At the Factory

Deep in the darkest part of the Cloudsdale weather factory -- where the rainbows are made -- a pegasus flew through one of the hallways. Dark red, wet patches covered her fur and feathers as well as the white employee coat that she wore. Reaching her destination, she pushed the door open, and was greeted by a high-pitched shriek.

"What the hay, Wind Tunnel?" the stained pegasus growled, rubbing at one of her ears with a hoof to try and stop the ringing.

"Sorry, Star," the stallion said as he moved to stand up from where he fell onto the floor. "It's just that suddenly having you standing there looking like... that..." he motioned a hoof at her.

"Have you been reading that stupid book?" Star Glow asked, eyes narrowing.

"It's not stupid," Wind Tunnel retorted.

"Oh, come on." Star rolled her eyes. "Using ponies to make rainbows? It's ridiculous!"

"Okay, so the premise is a little out there. Still, there's more to it. It's all psychological. It's abou-"

"Whatever," Star Glow said, holding up a hoof. "I don't care. Anyway, I fixed the leak in the red tanks... again. I swear it breaks down more than any other color."

"Maybe," Wind Tunnel said in an ominous tone, "it's from all the po-"

"If you finish that," Star Glow snapped, "so help me, I will cram that book so far down your throat, you'll be burping letters for days!"

"Ha!" Wind Tunnel retorted. "Jokes on you. I can already burp the alphabet."

The mare glared at the stallion, saying nothing.

"Okay, okay." He held up his hooves. "I get the point."

"Attention rainbow maintenance department," a voice called out over the sound system. "There is a blockage in the main line that needs to be seen to immediately. Please report at once."

"Ugh," Star Glow groaned. "A main tunnel blockage. I hate those." She smirked as she narrowed her eyes at Wind Tunnel. "Guess it's a good thing that I'm not the one that has to deal with it."

"What?" Wind Tunnel squeaked out. "No. Please. Come on. I'll do anything."

"There is nothing you could do that I would want." She crossed her front legs. "Besides, I took care of the leak, so it's your turn."

Wind Tunnel let out a sigh.

"Fine," he conceded. "I'll be back as soon as I can. Don't lay a hoof on my book." He gave her a warning look before turning and heading out the door.

Glow Star watched him go then gave a shake of her head. Her gaze then turned to the desk and the book setting on. One of her wings flicked out, knocking the book off the desk and into the trash can.

"Oops."

Meanwhile, Wind Tunnel was making his way through the factory, grumbling to himself. He did not like having to deal with leaking tanks, but he hated dealing with clogged lines more. He really needed to find a position than in the maintenance department.

The pegasus made his way up to the main pools and looked around. The flow to one of the pools had stopped, little more than a drizzle coming from the end of the pipeline.

"How long has it been like this?" he asked a nearby pegasus.

"I don't know," the other responded. "We just noticed it when the feeder tank began to overflow."

Not too long then, Wind Tunnel thought. Normally the feeder tanks were kept pretty close to full, so it would only take a few minutes for them to reach the point where they would begin to overflow. Until it was fixed, the individual rainbow colors would need to be redirected to the other feeder tanks to run into the other pools.

With a flap of his wings, Wind Tunnel lifted off the clouds and glided toward the pipe. Gripping the sides as he reached the opening, he took a look inside.

The fact he was able to see inside to begin with was disappointing. He had been hoping that the problem would be here, which would make it easy to deal with: he could just give it a hard yank. It would damage the clouds around it a little, but not enough to prevent the rainbow liquid from flowing into the pool. So the blockage would be dealt with and the clouds would be replaced by the end of the day. Instead, he was going to need to figure out where the blockage was, and possibly how to remove it from somewhere in the middle of the pipeline.

Wind Tunnel moved to fly low along the length of the pipe, stopping every so often to tap it with his hoof and listen. Each time it sounded like an empty echo, he would fly further along and try this again. The pegasus kept going higher and higher up the line, stopping as he reached the base of the feeder tank.

It was a good news, bad news type of situation from what he saw. The good news was that he probably would not have to figure out how to get the problem out of the pipe, because it was probably at the bottom of the tank. The bad news was that it was at the bottom of the tank, which meant he would have to dive in there to get it. He was a pegasus, not a sea-pony.

After making his way to top, Wind Tunnel found a spot to land. Quickly, he took off the hard hat and the white lab coat. Next he grabbed a pair of swim goggles and put them on. Slowly, he took a moment to prepare himself, closing his eyes and taking several slow, deep breaths. Finally, he took a breath as big and deep as he could, and dove into the tank.

It was difficult to see through as numerous colors churned and swirled around him. He kept his wings close, flaring the edges out slightly to help with stability and guidance. He kicked and stroked with his hooves, working to make his way down toward the bottom. It was tough since his body naturally wanted to return to the surface. Granted, this was not a common event in the factory, but times like this made him wish they had some sort of weight system to help pull him down.

Finally, Wind Tunnel was able to feel the bottom of the tank against his hooves. With it, he knew which way to go. He gave a push off the sides and followed the slope of the tank's bottom to make his way toward the middle.

As he reached the spot the drain was suppose to be, he felt his hoof strike something. He gave a hard push to get closer to the bottom and grabbed at the object with his front hooves.

Tried to grab it at least. Whatever it was, the surface of it was extremely smooth and round. He could not get a good hold of it just by grabbing onto it with his hooves. It felt like it was a ball made of stone. It also seemed to be heavy.

Wind Tunnel gripped it, wrapping all four of his legs around the stone and pulling it tight to his body. Spreading his wings wide, he gave them a hard downward flap. It was enough to lift the stone for a moment, only to be pulled back down by the suction. He flapped again, being able to lift the stone off the drain before being sucked back into place again.

With no other choice, Wind Tunnel let go and swam back up to the surface. As soon as he broke through, he let out a massive gasp, replacing all the air he had lost. Quick as he could, he made his way to the edge and held on, trying to catch his breath.

"You," he pointed at a nearby pony. "Go let Star Glow that I need her help."

The pegasus nodded and ran off.

"Somepony bring me a crowbar," Wind Tunnel called out. "Whatever is down there, I can't get it out of there on my own."

He shifted to look back down into the pool of swirling rainbows. What in Equestria was it, and how did it get in there?

Awkward Conversations

Twilight stopped and stared at the library. Steeling herself, she moved forward to the door, then turned around and walked away.

No, she thought to herself as she stopped again. You can do this. You have to do this.

Jaw clenching she turned back around and walked for the door again. Twilight reached for the knob, and hesitated. Closing her eyes, she took a slow breath before letting it out. Before she lost all her nerve again, she grabbed the knob and pushed the door open.

That was easy enough, Twilight said to herself as she stood at the threshold. Now all she had to do was go inside and do what needed to be done.

Just four steps and she would be in the library.

Just two steps and she would be half-way there. More than half-way since her head would be in as well.

One step. Just one step and she would be on her way to entering the library.

She could lean forward. If she leaned forward, her head would be in there. That would be something.

Twilight stood on the stoop, staring into the library. Her ears twitched and tail gave a flicker.

It's no big deal. I'll just go inside, talk to Trixie a little if I have to, and get the book I need. No problem. Nothing to worry about. Just becau-

"Twilight?"

Twilight Sparkle let out a squeak. Her legs locked up as she fell over onto her side.

Trixie walked up to the door and looked down at the fallen mare, raising an eyebrow.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Fine," Twilight replied quickly. "Fine, fine. Perfectly fine." She paused. "Uhm... can I come in?"

"Of course," Trixie said. "I mean... it is a public library after all... and it is business hours." She gave a nervous smile, eyes shifting away and toward Twilight repeatedly.

Twilight tried to smile back as she got back up onto her hooves. It felt just as awkward and weird to her as the one on Trixie's looked. Slowly, Twilight moved forward, stepping past Trixie and into the library.

"So I haven't seen you since..." Trixie stopped, biting her lip as she did not really want to finish that sentence. "Anyway, what can I do for you?"

"Yeah." Twilight looked at her. "I know. I haven't been here since... then. Unfortunately I'm here due to business. I need a book with a cloud-walking spell in it."

"Very well. Please follow me."

Twilight nodded and followed after Trixie, who suddenly stopped.

"About last time," Trixie said as she turned around, "I'm.... uhm... well... I guess I could have done a better job of expressing myself. One that... did not include me forcing a kiss on you."

"I... appreciate it," Twilight responded. She groaned and rubbed her head. "I... I want to talk to you about this, but now's not a good time. I promise we'll discuss this when I get back."

"Back?"

"We have to go to Cloudsdale. That's kind of why I need the cloud-walking spell."

"...oh..." Trixie's ears drooped as she turned away and continued walking.

Twilight bit her lip and mentally kicked herself. She had not thought this through in the slightest at all. The two had not even seen each other -- much less talked -- since the whole awkward moment when they kissed and Trixie fled to her room. Twilight had been uncertain about coming here because of her feelings. She had not even thought about how Trixie was feeling.

"Here they are," Trixie stated, pointing at a set of shelves. "Our books on magic." Her horn began to glow. "I think..." she pulled three books from the shelf, "...these three are probably the best chance for the spell you're looking for. If you need anything else, let me know."

"Thanks," Twilight mumbled, taking a hold of the books. As soon as she looked back up, Trixie was gone.

Twilight let out a sigh and walked over to one of the tables. She opened the first book and started flipping through the pages, looking for a cloud-walking spell.

Up Into the Clouds

Seven ponies sat in the basket of the balloon as it floated up into the air. Fluttershy was holding onto Luna, keeping a grip on her as the filly looked down, watching Equestria passing by far down below with her wings fluttering excitedly. Twilight Sparkle sat in the basket with two books and a quill, taking notes as she read. Applejack was pressed down against the bottom of the basket, seeming to try and grip the wicker as tight as she could. Rarity let out a smirk as she watched Rainbow Dash.

"Dash, darling," Rarity said, "if you like the way she looks that much, perhaps you should ask her out when we're finished."

"It's not like that!" Rainbow Dash snapped. "It's just..."

She sighed and rubbed her head.

"I'm sorry, Pinkie. It's just kind of weird for me seeing you like this."

"You don't like it?" Pinkie Pie asked, looking at herself. At the moment, Pinkie Pie was not pink, nor did she look like an earth pony. Instead she was a white-coated pegasus with a poofy blond mane and tail instead.

"Not like that," Rainbow Dash responded. "It's just that I've either seen you as you or pretending to be another pony as a joke. I didn't know you had something like this." She motioned a hoof at the changeling disguised as a pegasus.

"Well I can't very well walk around on clouds without looking like a pegasus," Pinkie Pie stated.

"I suppose," Rainbow Dash conceded, turning her head.

"Uh... you okay, AJ?"

"I can't believed I agreed to this," Applejack growled. "I'm an earth pony and a farmer. I belong on the ground, where it's safe and solid. I don't belong in the sky. And I certainly shouldn't be heading for a bunch of clouds."

"Don't worry," Twilight said, not looking up from her books. "I am about eighty-five percent certain you'll be fine."

"Eighty-five?" Applejack asked, looking at Twilight with a raised eyebrow.

"Well..." Twilight looked away from the book, staring up at the balloon, "admittedly, the cloud-walking spell was made to work on ponies. There is a possibility that it will not work on your bio-mechanical augmentations."

"What?" Applejack squeaked out, eyes going wide. "You mean I might fall to my death because of these doohickeys?"

"Not how I would have said it," Twilight responded, "but it is a possibility, yes."

"That's it. I'm done. See y'all back in Ponyville."

"Applejack, dear," Rarity said, "just relax. The worst that can happen is that the instant you step on Cloudsdale, you pass through and plummet toward the ground."

"You're not helping," Applejack growled.

"I'm not finished," Rarity continued. "Were that to happen, I am certain that Rainbow Dash would be more than willing to catch you before you hit the ground. At best, she will be able to set you safely on the ground unharmed." She smirked. "At worst, you will be able to take her with you."

"Thanks," Rainbow Dash grumbled, crossing her front legs and glaring at Rarity.

"Well we're here," Twilight announced.

The others all turned to look. There before them was a beautiful city. It had long, spiraling towers and wide spaces, all made out of fluffy white clouds. Small rainbows crossed the sky, connecting some of the towers to others. All around them, pegasus ponies flew through the air.

"Oh, it's lovely," Rarity said, staring at it.

Twilight Sparkle turned to Applejack.

"If you want, I can hold you with my magic until we are certain you won't fall through."

"Or," Applejack suggested, "we could just stay here and let Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy go get it."

"Or buck," Rainbow Dash groaned. "Fluttershy, I'm sorry. I didn't think about the fact that-" She stopped when Fluttershy held up a hoof.

"It's fine," Fluttershy replied. "Really. It's been a long time since then."

"Since when?" Luna asked.

"Fluttershy and I met at a flight camp here in Cloudsdale when we were foals," Rainbow Dash explained. "The... uh... other campers weren't too... 'friendly' toward her because of what she was."

"Rainbow Dash was sort of my only friend," Fluttershy continued. "She stood up for me... well... Until Princess Temporal showed up and took me with her to Canterlot."

"Well now we can show them," Luna said as she climbed toward the edge of the basket. "And if anypony makes fun of you, I'll see to it they are sent to the dungeons. The deepest dungeons. The deepest dungeons in the coldest regions. The deepest dungeons in the coldest regions of the farthest edges."

"I don't think we have to go that far," Fluttershy said with a grin, "but thank you for caring. Now we really should get going."

Fluttershy helped Luna out of the basket and onto the cloud before climbing out herself. She was followed by Rainbow Dash and the pegasus disguised Pinkie Pie.

"Okay." Twilight's horn began to glow. "Applejack, you go ahead. I'll catch you if you fall through."

"Alright." Applejack closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She climbed out of the basket and pressed a hoof against the clouds. Pushing down, she felt the cloud sink a little before stopping. She put down her other hoof and felt the same thing happen. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and held it. With a step forward, she placed her metal hooves on the cloud.

A moment passed, and Applejack was still standing there, causing multiple sighs of relief.

"Great," Rainbow Dash said. "Now we just need to visit the weather factory and see if that thing actually is-"

"Rainbow Dash!" a voice shouted out.

Before any of the ponies could respond, a light green hoof struck Rainbow Dash in the jaw, knocking her off her hooves.

Standing there was a pale green pegasus mare with two-tone orange mane. Her eyes were narrowed to slits and she bared her teeth at Rainbow Dash.

"What the hay, LD?!" Rainbow Dash yelled as she got back to her hooves.

"Don't call me that! You are not allowed to call me that any more!"

"Fine!" Dash snapped. "Lightning Dust! Whatever! Still doesn't answer the question."

"I told you if I ever saw you again I would make sure you regretted betraying me," Lighting Dust yelled.

"Are you still on that? It was years ago for crying out loud!"

"Yes I'm still on that! You ruined my life."

"I don't have time for this," Rainbow Dash said with a sigh. With a flick of her wings, she took to the air. Rainbow Dash flew toward Lightning Dust, curving toward the blocking mare's left. Suddenly, Rainbow Dash bolted to the right and past Lightning Dust.

"Come on," Rainbow Dash called out behind her.

Lightning Dash glared at the fleeing pegasus as the others moved past her.

"This isn't over," Lightning Dash yelled at the back of the seven mares. "I will make sure you pay for this. Just you wait and see."

"What was that about?" Applejack asked as she caught up to their rainbow maned friend.

"It's a long story," Rainbow Dash replied, "and one I'm not interested in sharing. Can... can we just wait get this taken care of? If you really want to know, I'll tell you. Back home, at Rarity's club, over drinks."

The others looked among themselves and at Rainbow Dash curiously. None of them felt like pushing the subject further. As such, they kept quiet for the moment as they continued to make their way toward the Cloudsdale Weather Factory.

Shadows and Lightning

"This isn't over. I will make sure you pay for this. Just you wait and see."

Lightning Dust continued to glare at the back or Rainbow Dash, who was just walking away with her friends. Ears drooping, Lightning Dust let out a huff of frustration.

This was not how she had imagined things would go. Either there would have been apologies, or a fight. What she was not expecting was to be ignored like that. Punching, kicking, even biting, yes, but not just being walked away from.

Lightning Dust.

Lightning Dust's ears perked up as she turned around. The gave a flick as she scanned the area. She could have sworn that she had heard something. There was nothing for her to see though.

With a groan, she rubbed at her head. It felt like something was starting to give her a pain just behind one of her eyes. This was not something that she needed to deal with right now.

Lightning Dust.

Maybe she should just go home, and take a nap. She could sleep until it was dark and end up feeling better. Sleep through the pain and wake up with a clearer head. Downside was she might end up missing her chance at Rainbow Dash. Upside is that if she was still here, it would be an opportunity to come up with a better way to get revenge.

Lightning Dust.

For some reason, Lightning Dust did not feel like flying. She would just walk home. Probably stick to the side streets and alleyways to avoid traffic and the sun as much as she could. As such, she walked toward the closest alley. It felt like a relief when she stepped into the shadows and no longer had the light making her head hurt worse.

Something touched her leg, causing her to jump, wings fluttering. Her eyes narrowed as she looked down, catching sight of a dark black tendril.

"Well, well," a deep voice purred behind her, "aren't you an interesting little pegasus."

"Who are you?" Lightning Dust growled, turning to face the source.

The black unicorn's glowing eyes narrowed as he gave a sharp-toothed grin.

"I am King Sombra," he announced, "and I couldn't help but noticed that you seem to have a problem with a certain pegasus. I could help you get her back."

"You could?" Lightning asked, tilting her head. She raised an eyebrow, feeling skeptical.

"Indeed I could. A little extra power to give you a boost, and a little information to help you have the opportunity."

"And what do you get out of it? I'm not stupid. No pony would be willing to make an offer like that without wanting something in return."

King Sombra let out a chuckle, grinning widely.

"It's simple," he stated. "I want her eliminated as well. You get your revenge, and I get a threat against me removed without having to do so directly."

He paused, rubbing his chin.

"Although... if you were able to do something about the purple unicorn mare as well, that would be a greatly appreciated bonus."

"So you give me more power," Lightning Dust stated, "I get revenge on Rainbow Dash -- maybe take care of that other one like you ask -- then what?"

Sombra shifted, tilting his head as his eyes narrowed, studying the pegasus.

"Pardon?" he asked. "I am not quite certain what you mean."

"You think I'm going to help you because I get revenge?" Lightning Dust said before letting out a snort. "No way. If I help you, you better be willing to give me something in return."

There was a burst of dark purple magic around Sombra's horn and Lightning Dust's body, holding her in the air.

"You dare?" He growled, nearly pressing his muzzle to hers. "I offer you power,I offer you revenge, and you dare to ask for more?" He bared his teeth at her.

"...yes..." Lightning Dusk managed to choke out, glaring at King Sombra. She refused to look away or flinch.

King Sombra glared back for a moment before, pulling back. The snarl became a smirk as he let out a chuckle. He set the pegasus down, releasing her from his magical grip.

"And what -- pray tell -- is it you want, little pegasus?"

"I want to be a Wonderbolt," Lightning Dust replied.

King Sombra shifted, his mind seeming to work.

"Very well," he stated. "I shall give you a small bit of my power, and you will take your revenge against Rainbow Dash. Impress me, and I might just be willing to assist you with these... Wonderbolts... you mentioned."

Lightning Dust grinned.

"But make no mistake," he continued. "If you fail me, or fail to impress me..."

Sombra's horn glowed once more. A burst of his magic shot out, hitting the pegasus in the head. Lightning Dust eyes glowed green for a second before the magic dissipated.

"..and I shall show you such punishments, that what you just experienced will seem like a wistful daydream."

Lightning Dust shook her head, feeling a little sick. She looked up at King Sombra a moment, then let out a sigh.

"Deal."

"So be it," King Sombra announced. His horn glowed once again.

Shadows pulled away from the dark unicorn and toward Lightning Dust. They shifted and twisted as the moved closer, wrapping around the mare's neck. The darkness swelled and shifted, growing to wrap around more of Lightning Dust's body until it had engulfed her fully.

"Now," Sombra purred as he watched, "show me what you are capable of."

The Sphere of Stone

"That was when they came and got me," Moon Glow stated. "When I got there, Wind Tunnel was still trying to lift the stone from the drain directly, which -- if you know anything about suction -- is not an easy task. He would pull it up, rainbow would pour down the drain, creating suction, and the stone would be pulled right back into the same spot."

Fluttershy and Twilight Sparkle nodded, listening. Most of the others were just following along, looking around at the weather factory. Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Applejack were looking around, studying the place in awe since they have never seen the place before. Rainbow Dash was not that interested since she had seen it numerous times before. Plus, she was able to keep an eye on Luna, who was so excited to see everything that she kept wanting to run off and explore the place. Luna was excited and learning quite a lot. One of the first things she learned that clouds did not taste like cotton candy.

"Fortunately," Moon Glow continued, "I had an idea that we could attach a second pipe to the main one, and attach the other end to the bottom of the storage tank to create a second drain. That way the rainbow liquid could be removed enough that most of the stone would be above the water levels. Then we were able to remove the stone without any suction trying to pull it back down."

"If everything here is made of clouds, why didn't the stone just fall through?" Fluttershy asked.

"That was why we sent a message to Canterlot asking about it," Moon Glow replied.

"I guess that it's a result of the latent magic," Twilight speculated. "Assuming it is one of The Elements of Harmony that is. It's possible that the magical energy they contain, while not actually in use, is enough to allow them to perform minor magical capabilities such as adjusting density levels enough to press on or into clouds as opposed to passing through them."

"Alright," Moon Glow announced as she stopped in front of a door, "here we are. Our office. We didn't really have any other place to put it since we normally don't need a place to store things we find around here." She gripped the knob and pushed the door open.

Inside was a pegasus, a trashcan, and a desk with a sphere on it. The sphere looked to be made of stone, and was very colorful. There were spots of every kind splattered all across the surface. It actually looked like a rainbow colored orb.

"Pretty," Luna said staring at the stone.

"Are you eating my doughnut?" Moon Glow snapped.

"No?" Wind Tunnel responded around the mouthful of food, still holding the doughnut in his hooves.

"Really?" she growled as she walked closer. "Because that looks a lot like my doughnut you have in your hooves."

Wind Tunnel shoved the whole thing in his mouth.

"What doughnut?"

"Do you think this is it?" Fluttershy asked, looking at the stone.

"It looks to be the right size and shape," Twilight answered, "and the fact that it was able to stay on top of a cloud is encouraging."

"Great!" Rainbow Dash grabbed the orb with one of her wings and tucked it under to hold it against her side. "Now let's get this back to Ponyville and see if we can get it to work or something."

"Are you alright?" Rarity asked. "You seem to be-"

The rest of the statement was cut off by a massive boom of thunder.

"Wow," Luna said as she turned toward the weather ponies. "Is the storm department normally so loud?"

"That wasn't from the storm department," Wind Tunnel said before jumping out of his seat and flying over the crowd. "It came from outside."

"That's not good," Moon Glow explained. "We make the weather, we don't have it. If a part of Cloudsdale becomes a storm, it could cause large portions of the city to become unstable. And if it happens here, parts of the facility could be destroyed, which would be disastrous to the weather system. We need to try and contain it."

With that, Moon Glow took off and flew past the group as well, heading for the exit.

"Perhaps we should try to assist as well," Rarity suggested.

The seven of them followed after the weather pegasus and made their way out of the factory. It took the group longer than the pegasi since they were all walking. The sight made them freeze at the doors as they looked out.

Above Cloudsdale and the weather factory was a massive black storm cloud. Lightning flashed and flickered along the lengths and deep inside. There was a constant rolling echo of thunder, interrupted by the occasional massive boom.

"That's weird," Rainbow Dash said as she moved further out of the factory to look up at the clouds above.

"I believe that's already been established," Twilight replied. "What I don't understand is why would a pony want to create a storm over-"

There was a blinding white flash of lightning and an ear shattering boom of thunder. A pegasus figure exploded from the clouds. It streaked through the air, a trail of electricity following along behind it. The figure shot down and grabbed Twilight before shooting up into the sky once again.

"Twilight!" the others called out.

The figure stopped, floating in the air. Another flash revealed the pale green form with orange mane and tail. A silver necklace with growing red crystals surrounded her neck. Her eyes glowed green and lines of electricity danced along her body, arcing out from the tips of her wings and tail. She pulled out a black ring and stuck it onto Twilight Sparkle's horn.

"Lightning Dust?" Rainbow Dash said in confusion.

"Rainbow Dash!" Lightning Dust shouted, holding up Twilight Sparkle. "I have your friend. If you ever want to see her alive again, you will come -- alone -- to the old camp grounds at sunset. And bring the stone. Follow me, or try anything funny, and your friend might just wake up long enough to realize she's about to become a pancake."

There was another flash and a massive boom.

When they passed, Lightning Dust was gone with Twilight Sparkle.

A Light Dash of Back Story

"Uhm... Rainbow Dash?" Fluttershy said. "I think that you should tell us all what happened now."

The two of them, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rarity and Luna were all still outside the weather factory, staring at where they had last seen an electrically charged Lightning Dust holding their friend Twilight Sparkle before disappearing.

"Yeah..." Rainbow Dash said, adjusting her grip on the stone under her wing. "Not out here though. It's kind of a long story and I'm going to need something to drink in order to get through. Come on." She started to walk. "There's a restaurant right across the street we can use."

"I wonder if they have desserts," Pinkie Pie said.

"Fluttershy, can-"

"Not now," Fluttershy replied. "You need to have a proper meal."

"But Pinkie Pie is planning to get some," Luna stated, pointing a hoof.

"Pinkie Pie is a full grown mare who can make her own choices."

"When I grow up, I'm going to have a lot more desserts," Luna grumbled.

"Just as long as you still eat properly first," Fluttershy stated with a grin.

The six of them made their way to the restaurant and were quickly seated. Only Pinkie and Luna got food, the others getting beverages. Once the glasses arrived, Rainbow Dash took a long drink.

"Alright, let's get started then.

"The story starts years ago, back at flight camp. Originally Fluttershy was pretty much the only friend I had, basically stopping the other pegasi from picking on her for being a batpony. Well, that was until the princess showed up and invited her to Canterlot."

"Sorry," Fluttershy mumbled. "I didn't mean to leave you alone."

"It's not like that," Rainbow Dash said with a wave of her hoof. "I mean you have nothing to apologize for. If I had been given the chance to get away from a bunch of ponies who made fun of me to live in a castle, I would have taken it too."

Fluttershy smiled.

"Anyway," Rainbow Dash continued, "a couple days after she left, I ended up meeting two others and making new friends. One was a griffon by the name of Gilda that came in late. None dared to make fun of her because of what she was though. The other was Lightning Dust.

"The three of us kind of became infamous pranksters around the camp. It started off pretty basic: whoopie cushions, short-sheeting beds, stuff like that. All three of us were very competitive though, with each other and with ourselves. So we kept ramping up the pranks, making them bigger, bolder and ... more dangerous."

She looked down into her drink, stirring it.

"I was young and foolish. Never really thought about that last part when we were doing the pranks. It was only something I thought about after... the last one."

She put the glass down and pushed it away.

"I don't really want to get into the specifics of what we did. The important part is that it went very badly. So bad that the colt that ended up being the target was hurt and would probably never fly again."

There was silence as Rainbow Dash shifted. She looked at the table as she let out a sigh, wiping at her eyes.

"None of the ponies in charge knew who had caused the accident to occur, so the three of us were going to get away with it... but I couldn't. A pony was hurt and it was our fault. I tried, but it just kept eating at me. So, one night I went to the head of the camp and confessed everything. I even told them about Lightning Dust and Gilda's part in the whole thing.

"So, the three of us were kicked out of flight camp. Gilda was mad, but kind of understood. Lightning Dust... well she acted pretty much the same as you saw. She had always talked about how some day she would become a Wonderbolt, maybe even the captain of it. When we got kicked out, she figured that she would never even get a chance and blamed me. Pretty much the last thing she said to me was that if she ever saw me again, she would make me pay for it.

"And that's pretty much it."

Rainbow Dash grabbed her drink and downed the rest of it. The others sat in silence for a moment, letting the story sink in. Pinkie Pie had been so caught up in listening to the story that her order remained untouched.

"That... that ain't right," Applejack finally said. "I mean I guess I can understand her bein' mad 'bout getting kicked out some, but it was just as much her own fault. Not right to go blamin' you for everything. 'specially for all these years."

"Past aside," Rarity stated, "we now need to decide on what to do about getting Twilight Sparkle back."

"We're going to do exactly what Lightning Dust told us to," Rainbow Dash responded.

The others turned their attention to her once again.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Fluttershy asked. "I mean... do you really think she'll just let Twilight go if you show up?"

"No. I mean... if she's willing to foalnap a pony to get what she wants, I don't think she'll keep her word and just let her go."

"Then why do it?" Pinkie asked.

"Because it's the right thing to do. Because I still think it's our best chance of getting Twilight back." She let out a sigh and tried to get a refill on her beverage. "Besides, it might actually be the last thing she suspects."

"I don't like it," Applejack grumbled.

"I doubt any of us do," Fluttershy said, "but if Rainbow Dash really thinks it's the best way, I say we trust her."

"Thanks," Rainbow said with a smile. It suddenly turned into a frown. "I just hope we can get out of this in one piece."

Sun Down Show Down

The sun was touching the edge of the horizon, starting to set. It gave the normally white clouds a glowing, pink hue. It looked like it was going to be the start of a beautiful sunset.

Unfortunately there were several ponies that were unable to enjoy.

Twilight Sparkle dangled over the edge of the clouds from what looked like an over-sized fishing pole. Her hooves were tied together, wrapped around the hook. A black ring rested around the base of her horn, keeping her from using her magic.

Nearby, Lightning Dust floated in the air just above the clouds. Her wings were spread wide, flapping to keep her up, and her front hooves were crossed over her chest. Electricity flickered across her coat, and her eyes glowed green with dark magic. Lightning Dust tried glared and snarled, waiting for Rainbow Dash to show up.

Or she was trying to anyways.

"All I'm saying is that this whole thing is extremely cliche," Twilight Sparkle called out. "I mean come on. Kidnapping a pony and holding them hostage to coerce the hero into doing what you desire? This is along the lines of comic book level supervillainy... not.. not that... I read comic books or anything... I just mea-"

"SHUT! UP!" Lightning Dust bellowed. "Shut up. Shut up. Shut up! SHUT UP! I swear, ever since you've regained consciousness, all you've done is complain, complain, complain. You think you could do better?"

Twilight narrowed her eyes and smirked.

"Yes," she replied. "I could. Let me down and I'll prove it."

"Don't tempt me," Lightning Dust growled. She gave a slight tap of the rope, causing Twilight Sparkle to let out a squeak of fear as she rocked back and forth high above Equestria.

"That's enough," a voice from behind the pair said. "I'm here, just like you wanted."

Lightning Dust stepped back from the edge and turned to look at the new arrival.

"And the stone?"

Rainbow Dash lifted one of her wings and reached under it. She pulled out the stone orb, holding it for them to see.

"It's right here. Now let Twilight go like you promised."

"Promised?" Lightning Dust asked, rubbing her chin. "I don't remember promising anything. I said you would see her again, and you did." She gave Twilight a pat on the flank. "Besides, I still need her to make sure you don't try to run away."

Living up to the first part of her name, Lightning Dust shot across the field of clouds and directly at Rainbow Dash. There was a burst of crackling electricity as Lightning Dust's hoof slammed directly into Rainbow Dash's nose.

The shock caused Rainbow Dash's body to tense as the impact knocked her off her hooves and sent her rolling across the field of clouds. Instinct, experience, and training kicked in. Shifting to roll with it, twisting and flickering her wings to land upright on her hooves.

The electricity still caused the tip of her mane to stick out. She gave her head a shake before lifting a hoof to her nose, checking to make sure it was okay. A snort escaped her as she turned to look at Lightning Dust. Rainbow Dash's ears pinned back against her head as she narrowed her eyes at her opponent.

"So that's the way you want to play it?" she growled. "Fine!" With a flap of her wings, she took off and barreled straight at Lightning Dust.

The two slammed into each other in an explosion of rainbows and electricity. The impact and burst of energy destroyed the patch of cloud directly beneath them and knocked the pair back.

"We don't have to do this," Rainbow Dash said as she got back up.

"Yes we do!" Before she even finished the sentence, Lightning Dust shot toward her opponent once again.

Seeing the attack this time, Rainbow dropped low, pressing her body against the clouds beneath her. Waiting for what seemed like the right moment, she kicked out with her hind legs. Her hooves slammed into the sternum of the pegasus above, knocking the air from her lungs and sending her off to one side. Rainbow Dash's jaw clenched in pain as she felt a shock of electricity through her backside.

Lightning Dust roared with frustration as she came back around, slamming into Rainbow Dash and pinning her.

"It's your fault!" she shouted, her wings flicking to touch Rainbow Dash and send small shocks of electricity. "You cost me everything! You got me kicked out of flight camp! You destroyed my chances of ever being a Wonderbolt! You took a way my dream. You ruined my life!"

"No.. I... didn't!"

Rainbow Dash shoved up hard, slamming the back of her head against the underside of Lightning Dust's jaw. A loud crackle filled the air as Rainbow Dash pushed up and shoved with her wings, throwing her opponent off her.

"Yeah, I told on us and got us kicked out, but we all came up with the prank and thought it was a good idea." She ruffled her wings. "We got what we deserved, and at least we can still fly."

"Shut up!" Lightning Dust yelled, throwing herself at Rainbow Dash again.

This time, Rainbow Dash let herself get hit. Falling backwards, she grabbed at her opponent. Shocks of electrical pain shot through her body, causing her to wince and grunt in pain. She continued to grab at Lightning Dust as the two of them rolled, managing to land on top with one of her front legs wrapped around her opponent's throat.

"Part of your problem has always been to blame others," Rainbow Dash growled through clenched teeth. "For all your talk of pushing yourself to the limit, you were never willing to admit your mistakes. Always willing to put a pony at risk, but never your fault if they got hurt. Not your responsibility."

Lightning Dust growled and shifted, biting down on Rainbow Dash's leg. Rainbow Dash grunted in pain, but kept her grip.

"Well guess what? I may have gotten you kicked out of flight camp, but everything after is your own doing. Maybe if you accepted it and took responsibility, things would be better for you."

Nearby -- where it had landed and been forgotten about during the fight -- the stone began to glow with orange energy. Slowly, it rose up, hovering just above the clouds.

"NO!" Lighting Dust shouted. Shoving hard, she managed to get her wings loose enough to spread them wide. She gave a hard flap and a burst of electricity, hitting the stone. The lightning and the stone both went flying, the stone going over the edge of the cloud field and falling. The electrical shock hit Twilight -- causing her to cry out in pain -- and the device that was holding her up. There was a crackle as the device released its grip, letting the unicorn drop.

Both pegasi watched as Twilight Sparkle and one of The Elements of Harmony started plummeting toward the ground far below.

An Explosive Attempt

Rainbow Dash let out a gasp as she saw her friend get dropped. Letting go of Lightning Dust, she took off toward the edge. With a quick glance around, she caught sight of the falling unicorn. Catching sight of Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash dove, wings flapping as she chased after her falling friend.

"Hang on, I'm coming!"

"Oh no you don't!" Lightning Dust shouted, chasing after her enemy.

For her part, Twilight Sparkle was experiencing something very interesting. Normally her mind was working on a thousand different scenarios, often speculating on the possibilities. Often there was a part of her that became neurotic from the experience, imagining the worst case scenario and how horrible things it could possibly be.

Now here she was, in an actual worst case scenario. Her hooves were tied together, her magic was being suppressed by a black ring placed around it, and she was currently falling toward the ground at terminal velocity. More than likely the impact would kill her. There were stories where ponies somehow survived, but the odds were so slim, they were negligible. She should have been terrified, screaming in fear as she plummeted.

Instead, she was feeling... detached. It was like what was happening to her was so overwhelming that her emotions had just sort of shut down. For whatever reason, Twilight Sparkle was not feeling afraid. Instead, she was just kind of observing and mentally cataloging everything. She contemplated the experience of falling and how it caused her to feel almost weightless. Her ears shifted as she listened to the sound of the air whistling as it blew past her. She looked up at the underside of Cloudsdale, calculating how long it would have taken her to reach terminal velocity to begin with. Twilight also watched as Rainbow Dash chased after her, who in turn was being chased by Lightning Dust. By Twilight's calculation, Rainbow Dash was not going to make it.

Come on, come on, Rainbow Dash thought to herself. I can make it. I've got to make it. She pushed herself, trying to go faster. Already she was flying faster than she remembered having ever gone before. She had to squint, eyes watering from the wind blowing against them. Ears pinned back and jaw clenched tight, she kept pushing.

It felt strange to Rainbow Dash at her current speed, like the very air was fighting against her. The more she pressed against it, the more it pushed back. The whole thing kind of reminded her of a trampoline. Except that this time she wanted to get through it instead of have it push her the opposite direction. She had to get to her friend. She just needed to push a little harder.

To Rainbow Dash, everything suddenly seemed to stop, even time. The world around her was still, no longer seem to fall towards her. Everything was silent, not even broken by the sound of her breathing or heartbeat.

During that moment, everything seemed to turn grey. The ground, the sky, even Twilight Sparkle. Slowly, the colors began to return. The came back one by one, spreading out and mixing. Then they grew brighter, more intense. Everything shifted from gray, to color, to a glowing pure white.

As everything turned into light, Rainbow Dash heard a faint pop.

Lightning Dust had no idea what happened. One moment, she was chasing after Rainbow Dash, confidant that she would catch up and certain that -- even if she was unable to -- there was no way for Dash to save the falling unicorn. The next thing she knew, she felt like she had been hit by an explosion.

There was an ear-splitting boom and a blinding light. Lightning Dust was sent backwards from something slamming into her, the air knocked out of her lungs. Colors shifted and swirled around her as she was pushed further and further away by some sort of shock-wave.

Something felt warm around her neck. She reached a hoof to the spot as she looked down. The red-jeweled choker was giving off heat. Before Lightning Dust's very eyes, she watched as glowing orange cracks appeared, growing larger and spreading across the surface. Lightning Dust let out a scream as the necklace exploded.

Twilight Sparkle's eyes went wide as her jaw dropped open. The sound of an explosion reached her ears as she watched a rainbow colored ring burst outward from where she had seen Rainbow Dash.

That... that... that... Her mind could not process it. She could not believe what she was seeing right before her eyes.

Rainbow Dash shot out from the center of the rainbow colored explosion, grinning despite herself. She felt incredible. She was moving faster than she had ever gone before, and she was loving it. There was a sense of freedom that Rainbow Dash had never felt before. Best of all, she was rapidly catching up with Twilight Sparkle. It looked like they were going to make it after all.

Mere feet from the ground, the two ponies caught up to each other. Rainbow Dash gripped Twilight and turned, changing the momentum of the fall into a rapid glide above the trees.

"Hang on!" Rainbow Dash called out, getting a nod from Twilight. The pegasus mare turned over onto her back, spreading her wings out wide. A grunt escaped her as she caught the glowing orange stone, spinning the two of them as she slowed down the momentum of the sphere as well. Using her wing for guidance, she slid The Element toward her hooves and grabbed it.

As soon as Rainbow Dash's hoof touched it, the Element of Harmony burst apart. The shards and a golden dust flowed along Rainbow Dash's arm and up to her neck. The remains shifted and spun around her before settling against her. Now she wore a golden necklace with an orange gemstone that looked like a comet complete with contrail.

Rainbow Dash's now grinned completely. She had done something new, saved her friend, and now they had one more Element of Harmony. Things could have gone better, but it seemed to have ended well.

"Come on," she said as she got a better grip on Twilight. "Let's get back to Cloudsdale. The others are waiting for us."

Grounded Dust

A small groan escaped Lightning Dust as she started to regain consciousness. Every part of her ached. It felt like a combination of pushing her body too hard in a workout and getting struck by lightning. Nothing felt severe enough to need medical attention or have her laid up in bed, but she was definitely going to feel it for a few days. Even her coat ached.

With a wince of pain, she rolled onto her back and spread her wings out at her side. Lightning Dust opened her eyes, blinking rapidly to get everything into focus. She took a deep breath and slowly let it out as she stared up at the stars above.

The last thing she remembered was chasing after Rainbow Dash, when there was suddenly a bright, multi-colored explosion and the necklace Sombra had given her shattered. That was still hundreds of feet above the ground. It seemed she had passed out from it, but had still somehow managed to reach the ground safely.

Small miracles.

Lightning Dust considered staying where she was for a while. It was a beautiful night -- quiet with a clear sky full of stars -- and the grass underneath her felt wonderfully soft against her stiff and sore muscles. All things considered, it seemed like the perfect spot to stretch out and sleep for the rest of the night.

A pair of glowing green eyes and gleaming white teeth appeared above Lightning Dust, making the color drain from her face.

"Well," Sombra purred, "it seems to me that you have survived."

He leaned down, teeth nearly touching her nose.

"And it also seems," he growled, "that you have failed."

"Oh, you are not blaming me for this," Lightning Dust snapped, pointing a hoof at him. "I did exactly what I was supposed to. How was I supposed to know that all her talk about 'responsibility' would cause that stupid stone to light up and do whatever it did? Or that Rainbow Dash could do... whatever she did that knocked me out. At least you're rid of the stupid unicorn."

"Incorrect. This... Rainbow Dash was actually able to catch Twilight and the stone. Not only are both alive and unharmed, they now have a second Element of Harmony."

"...Oh..." Lightning Dust said. "Well it doesn't change my point. I did exactly what was expected from me. Maybe the problem is that you need help."

King Sombra glared at Lightning Dust as he opened his mouth, ready to yell at the pegasus mare. He suddenly stopped. The black unicorn placed a hoof against his chin, lips pursed as he thought about it.

"Perhaps you are correct," he said.

"What?" Lightning Dust asked, blinking at him and raising an eyebrow.

"Considering my past failure and the fact that the group seems larger than a mere princess," he said -- though it seemed more like he was talking to himself than to her -- "perhaps I should be amassing more than a single unicorn to assist me in my endeavors."

Lightning Dust continued to stare up at him. She could not help but suspect that this must have been a trap of some sort. That he was trying to get her to lower her guard somehow before attacking and doing who even knows what to her.

King Sombra turned his full attention back to Lightning Dust.

"Tell me, do you think you could find other pegasi that would be willing to serve me?"

"...Probably?" Lightning Dust said slowly. "Why?"

"An army needs soldiers," Sombra stated, "and commanders. Tell me, Lightning Dust, how does the title 'Captain of the Shadow Bolts' sound to you?"

She looked up at him, letting the statement sink into her mind. Slowly, a grin spread across her face.

"Sounds like fun."

All About Us

"So you didn't panic?"

"Oh, I panicked," Twilight replied. "Once we were back in Cloudsdale and I was untied, I panicked like you would never believe."

"Pretty sure I would," Trixie mumbled to herself.

"I shrieked, I hyperventilated, I shouted for minutes about how I could have been killed, and finally... I passed out."

"That sounds like you alright," Trixie said with a smirk.

"Oh, ha-ha." Twilight rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Anyway, after I regained consciousness, we.... well... they... decided that it would be best if they... I ... stayed in Cloudsdale for the night and made sure I didn't develop acrophobia."

"Which is...?"

"A fear of heights."

Trixie sighed and rubbed her head.

"Twilight," she said calmly, "you were foalnapped, had your magic blocked, held hostage by an insane pegasus, dropped from hundreds -- if not thousands -- of feet in the air and nearly plummeted to your death. I think you have more than enough reason to be scared and never want to be up in the sky like that ever again."

"I know," Twilight responded. "Doesn't mean I want to though."

The sound of a whistle from the kitchen interrupted the conversation. Trixie's horn began to glow as she grabbed the teapot, lifting it, the cups, and some cookies from the kitchen to bring to them.

"I appreciate you listening," Twilight said as her tea was poured, "but..." she took a deep breath. "That wasn't really the reason I came over."

"Oh?" Trixie looked at her friend, tilting her head and raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah." Twilight shifted, looking down at the floor as her ears drooped. "There was something I wanted to talk to you about, and... what happened in Cloudsdale kind of made me realize that life might be shorter than we expect so we-ow! Hot! Hot! Hot!"

Trixie let out a squeak as she realized she was still holding the teapot and pouring it into Twilight's cup. Unfortunately the cup was completely full and overflowing, causing the liquid to spill out and some of it onto Twilight.

"Sorry-sorry-sorry!" Trixie cried out as she put the teapot down and grabbed a napkin. She started dabbing at her friend's coat and the spilled tea on the table.

"It's okay," Twilight responded, grabbing the napkin. She continued to dab at her coat while Trixie cleaned up the spill on the table.

"Getting back to what I was trying to say." Twilight took a sip of the tea so her cup was not so full before adding some sugar. "First... I wanted to apologize for the way I acted toward you."

"You don't-" Trixie started.

"Yes, I do. You had a point. Romantic feelings aside, you still tried to be a good friend to me and I never even noticed or gave you the chance. For that, I'm sorry."

Trixie smiled, biting on her lip a little. She looked at her own cup as she started filling it for the first time.

"Speaking of us..." Twilight continued, causing Trixie to jump slightly.

"I... I'm sorry. I needed time to think about what you said... and ... did..."

"Again, sorry for that," Trixie said with a sheepish grin. Her cheeks turned bright pink as she did.

"I know. Anyway, I needed some time to think about it and..."

She shifted, rubbing the back of her head as she looked up toward the ceiling.

"I'm... I'm not sure I feel the same way as you do..."

"Oh..." Trixie's ears dropped as she looked at her cup. She let out a sigh. "I understand. I me-"

"Wait, wait, wait," Twilight cut in. "Let me finish."

Twilight took a deep breath and continued.

"I'm not sure if I feel the same way you do because I'm not sure how I feel. I've never thought of you like that, but I've never really thought of anypony like that. That being said... I want to give us a chance..."

"Pardon?" Trixie asked, looking at Twilight curiously again.

"I want to give us a chance," Twilight repeated. "I want us to date, to spend time together, to get to know each other... romantically. I want to give us the chance for us both to figure out how we feel about each other."

Trixie stared at Twilight for a moment, chewing her lip. The scrutiny started to make Twilight uncomfortable. She looked at her cup, the cookies (which were untouched), the wall, the books, her hooves. Her ears twitched. She licked at her lips.

"I really don't know if it would work between us," she blurted -- more to fill the silence than anything else -- "but I've thought about it. The best case scenario is that things work out between us and we end up in a loving long-term relationship. The worst case scenario is that things don't work out, in which case you no longer wonder about what a relationship with me would be like -- helping you move on -- and I have a better understanding of what it is I actually desire from a relationship."

Trixie continued to stare, saying nothing.

"Okay, okay!" Twilight cried out. "The actual worst case scenario is that we find out that we hate each other that one of us kills the other then spends the rest of their short life locked up in a tiny cage and banished to some distant lonely place far from Equestria until they die lonely, hungry and forgotten."

Trixie took a sip of her tea.

"Trixie, say something!"

"Do you want to ask me out, or do you want me to ask you?"

Twilight's jaw hung loose as she stared at her possible marefriend.

"...what...what...what?" Twilight managed to spit out.

"There's that brilliant wit," Trixie said with a smirk. She took a deep breath and repeated herself slowly.

"Do you... want to... ask... me out? Or... do you... want me... to ask you?

"After all, one of us should at least ask the other out on a date, seeing as we are discussing the matter. Personally, I would prefer if you asked me since I was the one pursuing you for so long. It would be nice to feel wanted for a while."

Twilight let out a huff and rolled her eyes.

"Is this how you're going to be the whole time we're together?" Twilight asked.

"Oh you better believe it," Trixie replied with a smirk.

"Oh, fine." Twilight took a deep breath and looked at Trixie, "Would you like to go out on a date with me tomorrow?"

"Oh, my." Trixie let out a mock gasp and brought a hoof to her mouth. "Such short notice. I don't know if I can make it. I'll have to check my schedule." She grinned as she got up and headed for the stairway. "Be right back."

"I hate you," Twilight growled, her cheeks heating up.

"No you don't," Trixie shouted back in a sing-song voice.

Twilight let out another huff, but said nothing more.