I mean?” “… … …” “Cuz... I have a theory,” Nick said. “Yeah, he has a theory—” The mare seated next to him nodded. He rested a hoof on her shoulder. “I think you came from the Blighted Sea. Like... way out there... where the lights flicker. Is it true?” He leaned forward. “Are you from the Blighted Sea by chan—” Rainbow's hoof flung forward. “Ghhh!” Nick recoiled, wincing. Rainbow's hoof stopped an inch from his muzzle, grasping the book he was levitating. He squinted an eye open, watching as Rainbow yanked the tome out from his magic field and lowered it to the table. Twilight Sparkle trotted up, blinking curiously. Rainbow glanced silently at the book. Taking a deep breath, she tilted her chin up, then swiveled the book around until its pages were facing away from her. With flaring nostrils, she grunted: “Read.” Nick blinked. He glanced at the book, then back at Rainbow Dash. “Very well, then, if you ins—” “Not you.” Nick flinched again, as did a few other ponies. Several seconds of uncomfortable silence dripped by. At last, with a pensive shuffle, Twilight Sparkle squeezed her way between Nick and the Mare. “Uhhhh...” She tilted her head over his shoulder, squinting at the pages. “Ahem...” She read aloud. “'Dean stands in the back, saying, 'Goddess! Yes!'—and clasping his hooves in prayer and sweating. 'Sal, Slim knows time, he knows time.' Slim sits down at the piano and hits two notes, two C's, then two more, the—'” Before Twilight even finished, Rainbow Dash repeated what she said several words late, all the while her eyes were plastered to the ceiling: “'Slim sits down at the piano and hits two notes, two C's, then two more, then one, then two, and suddenly the big burly bass-player wakes up from a reverie and realizes Slim is playing 'C-Jam Blues' and he slugs in his big forelimb on the string and the big booming beat begins and everypony starts rocking and Slim looks just as sad as ever...'” Rainbow Dash's voice trailed off... but only because Twilight's had. She glanced forward. Twilight stared calmly... patiently at her. Rainbow wrenched her gaze off, next glaring at Nick. “...well?!” “Uh... Huh?” “Is that what's on the page?!” Rainbow asked. “Why... y-yes!” Nick nodded while the ponies around him murmured in awe. “Absolutely! To the exact word! But... h-how did you do that?” He cocked his head to the side. “This is the only print of the book in Kihutaja! I brought it with me from the Central Archipelagos!” He gaped. “You couldn't possibly have memorized it... could you?” “... … ...” Rainbow Dash leaned forward. “...I hate books.” Nick and the other ponies blinked, exchanging glances. “Erm... I... which—?” “ALL of the books!” Rainbow spat, eyes twitching. “All of them!” She barked, “I hate reading!” The students could only flinch and stared. Rainbow panted and panted. Her head tilted slightly towards a lavender shade next to her. Twilight's ears perked up and her lips pursed. “...!” Rainbow spun away from her, seething. She clenched her head, shivered a bit, then lurhced towards the nearest exit, her limp hooves clopping against the cold, pallid floor. While the murmurs of the students arose, Twilight Sparkle bit her lip, moved her legs, and briskly shuffled after the lone mare. She phased directly through the closed door behind Rainbow with a flicker of lavender light.