Chapters Once upon a time, in autumn, Twilight Sparkle was sitting on a chair in a small isolated house near a small river. It was a bit cold outside, and she was enjoying the warmth that the chimney was giving. She was drawing something with colored pencils, to distract herself from waiting for Rainbow Dash to appear. Then the unicorn looked again at the paper, certain minutes after she had just drawn a snailpony, who was slowly crawling towards something in a hurry, not really happy with the carefully drawn outlines of beautiful trees and clouds on the picture she was in. She had been expecting Rainbow Dash to visit her for the second month already, and she was slightly angry, but Rainbow Dash was a bird now, she was living in a big oak in the forest nearby, in a cool new nest that she made this year. Normally, she also liked to sing songs, but Twilight hadn't heard her for long time, perhaps because it was autumn.
She turned away from the drawing lit by the dull evening light from the window. On the dark wooden chest, there was a bunch of carrots in a big plate, but it wasn't time for eating yet. In the corner of the room, there was a bed, where a multi-colored ball was lying. With nothing else to do that hour, she began talking to the ball. Twilight became friends with it since she suddenly found it lying on the ground a month ago. That ball's name was , but she rarely called it by name. Maybe that's why it appeared to be so grumpy most of the time.
"Hello there. Do you by any chance know where Rainbow Dash went?" - she said. The ball didn't respond. The only real sound in that place was from logs burning in the fireplace. Even the clock was broken.
"Just 'cause I'm worried. She promised me that she'll be there. So where is she now?" - she told the ball. "And you promised me to be responsible." - she touched a red window curtain with a hoof while saying that later, thinking, concerned. "I'm sorry if I sound harsh, but you're being lazy right now. Get off the bed, you have chores to do", - she said with an angry frown. Everything was quiet. Groaning, she went out of the room and entered the kitchen.
"What am I supposed to do? I'm alone and even the ball doesn't help me." - she thought, searching for a bucket of wood. "That's rather disappointing. Of course, I can do things here alone, but I shouldn't let him sit there and laugh at me. Eventually, I'll banish him to the basement, ...and then...", - she whispered, "I'll have to search for her myself." - she approached the kitchen table, setting a tablecloth, "into scary forest. Might do that now, first, meal." - she took a bowl of fritters and a tiny teapot which was as big as a cup. "Aunt Celestia told me I could find a lot of things in there, so," - she drank the tea nervously, - "officially I'm going there for supplies."
Then she went to the bedroom, took the ball, not looking at it for a second, and descended down the stairs. In there, she grabbed an orange hard hat, a saddlebag, attached it to the saddle that looked like it was done from a piece of carpet, and a book labeled "Forest emergency encyclopaedia".
And then, she left to face an adventure, disappearing from the vicinity of her house to the bright picture of the grassland with a red and yellow forest in the background, under the sky that was just above all that.
It wasn't an adventure she expected. She arrived at the destination in five minutes. Basically, she fell down, having overlooked a tree root because she was looking at the trees above, and then, with a surprised look, she knew she was there. But wait, Rainbow wasn't welcoming her yet? That was a rather worrisome signal, which could mean Rainbow wasn't there, or that she wasn't welcome. Twilight wasn't scared. "Rainbow!" - she shouted. But then she was scared, and that's when she opened the book. "Check... for... leaves... on the... ground." - was written there in big letters. She looked. There were plenty. "That... means... you... in a... forest" - and there was a big picture labeled "forest" taking the rest of the page. "Then... the... fol... lowing... will... apply. Check... foer... falling... trees." - why would?.. She looked at the ground instead. Does anything seem unusual at all? Brown leaves... yellow feather? Twilight couldn't remember any yellow birds from anywhere, not even from her fairy-tale books. Was Rainbow attacked by a yellow bird then? She couldn't tell. But she was ought to investigate what happened here, because she had enough armor to fight the yellow bird, and could potentially save Rainbow. She decided to read the book to the end again, though.
When she finished the book, it was rather dark. The sky was dark blue, except some places were white with grey grid pattern. The unicorn expected the yellow bird to leap from any side, so she kept the open book on her back to defend herself. The trees and leaves around her were all dark purple. The grass was light blue. She wondered if she was able to find a way home from there. Also, she was afraid that the ball had somehow freed itself from the basement, overtaking her home and planning its revenge. She was very worried. But then she saw the light.
She ran toward the light, accidentally dropping her book.
Then she returned to pick it back quickly.
She ran.
Under the dark skies, in a big field, there was a tall lighthouse built on a windmill. Under the tower there was a dark, scary, nice little barn.
Twilight was out of time. She needed to find what that was, right then. She crossed the field of blue grass, and knocked down the door.
Behind the door, there was Fluttershy.
Twilight jumped at scared Fluttershy with the book. Yellow pony tried to hide her face, but Twilight was angry, and she asked.
"Don't tell me you don't know where Rainbow Dash is, yellow pony!"
"I'm sorry!.. I am seeking for her, too. I've built a lighthouse so she might find this place." - Fluttershy responded.
"Can we be friends?" - Twilight asked.
"Yes, of course," - Fluttershy answered, smiling worriedly, "but not right now. Please just wait while I feed the animals, and then we could be friends" - she said.
--
"I'm sorry, I haven't written the rest yet," - Fluttershy said. Twilight Sparkle liked the story, apparently, she asked "Why is Rainbow Dash a bird?", though. "This was an idea of one of my thrush birds. He was a fan of Rainbow Dash" - she explained. "Do you think he will like the story?" - she asked.
Author's Note
Sorry that I forgot most of jokes related to the ball.
Later at night, while Twilight was still sleeping in the attic after cleaning it and reading some of host's books, somepony had knocked on the door. Fluttershy heard the sound, and saw a pegasus pony behind the window. The pony was looking wet and tired. Fluttershy opened the door, and the pegasus came in. She was blue with dark grey mane, and called herself Rain. She told Fluttershy that she had been on a long way from Flutterdam towards Summer Springs, and expected to be there already, but went through a thunderstorm, and therefore needed a place to stay. She found a light, and thought that it was a refueling base.
The generous pony offered Rain a hay pudding, then Rain noted that she liked to drink water. Fluttershy took two big bowls from the shelf and poured water in them. Rain drank water from one of them, but then, as Fluttershy noticed when she returned to the living room, doused the fire in the oven with the second one. The yellow pony showed Rain the first floor rooms, and then she tried to ask about the places Rain had visited. The blue pony told her stories about places with waterfalls, places with modular rivers, and strange places between layers of clouds... Fluttershy tried to introduce her animals, but most of them were afraid of Rain.
And then it was morning. Purple unicorn came to them, and asked Rain who she was. Rain then asked who Twilight was, and Twilight said that she was Twilight Sparkle. Rain said that she was Rain, and they talked about if she knows anything about Rainbow Dash, or saw anypony on the way, and she said that there was nothing really but a house about a mile away. Twilight asked if Rain could help them, and she said yes.
When they went outside, they saw the sunshine. They looked back and found that Rain mysteriously disappeared.
They had to return and check again, but came to no result. "She's a pegasus. Maybe she went through the window?" - Twilight asked.
"That mare acted a bit strange" - yellow pegasus responded. "She was soaked with water when she came, and it wasn't raining. Maybe she used the water from the well?" She went toward the well. "It's empty! She did use the well. I'll have to search for water..." - she exclaimed.
They went through the dark plains that seemed to be covered by black ash and small transparent crystals in some places, and an hour later, they found a place Rain was talking about. Among dead trees, there stood a beautiful but seemingly deserted house. The door was open. Twilight and Fluttershy went inside, and there was almost nothing but old wooden furniture, table and broken chairs, two large empty crates were placed on the bed covered with a carpet. Among all that, in the middle, there stood a working refrigerator. Inside, there was just a really big pie in a transparent plastic package. The interior of the house reminded them of a storage shed.
When leaving though, they noticed an open mailbox with something inside. A zip folder was lying there. Fluttershy opened it and saw that a pony was compressed there. She quickly uncompressed a white unicorn with dark blue mane. Rarity complained that pegasi delivered her home after her trip to Alicornia, but forgot to unpack. "My name is Rarity, and now I seriously need to repair the house! It's just horrible! How many years have passed? My home!.. I'd probably have to return to Coco and beg for help! Hope she hasn't forgot me..."
"We are here to find water because there is a drought and Twilight's looking for her friend Rainbow Dash... Would you join us, and we could find supplies also, I mean, if we find them lying around or..." - Fluttershy said quietly.
"Well, if your Rainbow Dash friend could be lost somewhere, it might be in the Rocky Pit. It's easy to lose the way in there."
"She is a bird. And I will use every opportunity to find Dash. And so is Fluttershy. Can you lead us there?" - Twilight said. "Not that I want you to get into trouble, if it's dangerous..."
Rarity also took the pie and tied it to her saddle. She opened the door with telekinesis and loudly stomped on the floor. "Come with me, I know where is the cave," - she said.
They went to the east. The environment around them was very dry. Fallen trees, sand, white stones, and the mighty sun above.
"Fluttershy, do you have any ink in your cottage?" - Twilight suddenly asked.
"I don't remember. We could return there and search if you want, but-"
"I don't mean in that cottage. I mean in the other one, it's urgent, if I can't find more ink right now, time will-"
--
At Fluttershy's cottage, Twilight stood up, opened the drawer and put the scroll inside. "They've got to find her in the story eventually, right? Just like we have to find her in reality now." - she thought. "All right, where was I?"
Author's Note
I hope there are enough ideas prepared for a chapter. But seriously, maybe not.
It was late evening, and Twilight together with Pinkie and Fluttershy were sitting at the table at pegasus house, resting after searching for Rainbow the entire afternoon.
"Now that we're together at Fluttershy's party, can we finish the story together? Maybe it'll help Rainbow Dash return to us," - Pinkie offered.
"Prepare the ink," - Twilight said enthusiastically, "I know what we can write. But Pinkie will be first today."
--
The ponies successfully navigated the deserted environment and came to a slope pathway, which they passed and then there were rocks. Not a rockslide or sharp spikes, but tall spiky stones everywhere around them.
"You were right" - Twilight addressed Rarity, "This place is a labyrinth. Has anyone been here? Can you guess the right way through? Do we have a lucky compass?" - Twilight asked.
"I know" - the pie spoke from Rarity's saddle. Ponies stood there, then gasped sequentially. " 'Cause I'm Pinkie Pie, and my sense of right way is at your service. At my service, and my service at your service, that is. I was a pie, but now that ponies need me, I'm a pony, Pinkie Pie."
"Is she like Rain?" - Twilight mumbled, bemused, or confused.
"She is my friend, oh I forgot about her," - Rarity spoke, "But the pie was her? Why haven't she had revealed herself at neither party I tried to decorate with it?"
"I was asleep" - Pinkie said slowly, "but I didn't miss a party, did I?"
"No," - Rarity replied. "Technically not," - Twilight said after thinking, "but, uhm,"
"So if we're seeking for Rainbow Dash, she is behind that stone" - Pinkie said, raising a hoof to her mane.
And the pegasus walked from behind the rock. Her mane was orange, and her coat was constantly smoothly changing from yellow to red through orange, and backwards. She wore a spike necklace on her neck, and a hat.
"Hello," - Pinkie said.
The pegasus turned her head, noticing the ponies, startled, "Who are you? Hello,"
"We're Pinkie Pie and Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy and Rarity" - Pinkie quickly listed. "We're looking for Rainbow Dash. Is she you?"
"Me? ...no? I'm Rainboom Sky, and I'm waiting here for... something" - she replied, trying to remember. "Ah no, I was waiting for you to come, so I can do this," - she pointed at the necklace.
--
"Rainboom Sky?" - Twilight asked, "Why rainboom sky, though? We were supposed to find Rainbow and then Rainbow Dash..."
"Somehow I thought that boom is more right, since that's what she's about to do," - Pinkie explained.
"I suppose Sky is because she's about to bring water" - Fluttershy said quietly to the side.
"Correct!" - Pinkie said, picking the quill from her mane.
--
Rainboom Sky flew very high, and then threw her spikes, tearing the sunny blue sky overhead so heavy clownds started leaking through the wide hole.
Then she gracefully descended through a column of rain. "There is your water. Don't thank me, you're quite welcome." Then she looked up. "Uh oh."
--
Meanwhile, Applejack entered the house together with Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, and Rarity.
--
The area of Rocky Pit was becoming flooded fast.
"Aunt forgive me," - Twilight whispered.
"I'm sorry", Rainboom Sky, who was now changing into Rainboom Dash, said with sadness. "I was trying to help,"
"Coming!" - came a sound from high above. Another pegasus landed between stones. "Meet Fly Do Help, who will try to save you because, when ponies need help, I comes with a raft."
Then a whole raft magically fell from the sky and landed on water without impact. On the raft, there was another pegasus, yellow with yellow-white Rarity-style mane and tail, except the tail was shorter and less curvy, and face identical to Fluttershy's, with a giant feather in her hooves.
"Let's go, now." - she quietly said.
For some minutes, they floated with it, led by the current and Sky with her feather, avoiding the rocks.
--
"The story's writing itself!" - Twilight shouted. "Wait for me, I'm calling Celestia!"
--
The sky was getting yet darker by the moment.
At the horizon, multiple lighting bolts fired, seemingly on symmetric circles from their position. The clounds themselves condensed into circular clusters, moving together with their vessel.
Then Rainbow was hit by electricity, and fell down into the water.
--
Celestia was quickly reading the latest scroll, upset.
"These scrolls have been cursed," - she explained. "They pull your energy while you come close. Rainbow Dash is in there completely, unless she is in this house. Twilight, let's get out of its range, and I'll show you a spell. When we return, we'll cast it separately, to reclaim the energy."
--
"What is happening, I can't see", - Twilight shouted.
"OOOU!" - Fluttershy screamed, hanging on the wooden board, when some rocks thrown from the water down the current flew overhead and made a splash behind them.
Some parts of thunderclouds above began shining yellow.
"Thunderquake! Everypony descend!" - Sky Boom shouted. "I can't fix this!"
"What I'll have done," - Fly Do Help was whispering, diving toward the raft. "Just protect Rainbow Dash, she'll save us" - she grabbed Rainbow Dash and the raft by its side. "Not the end of the world..."
"Grab Do Well, Do Help, don't let her fall," - Rarity screamed. "Anyone keep that thing from hitting rocks!"
--
"Twilight, I take whoever I appear as, and Crusaders, you have to take everyone else, you're connected to them. All ponies, now think hard about your friends casting the spell, we cast simultaneously when I say." - Celestia closed her eyes. "Now!"
--
"Something's whispering me the spell... don't be bad spell, I'll have to try you" - Sky Boom Light thought. She lit her horn, and the change started happening, at double speed when Twilight joined, after whispering "No other choice,", and ponies began dissolving into colorful noise, while the waves began thrashing the raft violently, and dark red fire with purple ends erupted from the clouds. The current turned all swirly and whirlpools appeared in it, and the whole ground started forcibly tilting to opposite sides. The raft broke into flakes, the water went under floating pieces of ground, hissed and dissolved, and the sky exploded, shattering them and sending the dust down. Then the red mist gradually disappeared and there was just a red and yellow spotted black inner surface of a sphere, and its light was slowly fading into darkness.
Author's Note
...storm! Sto-o-orm there!
After orange flames and purple streams of energy hit the heap of scrolls, a white sphere had appeared around them. Then more white flashing balls appeared around it, making a lot of electricity noise. They were connected to the main sphere by white rays. They all stayed there for a minute, then turned black and disappeared. Three ponies came into existence where they had been. Rainbow Dash, who was injured and lying on the floor, the alicorn Sky Boom Light, trying to hover but tired, her coat still changing like in the story, and Fly Do Help, the orange pegasus mostly resembling Scootaloo.
"The text has disappeared," - Twilight noted.
"Those scrolls had better not be used again," - Celestia said, "We'll give them to magicians of Canterlot, who will recycle them. I must go. First I'll carry Rainbow to the hospital. And I'll tell Luna to come here, it is her time."
"Where are you taking her?" - Sky Boom Light shouted.
"To the doctor." - Twilight answered.
"Oh right. You saved us, didn't you? It was your spell?"
"Yes. I must go." She went away.
"I must go too. Ponies to help. Hero o' job." - Fly Do Help tried to fly to the entrance but hit the floor, losing altitude.
Fluttershy looked at Twilight. Twilight Sparkle nodded. Fluttershy went toward the entrance and stopped in front of Fly Do Help.
"Allow us to help."
"It's my job," - she said.
"Then allow me to help as thanks for your help," - Sky Boom Light offered.
"You need help too," - Fly Do Help noted with sadness.
"It'll be fine" - Sky Boom Light replied.
"Excuse me if I go look for Rainbow Dash" - Applejack said, preparing to leave the cottage, "As she needs help just as everyone."
"Applejack?" - Rainbow said when the orange pony entered. "Where are your wings, what is this place?"
"Is everypony where you're from pegasi?" - Applejack asked. "Don't you remember? I'm an earth pony, run the apple farm, Sweet Apple Acres?"
"It's not Sweet Apple Acres!" - Rainbow protested. "It's Sugar Cube Fields! Sweet Apple is a Bakery!"
"I don't know what to say," - Applejack said quietly.
"I hope everything will back to normal" - Rainbow Dash spoke in the same tone. "With that storm, and now this crazy land..."
"Is Rainbow okay?" - Twilight said when Applejack returned.
"Mostly. She's recovering." - Applejack looked hopeful. - "Bad part is, it seems that she doesn't remember us. Redheart said when Rainbow awoke, she asked her for rainbow water and cloud apples, which are apparently apples that grow on clouds." - Applejack sighed.
"Does she remember the storm?"
"Yeah. But, she is unsure what happened to her there."
Princess Luna entered the hospital room with Twilight. When Rainbow saw Luna, she was shocked and tried to bow, right on the bed.
"Goddess Alnightia! You are really real?" - she said, gasping.
"Call me Princess," - Luna said proudly.
"Goddess Princess-?"
"Princess Luna." Twilight interrupted somberly.
Author's Note
Goddess Solutia help them. Yes, basically, pegasi grow clouds, then lasso them toward baskets and gather white cotton candy apples. Whatever.
