Blown Away

A warm rush of air brushed past Twilight’s mane. She sat still on her hindlegs, calming her mind, focusing on the sensation of the cloud on which she rested. It was a soft, sticky cloud, damp, but firm. “Like how I felt after going home yesterday covered in sweat,” Twilight thought to herself. Her tail swished, gently brushing the cloud aside.

“You ready yet?” Rainbow Dash asked, poking Twilight’s head. “When I asked you to take a small break to get your magic ready, I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”

Twilight lazily stretched and opened her eyes, blinking slowly a few times. “You can’t just rush a mind into a state of concentration, you know. But I’m ready now. What’s first?”

Rainbow grinned. “You’re going on the Dragon Course. Oh, and we’re already here. I moved the cloud you were on while you were asleep.”

“What! I can’t go on the Dragon Course already! I just barely passed the Butterfly Course yesterday!” Twilight said, staring worriedly at the ominous storm clouds that lay ahead. The dragon shaped course loomed angrily before her, dark against the fading crimson glow of the setting sun.

“Who’s the trainer here?” Rainbow asked. “We only have two days left, so it looks like we’re going to have to advance a little faster than I planned at first. Besides, we have a secret weapon.” Twilight blinked confusedly. “Your horn, duh!” Rainbow Dash said.

“But I didn’t even know what I was doing back there!” Twilight said, “I don’t know any flight spells. I don’t even think there are any flight spells!”

“Flight spells, schmight spells. You know what I saw back there? I saw an alicorn who was plummeting to her death save herself with magic. And now that same alicorn is telling me it was based on instinct alone. You may not see it, but I do. You’ve got the stuff it takes. And if it takes the life threatening Dragon Course to bring it out, then so be it.” Rainbow Dash said. “Now let’s get started before the sun sets completely. You don’t want to do your first run in the dark, do you?” She shoved Twilight off the cloud.

Twilight righted herself quickly and headed forward slowly. “Life threatening?” she called back.

“That was only twice! You’ll be fine!” Rainbow Dash called back. Twilight really hoped she was joking as she passed through the entrance.

Thunder boomed directly beside her as Twilight narrowly avoided an angry arc of lightning. “Rainbow, I think this is a little too dangerous!” Twilight shouted above the roar of the storm clouds.

“Calm down, you’re doing fine!” Rainbow Dash called back. Twilight flitted in between the rows of storm clouds, avoiding the lightning with an odd combination of luck and reflex. Her wings felt heavy, a little too heavy, soaked in a mixture of sweat and rain. She pushed onwards.

The next area was, oddly enough, completely free of storm clouds. Only a couple massive white clouds appeared to block her path. “Maybe they’re giving me a break,” Twilight muttered, flying slowly past the white cloud. As she passed, she felt an odd tugging on her right wing. The clouds were slowly but surely moving in a very particular pattern. Was that… a cyclone?

Twilight struggled, pinned between the massive cloud and the previously hidden cyclone. The cyclone grew closer and the cloud sped up. Twilight pressed herself against the cloud and pushed, fighting against the howling wind. Flap. The cyclone had sucked the rain right out of her wings. Flap. She felt the cloud give a little, but not nearly enough. Flap. She would be in deep trouble in the next couple seconds.

“Rainbow Dash! Help me!” She screamed as the strength vanished from her wings and the cyclone sucked her in. She burrowed into the cloud, hoping against hope that it would cushion her from whatever injuries she might sustain from being flung out of a cyclone, but the cloud was already being rapidly torn apart.

As Twilight spiraled out of control, a familiar sensation welled up deep within her and a shot of magic blasted out of her horn. Something had changed, but what? The world was still spinning. She was still dizzy. Wait, was the spinning slowing? The howling of the wind died down and Twilight was left resting on a spinning fragment of cloud, slowly coming to a halt. She reoriented herself and kept going.

It looked like there was one obstacle left. This last obstacle sure didn’t try and deceive her like the last one. One look at it made Twilight’s stomach reel. A massive cone of spiraling storm clouds lay before her, with the finish line at the top. Twilight took a deep breath, steeled her nerves, and headed in.

It was a frightening cacophony of thundering barks, howling wind, and bright flashes as arcs of lightning reached towards Twilight, threatening to knock her out of the sky. She struggled, fighting against the wind that buffeted her from all directions, barely avoiding the lightning and cringing from the deafening thunder.

Twilight’s strength was running low. Maybe magic would help. She released herself to the mercy of the winds for a moment, letting the tiredness leave her body as she concentrated on the experience of the dizzitron. “Focus, Twilight. You’re spiraling out of control. Your back’s against the wall. Remember that feeling. You can do it. You can make flight magic.”

A familiar warmth welled up from within. “Yes,” Twilight whispered. “This is it…” She felt calm and excited, worried and proud as the spell built up in her horn. It felt just like the other instances, only this time, she was in complete control.

But just as the spell was about to leave her body, just before she could steady her flight and zoom through the cone of howling storms, just before Rainbow Dash’s warning reached her ears… just before all of that happened, Twilight Sparkle was struck by lightning.