Scintilla (Go the distance)

Rainbow Dash had been walking for hours, but that never stopped her before.

The light was long gone by now, it disappeared mere minutes after she started walking, but given that she didn't really have anywhere else to go, she kept on going forward.

The sun was high in the sky, marking noon. One thing Rainbow was really grateful for was having been a Weather Mare for so long – since she was eighteen, now that she thought about it. That would make it around five years –, so she knew a fair deal of weather management and navigation. She learnt some pretty useful skills such as determining the time of day by glancing at the position of the sun, or memorizing a landscape as soon as she glanced at it, or checking the temperature by liking her hoof and lifting it up in the air. She also knew she was walking southeast, but she only found that one out when it dawned hours ago – because yesterday she had been walking with her back towards the sun, and she refused to look back.

But not that any of those skills would help her get out of this bucking desert.

Now that she had somewhat rested, Rainbow could now majorly think of three things. First, don't lose sight of the element. That one was easy since it had been around her neck this entire time – and because of that she realised how heavy it actually is, her neck was sore and the metal only served to conduct more heat into her –. Second, finding water, her throat was dry and uncomfortable, she didn't even want to open her mouth. And finally, THERE'S. SAND. EVERYWHERE.

The sand was dry and hot and it was absolutely boring. It really bothered her that not only did the dunes seem to go on for eternity, but the thing is, she was so tired of walking. She wanted to fly, she wanted to lift up into the sky and cross the desert as fast as she could, and she would have done that if it weren't for her exhaustion. Normally the uncertainty wouldn't affect her, on the contrary, it would make things even more exciting! but she was this close to fainting that Rainbow thought it best to not risk it. Falling from the sky is one thing she is used to, but falling from the sky INTO SAND. No, that won't do.

Rainbow lowered her head in exhaustion, she was so tired and it was so hot, she needed water. Maybe there was a cloud nearby where she could get some water from, after all, clouds were made from water drops, even in the desert there must be at least one. Her time as a Weather Mare also taught her how to drain the clouds in order to get the moisture from them, it was pretty simple, really, any pegasus could do it with the proper training, Rainbow thought maybe that was why the pegasi took care of the weather…

As the pegasus kept on musing the possibility of finding a cloud, another hour went by where she came across nothing but sand. Sand and dunes, sand and dunes and the occasional scorpion, and this weird shadow above her.

Huh, well, that's new.

Rainbow looked up to find a tall palm tree, maybe 30 ft. tall or so, shielding her from the heat of the sun as best as it could. Her eyes went wide in astonishment, if there was a tree here, then that meant...

Rainbow turned her head in every direction, finding more palm trees frontwards. She didn't think twice when she started sprinting following the trees as they grew more and more close together, Rainbow was ecstatic, she ran as fast as her might allowed her to, which wasn't much, but it was nothing adrenaline could not overpower!

The pegasus got to the top of a particularly tall dune, and when she glanced ahead, she found a wide pond of water surrounded by palm trees and water and vegetation and WATER and she had to get there NOW!

Rainbow took off from the sand, dashing through the dry air as fast as she could, and splashed right into the water, she didn't care! "Oh sweet, sweet water how I've missed you!" Rainbow thought, swallowing mouthfuls of water. Her head only came back to the surface when she needed air, but soon found its way back into the waterhole. The pegasus enjoyed every drop of fresh water she could get.

"That's one thirsty traveller, if I've ever seen one".

Rainbow shot back up upon hearing the voice, looking as flabbergasted as a meerkat emerging from its hole, when she saw an old earth pony on the other side of the pond staring calmly back at her. His coat seemed to have lost its pigment long ago, but she could still see the remnants of a vibrant copper colour, yet, his whitening hair and wrinkles could only accentuate his old age. He had saddlebags attached to his barrel, they seemed full of... whatever, and he was covered by a thick piece of woollen cloth, she wondered if he was hot in it or not, she knew she would be. At his sides, two canteens were full of water and one was being held in his hooves.

Rainbow looked around, wondering if it was another mirage, when he spoke again. "You ain't from around here, are you?". As he said this, Rainbow got out of the water quickly to the opposite side of the pond and stared at him, not even blinking fearing he might disappear. "Welp, don't mind me". He said, as he started to fill the canteen of water. What a weird old pony, he seemed unfazed by her actions at all.

Rainbow directed a hoof to her neck, touching the necklace around it. "Who are you?" She asked, her voice hoarse and her throat aching from not speaking in so long. "Are you... real?".

The old earth pony, upon hearing this, laughed out loud as he finished his task. "Nothin' ever seems real, until you decide it is" he said.

"Huh?".

"Would you like some water?" He lifted the canteen he just filled as if inviting her to drink, as if they knew each other their whole lives! But Rainbow just stared at the old pony. "It's okay to say no" He suggested, smiling calmly. Rainbow shook her head firmly and the pony just kept on smiling, lowering the canteen. She was starting to get annoyed by all that smiling he didn’t seem to get tired of.

"Who are you?" She asked again. This time a bit more serious and anxious.

"I'm Rook, if you're asking for my name, that is, but I'm also a traveller" He answered, reaching back to his saddlebags and taking a clothed object. Rainbow stood still, alert, in case she needed to flee, but as he unwrapped the object she realised it was just bread. "You hungry? I have some bread to spare". The pegasus shook her head again. "You don't seem like the talkin' type, do you?".

"What do you want?".

Rook remained silent, and he lowered the bread, careful to not leave it in the sand bare, so he wrapped it again. Rainbow watched his every move with accuracy like that of an eagle, waiting for the faintests of signals that could indicate danger. "I just came here to collect some water and take a break, I'm not a bandit, if that's what you're afraid of, I'm too old for that". Rook laughed subtly.

"Bandit?" Rainbow inquired. That's a first, she thought those only ever appeared in old stories.

"Oh yeah, there are some nasty groups of 'em somewhere ‘round here". Rook said. "But there's nothin’ to worry 'bout, as long as you step out of their routes”.

Great, Rainbow thought, not only she had to endure this endless desert, but now she would have to do her best to avoid bandits on the way. Good thing she was a pegasus, she could easily outfly them if necessary. Then again, why should she believe him? Last time she met somepony this calm and cryptical, her friends and herself ended up separated in a maze and hating each other.

Rook, unaware of the line of thought going through Rainbow’s mind, decided that it was time for him to speak. “It’s not that I don’t like to be interrogated, but, you mind tellin’ me your name?” He asked.

Rainbow stalled for a second, telling him her name was harmless enough, right? “Rainbow Dash”. She spat.

“Rainbow Dash” Rook said to nopony in particular, nor in a mocking manner, it seemed more like he was getting acquainted with her name. “Nice to meet you, Rainbow Dash” he smiled. “Are you travelling too?”.

The Pegasus kept her silence once more. Yes, she was travelling, but she was a traveller with no destination. A lost traveller, If anything. Eventually, she nodded.

“I see”. Rook looked up at the palm trees that guarded him from the blinding sun, his expression didn’t give anything away for Rainbow to try and decipher. “It’s a long way through the desert. Sahida ain’t kind to anypony. If you made it this far, then you must be something special, Rainbow Dash”.

“What are you doing? Do you want something from me? I won’t give you anything!” she asked. Rainbow was starting to get vexed by his calm demeanour and careful words, she didn’t have the time nor the energy to deal with this character of a pony. However, Rook chuckled.

“Why would I want something from you? I just met you”.

“I dunno, you tell me! You’re the one being all weird, old geezer!”. At this last statement, Rook seemed to have lost it, he appeared to be having as much fun as an extroverted foal on a rollercoaster ride, he even lost his balance! That old, nonsensical pony, he was mocking her! “Wh- Hey! Don’t laugh! Stop it!”.

“I’m old, alright, but I’m not the one that jumped into the pond like my tail was burning off”.

At this, Rainbow just seemed to give up on him, she just sat on the shade of another palm tree and waited. What was she waiting for, anyways? She didn’t know, maybe she didn’t have it in her to just fly away and carry on with her quest, or maybe she was expecting something to happen. Either way, both of them were enveloped in complete silence for a few minutes.

After a while, Rook broke the deafening silence “So, where are you headin’?”.

“What do you care?” Rainbow answered. Internally, she cringed, knowing that under normal circumstances she wouldn’t be this rude for no reason.

“Not much really, just tryna make conversation. My wife loved a good chat, she would always have somethin’ to say, that one” Rook made himself comfortable under the shade of a palm tree. “I’m gonna go meet her, actually, just gotta cross the Sahida and then across the Mountain range”.

Before she could stop herself, Rainbow started to think about her missing friends. Where could they be? Would they miss her? she had to find them at all costs… “I’m also going to meet somepony”. She muttered under her breath, but apparently, not quiet enough for her liking, for Rook heard her.

"Ah, that's nice, where're you goin’?" The pegasus just stared at him. "Right, not the talkin' type".

"No, no it's not that..." she muttered. "It's just... I don't know where I'm heading".

Rook maintained his silence for a moment, he seemed to have paid her attention, but Rainbow was pondering why he kept quiet now when he'd been talking non-stop ever since they met moments prior. The earth pony then started packing his canteens into his saddlebags and stood up. That's when Rainbow realized she'd been alone for far too long – when she expected him to go away, leaving her somewhat depressed.

Luckily for her, Rook and Rainbow Dash didn't part ways, instead he got closer to her and stood at a reasonable enough distance to not be overbearing, but close enough so they didn't have to yell at one another a pond away. "Mind if I sit here?" He asked, waiting for her consent.

"If you give me some of that bread, I won't mind".

Rook smiled again, and this time, Rainbow joined him.