> Dragon Blues: Faster Than You! > by Bit-Bolt > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Lost In The Clouds > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- It was a bright and sunny day over the meadows near Ponyville. The blue Pegasus Rainbow Dash was relaxing on a cloud above the peaceful pastures. Her colorful mane and tail swayed in the gentle breeze passing by. “This is the life. Eh Tank?” She said to her turtle as she snuggled up beside him. Before she could drift of however her relaxing afternoon was interrupted as a blue object came blasting across the ground at insane speeds. The speed the object was traveling at was so intense it knocked Rainbow right off her cloud. In a panic she flutters her wings catching herself in the air. “What the Hay? Was that?” She asked as she held her hoof out catching Tank as he fell into her hoof. The turtle spun around on his shell atop Dash’s hoof. “Come on Tank. Let’s go find out what that was.” She told her pet as she tossed him on her back and speeds after the streak flying very fast. Rainbow ended up at the edge of the Everfree Forest, it was a wild dark wood filled with many mysterious and evil creatures. She saw what had sped by her was now stationary just in the woods before her. Upon looking closer she could see a light blue pony sized dragon with silver spines down his back. He had sort dark silver horns and the spikes upon his head formed a slick Mohawk. Rainbow his behind a tree and decided to see what the dragon was up to. “Come on it’s easy.” The blue dragon said in a relaxed raspy voice. He was talking to a white bunny on the ground before him. Lying on the ground was a deck of playing cards with five each scattered before the dragon and the rabbit. “So when you want another card you say hit me, okay?” The Bunny simply responded by picking up a card and begun gnawing on it. The dragon’s eyes fell to an unimpressed glare as he let out a sigh. “You used to be so good at this. Come on man pull yourself together. Remember when you were losing you used to cheat, by teleporting in cards? You know from that chaos dimension place?” The white rabbit dropped the card it was chewing and hopped off into the woods. “No of course you don’t.” The blue reptile said in defeat. As he zoomed around blindingly fast collecting the cards. Before too long he went through the deck flicking the ends of the cards with his fingers. “AHA!” Shouted Dash as she leapt from behind the tree. Shocked and surprised the dragon jolted and flicked all the cards into the air. “So you were the one who zoomed past me.” The Pegasus accused. “What the!? Yeah I guess I did. Wait you followed me?” The dragon said raising an eyebrow. “Yeah so what if I did dragon boy?” Rainbow asked crossing her hoofs. “Well you must have been pretty quick to keep up with me. I was only playing cards with Crash for about ten minuets. Not bad pony. You’ve got quite the set of wings.” The blue lizard responds shooting a thumbs up. Dash smiled and nodded in agreement. “Yeah I am pretty awesome amazing even.” She told the dragon as her wings lifted her into the air. The dragon nodded with an approving glance. “I like the attitude to. You got guts girl. I’m Bolt. You got a name?” “I’m Rainbow Dash! Element of loyalty, future Wonderbolt I’m kind of a hero around these parts. ” She told the dragon while soaring above him. “A pony whose moderately speedy and into heroics. Dash I like the cut of your jig.” He told the Pegasus as he spread his wings and tried to fly up to her level. Bolt was having trouble staying airborne on the same level as Dash. Dash looked puzzled wondering why it looked like the dragon could barely fly. “You alright there dude? You look like you’re about to fall out of the sky.” Rainbow asked. “Yeah my wings aren’t great for flying, too big and bulky. I can barely keep myself airborne. I use them more for breaking and making turns. You’d be surprised at the amount of wind you can catch on these things.” Bolt said as he fell from the sky and hit the ground. Dash laughed at Bolt as he came crashing down before raising an eyebrow and said. “If your wings are no good how did you zoom past me? Also why where you playing cards with a rabbit?” She enquired. “Hey! Easy.” Bolt told the Pegasus getting a little peeved. “Oh he’s not a rabbit he’s a dreconques.” Dash raised an eyebrow as Tank hovered behind her on his tiny helipack. “Right! Crazy scales because bunnies are the same thing as Discord.” The Pegasus said finding the dragon’s statement loopy. Bolt picked himself up and barked back annoyed. “Like your one to talk. Your turtle is flying.” He said gesturing to Tank hovering behind her. Dash snorted as she flicked her head her hair following telling the dragon. “He can fly better than you reptile.” Dash said verbally assaulting the dragon. Tank found the tone in which she use the world reptile in offensive. The turtle turned his head and gave the blue pony an annoyed look. Bolt pointed towards Dash with a single claw glared annoyed his tone becoming harsher. “Watch it pony!” “Or you’ll what fall out of the sky at me? You want a challenge dragon bring it on!” She instructed landing in front of Bolt. The dragon grew tired of Dash and waved her off. “Why would I waste my time with you? I’ve got better things to be doing.” He asked turning to walk away into the woods. > A Race With a Bolt of Lightning! > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- “What are you scared of loosing to a pony. Unless you’re a massive chicken you’ll meet me at Ponyville Town Square for a race. Winner gets bragging rights.” Rainbow challenged as she grabbed her turtle and zoomed off. Bolt looked to the bunny as it chittered and stared up to the dragon. “Shut up Crash.” He roared annoyed at the seemingly innocent rabbit. Three days had passed and a large crowd had gathered around the fountain statue in Ponyville. The atmosphere was positively buzzing as the ponies attending were hoping for a good show. Dash was at the starting line surrounded by her closet friends. A white unicorn known as Rarity was wearing her purple mane up along with a large elegant headpiece with gems strewn throughout the design. Twilight the purple alicorn had also attended along with the yellow pegasus Fluttershy. “Oh this is so exciting isn’t it?” Fluttershy asked beaming ready to show her support. “I’m sure it’s going to be a spectacular show.” Rarity commented shortly after while she pushed her mane out of her eyes. Twilight had just finished setting up a camera long with the device she uses to measure wing power. “Ha he hasn’t shown up yet. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s cowering in a cave.” Dash said as she started stretching her wings. Looking up from her gadgets Twilight asked. “What kind of pony lives in a cave?” “Oh he’s not a pony Twilight. Some poser dragon.” Twilight thought back to a blue dragon she’d met earlier that year. “Uhhh Dash this dragon. He wasn’t blue was he?” She asked becoming a little worried for her friend. “Yeah why? What’s it matter?” Dash told Twilight scratching behind her ear. “Oh no reason.” Twilight responded. If it was indeed the dragon she had met earlier she knew this was going to be a very interesting race. Not too after long Bolt walked up behind Dash as he went unnoticed. “Only five minuets to race time and he still hasn’t shown. Ha he’s probably so slow he hasn’t even made it here yet. I’m going to win this hoofs down girls.” She reassured her friends as her confidence was in full swing. A raspy voice called out from behind Rainbow Dash in an annoyed and threatening tone. “You’re not faster than me.” Dash turned raising an eyebrow with a smug smile. “That’s yet to be seen dragon boy. At least you’re not a chicken and you showed up.” Twilight waved to Bolt hoping he’d remember her. Bolt gave a small smile and flicked a wave back before heading towards the starting line. He lowered his body and donned a look of intense focus. His body occasionally started to flicker with random surges of electricity. Dash took her place behind him and got into position her wings tucked tightly to her sides. After finishing a conversation with Rarity and Fluttershy, Princess Twilight headed to the starting line. She smiled and addressed the crowed. “Hello everypony. I’m glad to see so many bright smiling faces. Today is sure to be a raging race. One of the athletes is a homegrown hero and one of my closet friends, Rainbow Dash.” The audience went wild cheering for their resident racer. “The other is a dragon who lives on the outer bounds of the Crystal Empire. He helped me reclaim my magic from an evil unicorn.” The audience cheered for the dragon’s heroic gesture but the applause was nowhere near the volume of Rainbow’s reception. “With that let the race begin.” Twilight shot off a spark of bright magic signifying the beginning of the race. With that Rainbow Dash was off. She flew across town easily hitting 100 mph at the twenty-second mark. Dash smiled looking over her solder pleased with herself she had left the dragon in the dust. Bolt took off soon after breaking into a slow sprint. He soon kicked his pace up to a light jog coming out of the starting gate. The ground shook beneath his feet like rumbling thunder with each step more rapid than the last. As Bolt ran on all fours he looked like a nimble cheetah chasing after its prey. After his next thunderous step the blue dragon shot off like a ballistic blue bullet completely destroying the sound barrier. The resulting sonic boom knocked over the bystanders at the starting line causing a small ruckus. Rarity seemed annoyed as she scrambled to fix her mane and headpiece that were disturbed in the blast. “Goodness! My mane!” She shrieked as she scrambled to get every hair perfectly in place. Bolt shot past Rainbow causing her to flap her wings faster and faster. “Speed of sound huh?” She commented as her velocity was approaching 700mph upon gaining a few more miles per hour she broke the sound barrier herself. Dash’s sonic rainbow came into effect as a wild wave of color washed over the land. The audience cheered watching Rainbow preform her trademark move spreading a shot of color across the heavens. Dash and the dragon were now traveling at roughly the same speed, as they were neck and neck. Bolt’s body begins to spark wildly crackling with electricity as if he was building up to something big. Dash looked a little puzzled she’d never seen anybody do that before. Before too long Bolt blasted off surpassing Rainbow by a vast margin leaving her in the dust. It wasn’t long before Bolt had completely vanished from Dash’s vision. “Where did he go?” She remarked as something came from behind her. The object in question was a blue streak traveling at physically impossible speeds. The object passed her slowing down for a fraction of a second to reveal it was Bolt. The dragon flipped her his middle claw as his face donned a cocky smile. He shot off over the horizon blasting away trees and rocks that got in his way again to only soon to zip up from behind and overtake Dash once more. Dash’s jaw dropped at what she was seeing as she watched the dragon pass her and zoom off into the distance. “It…..It’s not possible.” Dash squeaked not believing her eyes. “How is he passing me and coming back from behind?” Bolt zipped past Dash and came up from behind her again as he streaked past the starting line only to shoot past her and over the horizon like blue rocket on roids equipped with a warp drive. This repeated as Bolt passed Dash and ran off over the horizon a total of ten times. Arriving at the starting line again this time Bolt dug his claws into the ground while opening his wings wide. The force of his claws dug into the ground dragged him to a stop while his wings caught air slowing his motion acting like racing parachutes. Bolt stands tall and triumphant with his chest puffed out while the crowd goes crazy. They cheer and holler all while chanting his name. The egoistical dragon cups his ear as if to say, I can’t hear you. The audience screams his name louder and louder while Bolt soaks up the glory. The dragon’s ego was in full swing as he shouted. “I am The Fastest Thing Alive! Nobody can match me when it comes to velocity. Twilight you set up a camera didn’t you? Why not check the results.” Twilight examines the replay on the camera she had set up. She moves the playback speed to super slow motion and observes. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing as she announces to the race goers. “After slowing the footage down to one frame per second I’ve deduced what happened. Every time Bolt rushed over the starting line and past Rainbow Dash he circled the globe once. I wouldn’t believe it if I hadn’t just seen it. According to the data he circled the world a total of ten times. That’s staggering!” Twilight looked to the dragon utterly speechless before stating. “Bolt you must have been traveling at the speed of light to achieve this.” Bolt smiled cracking his claws. “A little faster actually.” He gave a victorious mighty roar that shook the ground. The ponies watching seemed a little timid after the mighty roar especially Fluttershy. Rainbow Dash stopped in her tracks and landed with a thud. Before her eyes lay a flaming trail as far as the eye could see. This fire marked the path Bolt blazed across the land and countries he had across in mere moments. Dash looked absolutely astounded as her ears drooped low from her definitive defeat. “I lost….” She said softly looking over at the audience cheering for the dragon. Dash was being torn apart inside her ego and completive sprit had taken a major blow. She returned to the starting line after touching the flag at the edge of the woods and returning. She held her head low as both Fluttershy and Rarity congratulated her on a race well ran. “Thanks…” Said told her friends her voice devoid of any and all emotion. Bolt zipped up to Rainbow Dash nudging her in the side with his elbow. He had a very large and smug grin as he berated the pony. “I bet right about now you’re regretting challenging me to a race.” He stood over RD as she lowered her head. “And that name, Rainbow Dash! What’s up with that? Sounds like the name of some butch lesbian. You don’t get it do you Dash? You’re just a pony. I’m a dragon. I’m stronger, faster and just plane better than you.” He placed his claws around Dash’s head and pushed her to the ground with an insult Incoming. “Loser! You never had a chance. But who was I to turn down a chance to humiliate you. Ha that was too much fun.” Rainbow stood back up a mixture of rage and sadness in her eyes. “Okay you won. You don’t need to be such a jerk about it.” She told the dragon firmly. Bolt smiled shaking his head. “Yeah I do. You said winner gets bragging rights. I destroyed you. Around the world ten times before you could even hit the finish line.” Rarity and Twilight were getting ready to defend their friend against the dragon’s onslaught of insults when in the blink of an eye he was gone. Bolt’s insults didn’t go unnoticed by Fluttershy who had left to set the dragon straight. > Fluttershy Scares The Storm > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sometime Later Fluttershy had made her way to the mountainside cave that was home to the rapid dragon. She trotted into the dark cavern that was filled with mountains of gold. Fluttershy became nervous as she set hoof into the darkness. It wasn’t long before she miss-stepped and stumbled over one of the skulls scattered about the cave. She let out a surprised shriek and scurried back to her feet becoming increasingly anxious. The Yellow pegasus’s breathing became panicked and heavy. All the commotion soon woke Bolt as he slowly slinked towards Fluttershy from the darkness. “He…hello Mr. Dragon.” She said back into a mountain of gold. As she hit it the top of the pile fell down covering Fluttershy. “Eeeek!” She screamed out as she popped her head out of the mound of shimmering coins. Bolt swaggered towards the pony and yawned looking half awake. “Do I come into your home and wake you when you’re trying to sleep?” He asked rubbing his eyes trying to wake up. “No…no, but you did make a very good friend of mine very upset.” Fluttershy said in a shy almost silent tone of voice. Bolt snorted giving a chuckle as small embers fly from his nose. “Ha yeah that was pretty funny. I totally wrecked her.” Rage begun boiling in Fluttershy like a kettle ready to steam. She cast aside her usual kind and caring demeanor and spoke with anger and authority. “Excuse you! You find Rainbow Dash’s suffering funny do you?” Bolt opened one eye wide and held up a single claw caught off guard by the fact Fluttershy was showing spine. “Uhh I guess.” “You guess. YOU GUESS! You’re wicked words and terrible tone have damaged my friends self-worth and you find that funny. HOW DARE YOU!” She shouted as she walked out of the pile of gold and towards the dragon. Fluttershy was on a warpath and had a scary look in her eyes. “I…uhh….” Bolt suddenly lost all notion of humor and had no comeback to whip out. Fluttershy’s gaze was so sharp and cold Bolt felt like she was cutting his insides to shreds. It was almost as if Bolt and Fluttershy had switched positions as the dragon backed up looking worried. “YOU DO NOT ACT THAT WAY! YOU WILL NOT DEGRADE MY FRIENDS!” She shouted still walking towards Bolt as he backed away. “Okay…..okay whatever you say.” He said now nervous holding up his hands backing away on his hind legs. “YOU GOT THAT BUCKO!?” Fluttershy screamed her tone demanding and deadly serious. Bolt attempted hide as he zipped away and dove into a pile of gold. It wasn’t long before Fluttershy stomped on his tail that was hanging out of the hiding place. Bolt poked his head out his teeth chattering. “Okay! OKAY! I’m Sorry.” The dragon said while the pink haired pony gave a soul-crushing glare. “DO NOT TAKE THAT TONE WITH ME MISTER! You are going to come back to Ponyville with me and apologize to Rainbow Dash.” Fluttershy demanded giving her stare that made animals either fear or obey her. Bolt looked into her eyes for a split second only for her grand gaze to shatter his confidence into tiny scared shards. “Leave me alone.” Bolt begged as he revs up his legs and begins to flee frightened. “Oh no you don’t.” Fluttershy shouted as she grabbed onto the dragon’s tail and was pulled along for the wild fast paced ride. > Everfree Eternity > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The dragon ran miles from his cave until he hit the edge of the everfree. Bolt wasn’t watching here he was running and he tripped falling down an incline in the dark wood. Bolt gave a grunt and Fluttershy gave a shrill scream as the two rolled down the hill until a tree in their path stopped them. Bolt quickly flipped to his feet and shook Fluttershy off with a crack of his tail. A white bunny hopped up to the dragon and Bolt’s smile soon returned. “Buddy!” He exclaimed racing over to his friend. Ducking to pick him up he gave the rabbit a cuddle before setting him down. “Crash It’s good to see you. I’m being hassled by this crazy pony dame.” Fluttershy got to her feet watching the dragon talk with the rabbit she gave a small smile. “Aww.” She let slip as she approached. “Bolt who is your friend?” Bolt giving an annoyed pout snaps his head around giving a glare. “What so now you’re nice to me, because bunnies are involved.” While the two were talking the little bunny hopped up just a few trees over. A gruff looking stallion with a crossbow had emerged with the shrubbery. The huntsmen aimed his bow locking the bolt into place with the white rabbit in his sights. Bolt was in the middle of being told off by Fluttershy as her hoof was pressed against his chest. The hunter took a deep breath and steadied his crossbow. He pulled the trigger and fired the bolt for the rabbit’s head. Hearing the snap of a bowstring Bolt leaps into action. In the blink of an eye he had caught the deadly projectile in his hand. The dragon crushed the crossbow bolt in two turning a deadly gaze towards the hunter. The huntsmen lowered his weapon looking puzzled. Bolt gave a mighty roar that shook the hunter right to the core. He dropped his crossbow and fled deeper into the woods. After watching Bolt protect the tiny bunny Fluttershy placed a hoof upon his shoulder moved by his kindness. “Come with me.” She instructed taking his claw in her hoofs. Sometime Later Bolt was sitting in Fluttershy’s cottage at the edge of the everfree forest. The two were having tea as Bolt explained why that rabbit was so important to him. “You see he’s not really a rabbit. Well he didn’t used to be. He used to be a Draconequus named Crash. He was a pain in my ass always pulling stupid jokes trying piss me off, but he was still a hell of a friend. Somedays we’d play cards and others we’d be dropping heavy objects on one another.” Bolt’s tone grew harsher and somber as he was finding it harder to talk. “I knew him for a long time. He was the only person I knew that was as powerful as I am. He had this brand of chaos magic he’d always use for tricks……Dragons live for thousands of years, by chance so do Draconequus. After my girlfriend passed away he was all I had. He was the only friend who would live as long as I would. I thought I’d be able to endure eternity with a buddy at my back. We had many adventures but I wasn’t there for his last. It’s funny you know. I can be anywhere in the world whenever I want but I couldn’t be there when it really mattered. The Everfree was facing some kind of threat so naturally Crash went to confront it. Whatever he did look up the last of his magic. He couldn’t hold himself together anymore. He vanished and split into the various animals that made up his body. A deer, falcon and yes one of them was that little bunny. Those creatures are all I’ve got left of my friend I couldn’t bare to loose them.” Fluttershy smiled placing her hoof on his claw speaking in a gentle tone. “You’re not a bad dragon. You may act snide and scary but you’ve got something special inside of you. It may not always be visible and others may not notice it but it’s there. I know it is. That’s why I’m sharing my tea with you.” She told her guest offering a warm and reassuring smile. Bolt pulled his claw away from Fluttershy and gulped down the heated water before him. He placed the cup down and stood turning to face the door. “Something special you say? I’m afraid I lost that a long time ago.” He told his host in a hurt raspy voice as he left the cottage. Bolt sped off into the everfree to take care of some unfinished business. The next day the same hunter was found dead outside his house skinned with his head stretched out over his mailbox. His decapitated head had letters shoved in it’s mouth among them was a note from Bolt reading. “You picked the wrong rabbit.”