Thirty Minute Express Train to Story Town

by Predhack

Whoops

Wind shrieked in Rainbow Dash’s ears as she wheeled around in Ponyville. The weather had called for overcast with random showers. This was usually enough to drive most ponies indoors as It was common knowledge that if Rainbow was on duty “random” would be interpreted as, “anytime you see a pony, and directly on that pony.” Rainbow liked to think of them as her low altitude flight practice days. She’d reined herself in a bit lately with the encouragement of her friends but today none of them were around and she felt like letting loose a little bit.

She screamed around the corner of one building up the main thoroughfare toward the library and started doing a series of tight corkscrews that brought her within inches of the ground. As she approached the darkened library she happened to catch a glimpse of Canterlot on its mountain in the distance. The glance was long enough for her also to be blinded by an enormous flash from the castle city.

Dazzled and half blind Dash mistimed her next twist and bounced off the ground. Whipping in the air she arranged her wings to put her on a straight course again and blinked to clear her eyes. Ponyville library was in front of her, and, complying with the obstinacy one would expect from a tree, it didn’t look to be willing to move. Another wing position and her straight cruise turned into a controlled uncontrolled turn aiming for one of the windows.

Instead of the crash she expected Dash was expected as the window instead spun out of her way as she hit it. Years of flight training allowed her to adjust for the unexpected change and Rainbow flared her wings, shaving off the speed she hadn’t been able to lose before hitting the window. She still managed to land on the far wall before coming to a full stop.

“Rainbow?” a voice asked from the floor.

Rainbow blinked and looked at the floor where a teary eyed unicorn was looking at her flapping desperately to keep her position standing on the wall. Taking this as a small opportunity to show off Rainbow chose to just walk down and step onto the floor like it was gravity was where she chose it was.

“Twilight? I thought you were supposed to be in Canterlot with Spike for some egghead thing.”

“I was,” Twilight replied evasively, “Do you always crash into the library when I’m around or was this a special visit?”

“Heh,” Rainbow laughed, scratching her head abashedly, “Sorry about that. Revolving windows are cool though. Much less painful then your old ones.”

“I kind of needed them considering the frequency pegasus ponies kept crashing through them,” Twilight muttered.

“Heh,” Rainbow laughed, then narrowed her eyes as she got a good look at her friend, “Have you been crying?”

Twilight quickly wiped her eyes and ran a hoof over herself in an attempt to prevent the disaster her mane was bordering on.

“I’m sorry Rainbow Dash, I just kinda need a moment alone right now,” she explained.

“Oh, I see,” Dash nodded in understand. She laid down and crossed her hooves, waiting expectantly.

Twilight stared back with a flat look.

“Most ponies would take that as their cue to leave,” she said.

“Yeah, I know,” Rainbow agreed, “But I’m not most ponies. I’m Rainbow Dash, Equestria’s number one flier, element of loyalty, and best friend anypony could ask for.” Rainbow laid down again after posing appropriately for the unnecessary introduction.

“So lay it on me, what’s on your mind?”

“Rainbow, I really don’t think you’re the best person to help me with this and I really don’t want to go into it right now.”

“Oh, alright.” Rainbow examined one hoof and started buffing it on her coat.

“You’re not going to leave until I tell you what happened are you?”

“Nope.”

“Ugh,” Twilight groaned, rising to her feet, “Fine? You want to know what happened? I screwed up. Happy?”

Rainbow just tilted her head in confusion and nodded for Twilight to go on.

“I blew it. I went up to give my presentation on uses for pneumoichthian alignment spells and I got nervous and completely blew my horn.”

“You screwed up a presentation?” Rainbow asked incredulously.

“No,” Twilight disagreed, “Something scared me and I turned half of Canterlot into a new city park.”

“Oh,” Rainbow said, intelligently.

“Yeah, ‘oh,’” Twilight agreed, “I’m supposed to be past this. I haven’t had this kind of problem since I was a filly and the Princess took me on as a student. I worked so hard on control for YEARS and all it took was one nervous meeting and a loud noise and suddenly I’m standing in the hanging gardens of Baybylon!”

“Wow,” Rainbow said, “That’s pretty bad. But it’s not like you’re doing that badly, I mean you don’t panic like that all the time so you just need to try harder next time.”

“I’m pretty sure it’s not that easy Rainbow. It’s not just one screw up it’s a huge screw up that could hurt innocent ponies.”

“Yeah, I get that,” Rainbow countered, “But… Hm… Think of it like this. Doing magic for you is kinda like doing tricks for me right? And how many times have you seen me screw up and get hurt.”

“Rainbow, most everypony in town has had to install a new window after you’ve crashed into their house.”

“Yeah, but how many times has anypony gotten HURT?” Rainbow pressed.

“Um,” Twilight hemmed, querying her considerable memory and coming almost blank, “Just that time you crashed after doing that new trick.”

“Exactly,” Rainbow agreed, “And the reason is that I’ve practiced a lot so that if something happens I can adjust instantly to do the least damage to anypony if something DOES happen. The reason I hurt myself after that crash was because I forgot to make an exit plan for the new trick. And I still did it outside town so nobody would get hurt if the trick did go wrong.”

“Oh, but what does that have to do with my magic?”

“I’m saying you just need to work on your kneejerk response to things. Instead of just blasting magic when you’re surprised practice doing some harmless spell or something, like that moustache thing. That would be cool.”

“It’s hardly that easy, Dash. And even if that did work I’d still look kinda silly if I gave everypony in Canterlot a moustache when I freaked out.”

“As opposed to leaves?” Dash asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Point,” Twilight agreed, “I… I guess I’ll try that in the future. Thanks Dash. I… didn’t think you’d actually have something useful to say about this.”

“Hey, just because we’ve got different talents doesn’t mean there isn’t overlap.”

“Well, thank you Rainbow. I’m glad you were here to help me out.”

A knocking at the door interrupted further conversation and Twilight flinched when she saw the distinctive silhouettes of royal guards outside.

“Um, what’s going on?” Rainbow asked Twilight.

“Well… when I panicked I may have teleported back here and left everypony a plant. The princess probably wants a word with me.”

Rainbow considered this before taking an action stance.

“Okay, you open the door and I’ll tackle them, then while you run away.”

“Or I could just go with them and explain what happened.”

“Oh. Yeah that works too,” Rainbow agreed.

“Would you like to come with me? I’d kinda like to have a friend along when I’m explaining.”

“Sure, Twi. Just let me sneak out the back and soak those guys first. I’ve got to get some ‘random’ showering in before I go or I might get accused of abandoning my post.”

Twilight snerked and waved Rainbow toward the back window. The cyan pegasus pony needed no more encouragement and was out the window in a flash. Those revolving

Author's Note:

The Prompt: “I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be.” ~ Douglas Adams, The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul

I honestly don't remember writing this one. Huh, not sure how I feel about it.

If you want more from this prompt by other authors, you know where to go. Here. Here, is where you go.