Double Rainboom
The morning sun peaks its head over the horizon, tempted to rise as fast as it possibly could but instead, it began to steadily raise into the sky to begin another beautiful day in the land of Equestria. Some ponies say that the sun shines the brightest in the small town of Ponyville, where the day is either just another working day, or the catalyst for the end of the world. Who could say?
Speaking of the end of the world, those very same ponies who save the world on a somewhat regular basis reside in the small town. However, being a hero does not always mean constant danger and excitement, sometimes the problems of everyday life can hinder even the strongest and bravest of heroes. Everyday occurrences such as making a talent enhancing potion in a laboratory/basement. Don't we all do that at least twice a week?
Anyways, the pony doing said activity was, the adorkable bookworm herself, Twilight Sparkle. She was levitating boiling chemicals contained within different shaped beakers and pouring their contents into one small tube of red liquid. With precise levitation magic, and constant checking of the book next to her, she poured several chemicals into a separate beaker. She held the container close to inspect the solution inside. She smiled happily at the complete brew and shook it softly to get a reaction. After a few seconds of not hearing said reaction, she shook it violently and got the miniature reaction she hoped for.
She leaned close to the tube of red liquid and put all of her concentration into her magic in order to hold the concoction in the right position, in order to pour the exact amount needed to create the formula she was hoping for. She slowly tilted the beaker and a drop of the liquid hung on the edge, as if afraid to touch the tube itself. She tilted it farther and focused harder. That is until a knock on her lab door completely broke her concentration.
She was so stunned that she almost dropped the mixture. She carefully set the beaker down, releasing her frustration in a loud sigh and went to answer the door. Her number one assistant met her when she opened the door.
"Spike, what is it?" She asked, obviously hiding her annoyance at the distraction. Spike quickly guessed that he was bothering her and replied.
"Sorry for interrupting Twilight but Rainbow is at the door and she wants to talk to you." Spike said as he shrunk a bit at Twilight's gaze. She sighed.
"Tell her I am in the middle of something." She turned around and closed the door then began to walk back to her experiment. Spike opened it back up.
"Twilight, she says it's really important." Twilight stopped and sighed once again. This was her friend after all and if she knew Rainbow well enough "important" probably referred to a new trick of hers or something along those lines. But she was a supportive friend and she was not going to ignore anything that seemed important to one of her best friends.
"Fine, but please don't bother anything down there Spike." She closed the door behind her and Spike saluted.
"You got it Twilight, besides I am busy cleaning up shelf #23 anyways." Twilight smiled at his enthusiasm and went upstairs alongside him.
After making it to the main floor of the library, Twilight was greeted by Rainbow Dash leaning against the door, looking bored. After seeing Twilight however, she greeted her with a pleading look.
"Twilight! There you are!" She was quick to fly over to her unicorn friend and lay at her hooves. Twilight was, understandably, confused.
"Rainbow Dash, what's the matter?"
"It's horrible Twilight! It's something so bad that I may never be able to fly again!" Rainbow put her hoof to her head dramatically. Twilight looked at her wings and guessed that that might not be the problem.
"What is it?"
"I'm trying my hardest to do a Sonic Rainboom, but I can't pull it off! The Wonderbolts will think I'm a failure if I can't do one!" Rainbow fell to the ground again over dramatically.
"Why would they think that? You were accepted into their academy just two weeks ago and you impressed the captain with your abilities and your loyalty to your ideals." Twilight raised an eyebrow "So why would they care if you can do a Sonic Rainboom or not?"
Rainbow Dash got to her hooves in a heartbeat "Yeah, but I really want to show the Wonderbolts that I can do better than the rest and blow away the competition!" She stood on her hind legs and spread her wings with a hoof on her chest.
"Remember how Lightning Dust wanted to prove she was better than the rest and how she was rewarded?" Twilight deadpanned. Rainbow's wings placed themselves back at her sides and she got back on all four hooves.
"Oh...yeah." Rainbow Dash looked at the ground in disappointment. Twilight was quick to realize her rude behavior
"Sorry! I was just a little annoyed at being interrupted as I was about to finish an experiment." Rainbows ears perked up a little.
"What kind of experiment?" Twilight was a little surprised at Rainbow Dash's sudden interest but was glad that she was taking interest in something scientific. "Not that I care, being egghead stuff and all." She groaned inwardly
"Well, I'm working on something I have been studying since magic kindergarten." Rainbow Dash looked a little confused.
"Then why haven't you done it before today? While you were in Canterlot even?" Twilight furrowed her brow.
"Because I have not had much time in between going to the Crystal Empire for a test, helping to save Equestria from constant threat from chaotic beings, a vengeful sister who was imprisoned in the moon and constant interruptions." Rainbow Dash backed up a little at Twilight's outburst and rolled her eyes at the obvious hint of aggression.
"Okay, geez no need to be snide about it." Rainbow tried to refocus the conversation "So, what are you working on that is so important that it requires years of studying for?" Rainbow shuddered at the thought.
"Well, since you want to know, just follow me and I'll show you what it is." Twilight made her way down the steps with Rainbow Dash close behind. Rainbow was stunned at the lab that was in the room.
"Geez Twilight, I think you are really pushing for the nerd label aren't you?" Rainbow giggled at her friends glare.
"Ha ha, now stay over there while I finish it." Rainbow sat on her haunches and watched as Twilight levitated a beaker with a mixture in it. With intense magical focus, Twilight levitated the beaker above the tube and carefully tilted it so that the liquid would slowly fall out. The drop once again hesitated to fall in but this time it willingly fell into the concoction in the tube. Twilight released her focus and waited for the reaction.
The red mixture began to bubble until, as she predicted, an explosion occurred. The resulting explosion shook the library and covered the lab in a haze of dark purple smoke. Twilight opened her eyes to see Rainbow standing over her, looking worried.
"Twilight! Are you okay?" Rainbow asked as she lowered her head to look into Twilight's eyes. Twilight shook her head to stop the ringing in her ears and looked behind Rainbow Dash to see a...face of some sorts. The face did not look like a pony, but not being a pony was the last thing that was on her mind. The face stretched it's mouth to an impossible length to grin as its eyes narrowed and it let out a horrifying laugh.
"Twilight? What are you looking at?" Dash continued to look at her weirdly as she pointed at something behind her. Rainbow turned around and seen...nothing. Just more purple smoke. Rainbow turned back to Twilight.
"Come on Twilight, we need to get out of here! Something tells me that breathing in this smoke is not a good thing." She joked and helped her friend get back on her hooves. Twilight's ears were still ringing from the explosion and they ran to the door.
After running upstairs to get away from the smoke, Spike rushed to the lobby in a panic.
"Twilight! Rainbow Dash! What happened down there? I was busy making a sandwich when the entire library shook and-" Twilight covered Spikes mouth to stop his panicking.
"Calm down Spike, something just went wrong with the experiment." Twilight coughed and shook her head again. Spike was still not calmed down.
"I thought that you two got hurt or something." Spike looked at Twilight with tears brimming. Twilight's expression softened and she smiled at him,bringing him into a one arm hug.
"It's alright Spike. I'm sorry for making you worry." Twilight looked down at him with a reassuring smile. Rainbow Dash coughed in her hoof to remind Twilight of the current situation. Twilight and Spike stopped hugging and looked at Rainbow Dash.
"If you two are done being cheesy, I think we need to focus on getting that smoke out of your lab, Twilight." Twilight nodded and began to think.
"Well, if we can get to one of my windows we can..." Twilight tapped her chin. Rainbow Dash immediately jumped on her thought.
"I got it!" Rainbow burst open the door to execute her plan but she was shocked to find that there was no smoke whatsoever in the room.
"What the hay happened to all the smoke?" Rainbow flew around to try and find where the smoke could have possible vented. Twilight and Spike walked into the room just as confused.
"I don't know. I don't see any of my windows open." Twilight began to inspect her room but was shocked when she felt her hoof kick something made of glass. She seen her test tube full of purple liquid rolling toward the wall. She gasped and picked it up with her magic, making sure that the cork on it was sealed tight. She looked around the floor for any sign of leakage but could not find a drop of the stuff.
"What is that Twilight?" Spike asked looking at the tube confused. Twilight cleared her throat as Rainbow landed next to Spike, looking like she was about to ask the same thing.
"In theory, this is supposed to be a talent enhancer of sorts." Rainbow Dash's ears perked up immediately.
"A talent enhancer? Would it make me fly faster?!" Rainbow Dash flew around, excited. Twilight cleared her throat loudly, signaling Rainbow to stop sheepishly.
"In theory remember. Even though I have worked on it for a long time, I honestly do not know the effects." Spike raised an eyebrow.
"Why is that? If somepony wrote it down should they not know what effect is? Or did someone just write it down for the fun of it?" Spike scratched the back of his head in confusion. Twilight sighed.
"Well, I don't quite know but judging by the small amount of description given it is supposed to double the special talent of the pony who drinks it." Rainbow was practically in awe of what she was imagining. She could fly faster than anypony who ever lived! Sure, she was the fastest but if she drank that then nopony could catch up!
Rainbow reached for the tube but Twilight's magic pulled it away from her reach.
"Rainbow, I know exactly what you are thinking but I am not ready to test it yet." Twilight began to walk away. Rainbow flew in front of her and halted Twilight in her tracks.
"Come on Twilight! Think about it! If I could drink that, then the Wonderbolts will have no choice but to make me co-captain or something like that!" Twilight pulled the tube away as Rainbow repeatedly tried to grab it.
"Rainbow I told you-"
"Please?!" Rainbow was on her knees and practically begging. Twilight tried to get around her but she was stopped every single time by Dash.
"Come on Twilight, it's not like you'll ever get another willing test subject." Spike intervened. Twilight began to think. Her brain was a boxing match of emotions right now. She wanted to tell Rainbow no but then she would not be able to test it. Although, she could test it on an animal but she was afraid Fluttershy would give her the talking to of a lifetime if she found out. She could test it on her self but that may lead to adverse health affects causing her to not even be able to record the effects. It may hurt Rainbow Dash as well, and she was much more resistant than Twilight was. Plus, it's not like Rainbow was going to leave her alone anytime soon. Twilight, for the millionth time that day, sighed.
"Fine." Rainbow began to cheer until Twilight grabbed her with magic.
"But we are testing it outside of Ponyville in case you do something wrong." Rainbow did a salute and continued to cheer.
"Spike, stay here and if I get any letters from the Princess then put them on my desk." Spike nodded
"You two be careful." Spike waved as they left and he shut the door behind them. Twilight released Rainbow and she flew in front of Twilight.
"Come on! I know a spot where me and Fluttershy practice at all the time!" Rainbow rushed ahead as Twilight tried to keep up. It's no telling what she got herself into.
****
"This is the spot!" Rainbow stopped in mid air just outside the Everfree Forest, still giddy with excitement. Twilight was exhausted and collapsed to the ground in order to rest. At least this spot was far enough to not do any damage to Ponyville if things got that bad.
"Give me a second Rainbow." Twilight huff and puffed to catch her breath. She wiped sweat from her forehead.
"Geez Twilight, you need to get out more." Rainbow giggled as Twilight ignored her and regained her breath.
"Okay Rainbow, before I let you drink it I need to know what you are going to do." Rainbow Dash thought for a second before stating the obvious.
"Fly." Twilight rolled her eyes.
"I know that but are you going to do anything extreme like-"
"You mean like a Sonic Rainboom?"
"Yeah! Are you going to do that?" Twilight took out a notepad and was about ready to record the effects.
"That depends, will it make it look more awesome?" Rainbow asked, not able to control her excitement. Twilight shrugged.
"Well, since it does, in theory, enhance ones talent by double I would say so." Twilight levitated a quill and began to write something.
"So I could do a...Double Rainboom?!" Rainbow Dash let out an ear piercing squee and giggled. Twilight looked dubious at the sudden naming.
"Don't get your hopes up though and please stay near this clearing." Twilight levitated the tube to Rainbow and she immediately grabbed it and started to chug the contents. Within seconds the tube was empty and Rainbow dropped it to the ground. Twilight raised her notepad and quill and prepared to write.
Rainbow Dash hovered for a moment and did not feel any different.
"Aren't I supposed to jitter around or something to show that it's taking effect?" She asked, confused. Twilight lowered her notepad and rolled her eyes in annoyance.
"Just fly around and see if you feel any different." Rainbow nodded and took to the skies. For a few seconds she felt just like she always did, free as a bird and faster than a bolt of light. Then, she felt weird. She felt like she could fly forever now!
Twilight was writing down Rainbow's average speed and comparing. She did not have anything to measure her current speed but she could clearly see she was going faster than she normally did. A mach cone was forming around her even as she casually flew around.
Rainbow, meanwhile, was thinking. What if everypony in Ponyville saw her do a Double Rainboom? Surely, she would be the talk of the town for months on end! No pony would ever forget it! Years down the road, when grandparents are telling stories to their grandchildren, they will tell tales of the time when Rainbow Dash, the fastest pony in Equestria, no, the world, did a Double Rainboom!
Rainbow felt her adrenaline and pride kick in and she flew away from the clearing and towards Ponyville, feeling herself getting faster every passing second.
Twilight dropped her notepad and quill and was trying to catch up to Rainbow.
"Rainbow Dash! Get back here! If you do a Sonic Rainboom over Ponyville who knows what could happen?! The results could be catastrophic!" It was pointless, there was no way Rainbow could hear her from this distance. She had to hurry to Ponyville before Rainbow hurt somepony!
****
Rainbow Dash was hovering above Ponyville, thinking about what she was doing. Part of her was yelling at her to stop before she hurt somepony. Just go back to Twilight and continue the test. The other part of her was pushing her, telling her that the Wonderbolts would hail her as co-captain or maybe even captain!
"How would they even know? Would they take Ponyville's word for it?" The loyal part of her argued. Her pride, if it had a face, would have smirked.
"No, they are going to see it." Rainbow took to the sky and flew as high as she could go. The higher she got, the colder it got and the less she could breath. She stopped at a height she was comfortable with and immediately turned to dive toward Ponyville.
She could feel the wind pushing her as she accelerated. The wind was blowing her mane all over the place and she couldn't even rainbow trail behind her grew thicker and began to expand. It began to cover her whole body as she flew closer and closer to Ponyville. She could feel the adrenaline pumping through her entire body and she could not stop now. She just let herself fall and felt the speed take over.
Meanwhile, Twilight was watching from a nearby hill that was a short distance away from the town. She was mentally panicking. What would Celestia do if she heard Rainbow Dash destroyed Ponyville? What would she do if she heard Twilight supervised the whole thing and did nothing to stop it? Oh Celestia, have mercy!
"Twilight? What the hay is going on?" Twilight turned to see Applejack and the rest of her friends meet her on the hill.
"What in the world is Rainbow Dash doing?" Rarity said as she shielded her eyes to view the incoming pegasi bomb.
"She's trying to do a Sonic Rainboom!" Before she could finish, Pinkie chimed in.
"What's so bad about that? I would love to see another one of Dashie's Sonic Rainbooms!" She bounced in place and smiled at the memory of Dash's previous Rainboom. Twilight, now panicking, interrupted.
"But since I let her drink a talent enhancer I made, it will double the effects of the move. Taking it up to catastrophic results!" This caused a collective gasp to erupt from her friends.
"Dash wouldn't do a Sonic Rainboom that powerful over Ponyville...would she?" Fluttershy shrunk back while looking up at Dash.
"We need to go warn the town!" Applejack yelled. Twilight tapped her chin.
"Girls, go warn the town, I'll stay here and try to at least halt Dash with my magic when she get's close enough-"
She was cut off by a BOOM! The intense winds that resulted almost knocked Twilight and her friends off their feet. They held their ground and held onto each other. Dash was right, she was going to do a Double Rainboom, and it looked as beautiful as a single one. However, the resulting explosion strong enough to reach Ponyville in no time. The locals ran and panicked in the streets while some merely looked agape at the display as buildings began to collapse around them. Innocents were shot back into the collapsing buildings from the winds, foals either cried or were so amazed by the display that they did not move.
After a minute, it was over. The results were just as bad as Twilight had predicted. After uncovering their eyes, the mane five looked over the newly created crater that lay in front of them. Another collected gasp erupted as they turned toward the ruined Ponyville. Their home had been nearly destroyed. Buildings that had not fallen were striped of their roofs or most of their exterior, causing some of them to look like skeletons. Rarity was the first to react.
"SWEETIE BELLE!" Rarity began to gallop down the hill with Applejack following suit, to go check on her sister as well. Pinkie was both amazed and shocked at the same time. Fluttershy did not know how to react, she just could not believe that her friend had done such a thing.
Twilight felt immensely guilty. It was because of her that the destruction took place at all. If she had just denied Rainbow's request, everything would be fine, their lives would have carried on just like normal, except for Dash's pleading. She also felt angry as well, mostly at Dash's recklessness, but mostly at her incompetence as a scientist.
"Girls, go with Applejack and Rarity, I'll go see if Dash is alright." Pinkie and Fluttershy nodded and went down the hill. Twilight turned to look at the crater and teleported into it. A trail of rainbow colored flames were at her hooves and led into an even deeper hole of sorts. She peered down it and yelled her friends name...no response. She illuminated the hole and seen her friend, not looking injured at all, just unconscious at best but Twilight feared that she may have hurt herself worse internally.
"Rainbow! Get up!" Twilight shook her but got no response. She lifted Rainbow out of the hole with her magic and shook her some more. She got a bit of a response.
"That...wasn't...very...COOL!" She yelled and fell back into unconsciousness. Twilight began to worry even more. She hoped that she just had a concussion and was dreaming. She feared the worst when she thought of brain damage. Twilight levitated Rainbow out of the crater and made her way to the nearest hospital.
*****
Rainbow Dash opened her eyes to see herself in a somewhat familiar place. She blinked and looked around, trying to get a feel of her surroundings. Then it hit her. She was in the same hospital she had been in when she hurt her wing. She looked at the curtain next to her and pulled it back, to see the very same pony in the full body cast.
"You're still here?" The pony merely nodded as best as he could through the cast. Rainbow then felt a headache come on and she gripped her forehead.
"How long have I been out?" She asked no one in particular. The cast pony simply made a motion she guessed was a shrug.
"A few hours at most." She turned to see another familiar face. A unicorn doctor walked into the room, looking slightly peeved.
"Hey! You're that doctor whose name...I can't remember." She rubbed the back of her head. The doctor rolled his eyes.
"Well, it's a shame because I certainly remember you miss Dash." He levitated a clip board in front of him.
"It seems you once again hurt yourself in a reckless attempt to impress somepony, or in this case, everypony." He shook his head.
"You have no idea how many patients we have thanks to you." He said accusingly. Rainbow's eyes widened.
"What do you mean? What did I do?" The doctor walked to the nearest window and pulled the curtain back. Rainbows mouth went agape. Outside she seen that Ponyville was in shambles.
"Huh..buh..what?!" She reeled back "How did that happen?!" The doctor looked as if he was about to go into a rant until he heard the door open behind him.
"I think it's best if I explain." Rainbow turned to see Twilight enter the room, looking not very happy to say the least.
"You did indeed do a, what did you call it, Double Rainboom." Twilight walked next to her bed.
"However, you also destroyed the entire town with it!" She was growing increasingly angry. Rainbow's eye twitched.
"Um...should I write a letter to the princess and tell her how sorry I am?" Twilight's eyes turned to slits.
"Yeah and I am sure Celestia will give you the key to the city afterwards as well." Rainbow shrunk back into her bed. After a few seconds of thought, which mostly consisted of her shifting the blame to her pride and her loyal side chewing her out. She sighed loudly.
"Get Spike."
After a dose of medicine to cure her headache, Rainbow Dash got right to work. Getting a lot of glares from the towns ponies, she was sure they would remember her for something alright, but not anything great. Sure, she had a little help from some ponies, mostly Scootaloo, but, after a few hours, ponies began to help her clean up. Mostly out of concern of wanting to get home before the sun sat. Celestia had heard of what happened and considered sending some guards to actually arrest Rainbow, but after an hours worth of convincing from Twilight, Celestia let it go. Twilight guessed that she realized that cleaning up and entire towns worth of destruction would be punishment enough. The residents of Ponyville, meanwhile, had to make an impromptu Shantytown from the spare rubble.
After about a weeks worth of working, and repeated jeers from passing ponies who were helping, Rainbow Dash had finally finished rebuilding the town. Even afterwords, she could tell that it would be while before they forgot something like this. After being cheered for by a few ponies, Rainbow made her way to Twilight's library, which remarkably was not harmed in the blast.
"So, I take it that you learned your lesson?" Twilight asked as she stood in the doorway. Rainbow simply looked herself over, seeing all the splinters in her fur and her wings, the dirt on her hooves along with sawdust clouding her rainbow mane and nodded.
"I think that's an understatement." Rainbow Dash lowered her head in sadness. She looked up at Twilight but avoided her gaze.
"Twilight, I am really, really, really sorry about what I did. I betrayed the trust you put in me and I made myself look like a prideful jerk. I know you may not forgive me but I just wanted to let you know how sorry I was and how stupid I think my decision was." Rainbow Dash's eyes finally met Twilight's, whose gaze had softened in light of her apology.
"While I am still a little mad about what you did, I am glad you realized your mistake." Twilight beckoned Rainbow to come in. Spike was busy re-organizing shelf #53 again when he seen Dash enter.
"Spike, I think you know what to do." Twilight motioned to Rainbow Dash and Spike nodded, sliding down the ladder and grabbing a parchment and quill on his way over. Rainbow took a deep breath and organized her thoughts to know what she was going to say. She cleared her throat.
*****
Dear Princess Celestia,
I'm sure you have heard of what happened and I am not to proud of it either. However, I did take something away from all of this: You always need to know the consequences of your actions before doing them. If you let your pride take hold of you, you could do some really stupid things and you WILL get punished for them. Being a friend does not always mean that you will always be forgiven for stupid mistakes, but you should work hard to gain back what little trust is left. Because, in the end, forgiveness is a powerful thing and, if you do something as stupid as I did, you have to work REALLY hard to earn back their trust.
Your faithful subject,
Rainbow Dash