The Great Fairflanks Adventure

The Great Fairflanks Adventure – Chapter 3

By Windrace

Snowblast broke up the awkward stillness, directing the young Pegasus to sit next to Rainbow Dash. This was of course, the last thing she wanted and wanted to protest, but politeness replaced her fuming anger toward Snowblast, who she knew was having fun with the situation Rainbow Dash had been forced into.

“So how did the training go today?” Rushstreak asked Rainbow Dash.

Seeing the rainbow filly’s attention entirely on Windrace, Snowblast replied, “It went ok. Rainbow Dash just has to remember the very important information given to her at the presentation.”

Rainbow Dash quickly popped back into reality when she heard her name. “I did just fine,” she snapped. “They’re not training us right, their just telling us to do this and that and see how we do. It’s more like the big test than training if you ask me.”

“I hate to criticize you Rainbow Dash, but I think WE did tell you everything you need to successfully complete our training,” Rushstreak answered in a gentle tone. “As I remember it, you didn’t pay much attention. I hope you at least listened to what I said, because you start my wind section tomorrow.”

Rainbow Dash squirmed with embarrassment. She almost forgot she was complaining in front of two trainers. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to offend anypony. And I did listen . . . but if you could go over it one more time, I would really appreciate it,” Rainbow Dash lied through her teeth.

Rushstreak explained what to expect on the wind course and the proper flight techniques, but soon the direction turned into a heated debate with Snowblast about how fast a pony can fly safely during high winds. Rainbow Dash tried her best to pay attention, but she was curious about the colt sitting next to her. Soon the bluish-grey pegasus noticed her eye wondering around him and gazed at his food, occasionally glancing at Rainbow Dash’s solid stare. As Rushstreak and Snowblast continued to talk unaware of the other side of the table, Windrace leaned over to the rainbow filly and whispered, “Why are you staring at me?”

Rainbow Dash instantly shot her head forward and shoved her muzzle into the food, forgetting she was at a restaurant. The colt smiled and tried not to laugh, but the weird noises Rainbow Dash was making while eating did not help. Windrace joined in and soon the two were laughing at each other’s poor manners. Rainbow Dash was thrilled to have finally meet another pony who was not obsessed with clean and perfect things. Unfortunately, this fun ended with a loud burp from Windrace and angry glares from Rushstreak and Snowblast.

“Windrace!” gasped his aunt. “Please excuse yourself.”

“I’m sorry,” he responded looking over and smiling at Rainbow Dash. The two adults continued their debate and the two troublemakers continued their havoc.

After finishing their food and not being able to stand the argument Rushstreak and Snowblast were still ranting on, the two young pegasi ask if they could go outside.

“Just make sure you do go too far,” said Rushstreak.

“I was wondering if I could take Rainbow Dash to Lighnting Ledge,” asked Windrace.

Rushstreak looked at Snowblast who, in turn, nodded in agreement, but before she could turn to say yes, the two pegasi galloped off. The two adults looked at each other and kissed. “Finally we can talk at will,” Snowblast said running his hoof through Rushstreak’s mane.

****

“What’s you favorite Wonderbolt move?” Windrace asked, breaking the silence.

Rainbow Dash’s face lit up, “I love Spitfire’s Lightning Bolt, the one when she flys through a thunder cloud and shoots out the other end with lightning following her. It’s so awesome! She’s my favorite Wonderbolt. Who’s your’s.”

“I like Soarin and his Spiral Swirl. I heard he could do hundreds without getting sick,” Windrace said trying to imponynate Soarin’s moves.

“You know,” Rainbow Dash said proudly, “I can do a sonic rainboom.”

“That’s cool,” Windrace said unimpressed.

Rainbow Dash disliked his middling reaction and shouted, “What! You think you can do better.”

Windrace just looked at her and smiled flying off a distance then shooting up into the star filled night sky. Rainbow Dash stopped, hovering in place watching him in confusion. She watched as Windrace stopped and shot downward reaching speeds she had trouble getting to. Soon before her eyes, he performed a perfect sonic rainboom, lighting up the night sky with a blue burst, but he did not stop there. He continued speeding down faster and faster. Soon an eerie blue light started illuminating from his wings growing brighter and brighter. Then in a blinding flash, he exploded into a big blue bolt of lightning zipping up from the ground toward where Rainbow Dash floated in disbelief. He had just pulled off the fabled Warpbolt, a mythical speed that was said to be only broken by the Lord of the Pegasi some two thousand years ago. Nopony really thought it existed, it was a myth, and this young colt pulled it off in a matter of minutes. Rainbow Dash dropped down to the ground followed by her jaw. Windrace came back panting and made a half-crash landing, collapsing to the ground in exhaustion.

“That . . . was . . . the . . . coolest . . . thing . . . I . . . have . . . ever . . . seen,” Rainbow Dash stammered trotting over to the wheezing colt.

“Thanks,” he said trying to catch his breath.

“I’ve gotta tell my friends what you can do!” Rainbow Dash screamed excitedly.

“NO!” Windrace yelled standing up. “You can’t tell anypony. I don’t want anypony to know.”

“Why not!” she shouted in protest. “You can do something that nopony can do, not even I can pull off a Warpbolt if I tried.”

“It’s my secret talent, and that’s the way I like it,” he replied.

“A SECRET, why the hay would you want to keep this a secret!” Rainbow Dash could not understand why anypony would want to keep this from others.

“I don’t like to show off,” Windrace said ruffling his feathered wings getting ready to take off.

“Oh,” she said looking down at the ground realizing that is what she should learn to do, but her pride soon overshadowed her values, “Wait that’s stupid, it’s ok to showoff sometimes, especially if it is showing off a Warpbolt. Can you teach me how to do it?”

“Maybe later, I just want to fly around a little, get the blood back into my wings,” he said flapping his wings.

“Yah, you’re supposed to take me to see this ledge thing you mentioned,” Rainbow Dash said shooting into the air.

“Right, follow me,” Windrace lifted himself into the air.

The Northern Lights appears in the sky as the two flew together, spinning and flipping around in an aerial dance. Rainbow Dash had not had this much fun in a long time and tried to keep up with her new friend. The two flew around for a while out of the lighted city of Fairflanks, into the darkness of the surrounding wilderness.

“So, where’s this Lightning Ledge?” Rainbow Dash asked as the two soared through the night sky.

Windrace pointed down to a cliff face below them. “That. It’s where lightning strikes a lot during storms, hence the name,” he replied dropping down rapidly and landing softly, right near the edge of the cliff. Rainbow Dash, seeing this as a contest, rocketed down after him, misjudged her own speed, and crashed into him send both of them tumbling off the cliff. They fell together until Rainbow Dash kicked away from Windrace sending him down further. She watched in horror as he fell into the darkness below and then she heard a thud.

“Oh no,” she panted, racing down to the ground. The clouds moved allowing the moonlight to light the landscape revealing her friend lying still near the base of the cliff. Rainbow Dash flew over to his motionless body fearing the worst. As she put her head to his chest, Windrace wrapped his legs around her and tackled her to the ground laughing. His laughing was met with cyan hoof across his muzzle.

“I thought you were dead,” Rainbow Dash fumed.

Still laughing Windrace replied, “You should know a pegasus would never fall to their death like that. I’m shocked you don’t have faith in my flying ability.”

He remained standing over her, both staring into each other’s eyes, waiting the other to make the next move, but nothing happened. Rainbow Dash liked this reckless colt, he reminded her of herself. What just happened was the type of prank she pulled on hers friends back in Ponyville all the time. She did not want to moment to end. He just stood there smiling at her with those big blue eyes. Rainbow Dash had never had this feeling before, not even when she met Snowblast. She could not explain the serene sentiment, but she liked it. Sure, she had been attracted to many ponies before, but not this strongly before.

“You have beautiful eyes,” Windrace said, soon realizing what he said and quickly back off, turning away.

“You do too,” Rainbow Dash whispered, getting up and slowly walking over to him.

“I hope you are enjoying Fairflanks, Rainbow Dash,” he said timidly.

“No, I’m not,” she replied. Windrace looked at her confused as she moved closer. “I’m enjoying something much better.” With that, she leaned over and kissed the already blushing colt.

****

The rainbow pegasus retreated from the stunned colt as he stared at her not knowing what to do. Rainbow Dash began to worry that she had been wrong to make the first move and questioned what Windrace’s next move was. Her fears lifted as he took her hoof and smiled, returning the kiss with one of his own.

“I thought I saw something in your eyes, something different,” Windrace said plopping down observing the starless night sky.

Rainbow Dash followed his lead and asked, “What do you mean?”

“I know this sounds crazy but,” he said focusing his gaze on her, “when I walked into the restaurant tonight, I thought you might be the one. Then I saw that special spark in your eyes, and that only confirmed it.”

“That’s not crazy,” she replied. “I have to admit, I felt . . . something . . . when you came in. I don’t know, maybe it wasn’t anything,” she said turning away.

“We could always make it into something,” the young colt answered solemnly. The cyan filly looked at him in understanding and the two sat and gazed into the sky for a while.

“Windrace, do you think certain ponies were made for each other, like something happens that purposely begins them together?” Rainbow Dash whispered feeling somewhat foalish for saying something like that.

“That’s exactly what I’m talking about,” he relied, “I’m not really supposed to be here.”

“No?” she confirmed in amazement.

“I was supposed to be in Bridleson to take a few summer classes, but something told me to spend the summer with my Aunt Rushstreak because I don’t get to see her very often,” he said lowering his voice and shifting closer to Rainbow Dash, “I’m glad I did.”

The bluish-grey colt leaned over and ran his hoof through her rainbow mane. The provoked filly lay down in response allowing him to continue his caressing. Windrace could not deny he had impious thoughts as he moved his hooves down her back, massaging her cyan wings. Rainbow Dash, too, had erotic deliberations as she turned around exposing her stomach to Windrace’s probing hooves. The moon broke out of the dark clouds and illuminated the heated scene below. With her eyes glistening in the moonbeams, Windrace stopped his kneading, and stare into Rainbow Dash’s dark pink eyes. The two young pegasi communicated more than any words could in those few moments, which were interrupted by a swift and passionate embrace.

As the two continued their canoodling, the Northern Lights appeared in the sky above them. Upon noticing this, Windrace shot up into the cool black air waiting for his new marefriend to join him. She floated up to him and the two flew around the neon green lights swaying and twirling around against the blackened sky. Spinning and soaring about, the two love stricken pegasi danced around each other in a complicated series of loops and spins. Windrace stopped and gave Rainbow Dash a devious grin. With a giggle, Rainbow Dash fleetingly tore past him hovering a distance away. Seeing an impending race, Windrace shouted, “Where’s the finish line?”

“That fancy restaurant place we ate at,” the slim, fit pegasus yelled back commencing with her midflight stretching.

The two prepared themselves for the race of the century. Windrace counted down from three and upon hearing GO, the two spread forward. Rainbow Dash had been waiting to race somepony for a while and was enjoying every second, until she realized Windrace steadily leaving her behind. As much as she tried, she could not keep up with him. The challenge-loving filly pumped her wings as fast as she could thinking a sonic rainboom was the only way to beat this wildly fast colt. To her relief, the familiar cone formed around her, now all she needed was concentration. Thoughts of winning continued to flood her mind as she edged closer and closer to achieving her goal. Suddenly, snow and wind began to bombard her exposed eyes; closing them seemed to be the only option. It was pitch black, the wind was deafening, and Windrace nowhere to be seen. Fear seeped through her adrenaline-filled mind and considered slowly down for safety, but her pride and will to win the race blocked out caution and she continued to soar faster and faster.

“Watch out for the . . .” a familiar voice screamed next to her as Rainbow Dash plowed into a thick snow-filled storm cloud she failed to see.

The force at which she hit the cloud knocked Rainbow Dash out and she began to freefell and plummet toward the ground. Windrace, who was at Rainbow Dash’s side since he noticed her trying to preform a sonic rainboom, shot down to save her, but the lack of light and the approaching snowstorm made it difficult to see where she was. Panic stricken, he finally spotted her but saw there was no time to grab and stop her at this speed before she hit the ground. So, he did the only thing he could think of. He dashed in front of her using himself as a shield just before they both hit the ground with a horrific crack.

****

Sun light gleamed through her sore eyelids and hastened consciousness. Rainbow Dash tried to move but the shooting pain in her left side kept her from standing. She tried shaking the snow off that covered her, but the pain prevented that too. After realizing what happened, anxiety settled in and checked to make sure everything was still there. As she examined her body, her sore eyes scanned over her wings, but noticed something off. Rainbow Dash was still lightheaded from the fall so it took her a while to make at that her left wing had changed color. Focusing harder she was horrified to find a disheveled wing with a bone sticking out. Blood was oozing out into a large puddle she was lying in. The terrified young mare could feel tears sprouting out and finally flowed down her bruised and hurting face. She franticly swung her aching necking around the see her right wing only to find a snow-covered, bloodied Windrace lying in an unnatural position next to her.

“Windrace,” Rainbow Dash croaked, not having the vigor she thought she had. She felt like breaking down and crying, but was unable due to her consciousness slowly leaving her because of the loss of blood. A faint groan emerged from Windrace’s disfigured body but no movement. Rainbow Dash stared at his blood splattered muzzle, looking for signs of life, but received none. She mustered all strength she had, and ignoring the pain, shuffled closer to her coltfriend’s cold motionless body as consciousness finally drifted away from her.

****

Rainbow Dash dreamed of voices. Familiar voices, voices she had not heard in while. Twilight Sparkle! Applejack! Pinkie Pie! Rarity! Fluttershy! Hearing the imaginative voices of her friends made her wish she was back in Ponyville. Other voices, Snowblast and Princess Celestia? Rainbow Dash knew dreams were weird, but this was getting out of hand.

“She’s lucky you found her when you did, otherwise we would probably would not have made it,” said an unfamiliar voice.

“Well Rushstreak thankfully knows all of Windrace’s favorite places to go,” said Snowblast.

Realizing this was no dream, Rainbow Dash forced herself awake and slowly opened her eyes revealing a group of ponies standing around her hospital bed. “Windrace,” Rainbow Dash muttered under her breathe.

“Up, she coming through,” said the doctor.

“Is there anything you can do, Princess,” whispered a worried Fluttershy.

“I’m afraid I have done all I can for her right now. Magic can only mend minor injuries, Rainbow Dash is going to have to mend herself right now,” relied Princess Celestia.

Rainbow Dash could see Twilight stepping closer out of the corner of her frail eye. “Rainbow Dash, can you hear us? Can you say something?”

It took some time to get her sore mouth to move, “How did you . . . Why did you come here?”

“Snowblast thought it would be better for you to come home than to stay in the Fairflanks hospital. You came to us,” Twilight Sparkle replied happily.

“I’m in Ponyville? Windrace! Is he ok? Where is he? Can I see him? Is he here?” Rainbow Dash forgot about her pain as her thoughts flooded with feelings for Windrace.

Applejack looked at her friends, then turned to Rainbow Dash and said, “He’s . . .”

“OK! I think everypony needs to give Ms. Dash some privacy,” yelled the doctor. After the group had left, the doctor “She’s needs to rest if she is to get better. Don’t worry Ms. Dash you’ll be fine. All you have is a broken leg, a couple bruised ribs, and a fractured wing. You’ll be out of here within the week.”

“What about Windrace,” the worried filly said.

“I’ll see you in the morning, right now you need to rest. Good night,” he replied walking out of the room and shutting the door. Rainbow Dash was very tried and the fact that she was now back in Ponyville eased her mind slightly and she soon fell fast asleep.

****

“Hey Dashie!”

Rainbow Dash’s eyes shoot open as the pink pony bounced up and down in front of her.

Pinkie Pie continued, “How are you feeling today? I brought you some cupcakes. The doctor said they are fine for you. Did you sleep well? How is your wing? Do you . . .?”

“Pinkie, how long have I been out?” Dash asked.

“When you first got here or just today?” Pinkie Pie replied.

“Wait, what? I’ve been here longer than . . . When did I arrive in Ponyville?” Dash was curious.

“You gave us quite a scare. You came here about a week ago and had been sleeping ever since you woke up yesterday,” Pinkie said stopping her bouncing and looking down at the ground. “We thought you might not wake up at all.”

“A week! I missed the training than. Now I have to wait a whole year to do that training again. I’ll never get a job now,” the pegasus sulked.

“Don’t worry Dashie, we’ll find something for you. Hey! You can work for Mr. and Mrs. Cake with me!” Pinkie shouted excitedly.

Rainbow Dash looked at Pinkie Pie with a scowl, “Pinkie, you know I can’t cook to save my life.”

Pinkie Pie just smiled and said, “I know you could be the official sampler.”

Rainbow Dash laughed, “That I would love. By the way, Pinkie, any word on Windrace?”

“Who?” asked Pinkie Pie getting nervous.

“He was my . . . is my friend from Fairflanks,” Rainbow corrected herself.

Pinkie Pie look down at the ground, “Oh, you have a new friend now?”

“No Pinkie. Not like that, you should know you girls are my best friends. He’s not that type of friend,” Dash turned away and blushed.

Upon seeing Rainbow Dash’s reaction, Pinkie Pie took full advantaged of the situation. “Oh, you mean he’s your special somepony? Ha, Dashie’s got a coltfriend! Dashie’s got a coltfriend!” Pinkie Pie shouted bouncing up and down.

“Pinkie, Stop it!” Dash fumed. “Do you know anything about what happened to him?”

Pinkie bouncing stopped and her smiled disappeared. Rainbow Dash had never seen such a fast alteration in Pinkie’s mood before. “Dashie,” she said stepping closer to Rainbow’s bed. “The others didn’t want you to know yet, but I think you deserve to.”

“What! Tell me!” Rainbow Dash shouted fearing the worst.

Pinkie Pie looked at her teary eyed friend and said, “Windrace is alive. Well, barely. He’s in a coma and on life-support.”

Rainbow Dash could believe it, did want to believe what her friend just told her. What she lacked in words she made up in tears. Pinkie Pie saw how distraught Dash was and leaned over and hugged her. Rainbow overlooked the pain and hugged back letting her emotions take over.

After sobbing in each other’s embrace, Dash leaned back and asked, “Where is he? Is he here or back in Fairflanks?”

“Oh he’s here. Ponyville’s hospital is better equipped than Fairflanks’. Plus Snowblast was bringing you here anyway,” Pinkie replied wiping the tears off her face.

Dash tried to move again and found it easier than before. “Can I see him?”

“That’s up to the doctor. I’ll go get him,” Pinkie Pie said walking out of the room.

Moments later, Pinkie and the doctor came in. “I guess since you know now, it would be fine if you want to see him,” said the doctor glaring at Pinkie Pie.

They put Rainbow in a wheelchair and Pinkie push her down the hallways to Ponyville’s ICU. There, alone in a dark room, lay Windrace. Pinkie Pie push Dash’s wheelchair up next to his bed and said, “I’ll give you two some time,” and walked away.

Dash sat there staring at him, fighting the inevitable tears. He would have looked peaceful lying there if it would not for the large semi-healed gashes on the side of his face and the bulky feeding tube in his mouth. His chest moved with the ventilator next to him as it did the work for him. All Rainbow could hear was the beeping from the heart monitor, the IV dripping liquid into Windrace’s foreleg, and the pounding of her own heart.

“Windrace,” Dash whispered through her tears, “I don’t know if you can hear me, but I want to thank you. I promise to you right now, I will come and visit you everyday until you wake up. And you will wake up. You have to promise me that. Promise me, Windrace, you’ll . . . wake . . . up . . .” Rainbow couldn’t say anymore. She put her head on the bed and cried softly.