Ponywatching

by ThunderTempest

Legacy Prompt #10: High Hopes

Her wings hurt.

That was nothing new, really. Rainbow Dash was used to her wings aching from use and strain. The kinds of tricks she often practiced had injured ponies less awesome than her. And more, sometimes. But this time was worth noting because she wasn’t pulling off a trick. This was a climb.

It was a common dare, a physical measure of courage and ability amongst pegasi. Fly as high as you can. Most got to the cirrus layer before turning back as the cold creeped underneath their feathers and into their muscles, sapping their strength, and making them admit that they weren’t as good as they claimed to be.

“Wonderbolts must be able to represent the peak of pegasi ability!” called Spitfire, as the group of hopefuls ascended through another bank of clouds, the cirrus layer in sight. “That means not just speed, but bravery and height! Up here, the air’s thin enough that if you don’t know how to breathe right, you might just make yourself pass out, so keep concentrating on your breathing, recruits!”

No ponies really flew this high. There was no real need to. Everything above the main bank of cumulus clouds pretty much took care of itself-no real weather could form this high.

Rainbow Dash could barely hear Spitfire’s advice as the group made it to the prized cirrus layer, where most of the group elected to stop. All she could feel was the cold beginning its creep into her skin, the soft, slow hand that threatened to grab onto her and pull her down at any moment. And despite Lightning Dust saying something about the others being useless or weak, Rainbow barely heard that. All she could hear was the sound of the sky above her, daring her to dive to its very edge. Rainbow no longer cared that her wings were aching, or that Lightning Dust was being a jerk again. The sky had challenged her. Rainbow Dash hated backing down.

“Right, well done all of you for getting this high. Anypony who wants to go back down, you’re welcome to,” said Spitfire, “everypony else, let’s see how high we can get.” Most of the other recruits jumped off the cloud and headed back down, leaving only Rainbow Dash, Lightning Dust, Spitfire and Cloud Chaser to continue on and upwards. After a moment more of rest, the four took off, heading higher and higher.

Not three minutes later, Cloud Chaser bowed out, heading back down to thicker air. Five minutes after her, Lightning Dust stared at the steady beating of Rainbow’s and Spitfire’s wings in disbelief, and she too, dove back down.

Rainbow didn’t care that she was effectively alone with one of her biggest idols, or to be more precise, it never crossed her mind. All that mattered was the climb.

Four minutes after Lightning Dust had left, Spitfire said something about there being no point in going any higher. Rainbow Dash ignored her, and continued on alone and upwards.

Miniature ice crystals had formed on the few parts of her body that were not involved in keeping her going upwards, but periodic shakes dislodged them. She could hear the sky’s call, its challenge getting stronger and stronger now. Breathing was difficult at best, but Rainbow Dash pushed onwards, her invisible goal close now, she could feel it.

Then, she crossed it. Some invisible, unknowable ceiling, the line in the sky that separated ordinary from extraordinary. Cold ceased to have meaning. Pain ceased to have meaning up here. All that was up here was Rainbow Dash, and endless black stretching out in every direction. Around her, rainbow flames danced in the sky, and pure weather magic curled and embraced her.

She could see the stars here, almost close enough to fly out and touch.

She looked down and relished in the sensation that at this point in time, she was probably the furthest away from Equestria that she had ever been in her entire life, and spent a few moments hovering there, absorbing the quiet and glaring at the sky below her, as if to say ‘now what?’

Then, with almost agonizing slowness, she rolled over, and dove back down.

Author's Note:

Written for Legacy Prompt #10, on the TMP group forums.
The Prompt: Don’t Leave me alone
Or: alone at last!

Comments

[Valhuir]

"Now what"?

A 'From the Edge of the Athmosphere Ultra Mega All The World Can See It Super Sonic Rainboom", of course!

[ThunderTempest]

5296445
Of course.

[Themaskedferret]

Very moving and beautiful. I'd love to see this expanded. Just be purely about her climb. From when they start to this final point.

[ThunderTempest]

5335678 This isn't a new idea; there's a few fics out there about Rainbow Dash flying to the top of the world.