Fear Me, for My Name is Twaith!

by Michael Hudson


Flying

Rainbow laid back on her cloud, staring at the sky. It was a pure blue, clear as far as the eye could see, at least, when you were looking from up here, where only wisps barely grazed the skyline. She took in a deep breath, filling her lungs with the crisp air. It was a joy few else knew, especially so well.

“Hi.”

Rainbow almost leapt off of her cloud as she looked around herself, and saw Twilight materialize. The wraith gave her a large smile, and floated closer. “I thought I’d try to hang out with you today, seeing as Sunset is still at Canterlot, getting the last of her tests done. You know, fill the time with somepony I don’t get to with very often.”

The blue pegasus stretched her legs out, scowling slightly as she finally sat upright. “Oh, I am just overjoyed to be your second fiddle.”

Twilight’s whole body faded in color as her eyes widened, just before she began waving her hooves frantically in front of herself. “No! That isn’t what I meant at all. I mean, yes, I normally do not seek your company because you can be loud, rude, obnoxious, insensitive-”

“Oh yes, please do go on. I am beyond flattered.” She flopped back down, tufts of cloud coming up as she went back to staring at the sky. “Look egghead, why don’t you bother Rarity? I hear she has a slow day today, and I bet you have far less compliments for her.”

Twilight looked down at her hooves, rubbing them together for a moment before floating back over. Her bright, green eyes came into Rainbow’s vision, as well as a small frown that complimented the rest of her stupidly cute face far too well. “I did mean it when I said I wanted to hang out with you. Everyone just tells me you’re busy though, and usually you’re already asleep, exhausted from your workouts, and I don’t want to bother you then.” She lowered her head, and began to float away. “I understand if you don’t want me to disrupt you though.”

Rainbow watched Twilight slowly leaving, biting her lip as the wraith became less and less visible. She had planned to take a nap that day, but she could skip it, even if it meant hanging out with the bookworm. Twilight had meant well, and she had snapped at her for no good reason. “Fine. I suppose we could go on a short flight or something.”

Twilight was back in almost an instant, a gleam in her eyes. “Really. Ah, thank you Rainbow!”

Rainbow’s eyes narrowed as the cold spirit wrapped her hooves around her, a scowl firmly embedded in the pegasus’s face. “You planned this, didn’t you?”

Twilight shook her head furiously. “I promise Rainbow, I no longer need such things as plans so as to be able to interact with my friends.” Twilight then made sure to make a mental note about hiding the friendship strategy map that Sunset and her used when she got back to the treehouse.

Rainbow slowly left her cloud, gently beating her wings as she tested the current. She found a perfect one to get back at Twilight with, and grinned. “Alrighty then, beat me to that cloud.” Twilight had only just looked when Rainbow yelled, “Three, two, one, go!”

The cloud she had pointed to was even higher, and one of the few wisps that dared to stray this high. Soon it was nothing as Rainbow crashed through it, gently slowing herself down. She hadn’t pulled out all her stops like she would with Gilda, but this should have been more than enough to get some bit of satisfaction out of today.

Turning around though, she spotted Twilight gliding through the air, a mix of black and green magic flowing from behind her, propelling her through the sky. Rainbow turned her attention to the currents that battered at her small body this high for only a moment, and when she turned back, Twilight was directly in front of her. “Wha-”

“Wow, Rainbow! I always knew you were fast, but I had forgotten just how fast.”

Rainbow tilted her head to the side, her mouth open as she simply stared. “But how were you that fast? I’ve never seen you break a brisk gallop with your floating, let alone shoot through the sky like a bullet!”

Twilight’s cheeks reddened as she held her hooves up, once more being cuter than Rainbow would ever have wanted to see her as. “Well, it’s really rather simple. A blast of magic in one direction can throw me in another. It’s akin to how Spike can burp me across the room, but far more controlled.”

Rainbow nodded, thinking she had it. “That… that’s pretty useful.” She put a hoof to her chin, rubbing it slowly. “What do you think your top speed is?”

Twilight raised her hooves and shrugged, before a grin broke out over her face. “Why don’t we test it? Unless you’re scared.”

Rainbow raised an eyebrow. “Seriously?"

The purple wraith stuck her tongue out for a moment, before copying the pegasus by shouting, “Three, two, one, go!”

Rainbow flinched as black magic plumed from the spirit, and glared as she saw her competition take off across the sky. “Hey, no fair! Get back here!”

The two soon raced through the sky, bobbing and weaving through the cloud cover. A streak of black and green, met by a bright spectrum that was always just ahead, and always encouraging. Through rings of mists, or large masses of fluff, the two continued their dance, keeping as close as they could to the other as laughter filled the air.

Finally, the two collided midair while Twilight was merely trying to boop Rainbow, and they plowed into a thick, fluffy cloud. Rainbow blinked a few times, before looking down into the green eyes below her. Her face immediately became red as she realized how close their muzzles were, and Twilight sticking her tongue out didn’t help. The tap on her nose by the silly spirit did though, and she huffed as she got up and bounced to another part of the cloud.

Twilight sat up, giggling before she said, “That was fun. Thank you.”

Rainbow blushed a bit more, gazing out at the setting sun, annoyed at the pounding in her ears. “Yeah, it was alright I guess.”

“Think we could do this again some time? Maybe you could teach me a few more of your tricks.”

Rainbow glanced over at the cute mare, and cursed to herself as she realized why Sunset had a crush on the stupidly innocent wraith. “Y-yeah, I think I could set aside the time from time to time.”

Twilight smiled widely at Rainbow, and Rainbow couldn’t help but reciprocate. The two then looked to the skyline. The beautiful golden globe setting in the distance set the whole sky ablaze around them, and Rainbow Dash grinned, watching Twilight’s eyes widen at the view. She of course had seen it so many times before, but now, watching Twilight enjoy it like this, it became better. Of course, Rainbow was by no means about to admit why.