The whether schedule in Ponyville had a tendency to be screwed up and "off" on a semi-regular basis, especially lately. The ponies of the town were surprised that they hadn't lost their apple crop at this rate, what with the little rainfall they had the last few weeks. The citizens didn't blame the whether captain, Rainbow Dash, but they had admitted on a regular basis that she could be doing a better job. As a result, she followed the pre-determined schedule more closely and, in doing so, had become obsessed with, what she called, the L.I.S.T. (Listen Intently and Stay on Track). Unfortunately for her, the night of the big rain was on Nightmare Night.
~
"You can't do this! Nightmare Night is one of the most festive nights of the year! Plus, the princess Luna is coming!"
"I enjoy Nightmare Night as much as the next pony, Twilight, but ah need it to rain so that the crop doesn't fail!"
Twilight and Applejack were arguing in front of Rainbow Dash, who had told them of her problem because she didn't know what to do. She was surprised to find that Twilight wanted to against a list. A list! And Applejack was in favor of doing things by the book! That was Twilight's job!
Applejack turned to her. "Dash, we need this rain."
Rainbow Dash looked back and forth between the two, who were anxiously looking back at her. The meadow in which they were standing in was swept with a light breeze. Her eyes shifted between them, and then she got an idea. "What if we focus the area of rain over only Sweet Apple Acres? That way, the trees can get their water and the town can celebrate!"
The farmpony just shook her head. "That much rain will flood the farm. If anything, that'll worsen our problem."
"Please Dash," Twilight pleaded.
She sighed deeply. "I'm sorry Twilight. The crops need it. You'll just have to move Nightmare Night to tomorrow."
Twilight, too, sighed and hung her head. "I guess I'll write the princess," she monotoned, like a foal apologizing. She walked back to her house sadly. Dash didn't like making these kind of decisions, but it needed to be done. Applejack put a hoof on Dash's shoulder.
"Thank you," she smiled solemnly, understanding her plight. Dash pushed her hoof off and swiftly and promptly flew off. Her loyalty was conflicted, and this was something that she didn't like at all.
She thought back to other times she had let her friends down. That time during fight school when she was sick and Fluttershy got bullied. When Rarity needed a model for a dress she was making but Dash was off sun bathing. The time when Pinkie Pie...
"Pinkie Pie," she realized. Turning on a dime, the rainbow-maned pegasus turned towards the party-pony's place, Sugarcube Corner.
~
Twilight had just finished her letter to Princess Luna. She noticed the dark, storm clouds gathering outside her bedroom window. She looked through the letter one more time, checking for any grammar or spelling errors, of which she found none. She felt a pang of sadness when her eyes fell on the words: ...Nightmare Night is cancelled...
She had already been to the Mayor's office to explain to her what was going on. The mayor hadn't even realized that the storm that they had been waiting for was pushed to fall on the holiday, claiming that she doesn't "actually read through the whether schedule." By now the word had gotten to parents that the holiday was cancelled. The mayor had misunderstood the gravity of Twilight's words, and had cancelled the holiday all together.
Now, the librarian had slipped into a state of even more sadness. She looked over to her costume. This year, due to the near-outright failure of last year's costume, she had gone with something a little more modern: lieutenant Aurora from her favorite cult-classic, science-fiction novels, Star Journey. It was laid out on her bed.
She sighed, thinking of all of the disappointed foals and fillies out there who were now missing one of their favorite holidays. She decided to lay down for a while.
~
"WHAT!?!" Rainbow Dash shouted in the mailmare's face. "What do you mean 'Nightmare Night is canceled'? What makes you think that?"
The rain pit-pated outside, the beginning of the storm was there. Ditzy Doo shrugged at the excited pegasus' words. "The mayor made an official statement today."
Rainbow Dash sighed and looked back into Sugarcube Corner, where Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack were. They had all heard Ditzy. Dash had gathered them together to help comfort Twilight. The idea was to go to her house and throw a party to help ease her, but with this new news, not only was Nightmare Night delayed, it now wasn't going to happen at all!
The two pegasai in the doorway looked at each other. "Thank you, Ditzy," she had said, apologetically. The grey pony smiled obliviously.
"No problem, Dash! See you around!" She walked out back into the rain, going to deliver the news elsewhere, as was her assigned job.
Rainbow Dash closed the door and went back inside. "Well girls," she said, defeated, "Looks like there isn't going to be a Nightmare Night this year. Not only is Twilight going to have to go without Nightmare Night, but all of the colts and fillies in Ponyville as well, and it's all my fault."
Rarity put her hoof on her shoulder. "No it isn't," she said comfortably.
Rainbow pushed the hoof away and went to the window, where the rain growing harder and harder could be seen. "Yes it is! I could've moved the rain to tomorrow and everypony could be happy!" Her friends exchanged worried glances and she sighed once more. "It's my duty to fix it."
She turned to Pinkie Pie, who was particularly shaken up by the fact of the cancelation of the holiday. "Pinkie!" She snapped to attention. "I need your giant umbrella and as much candy that you have on hand!" She turned to Applejack. "I need one of your carts!" Then to Rarity. "We need costumes." And finally to Fluttershy. "Fluttershy, I need you to muster up some courage!"
~
There was a knock at the door. Twilight opened her eyes and she could hear the hard drumming of the rain. Who could be knocking at her door at this time of night? Nightmare Night was cancelled. Feeling like a pile of unmentionable , she decided to stay.
"Spike!" she called out, "Can you get that please?"
There was a sound of Spike walking to the door and she could hear it squeak open. There was only the sound of the rain getting louder. "Twilight!" Spike called, "You need to come down here!"
She groaned and sat up. Wrapping herself in a blanket, she got out of bed and groggily made her way downstairs. "What is it," she said hazily. She turned up her head and, to her surprise, she saw all of her friends at her door step, and they were dry too!
"Girls, what are you doing here?"
They were all in costume and under a very large umbrella. Rarity was sporting a Neighpunzel outfit, hair and all. Pinkie Pie was dressed as a giant Monopony game board, Fluttershy was dressed as a monarch butterfly and Applejack was a pig. Rainbow Dash, however, outshined their costumes by far. She was dressed as Captain Jolt Trot Kirk, the main character from Star Journey. Dash was also the first to speak.
"Well, we heard that Nightmare Night was cancelled, so we are going around and giving candy too all of the foals and fillies who haven't gotten a chance to go out tonight!"
Rarity piqued up. "It was all Dash's idea."
Twilight was overwhelmed. She couldn't much more than shoot out like lightning and hug her friends after pausing a moment. "This is amazing guys! You've saved Nightmare Night!"
"Yep," Dash replied. "Well, we've got to get back out there and give the rest of this candy away. See you Twilight." They began to leave, but they were stopped by the librarian.
"Wait!" she called hurriedly. She slammed the door and the girls exchanged confused glances. When twilight emerged, she was in her costume. She quickly trotted under the very large umbrella. "Okay girls let's get moving!"
~
Dear Princess Celestia,
Today I learned that, though it may seem hopeless, there is always a way to move on, work around, or fix things. If you feel bad about not getting to do something, or somepony stops you from achieving your goal, you can always find a way around whatever is in your way.
Your faithful student,
Twilight Sparkle
~
Dear Princess Celestia,
Today I learned that there is always a way to make everyone happy. If you are cut in a tough position and you have to choose between one friend or another, there will always be a compromise, even is the odds are against you.
Your loyal subject,
Rainbow Dash
