//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: DragonFeather // by Senyu //------------------------------// After several long minutes of expedient flight over the Everfree Forest, the stifling canopy finally gave way to the misty silhouette of the Castle of the Two Sisters. Rainbow Dash smiled at the sight of the ancient structure, already tasting the cider on her tongue. She put on a burst of speed from anticipation. As she approached, she began to make out details from within the mist. The nearly completed stone bridge crossing the ravine, the scaffolding that adorned the castle like ivy, and a large clearing filled with tree stumps where the castle grounds were to be expanded. Although the slog of construction was everywhere, it was done carefully to preserve the environment as much as possible. Old statues were tended by tender hooves, forgotten flower beds prepared for new planting, and despite the numerous felled trees, many had been left in place for aesthetics. The castle was becoming a blend of old and new, something that anypony could admire even while it was in the midst of construction. Rainbow Dash, however, paid the spectacle no mind, and was instead scanning the grounds for a familiar apple cart, fearing that the only way she’d be able to spot it would be due to line a mile long. In moments she was able to make out the forms of ponies; a mixture of pegasi, unicorns, earth ponies, as well as the castle’s new occupants—the bat ponies. The main three races made up the bulk of the restoration crew, each of them experts in their own field who had been requested by the princesses to labor over what some were already calling the project of the century. Despite its remote and dangerous location, each pony had eagerly agreed to work on restoring such a wonder. They zealously performed their tasks, milling about while wearing yellow hard hats as they hammered and drilled at the old stone. They knocked over crumbling walls so they could painstakingly remake them. They built new rooms and buildings with which to bring the castle into the modern era, and they added modern cosmetic designs only when the old could not be salvaged. For the last month, Rainbow Dash’s visits to the castle had been meet with the echoes of construction, and for a moment she was tempted to investigate the recent progress of the massive project. But she cast the notion aside, and furrowed her brow as she refocused herself on a goal far more important than the castle’s restoration. The mist rolled in her wake as she crossed the ravine, causing all who noticed to turn their heads with concerned expressions. Everypony at the castle had quickly learned to recognize the signs of Rainbow Dash’s arrival, and they promptly moved clear from her usual landing spots. Rainbow Dash slammed into the ground hard, and the momentum caused her to slide across the lawn, tearing up chunks of earth beneath her hooves. To her audience’s disbelief, it was the longest one she had made yet, easily extending a number of feet past similar marks from her previous landings. “Where is it?” Rainbow Dash shouted, her voice nearly matching the noise of construction. A nearby batpony daringly stepped forward. “Where’s what?” he asked. “What?” Rainbow Dash shouted, bringing a hoof to her ear. The batpony gulped and raised his voice. “Where’s what?” “The cider!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. She sprinted towards him and grabbed him by the scruff. “Where’s the cider?” “Cider? Oh!” he cried in relief. “You’re just looking for Miss Applejack. For a moment I thought you were back for another flying lesson. To be honest, I don’t think my wings could-” Rainbow Dash pressed her face inches away from his, and stared at him with a wild gaze. “Where. Is. The. Cider!” “T-Third wing,” the batpony mumbled. “What?” “Third wing!” the batpony yelled, and he was immediately released as Rainbow Dash zoomed into the castle. If she hadn’t been so focused on finding the apple cart, she might have noticed the earth pony wearing a yellow hard hat waving at her to stop. The moment Rainbow Dash flew through the large doors and into the entrance hall, she yelped as her path suddenly became blocked by a mass of wood. Within the span of a heartbeat, Rainbow Dash folded her wings and dipped below the obstacle, and then opened her wings again as she rose up on the other side. Looking back, she saw it had been a pile of lumber being carried by a team of unicorns, and she sighed in relief. But when she turned her head forward, she yelped again at the sight of stone falling towards her. With adrenaline fueled panic, Rainbow Dash swung her hips from left to right as she swerved through the broken chunks of castle, narrowly avoiding stones that were bigger than her whole body. Then, after clearing the debris, Rainbow Dash sighed yet again in relief, all while glancing downward at the pile of rocks that had nearly squashed her. Her gaze then traveled to a group of ponies frantically waving their arms, and before she knew it, she crashed into a highrise of scaffolding. The wooden platforms snapped from the impact, and the metal poles rang as the structure came tumbling down. The crash caught everypony’s attention, and they lowered their tools and set aside their loads so that they could look in shock at the destroyed section of scaffolding, covering their mouths as a wave of dust exploded outward. When it had settled, the nearest ponies cautiously moved forward to investigate. Half buried in the center of the wreckage was Rainbow Dash, staring upwards with wide eyes as she breathed heavily. “Ouch,” she groaned. With a grunt, she lifted herself up and looked at the destruction around her, and then towards the ponies staring at her. Some wore worried expressions, others had their mouths open in shock, and a few stared at her with exasperation. “Again?” one of the unicorns exclaimed. She shoved past the dumfounded spectators and whipped out a pencil from behind her ear, and she glared at Rainbow Dash as she furiously began to scribble down notes. “Eheheh…” Rainbow Dash replied as she stood up, wiping the dust off her as she flashed the construction manager a nervous smile. “Hey, Steel Weld. Nice day for flying, huh?” Steel Weld’s glare intensified. “Heheh... So, uh… Know where the third wing’s at? Ten hooves pointed towards a hallway that wasn’t covered with warning signs, and Rainbow Dash brought a hoof behind her head as she hovered upward. “You know, I think Twilight’s been pretty busy lately, so let’s just pretend this never happened. You know… For Twilight’s sake.” Before Steel Weld could open her mouth, Rainbow Dash was already flying down the passage as quickly as her wings could take her. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “Stupid castle, stupid work ponies, stupid directions,” Rainbow Dash grumbled as she flew through halls and corridors, quickening her pace as a sense of urgency rose within her. Whenever she came across a bat pony for directions to the third wing of the castle, she found herself running into another team of construction ponies who vehemently pointed her towards a supposed detour, only for her to become lost and repeat the cycle anew. It was when she found herself within the same room for the fifth time that Rainbow Dash stopped. “Auuuugh!” she groaned as she pulled her cheeks downward. “Doesn’t anypony know how to give directions?” “Directions to what?” a male voice said behind her. Rainbow Dash mumbled a series of curses beneath her breath as she turned around, but then froze at the sight a curious batpony staring up at her, and the mug he casually sipped from. “What is that? Is that cider?” Rainbow Dash asked, and she landed in front of the bat pony. With two sniffs, Rainbow Dash’s feathers quivered. “It is! Where did you get it?” “Miss Applejack,” the batpony replied while raising an eyebrow. “Where is she?” Rainbow Dash asked desperately. She grabbed a hold of him and begged with pleading eyes. “Please, just tell me which way that doesn’t lead me to a dead end or more angry worker ponies. Just tell me where the cider is! I need it!” “Um… Is this really worth getting so worked up about?” he asked while trying to lean away. The softness in Rainbow Dash’s voice vanished as she gripped him tighter and pulled her face closer. “Where. Is. It?” The batpony gulped, and he pointed his hoof towards the right. Rainbow Dash followed the direction, spying an open door at the other end of the room, and she saw another batpony exit the doors who was also carrying a mug. Rainbow Dash didn’t waste another moment as she darted towards the door, pausing only momentarily to glance down the hall to make sure it was void of warning signs before proceeding with haste. Her worried expression slowly changed into joy as she passed over another pony carrying a mug, and then another, and another. But soon, her joy turned to panic as she came across more and more ponies with mugs, and she doubled her speed through the wide passageways, causing the bat ponies beneath her to shield their mugs as their bodies were tugged by the whipping wind from Rainbow Dash’s passing. Eventually, the passage turned into another large hall, one that connected to a decorative flower garden. Large columns lined the wall, allowing ponies to enter the garden between the pillars of stone. At the base of one of the columns was a sea of bat ponies, and in the middle stood Applejack’s food cart. A flurry of emotions played across Rainbow Dash’s face as she flew towards it. Every bat pony was sipping merrily from their mugs, most of whom were heading towards the garden to enjoy their beverage in peace. Rainbow Dash landed a short distance away, craning her neck as she tried to squeeze her way towards the cart. “Excuse me, outta’ the way. AJ? Can you hear me? Is there any cider left? Excuse me, coming through!” Rainbow Dash weaved through the murmuring crowd, ducking beneath raised hooves and excited wing flaps. Whenever a mug passed her vision she found herself enviously turning her head to follow it, biting her lip as it was brought to the recipients lips and downed with happy gulps. Each satisfied ‘yum’ and ‘mmm’ caused her to drool longingly, and she moved more forcefully through the crowd. Soon, she spied the cart between the blocking bodies, and with a lusting smile, she spotted the last mug of cider. “It’s mine!” Rainbow Dash called out as she pressed herself forward. “I got it! I got the last one!” Wriggling free, Rainbow Dash leapt towards the cart, and as she did, time slowed to a crawl. Her overjoyed smile morphed into a frown as she saw a coin exchange hooves, and her fear turned to despair as she mouthed the word, ‘Nooooooooooooo.’ Time resumed, and Rainbow Dash fell at the foot of the cart as the last mug was taken away. “Come again,” Applejack said happily as she watched the batpony leave, and then looked to the crowd. The pleased faces of the bat ponies had turned into looks of concern as they stared towards the apple cart. A groan caught Applejack’s attention, and when she peered over the edge of her cart she saw Rainbow Dash’s collapsed form. “Rainbow Dash? Is that you?” With her face stuck to the floor, Rainbow Dash muttered something unintelligible. “Ah guess you heard Ah was selling some cider, huh?” Rainbow Dash flicked her tail in annoyance, refusing to move her prone body. Applejack smirked, and then settled back behind the counter. “Well, you can stay on the floor as much as ya like. Guess Ah’ll just have to find somepony else to drink this here last mug of cider.” Rainbow Dash lifted her head from the floor. “Last mug?” She was instantly standing and propped her front hooves on the counter, and stared at Applejack with wide eyes. “There’s a last, last mug?” “Mhmm!” Applejack replied as she bent down and began to rummage beneath the counter. “Ah figured you’d catch wind about this here selling, so Ah made sure to save ya one.” To Rainbow Dash’s disbelief, Applejack set down a fresh mug of cider on the counter, and she pushed it towards Rainbow Dash. Applejack chuckled. “You can pay me back later, since you probably had gone and left without getting your coins.” Rainbow Dash gently grabbed ahold of the mug, and brought it towards herself with an ecstatic grin. “This is so worth the scolding I’m getting later.” And with that, she took a deep gulp of the delicious liquid. Applejack raised an eyebrow. “Scolding?” “Didn’t you hear?” a nearby batpony said. “Word is she knocked over some scaffolding, this time at the entrance hall.” “Crab apples, Dash. Again?” Rainbow Dash ignored her, as she was far too engrossed in savoring every last drop of her cider. “You know Twalight ain’t gonna be happy about that.” Tipping her head back, Rainbow Dash downed the last of the mug, and then slammed it onto the cart with a satisfied sigh. “It’s okay, I can die in peace now.” “Ah’ll be sure to send your regards to your family in Cloudsdale,” Applejack deadpanned. Rainbow Dash wiped her mouth with a hoof, and then leaned against the counter’s edge. “You should have told me you were coming here to sell some cider.” “Ah wanted to make sure Ah actually had some cider to sell by the time Ah got here,” Applejack replied, taking Rainbow Dash’s mug away and storing it below the counter. “How’d you get this thing over the ravine anyway?” “They got a temporary bridge just down the way. Figure it’ll be another few months before they finish the one for the main path. When that happens it’ll be much easier to do business.” “I bet business is booming.” Applejack smiled. “Sure is. Helps being the nearest source of fruit, Ah suppose.” “And the best!” a random batpony shouted from the crowd. “Three cheers for Miss Applejack and her delicious wares!” Applejack’s cheeks reddened as she pulled her hat forward, and the whole hall was filled with three short bursts of whooping cries. The crowd then began to thin as the bat ponies went about their day, depositing their mugs in piles near the cart as they offered their thanks again. Some of them yawned before retreating back into the castle, muttering to each other how it had been worth it to wake up in the middle of the day. Rainbow Dash took the whole scene with a smug smile, and turned to Applejack. “They aren’t such a bad bunch once you get to know them.” “Ah’ll say,” Applejack replied while busily storing the mugs away. “Big Mac is already working another field for planting. We figure it’s about time we went and brought the reserved plots into action. Always knew we’d use ‘em someday when Ponyville got bigger, but hadn’t figured it’d be for a whole castle worth of ponies.” Applejack wiped her brow and stepped out from behind her cart. “Ah was even thinking of hiring some more help for the farm with the castle growing like it is.” “I know what you mean,” Rainbow Dash replied. “I’ve been busting my flank off from doing double cloud duty between Ponyville and here. The batpony weather team is coming along, but they aren’t there yet.” Rainbow Dash looked out into the garden, and then turned her eyes upwards to leer at the mist. “Gonna have to have a word with my team about getting this cleared up.” “Aw, it ain’t so bad,” Applejack said. “Looks much better than when y’all started.“ “Doesn’t mean they get to slack off,” Rainbow Dash replied with a snort. “If they’re gonna to live in the Everfree then they’re gonna have to learn to be on top of it. If you let this kind of weather slip by it’ll just pile up and get worse. And as the training captain for castle’s weather team, I’m not letting them get away with shoddy work.” Applejack smirked. “We’ll let ‘em finish their cider first and then you can get to busting some clouds.” “Ugh, fine,” Rainbow Dash said. The two of them shared some moments of silence by the cart, taking in the scene of pleased bat ponies sitting in the overgrown garden, or turning their heads to admire the ancient stonework around them, all while the muffled sounds of construction rang in the distance. “So… Got anymore cider?” Rainbow Dash soon asked, and Applejack to rolled her eyes. “Hey, Rainbow Dash!” a voice called out, and Rainbow Dash turned her head towards a familiar pair of mares. “Hey, Cloud Shadow, Willow Shade,” Rainbow Dash replied, waving a hoof towards them. The two mares trotted up, each of them carrying a mug of cider, something Rainbow Dash couldn’t help but see. When Rainbow Dash had first met the two mares, it had been under hostile circumstances, and they had been constantly at each other's throats. But Rainbow Dash had soon grown accustomed to their presence, and even looked forward to hanging out with them the more they spent time together in the recent peace since Night Walker’s defeat. It also helped that they were among the best fliers among the bat ponies, garnering Rainbow Dash’s respect. And now to her relief, the two were finally styling themselves in different ways, making it easier for Rainbow Dash to tell the two apart. “How’s it going?” Willow Shade asked. While the back of her mane had been cut short, she still grew out the front, and could now hide a portion of her face beneath her silver bangs. “I thought you weren’t due back for a few days.” Cloud Shadow giggled, her expansive silver ponytail shaking from her movements. “She probably missed us. Can’t say I blame her. After all, we’re the only competition she’s got around here.” Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, but smiled. “Please, you two may be good, but you aren’t that good. Maybe if you two joined the weather team you’d finally be able to catch up to my awesome self.” “Sorry, but you aren’t getting us on the team that easy,” Cloud Shadow replied. She then took a sip from her mug. Rainbow Dash eyed the motion enviously. “Come on,” Rainbow Dash continued. “You two would be great at it. The best batpony I got is only half as good as you. Do you know how fast we could clear this place with you two?” “And make your life easier?” Willow Shade asked. “I think not.” She too took a sip from her mug, although with a longer duration than before. Rainbow Dash’s mouth suddenly felt dry, and she swallowed. “Besides,” Cloud Shadow said after smacking her lips. “Cloud busting just isn’t in us. No matter what I do the stuff just don’t cooperate with me.” “That’s because you aren’t trying,” Rainbow Dash teased. “You know, that might be it,” Cloud Shadow replied with feigned surprise, and then took another long sip from her mug. Rainbow Dash began tapping her hoof anxiously. “Of course, maybe if we had a good teacher,” Willow Shade added. “Somepony who knew what they were doing.” “Hey, I totally know what I’m doing!” Rainbow Dash replied, and she flicked her tail as she watched Willow Shade shrug her shoulders before taking another sip. “You do? That’s a relief,” Cloud Shadow said. “I better tell Feather Fall and the others then so they stop crashing into each other during practice.” As she brought the mug to her lips again, she let out a soft ‘mmmm’, causing Rainbow Dash’s feathers to quiver. “Will you just drink it already!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, and the two mares burst into giggles before quickly downing the last of their mug’s contents. Willow Shade wiped her mouth while grinning “Oh come on, it’s not every day we get to tease you like this. We gotta get our victories where we can.” Rainbow Dash chuckled, all signs of her annoyance gone in a flash. “I guess so, especially since I beat you four to nothing in hoof ball.” “Won’t be so easy next time,” Cloud Shadow said. She then set her mug next to the pile Applejack had made. “Thanks so much for bringing us some cider, Applejack.” “Aw shucks, Ah’m glad to anytime.” “Yeah,” Willow Shade added after setting hers down as well. “The second mug always tastes better than the first.” “You got two!” Rainbow Dash cried, and the two batpony mares sped off with mocking laughter. While Rainbow Dash was fuming and stamping her hooves on the ground, Applejack looked on in confusion. “You sure y’all get along?” Rainbow Dash stopped her fussing and looked to Applejack with a raised eyebrow. “Huh? Yeah, of course.” “Uh huh,” Applejack replied as she returned to stocking her mugs. “Guess Ah just don’t get y’all’s relationship. Funny way to treat friends, Ah think.” “Pssh, it’s just some friendly competition.” In moments Rainbow Dash appeared calm, and she now stretched her wings casually like nothing had happened. “They’re alright, I guess. They just know how to ruffle my feathers. Fortunately for me, I know how to pay them back.” Rainbow Dash then gave a dark chuckle. Applejack had seen that look a hundred times, and shook her head as she busied herself. “Do Ah even want to know what kind of prank you’re about to pull?” “You already do,” Rainbow Dash replied with a mischievous grin, and she then hovered off while rubbing her hooves together. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ After an hour’s work of carefully carrying her poisonous payload, Rainbow Dash set the trap in motion, and she snickered evilly to herself. Laying atop Willow Shade and Cloud Shadow’s beds were two bouquets of flowers, both of which had ‘xoxo’ marked on the wrapping. Rainbow Dash marveled at her work, figuring that if she hadn’t found the notion so boring she’d actually make a fine florist. Even if most of the stems were broken and the petals missing, the most important piece of the bouquets remained intact. Rainbow Dash knew Twilight gave safety lectures about the Everfree Forest, but she figured Willow Shade and Cloud Shadow probably wouldn’t have paid close enough attention to know the difference a blue rose and poison joke. With the dangerous blue flower as the centerpiece of the bouquets, Rainbow Dash was already imagining what horrendous but hilarious fate would befall the two mares when they came into contact with it. Rainbow Dash snickered, but then paused to look across the room. The bat ponies’ housing hadn’t been completed, so for the time being multiple ponies would share a room within the castle, turning the spacious room into rows of bunk beds. At the other end of the room, one batpony stallion laid in his bed, and meekly looked at Rainbow Dash’s hoof work. Rainbow Dash brought a hoof to her mouth and whispered, “Shhhh.” Then, for extra measure, she pounded her hooves together and pointed at him. The stallion quickly nodded, and returned his attention to his book, warily glancing from the corner of his eye now and then. “Happy Cider Day,” Rainbow Dash whispered, and then flew out from the room. Her devious snickering quickly vanished as she ran into Mist Hoof. “Rainbow Dash? What brings you here?” he asked. “I thought you’d be back tomorrow for the training.” “Mist Hoof!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. “H-Hey! I was just came by to uh… Get some cider!” Mist Hoof peered over her shoulder and to the bedroom door. “I don’t think you’re going to find it in there.” “Oh, no, I already got some. I was just looking for, eh… Cloud Shadow and Willow Shade! Yeah, that’s it!” Rainbow Dash landed and then began to walk away. “But they weren’t in their beds, so I guess I better go and look for them.” “I’ll join you,” Mist Hoof replied, and he trotted to her side. Rainbow Dash’s hoofsteps had become stiff, but she otherwise sighed in relief that Mist Hoof hadn’t investigated further. “So, how’re things going?” “Just fine, thanks,” Mist Hoof answered. “The construction is going smooth. Once we get everypony here into their own quarters, we can start taking a look at bringing more from Dusktown.” “Yeah? That’s cool. Glad to hear you all are finally getting out of there.” “Well, not everypony is,” Mist Hoof replied. “There’s actually a good amount that want to stay there.” “What? Why?” Rainbow Dash asked, and she looked at Mist Hoof with a perplexed expression. “It’s their home.” “Yeah, and their prison. Come on, you guys have flight limits. Actual flight limits. What kind of pony wants to deal with that?” “I know one,” Mist Hoof said quietly. “Despite the laws, Dusktown is our home, and we put a lot of care into it. It’s not something everypony is capable of giving up.” “Seems like a pretty easy decision to me.” “I bet most decisions are for you.” “Heh, yeah.” The two of them walked in silence for a time when Mist Hoof suddenly smiled. “Here, follow me.” With a curious look, Rainbow Dash followed Mist Hoof down a side passage. The corridor twisted and turned, growing darker as they headed deeper into the castle. The sounds of construction echoed eerily in the distance, rising and falling as they passed numerous sections. Eventually, though, a light appeared ahead, and Rainbow Dash opened her mouth in awe. In the middle of the corridor a team bat ponies were hard at work retiling the ceiling of the hallway, removing the old stones and plastering new ones in their place. Looking closer at how the new material shined and sparkled, Rainbow Dash stepped forward in awe. “Is that what I think it is?” “Yup,” Mist Hoof replied, looking at the work with pride. “Stone cut from the Unicorn Range, the same kind we use in Dusktown.” “Cool,” Rainbow Dash replied, still moving closer for a better look. The polished surface glimmered like starlight, shining even when there was no light present. For a moment Rainbow Dash imagined what the castle would like when it was finished, and she smiled at the thought of feeling like she was walking beneath the night sky. “Okay, that’s pretty awesome.” “I have no intention of going back,” Mist Hoof said. “But I can’t deny that there is some good in Dusktown.” Turning around, he and Rainbow Dash made their way back to the main corridor. “Still,” Rainbow Dash said. “I don’t think I could give up flying for something pretty.” “Actually, with the Princess’ help, the town’s restrictions have been removed.” Rainbow Dash snorted. “About time Twilight got those old geezers to back down.” Mist Hoof chuckled. “I can see bureaucracy doesn’t suit you. To be honest, I’m not a fan of it myself.” Rainbow Dash flicked her tail. “I just don’t get why those old geezers haven’t been thrown in jail like the rest of them.” “Not every hunter participated in Twilight’s capture,” Mist Hoof said. “They’ve lost a lot of leeway in matters, but the one’s who had some sense to them are still allowed their positions in court.” “Well, if you ask me they all deserved a good kick to the flank.” Mist Hoof chuckled again. “You know, I’m disappointed that I never got a chance to see you in action.” Rainbow Dash smirked. “If you want, we can have a go sometime. Twilight’s been telling me how much you all used to practice fighting. I think it’s something that I could get into. I am a black belt, you know.” “Only if I’m able to have a drink before hand.” “No way, that’s cheating,” Rainbow Dash replied. “I’ve seen first hoof how you guys get when you got some blood.” “Aside from sparring, let’s hope it’s the last,” Mist Hoof said. “Yeah, I guess so.” When they returned to the mail hall, Mist Hoof and Rainbow Dash looked to one another before they parted ways. “I’ll let Willow Shade and Cloud Shadow know you were looking for them,” Mist Hoof said. “No worries. I’m sure I’ll find them.” Rainbow Dash then snickered to herself. “I bet it’ll be real easy to figure out where they are.” Mist Hoof raised an eyebrow, but said nothing more of the matter, and turned around. “Mares will be mares,” he said. Rainbow Dash replied with another snicker, and then went on her way as well. As she casually made her way out of the castle, Rainbow Dash looked around in admiration of the work that had been done so far. The castle was looking better every day. The rubble had been cleared, the moss scrubbed away, and the cobwebs swept. She figured that it wouldn’t be much longer before actual furniture would be brought in, and she imagined Rarity having a field day deciding the decor of the castle. The only reason she hadn’t been spending every waking moment at the castle to plan her changes was because of the construction barring most of the wings, areas that Rainbow Dash would sheepishly slink away from whenever the construction ponies gave her a stern glance at her approach. Soon enough she found her way out of the castle, and she flew high above it to look at it all. From here she could see the laborious re-roofing process, and she whistled at how far it had come. Turning her gaze to the edges of the castle, she saw the foundations for the houses that would become the small town that would encircle the castle. While the massive structure could certainly hold a large amount of ponies, it had been decided to build small, adjacent buildings so as to provide more private housing as well as businesses. Peering through the mist, Rainbow Dash could see a thin perimeter of guard ponies—both batpony and non-batpony alike—providing protection from the Everfree. While most of the creatures of the Everfree had quickly learned to leave the site alone, there was still the rogue manticore or pack of timberwolves that would test the borders. Sometimes the invaders would have the luck of being soothed by Fluttershy who was called in on such occasions, other times they weren’t as lucky as they learned first hand just how dangerous a group of vamponies could be. Rainbow Dash laughed to herself at the idea. Vamponies. To think that such a filly’s tale actually came to life. While it had caused some of the most distraught and stressful months of Rainbow Dash’s life as she searched all of Equestria for Twilight, the idea of vamponies had settled into a warm place for Rainbow Dash, and now she even looked forward to their company. The ponies in Ponyville were awesome by all accounts, but the wild and sometimes dangerous nature of vamponies was simply too exciting for her to ignore. “Speaking of dangerous,” Rainbow Dash said aloud, and she turned her head west. “I think it’s time for some practice at Ghastly Gorge.” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “Wooohoooo!” Rainbow Dash screamed. Pulling up from her nose dive, Rainbow Dash grinned at the start of the obstacle course. The canyon walls blurred past her as she snaked through, hugging the walls as closely as she could with her turns. Her wing beats echoed about her as the air vibrated in her passing, the only source of noise in this section of the gorge. At some point the hissing of quarry eels would pierce the silence, but that was still some ways ahead, and she rolled her shoulders as she prepared herself for the course. She rounded another bend, and she smirked at the sight of the razor sharp barbed plants. Tucking her wings, she dove forward while rolling, narrowly passing through a gap in the bushes. The thorns were all about her, and with unblinking eyes and adrenaline filled movements, Rainbow Dash navigated her way through the precarious environment. She ducked beneath the thorns, kicked off the their thick stems, and squeezed through holes like an acrobat. Within moments she cleared the plants, and she took a deep breath. “Ahhh,” she sighed, feeling the stiffness in her limbs fade away. “Brambles, check. Windy cave?” She flew through another windy section of the gorge, and then spotted the dark hole up ahead that moaned menacingly. “Check.” The gorge narrowed as she approached the hole, and the wind picked up in intensity due to the cave funneling all the air towards her. Rainbow Dash’s momentum slowed, but her wing beats only grew in strength, and she slowly closed the distance between the cave and herself. It was while she grunted in effort that she caught notice of a shadow passing over her, and she looked up in surprise. “Wha-” Something rocketed past her, nearly knocking her off course entirely, and Rainbow Dash stared in disbelief as whatever it was sailed into the cave. She stared open mouthed for some moments before recollecting herself, and while gnashing her teeth, Rainbow Dash covered the remaining distance and entered the cave. What the hay was that? It just soared through like it was nothing. Rainbow Dash flew through the cave, avoiding stalactites with the faintest amount of light, but mostly because of her memory of the place. Whatever it was that had passed her could be heard ahead, flapping with strong wing beats, and it navigated the cave as easily as Rainbow Dash did. She’d only be able to catch a glimpse of its form now and then in the darkness, and she narrowed her eyes in annoyance. I don’t know who you are, but if you think you can show me up at my course, you got another thing coming. The two of them winded their way through the dim cave, using only the brief cracks of light that shone through the rock above as their source of illumination. Rainbow Dash tried to close the gap between her and her unexpected guest, but whenever she saw the flash of red from its hide, it’d always be just ahead of her. Then, a bright light appeared ahead, and Rainbow Dash broke free from the cave. Blinking away the spots in her vision, Rainbow Dash looked ahead and saw her competitor. He was a pegasus, as large as Big Mac and just as red. His lengthy, auburn colored mane billowed behind him, and his expansive wings propelled him forward with massive speed. He slowed for a moment, taking the time to glance back at Rainbow Dash, and gave her an arrogant smile. He was mocking her, and it was achieving the desired effect. Rainbow Dash’s face tightened, and she put on a burst of speed to catch up with the large stallion. He kept his smug expression, and turned his attention forward again, matching Rainbow Dash’s acceleration. The two of them flew through the gorge at breakneck speeds, and the gap between them would lessen as Rainbow Dash’s lithe form gave her an advantage on rocky twists and turns. But the stallion would gain distance again along the straightways, pumping his much larger wings with powerful strokes. Rainbow Dash’s mood was growing hotter by the moment, and she growled in her efforts. I’m going to wipe that smug grin right off your face the moment I catch up to you, buster. They continued on through the gorge, closing and furthering the distance between them over and over. But when the faint sound of hissing could be heard between the thwomps of their wing beats, Rainbow Dash gave a hopeful grin. Let’s see you get past this. Up ahead was a narrow section of the gorge, and it was covered in holes that were larger than any pony. The red scales of the eels could be seen glinting in the sunlight as they poked their tongues out, testing the air for any disturbances. And as Rainbow Dash and the stallion came closer, the quarry eels stirred in their holes, and prepared themselves for a chance at a meal. “I’d be careful if I were you,” Rainbow Dash called out, smiling expectantly for the stallion to turn tail at the sight of the eels. However, he merely glanced back at her with his smug grin, and then looked forward again with no signs of stopping. Rainbow Dash blinked in surprise, but then snorted in irritation as she pursued him. The moment the stallion entered the nest, the eels launched out from their holes with gaping maws. With surprising agility, the stallion avoided the first eel, using his powerful wings to launch himself above its attack. The eel slammed into the opposite wall, cracking the stone, and soon, more joined it as the stallion weaved his way through. Rainbow Dash couldn’t believe what she saw. The stallion was handling the quarry eels with perfect timing and skillful dodges, and at one point even landed on one of their heads and bucked its skull, launching himself forward with his muscular legs. Rainbow Dash was in awe at the sight, but as she too approached the eels, she pulled her eyes away from the stallions movements and onto the dangerous eels. While not as direct as the stallion, Rainbow Dash weaved through and around the eels, narrowly avoiding their bites by inches at times, and more often than not, because she chose to risk such proximity. She found it all too easy to tempt the eels towards her, making silly faces at them only to expertly dodge them at the last possible second, grinning at herself in making them cause the largest cracks in the stone from this misses. She performed loop de loops, barrel rolls, and even flew upside for some moments, all because she could fly through the quarry nest in entertaining ways, and she did so with glee. Soon enough she was through, and she held her hooves at her sides as she laughed. The quarry eels shook their heads as they slithered back into their holes, hissing menacingly at once again missing their blue tormenter. Rainbow Dash wiped a tear from her eye, feeling her giggles come down, but then quickly became silent as she remembered her guest. The stallion was hovering a short distance away, and was smiling from her antics. The two of them kept eye contact for some seconds, but it broke as the stallion turned her gaze at the end of the gorge. They were at the last stretch, and the stallion kicked forward to finish the race. Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes, and with a raspy voice exclaimed, “Nuh uh.” With a kick of her hooves, Rainbow Dash flew after him, and the race was back on. They’d reach the end of the gorge in no time, and despite Rainbow Dash’s efforts, she couldn’t close the distance between them. In less than a minute, she’d have been shown up on her own course, and the idea stirred a fire in her. Let’s see you beat this! With a cool exhale, Rainbow Dash extended her hooves forward as far as she could, and beat her wings faster. The air around her began to hum as she stretched her body further, flapping her wings faster and faster with each stroke, and finally, she began to close the distance between herself and the stallion. A cone started to form at the front of her hooves, and a rainbow started to trail behind body. The gorge was filled with a growing whistling noise as speed and energy combined, and the stallion took notice of it. Looking over his shoulder, a surprised expression crossed his face, and Rainbow Dash returned it with a wild grin. Rainbow Dash’s cheeks were pulled back as she built up speed, and the cone around her body became narrower and narrower. There was a tension all about her as she neared the peak of her speed, and with a surge of excitement, Rainbow Dash rocketed past the stallion, and pushed herself over the final limit. The air fluctuated as the space around her exploded with a thunderous boom, and a wave of colors were sent in all direction. The sonic rainboom echoed for miles around, sending its colorful display cascading over the gorge walls and high into the sky. And the remaining space within the gorge was filled with a rainbow trailing object that was a blur to any who saw. With ludicrous speeds she reached the end of Ghastly Gorge and pulled up, soaring high into the sky like a rainbow-colored streamer. She leaned backwards as she arced her ascent, pulling into a loop so that she could do a nose dive back towards the ground. She spent the brief moment when the world looked to be above her head grinning from ear to ear, all while enjoying the immense satisfaction of seeing the stallion far below her gawk upwards in disbelief. She then came spiraling down, giggling to herself at her victory and the rush of exhilaration that came with performing a sonic rainboom. That ‘oughta show him what’s what. Extending her wings outwards, Rainbow Dash slowed her descent, and the trailing rainbow colors faded as she approached the ground. With gust of wind that caused the nearby plants to shake in their roots, Rainbow Dash landed at the top of Ghastly Gorge, having once again reached the end first. She exhaled heavily as she giggled to herself, and then turned to look at the stallion as he joined her. “So… What’d you… think?” Rainbow Dash asked between heavy breaths. The stallion panted for a moment, but then let out a hearty chuckle. “Thy flying feats are commendable. Truly, thou art a pegasus with little equal.” “Heh, yeah, I guess I am,” Rainbow Dash replied. She sat on her flank as her breath came back to her. “You aren’t so bad yourself. Have to say, I’ve never seen a guy as big as you move so fast.” “I thank thee for thy praise,” he replied. “It is not often that I chance upon such an enjoyable race. Thou hast my thanks for accepting my challenge.” Rainbow Dash laughed. “No problem. It’s not everyday that somepony can get the drop on me.” She laughed again, and then let out a happy sigh. The high she felt from her exertion, however, dulled as a thought crossed her mind. “Is there a reason why you’re talking like that?” “Whatever dost thou mean?” “I mean that,” Rainbow Dash said with a wave of her hoof. “All this thee, thou, and stuff. You sound like Princess Luna before she figured out how to talk normally.” “Ah, you mean my dialect,” the stallion said. “I have yet to learn the ways of the land today. It has been… an interesting endeavour.” “You’re weird,” Rainbow Dash said, but with a smile. “Thou could say that.” Having finally caught her breath, Rainbow Dash stretched her wings, enjoying the sensations flowing through her body after such an exercise. But as she took the time to think and feel, another thought crossed her mind, and it caused her wings to fall as she slowly looked to the stallion with a skeptical expression. “Where uh… Where did you say you were from?” “I did not. But if thou wishes to know, I hail from the east.” “Oh, okay…” The two of them stared at one another for some moments, and it was then that an unsettling feeling came over Rainbow Dash. Ever since she had beaten the stallion in the race, she had failed to notice his watchful gaze over her, almost predatory in nature, and at how close he had gotten to her. “Thou art a skilled flyer,” he said, only a few feet away. “Such a performance mustn't go unrewarded.” “Yeah, I am pretty awesome,” Rainbow Dash said slowly as she stood herself up. “Awesome,” he said, sounding the word. “Yes, thou art, as you say, awesome. And such an awesome pony deserves an equally awesome gift.” “Uh, thanks, but no thanks,” Rainbow Dash said, taking a step away from him. “The race was good enough.” Alarms were starting to sound off in Rainbow Dash’s head, and the unease she felt was growing by the second as the stallion stepped closer to her. “Please, I insist. But first, I must know the identity of my victorious opponent. Pray tell, what is thy name?” “Rainbow Dash,” she replied while frowning. “You?” “Take heed, for thou gazes upon the master of the sky,” he replied, bowing low as he extended his wings. “I am Gale, lord of all those with wings.” “Uh huh,” Rainbow Dash replied, taking another step backwards. “Well, it’s been nice talking to you, Gale, but I’ve got somewhere to be.” “Thou may go wherever thou wish, but first, I must impart thee with my gift,” he said, standing himself up straight. His large form stood over Rainbow Dash, and she started to think that maybe he was actually even bigger than Big Mac. “I’m good, really,” Rainbow Dash replied, her voice a note quieter than before. Gale’s face became hard, and he stepped forward. “Thou art an impatient mare. One should show more respect for The Beast.” “The Beast?” Rainbow Dash replied, and she furrowed her brow in confusion. But then it all began to click in her mind. Previous conversations and thoughts began to connect to one another, and a sense of dread filled Rainbow Dash. The Beast, one of the Four Shepherds. She recalled Princess Celestia mentioning him in passing months ago, when Twilight was recovering in the library. Rainbow Dash knew the princesses were preparing everypony for the next shepherd, and now, she found herself staring at him. Gale stepped closer, and the hair on Rainbow Dash’s neck stood up. “Gotta go!” she cried, and she leapt upwards and flew away. With a frantic gaze, Rainbow Dash flew towards Ponyville. Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap, oh crap! I gotta tell Twilight! I got to warn everypony! Rainbow Dash didn’t dare look back. She couldn’t waste a single moment. She had seen first hoof how fast Gale was, and she focused every inch of her body on flying as fast as she could. Her limbs ached from performing the sonic rainboom, and her chest felt empty from exerting the pegasus magic needed to perform the maneuver, but she nonetheless pushed herself to the limit, not letting up for an instant. She suddenly lurched forward as a gust of hot air swept up from behind her, and Rainbow Dash yelped in surprise at the increase in temperature. There was a deafening sound behind her, rhythmically causing her body to hum from the vibrations as she felt the air around her shift. The awful sound of trees breaking at their trunks filled the air, and another wave of heat washed over her. Rainbow Dash gulped as her body began to shake, and she slowly looked behind her, and her heart fell at what she saw. Her vision was filled with the sight of a gargantuan red dragon pursuing her. Its massive wings heaved its body through the air, and its dangling claws dragged across the forest, shattering trees in its wake. Rainbow Dash felt the strength in her limbs fade upon gazing at the sheer size of the monster, something she had never experienced before; even the dragon that had visited Ponyville was by no account small, but stretched to its full length would have brought it only to the chest of the dragon currently chasing her. “Is thy courage so fallible?” the dragon spoke, causing the air and Rainbow Dash’s whole body to rumble from his deep voice. Rainbow Dash gulped as she exclaimed in a tiny voice, “G-Gale?” The dragon narrowed its eyes it drew closer, and it let out an awful hiss that would have put the quarry eels to shame. “I see now that thy brave spirit flees outside of the race. Thy feeble shaking is shameful.” Rainbow Dash hadn’t even realized she had been shaking until Gale had pointed it out. “But I am honor bound to still impart thee with my gift, and so I shall, and you will succumb to my rule.” Gale opened his maw, and a burning light could be seen building in his throat. Every instinct in Rainbow Dash’s body told her to run, and she sped forward with all her strength. She only managed to cover a good forty-feet before a shadow came from her left, and Rainbow Dash found herself being hit with the force of a brick wall. Her body was sent careening into the forest below, and after snapping through multiple branches, she collided with the ground. Rainbow Dash’s mind was reeling from the impact, and she blinked profusely as she tried to refocus her hazy vision. Pain shot through her body, and a wave of dizziness came over her. This was worse than any other crash landing she had experienced. It was immediately apparent that she had broken bones, causing nearly paralyzing aches to course throughout her chest. Something wet fell down her cheeks, and she realized she was crying. With a cry of agony, Rainbow Dash propped herself onto her front hooves. She immediately became aware of a white hot pain in her shoulders, causing spots to appear in her vision. With great difficulty and the gnashing of her teeth, she looked over her shoulder, and she paled from the state of her wings. They had been snapped from the blow, and hung limply at her sides. Rainbow Dash’s jaw dropped as tears began to fall, but she couldn’t mutter a word aside from a disbelieving whimper. Then, the ground shook and trees were knocked aside, and Rainbow Dash fearfully turned her head. Gale had landed, and he towered over her in his draconic form. Staring up at his exposed belly and chest was like looking at a rock cliff, and her eyes continued to travel upwards still. His knees reached higher than the canopy of the forest even while he sat upon his haunches, and weighing tall above all this was his gargantuan head pridefully lifted. He flexed his clawed hand while he looked down at her. “Thou art such a frail thing. One sweep of my limb has reduced thine body to such a broken state.” Rainbow Dash whispered for help, hoping that something, anything would hear her. Gale regarded her for some moments, and then snorted, sending a plume of smoke skyward from his nostrils. “Rainbow Dash, for proving thyself in flight, thou shalt become my kin, and when thou hast grown into thy fate, thou shalt suffer to follow me to the ends of the world.” Gale opened his mouth to reveal a glowing light, and Rainbow Dash felt the tears on her cheek evaporate from the wave of heat that emanated from him. “Burn.” With a deafening roar Gale unleashed his inferno, and Rainbow Dash screamed as the fire consumed her body and soul.