Rainbow Dash flew through the air relishing the feel of the air on her face.
She simply just loved the feel about it, she just loved everything about it.
She also loved challenges so when she was challenged to go through Death Canyon, one of the most dangerous and impossible to fly in places, she accepted naturally (and stupidly, rashly, and impulsively too).
And when she told her friends this information they reacted as they should.
“Rainbow Dash,” Twilight said, “You’re acting stupidly and rashly, think before you make another rash and impulsive stupid decision like this.”
“Oh, I do think, and I think that it’s totally going to be awesome.”
“Yes, it might be, but that’s not the point, we have far more important matters to deal with like our new enemy Nightmare Shadow, I mean we don’t even know who or what he is and where he could possibly be and you want to go and have some fun by accepting this stupid rash impulsive dare?
I won’t have it, decline the challenge, rescind, give up, leave.”
“Give up?” Rainbow Dash shouted with shock and surprise as her friends had did when they heard her rash stupid impulsive decision, “Never!”
“Why not? Are you too afraid of letting some pony down?”
“Not just some pony, Scootaloo,” she said, and right at that moment Twilight knew that there was no way that she could persuade her to change her mind.
Scootaloo meant too much to Rainbow Dash, in fact they were almost like two sisters, and even if not by blood they shared a very close relationship and bond that nothing could ever break or separate the two of them apart.
“Well then,” Twilight said, “I guess that there is no persuading you to change your mind, so I guess you can do your dare, just make sure to be safe, alright?”
“Of course I will,” Rainbow Dash, “I am the number one expert on safety.”
Twilight merely just raised one sarcastic eyebrow to this response.
“Alright,” Rainbow Dash said, “Maybe number two, but I’m still very good.”
“I know you are, I’m just worried, that’s all,” Twilight said.
“You’re always worried, but seriously, take a chill pill princess, I’ve got this.
No challenge has ever been denied or rejected or failed by me.”
“There is always a time and a chance for a first you know.”
“And there’s always a chance that you won’t be an egghead, but that will never happen, just like me not losing.”
“Haven’t you lost before with the Wonderbolts?” Twilight said.
“It’s not a loss if I don’t consider myself challenged,” she said simply enough.
“Huh, that explains a lot, well good luck then,” Twilight said.
“Thanks, but I won’t need that,” she said very proudly.
And with that said Rainbow Dash flew off and Twilight said her last words to herself all alone now, “I really hope that she’s safe.”
“Are you talking to me?” Spike said from a hidden corner of the small room.
“No, go back to work Spike, I was just rambling on to myself.”
And with that said, he did, and Twilight watched as Rainbow Dash flew off into the distance slowly fading out of sight, but not out of mind.
Soon enough Rainbow Dash arrived at Death Canyon where Scootaloo was waiting for her, “Well that took you long enough, what was the delay?”
“Just Twilight,” she said looking at the ‘canyon’ (which was more of a very narrow ravine), “So what’s the story behind this place anyways?”
“They say a very powerful wizard unicorn pony after he lost some pony very special and close to him, but who really knows or cares? I want to see you do some very awesome cool stuff and things.”
“Don’t worry, you will,” Rainbow Dash said rubbing the top of her head, “Now then do you want me to start here and then come back on around?”
“Yes,” she said, “And keep an eye out for the Castle of the Two Sisters on your left when you fly to the end and on the right when you come flying back around I think that it would be a cool sight to see, don’t you agree?”
“Well I don’t know, I’d say that it need about twenty percent more coolness and awesomeness, maybe then perhaps it would be good enough for me,”
“Yeah, well just make sure that you go all the way to the end, no cheating.”
“How dare you accuse me of cheating?” Rainbow Dash said sarcastically.
“Yeah,” Scootaloo laughed, “Well just make sure to stay safe, alright?”
“I will,” Rainbow Dash said, “Trust me, I’ve got this.”
And with that said Scootaloo pulled out a stopwatch to time Rainbow Dash’s speed (for any new records that she could make) and then shouted, “Go!”
And with that Rainbow Dash took off flying into the air leaving a stunned and mildly shocked and surprised Scootaloo behind marveling in wonder at her incredible and super amazing cool speed.
Rainbow Dash flew through the canyon/ ravine and laughed at the rush she felt and the joy and delight that she had.
But when she got near the bridge that lead to the castle she saw something that was not there before since she had never seen it before, the castle it seemed was no longer in ruins, but now stood tall and proud and was painted black on the outside, pitch and night black as the darkness and shadows themselves, and she knew that this wasn’t the work of hard simple plain earth ponies, but instead that it must be the work of their enemy instead.
What has he done to the castle, she thought as she flew past anxious to finish this daring dare and get back to her friends so that she could tell them this.
And with that she flew even harder and faster and soon went to the end in half the time it took her to go halfway to the end, and maintained that speed until she finally got back to the starting line where Scootaloo still stood waiting.
“That was amazing!” she said, “I haven’t seen you fly that fast ever before.”
“Let’s just say that the reason behind and for that is because I had the proper motivation, now then I’m sorry that I can’t stay and talk Scootaloo, but my friends need to know something that’s even more important and dire.”
“Oh, alright then,” Scootaloo said backing up and away nervously, “That’s fine I guess, I mean you can get back to me whenever you want, right?”
“Of course, and don’t think that you’re not any more or less important than this news or my other dear and close friends, it’s just that this is more urgent and immediate, I don’t think that it can or should wait any longer than it needs to be, but don’t worry, I will get back to you eventually, I promise you that.”
“Well then,” he said, “If it’s a promise then I trust you Rainbow Dash.”
“Thanks for understanding,” she said, and with that she left in a hurry and rush to get back to her friends, after all, they did need to know where he was.
And if they knew where he was, then they could finally fight him at last.
“TWILIGHT!” Rainbow Dash said bursting into the castle and shouting very loudly, “I have something that I need to tell you!”
“What is it?” Twilight asked putting her book down to look at her directly.
“I think I know where he is, Nightmare Shadow,” she said.
“Rainbow Dash, don’t be so ridiculous, I mean how could you possibly know where he is?” Twilight said rearranging her backs back in a pile neatly.
“I saw the Castle of the Two Sisters, but it wasn’t in ruins, it stood there tall and proud, and it was completely covered in black paint,”
“The whole entire thing?” Twilight said, Rainbow Dash merely just nodded.
“Then I must tell Celestia, she needs to know about this right away.”
“And that’s why I rushed to get here, because it was so important, but tell me this, do you really think this information can really change anything at all?”
“I don’t know, but every piece counts and helps, so thanks a lot.”
“You’re welcome,” Rainbow Dash said, “Now if you don’t mind I have to get back to Scootaloo, she’s still waiting for me at Death Canyon, so I’ll see you later then I guess,” and with that she flew off into the distance very slowly once more again, and then soon enough she did show Twilight what she saw.
And she had the same reaction she did when she saw it for the first time, shock, horror, and surprise, and
no particular emotion won out in the end.
“How could this happen?” she said looking at the horrible sight before her.
“Who knows, magic maybe?” Rainbow Dash said shrugging her shoulders.
“Perhaps, and that is the most logical and reasonable, but to think that he has been hiding within plain sight for so long, I mean how could we miss him?”
But Rainbow Dash had no answer or response to that question and so they stared at it (the castle) waiting for Celestia to come to their aid.
When she finally did come after hearing the news she said not to worry about it and also not to attack, not yet at least, they had to have some more patience.
“But why must we wait? Why can’t we fight now?” Rainbow Dash said.
“Because we do not know our enemy or his strengths and weaknesses, and knowing your enemy is crucial and key in order to win any battle or fight or war, and he seems to know more about us than we can ever hope for him.”
“I have to agree with the princess on this one Rainbow Dash,” Twilight said.
“You always agree with the princess because she’s your freaking mentor and teacher,” Rainbow Dash said, “Well when can we attack him?”
“When he makes a move against us, but until then we must be wise and smart and wait, he will make his move against us soon enough.”
“How are you so sure about that?” Rainbow Dash said curiously.
Celestia smiled, “Because I have played chess many times and know that you must sometimes let your enemy go first if you are to win, and he wants something even more great than winning a simple game, he wants all of Equestria, and he will do anything to get it and nothing will stand in his way, he doesn’t care for any pony else except himself, and he hides his fears well, but I trust that my sister will know of anything that we can use to defeat him.”
“But your sister is trapped currently, and probably in that castle.”
“I know,” Celestia said, “And I plan to rescue and free her when I can as soon as possible, but it may even be beyond my powers and knowledge and strength to do so, and perhaps maybe it falls on a new much younger generation.”
“Wait, are you saying that we may not be able to handle this, and if we are then who is ready to handle this great power and responsibility?”
Celestia smiled, “Yes, you may not be ready, but I do know who is or will be.
I know their names and where they lived and are, what they do and who their friends are or may be if they have any at all, and I know what they represent.”
“You have a lot of knowledge for a princess and ruler and leader.”
“It’s my job to do so, now then if you will please excuse me I have other far more important matters and royal duties to attend to,” and with that said she left slowly fading out of sight into the faraway distance.
“Well then,” Rainbow Dash said, “I guess that things will be better and fine now and will eventually return to normal?”
“Hopefully,” Twilight said, “But who really knows?”
“Yeah,” Rainbow Dash said, “Now then if you’ll please excuse me I want to go back to meet Scootaloo, she’s still waiting for me.”
“Well then go if you must,” Twilight said, “But come back with the others, we have much that we need to
talk about, things that must be talked about.”
“I will,” Rainbow Dash said, “But only because I am curious about what you have to say to us exactly.”
“I know that you are,” Twilight said, “But try to pay attention this time.”
“Will do,” Rainbow Dash said, “Oh, and you need to reorganize.”
“Yeah, I know,” she said looking at the messy pile, “You can go now if you want to, there’s nothing else here that we really need to discuss.”
“Well then, thanks,” Rainbow Dash said, “I guess that I won the dare then.”
And with that said Twilight rolled her eyes and smiled.
And so Rainbow Dash flew off into the air and sky having completed yet another Daring Dare from one of her very own personal fans.
And she was very proud of it.
But what she would be even more so of very soon enough was happy.
For she would get to see Scootaloo very soon enough and spend time with her.
And that meant more to her than anything else that this world had to offer.
It meant more to her than even flying in the air and sky, for friends truly are one of the best things that this world can give us.
And so all was well in the town and Equestria.
Well, all was well, except the new information of the castle.
But what Princess Celestia of the Sun does with that information, well that’s a different story for yet another and different time, one that will and is to come very soon enough, but for now all you need to know is that Rainbow Dash was truly really happy when she finally got to spend time with Scootaloo.
