One day, in Ponyville, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie went to see their friend, Princess Twilight, in her library, and like most occasions, an argument broke out.
"What do you mean your job is harder?" Rainbow said watching Twilight flying around and using magic to put books back on the shelves.
"I mean, all you have to do is kick clouds all day," Twilight replied. "I have to sort, order, and place the books back in their correct and proper place. And since this is a library, there are over one thousand of them. Most of the time your asleep."
"Yeah well, I don't just kick clouds out of the sky," Rainbow said back "Being the weather manager, I also have to make sure it rains just the right amount - and in the right place, I need to see if all of Ponyville's weather ponies did the jobs I gave them to do, to do that I have to send each of them copies of a week long line of weather from the Cloudsdale Weather Factory. You see, I've got a harder job than you! All you do is, if you don't get Spike to do it, put books back on shelves. And I'm asleep because of how much work it is."
"Oh, oh, oh." Pinkie cried jumping around waving her hoof in the air. "I know how we can sort this out. You two should switch jobs for a week! Like when we all got our Cutie-Marks muddled up."
This put an end to Twilight's and Rainbow's arguing, as they stared at Pinkie.
Seeing the questioning looks, Pinkie explained. "Twilight, you take Rainbow's job as Ponyville Weather Manager, and Rainbow, you take Twilight's job as librarian. You both keep diary's and at the end of the week, we see just who's job is harder."
After thinking for a while...
"Fine with me," Rainbow said.
"Me too," Twilight agreed.
Twilight's job is so easy I'm definitely going to win. Rainbow thought.
I'm obviously going to win, Rainbow will find this job so hard. There's no way weather can be harder than controlling a library. Twilight smiled.
After the rules were set - You have to spend one week doing the other pony's job. Keep a dairy every night to writing down how the day was. And at the end of the week, come back to the library and compare notes and set an answer.
And the weather factory was told to send next weeks notes to Twilight instead of Rainbow, each pony went their separate ways looking forward to the week ahead. Where as Pinkie went to warn her friends of the bet that was going to start on Monday morning.
Monday morning 6 am.
Twilight was woken up by a knocking on the door.
"Hey Twilight," Pinkie's voice sounded "You ready to start doing Rainbow's job?"
Twilight opened the door, to see a very lively Pinkie, and a slightly out of it Rainbow Dash. Welcoming them in, Twilight got them something to drink while they waited for the mail mare to deliver the forecast for the week.
6:30 am
"Mail's here!" The voice of Ponyville's mail mare, Ditsy Doo, called from outside.
"Oh boy," Pinkie said zooming out of the kitchen, "Thanks Ditsy," then coming back. "Now we can start." Pinkie handed the envelope to Twilight with a list of ponies who were the weather crew for Ponyville: Thunder-Lane, Time Turner, Cloud Chaser and Flitter.
"Short list." Twilight noted looking at Rainbow questioningly.
"Well I normally take two lots." Rainbow said smiling. This will be the hardest week of your life Twilight Sparkle.
"You need to go meet the team at the 'Three Stallions' to give them their jobs." Pinkie told Twilight pushing her out the door.
"Have a good day!" Rainbow called mockingly.
After Twilight was gone Pinkie rushed back to Rainbow. "And you need to start returning all these books," she bought out three boxes full of 'to-be-returned' books for Rainbow to see, "and put them away." she said beaming.
"Oh horse-apples." Rainbow said.
Monday evening 10:30pm
Twilight walked into the library feeling as tired as she felt after her coronation party, wings in pain from all the flapping she had to do that day.
Not caring about the mess of all the books all over the place, she got out parchment and quill and began writing.
Day 1, Today started off rather well. I made it to the Three Stallions like Pinkie said and met Ponyville's weather team for the first time. It seemed they knew of this little bet and kept giving me words of encouragement. After I gave them their duty's for today they went off to tend for the weather. My tasks today were, Clearing the clouds from over Sweet Apple Acres, and making a gentle shower pour over Fluttershy's garden. To my surprise, it was a lot harder than I thought, slicing though the white clouds, and jumping on the black ones to make the rain come out, without getting zapped by lightning.
Twilight put down the quill, yawned and went to bed.
***
Up in her cloud mansion, Rainbow tending a bumb on her head, just getting out a sheet of parchment and a quill as well.
Day 1, Found today hard. After a talk from Pinkie and Spike on how to return the books, I got into it. But then Scoots and her friends came running in saying they want to try at being librarians again, and stared pulling off the books I just put back on the shelves down and began reading them. One of the books, a thick one, it me on the head. At this Rainbow rubbed her head again wincing at the pain it gave her. I think I might have been wrong at saying Twilight's job is easier.
Rainbow put the quill down, turned and flopped onto her bed. insistently falling asleep snoring loudly.
Tuesday morning 6 am
Once again Twilight was woken up by a knocking on her door.
Yawning, Twilight walked down the stairs. "It's open," she said making for the kitchen.
After a few seconds Pinkie bounced in followed by Rainbow, with to Twilight surprise bandages around her head and a helmet under her wing.
"Er..." Twilight said eying Rainbow.
"Just a lesson I learnt yesterday," Rainbow said rubbing her head "Books are hard."
"O...k..." Twilight said not wanting to go in any farther.
"Well you better go and get going Twilight," Pinkie said in her usual cheerful voice. "You can't be a good weather manager if your late."
"Hope you get better Rainbow." Twilight said grabbing her coffee and flying off to the Three Stallions.
As soon as Twilight left Rainbow turned to Pinkie.
"What do I have to do today then?" Rainbow asked.
"Well, first you need to clean up the mess that was left from yesterday," Spike, Twilight's dragon assistant, said coming into the kitchen bringing a trail of parchment behind him. "And today's Tuesday, the day Twilight checks all the books that should be here are here."
Looking at the long list behind Spike, Rainbow had only one thing to say... "Horse-apples."
Tuesday evening 10:30pm
Day 2, Oh my Celestia, I never new check lists could go for three hundred miles. Rainbow wrote quill in her mouth pausing to massage her lips from all the work they had to do today. After I got the mess from yesterday cleaned up, I had to have four hours checking all the books were there. I panicked when five 'Dareing Do' books weren't there only to remember after thirty minutes I have up here.
***
Day 2, Today was harder than yesterday. Twilight wrote. Somehow, Time Turner was giving Thunder-Lane's instructions, and it rained over the market place, soaking every-pony who was down there. And because I'm, for this week in charge of the weather, I was giving the blame.
Wednesday morning 6 am
Twilight was already down and having breakfast, hay fries and toast, when Pinkie knocked on the door and came in with Rainbow.
Finishing her toast Twilight said "I'm off then," and left.
Worried on what today's job would be Rainbow asked, "What do I have to do today Pinkie?"
"Today you need to find, a nice, safe fun book before twelve o'clock to read to all the foals and baby's for their weekly reading day." Pinkie said smiling. "I asked Mr. and Mrs Cake if Pound and Pumpkin can come and they said yes. So you might want this when the time comes." Pinkie handed Rainbow back the helmet from yesterday.
Great. Rainbow thought.
Wednesday morning 6:45 am
"Hey sorry for that mix up yesterday Twilight," Thunder-Lane said rubbing the back of his neck.
"It's alright Thunder-Lane," Twilight said, as the team were beginning to leave the Three Stallions after getting the jobs for today. "It could have happened to any-pony."
The team looked at each other behind Twilight's back not saying any thing.
Wednesday evening 10:30 pm
Day 3, Today turned out just fine, Twilight was writing yawning. Getting a little tired and sore from all the flying, but at least everything went right today.
Day 3, I don't know how Twilight stands being around all those kids for an hour each week. Rainbow was writing today's events down. I thought I picked out a perfect book, 'Dareing Doo and the Quest for the Sapphire Stone.' but when I got to all the big cats attacking Dareing all the kids started crying. I tried to calm them down, but that just made it worse. I think it's got something to do with Twilight being a princess.
Thursday morning 5:30 am
"How much longer do you have to do this Twilight?" Spike asked still slightly deaf from yesterday.
"It's only four more days Spike," Twilight said lying down wings outstretched as Spike preened them, they were beginning to feel very prickly and uncomfortable from all the flying.
"Ok, just don't kill yourself in those days then Twilight," Spike said pulling out some lose feathers "In my opinion, you're way better at picking the kids a book than Rainbow."
Thursday morning 6 am
Wings done and mane brushed, Twilight was walking down the stairs as Pinkie came in.
"Hey Twilight! You ready for another day at being a weather pony?" she asked, Rainbow looking rather tired walking in behind her.
"Sure I am Pinkie," Twilight said trying to stop a yawn from coming out.
"Okie-Dokie-Lokie. Have a good day then," Pinkie said stepping out of the way of the door.
"You too," Twilight said shutting the door.
"What today then Pinkie?" Rainbow asked yawning.
"Today you need to dust the shelves, and make sure all the books are in good condition," Pinkie said going to the broom closet to get the duster only to find a sleeping Rainbow, snoring, when she came back out.
Thursday afternoon 1:15 pm
Twilight landed on a cloud admiring the work she had just done, setting rain clouds over Sweet Apple Acres, and yawned. Looking around she thought getting comfortable, Well I have finished the job for today.... And there's no-pony around. After a few seconds she was fast asleep.
Thursday evening 10:30 pm
Day 4, I don't remember most of this morning, I think it was because I was a little tired, AND COLD FROM THAT BUCKET OF WATER PINKIE SPLASHED ON ME! But I think it had something to do with dusting the shelves and checking books.
On my way home, I thought I saw Twilight sleeping on a cloud. At least she's finally falling for how hard my job....
That sentence never got finished, as Rainbow fell asleep right there.
Thursday evening 11 pm
Twilight had just got to the library, even though it was the middle of the night feeling wide awake.
Getting out the diary she was writing that week began to write, Day4, Today I had my first ever cloud nap. Now I know why Rainbow does it so much, it's so comfortable I was sleeping there all afternoon. Oh yeah the report well.... er... Oh Celestia, I can't remember what I did today other than sleep. I hope no one finds out about this.
Putting the quill down Twilight made it slowly upstairs not trying to wake the little dragon, not noticing the splashes of water on the rug.
Friday morning 6 am
"How was your nap yesterday then Twilight?" Pinkie asked after she came in though the door of the library.
"Er..." Twilight said looking anywhere but in Pinkie's eyes.
"I thought I saw you on a cloud as I went home." Rainbow said smiling. "Not as easy as you thought is it?"
"You're one to talk Dashie!" Pinkie said spinning around. "After Twilight left you were out like a light."
....
"Any way, I need to get going." Twilight said heading for the Three Stallions hoping to get a recap of what happened yesterday from some-pony.
Back at the library Rainbow turned to Pinkie, waiting for today's job to be said.
"New books are coming to day Dashie, And when they do, it will be your job to make sure they're all here, they're in good condition, write them on the list of books that are already here, and put them on the shelves." Pinkie said in one breath, hopping around.
Rainbow face-hoofed.
Friday morning 6:30 am
At the Three Stallions Twilight had just walked into the bar, looking around for the weather team.
"Hey Twilight over here," Cloud Chaser and Flitter called together, waving Twilight over to their usual table already set with pancakes.
"Good morning Twilight," Time Turner said moving over a bit to make room for her. "What happened to you yesterday, I thought we were all going to come back here when we finished the weather, but you didn't show up."
Blushing and not looking at any-pony, Twilight explained what happened, "I had just finished what I had to do, and landed on a cloud to check it was done right. Then one thing lead to another and... I... I fell asleep. I didn't wake up until after the moon was up. And now I can't remember what I did yesterday apart from that."
Seconds went by before everyone broke out laughing, turning heads around the whole bar.
"What?" Twilight asked pleadingly.
"Well have you been taking as many naps as Rainbow normally does?" Thunder-Lane asked.
"No, I've been doing my jobs," Twilight answered.
"Well that's why you were asleep for so long then," Time Turner said wiping a tear from his eye. "Being a weather pony is a very hard, long trieing job, for a Pegasus."
"Yeah," Cloud Chaser agreed "And with you doing two lots of the work every other day..."
"...You would be absolutely exhausted." Flitter continued.
That's why Rainbow's always napping. Twilight thought. "But, what did I do yesterday? Does it have something to do with today?" Twilight asked looking around.
"You set the rain clouds up for today's shower over Sweet Apple Acres." Thunder-Lane said. "And in three hours," he said looking at the clock behind the bar, "We'll need to go out and set them off."
"Oh, ok." Twilight said a bit happier than she was.
Friday evening 10:30 pm
Twilight just walked into the library soaking wet, with a cinched mane. She sat down got the diary out and wrote...
Day 5, The morning wasn't so bad, I finally learnt why Rainbow's sleeping all the time. But then we had to go set off the rainclouds from yesterday, and I forgot everything I learnt about them on Monday. I got hit with three bolts of lightning, and got soaked to the bone... Ahchoo... Twilight sneezed rubbing her nose. "I think I should fore-fit." Twilight said to herself putting the quill down. Then after a few seconds "No I know I can do this. I'll show Rainbow I can... do... her.. Achoo er... her job." Twilight sneezed.
***
Up in the clouds, Rainbow just got out her own diary. Day 5, The wait for the new books wasn't that bad a wait. Rainbow wrote, It was the stuff I had to do with them afterwards. First I had to check that they were all there, only to see that they were... Then I had to check they were in perfect condition, to do that I needed to go through all the books - all together there are 20,795 pages, honestly... then I had to add them to the list of books Twilight already has, adding another foot to the list, and finally I had to put them on the shelves. I can't believe Twilight does this every week. Rainbow put down the quill, sighing and rubbing her eyes from all the words she had seen that day. "Maybe I should fore-fit," Rainbow said to her put tortoise Tank who wasn't really listening. "No, I can do this. I'm Rainbow 'Danger' Dash and I can do anything." Rainbow said flying over to her bed. "Besides, it's only two more days. I'll show Twilight Sparkle I can do her job no problem...." Rainbow yawned closing her eyes.
Saturday morning 6 am
It was a nice and quiet Saturday morning in Ponyville, birds were singing, every-pony (apart from the farm ponies, Pinkie and Rainbow who were on their way to the library) was still asleep. Everything was nice and quiet. Until... "ACHOO!"
"Hey that came from Twilight's room." Pinkie said running faster to get to the library.
Rainbow and Pinkie ran through the door and up the stairs, to see Spike handing Twilight some tissues, while checking her temperature.
"You ok Twili?" Pinkie asked.
"Er..." Twilight groaned turning over to see who it was.
"First of all Pinkie only Shining Armour is aloud to to call her Twili," Spike said stepping down from the stool by the bed her was standing on. "And second, she has a very bad cold that she got yesterday from not working rainclouds properly, and has to stay in bed."
"Ahh yeah! That means I win," Rainbow said flying around the room "If Twilight has to stay in bed, she can't do my job as a weather pony, and since I'm doing her job here I can't do it either."
"What?" Twilight asked seeing Rainbow so excited "No I... I... Achoo. I can do it." she made to get out of bed, only to be forced back down by the small but very strong dragon.
"Knock, knock," a voice called out from down stairs.
"We're all up here." Spike said.
"That's not how it goes Spike," Pinkie said hopping around "You're suppose to say 'Who's there.'"
Not knowing how much more she can take, Twilight covered her head with a pillow and turned to her side.
"Everything ok up here?" Applejack's voice sounded. "I was getting ready in the market place when I heard sneezing coming from the library."
"Everything's great Applejack, I just won the bet I had with Twilight by default," Rainbow said landing on the ground right in front of Applejack. "She's too sick to do my job today so I win."
Thinking for a bit. "But it's Saturday isn't it?"
"Yeah, so?"
"So it's the weekend, no weekday weather ponies work on the weekends, not even the manager, there's another team who does it." Applejack explained popping Rainbows spirit.
"So... I have... I have... Achoo. I haven't lost yet?" Twilight asked raising the pillow from her head.
"I don't think so." Applejack said walking to the door.
"Hey where you going AJ?" Pinkie asked happy that the bet's still on.
"Granny-Smith's vegetable soup would do something for that cold, Twilight got." Applejack said explaining she was going home to get it. "See you later. Oh and since this little bets still on, shouldn't you be getting to work Rainbow?"
"Humph." Rainbow said looking away from the apple farmer.
"Yes. Yes you should." Pinkie said bouncing around as Applejack left.
Saturday morning 7 am
"So, what's for today Pinkie?" Rainbow asked now they were back downstairs.
"Oh nothing much." Pinkie said, looking at the schedule Twilight wrote for Rainbow last Sunday night "Just 'mind the library' it says here."
"Fine by me." Rainbow said lying down on the couch. "I'll mind it from right here. If that's ok with you." she said putting her fore hooves behind her head and closing her eyes.
Saturday morning 7:05 am
"HEY RAINBOW! HEY PINKIE PIE!" three high voices screamed knocking Rainbow out of her relaxed state, making her fall off the couch.
"Wow..." Rainbow cried looking around to see three little fillies in nurse outfits and red capes. "Er...?"
"Sorry about that Sugercube." Applejack said helping her freind up. "Apple-Bloom had her friends over last night and heard me tell Granny that Twilight was sick, and got the idea of trying to be nurse maids."
"So where's the patient?" Apple-Bloom asked as the other two, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, were acting as though they were playing hide and seek, looking in cupboards, inside flower pots, and under the table in the kitchen.
"Er... Upstairs?" it came out like a question, but the three fillies all raced up there.
"HEY TWILIGHT!" they cried.
"Well it looks like you've got something to do today now then Rainbow." Pinkie said as Applejack was walking into the kitchen shaking her head.
"And what's that?" Rainbow asked worried.
"You need to keep the Crusaders from disturbing Twilight, so she can get better." Pinkie explained.
"And how am I suppose to do that?"
"I don't know," Pinkie said. "But you need to do that, and mind the library."
Great, just great.
***
Upstairs.
"Tissues. We need tissues." Sweetie Belle said looking in her bag.
"No we don't dummy, we need to take her temperature." Scootaloo said getting out a thermometer.
"Your both wrong. What she needs is some of Granny-Smith's vegetable soup." Apple-Bloom said proud that she was helping a princess get better.
"That and some peace and quiet girls." Applejack said walking into the room, Spike by her side carrying a bed tray with a bowl of soup on it and a spoon.
"Awe..." the Crusaders wined, heads down walking out the door.
"Achoo... Thanks Applejack," Twilight said sniffing propping herself up.
"No problem Sugercube, though you might want to eat that and get to sleep mighty fast." Applejack told her friend.
"And why's that?" Twilight asked.
"Because Rainbow will be minding those three, as well as tending to the thing on that list you wrote for her today, 'mind the library' meaning she can't leave therefore the Crusaders will be here all day.
Great, just great. Twilight thought sipping at the soup.
Saturday afternoon 12:05 pm
The Cutie-Mark-Crusaders were lying on the floor, all in different positions, all starring at the clock.
"This is boring!" Scootaloo finally cried getting up buzzing her wings. "Let's got out and play."
"We can't Scootaloo," Sweetie Belle said rolling over. "Good doctors and nurses stay with their patients no matter what's wrong with them or how boring it is."
"But we're not staying with her are we?" Scootaloo said "We're not even allowed to go up and see her."
"Why did you have to trade live with someone so boring Rainbow Dash?" Apple-Bloom asked turning her head to face the mare on the couch half asleep.
"Hey. It's not my fault that she got sick." Rainbow said eyes closed. Suddenly an alarm clock went off making Rainbow open her eyes and fall off the couch again.
"Time to check on Twilight!" Pinkie called from the kitchen. She had finished washing the dishes Applejack had bought down a few hours ago - before she went to do her stall in the market - after Twilight had fallen asleep, and was now making a 'Get Well Soon Twilight' cake.
"I'LL DO IT" the three fillies cried. But a blue and rainbow something beat them to the stairs.
"Oh no you wont," Rainbow said blocking the Crusaders to the stairs. "You three stay here, and behave for just a few minutes." Please. she thought.
Then Rainbow made it up the stairs.
Unsure what to do the Crusaders dropped back to the floor.
"Hey guys," Pinkie called out noticing their glum faces. "Do you want to help me with Twilight's cake?"
"YEAH!" they cried and ran to the kitchen.
Saturday afternoon 12:30 pm
After checking up on Twilight, which was a waist of time as she was asleep, Rainbow stepped back out of Twilight's room to the smell of smoke and an alarm going off somewhere.
"Great." Rainbow said rushing to the the kitchen. "Pinkie what-ja do?" freezing at seeing the sight of the Crusaders stuck together with cooking batter, at Pinkie fumbling with a burnt cake in the oven. "Er..."
"Well that puts bakers out then." Scootaloo said getting nods of agreement from Apple-Bloom and Sweetie Belle.
Saturday evening 7:30 pm
For the rest of the day, Rainbow Dash was picking cooking batter out of the manes, fur and in Scootaloo's case, feathers of the Cutie-Mark-Crusaders, while Spike and Pinkie cleaned up the kitchen.
At 7:30, Applejack came to collect them and take them home.
"But Sis," Apple-Bloom said "Twilight's still sick. We need to stay here and look after her."
"Spike will look after her for tonight Apple-Bloom," Applejack told her sister and her friends. "Besides we don't want you three getting sick and missing your trip to Canterlot on Monday now do we?"
"I guess not..." Apple-Bloom said gathering up her things and making for the door.
"So how were they?" Applejack asked Rainbow Dash.
"They nearly set the house on fire by distracting Pinkie by getting coated in cooking batter," Rainbow explained.
"And Twilight?" Applejack asked nodding in understanding.
"Still asleep, and looks fine to me," Rainbow said.
The Crusaders were at the door waiting for Applejack.
"Well see you tomorrow then for the 'big reveal' on who's job is tougher," Applejack said making for the door.
"Sure thing AJ," Pinkie sang hopping out of the now clean kitchen, waving her off.
Saturday evening 10:30 pm
Up in her cloud house, Rainbow got out the diary and wrote about all that happened today. From finding out that Twilight was sick, to feeling the joy at the thought that she had won, to Applejack telling her otherwise to, well everything.
When she was done, she put down the quill and "Achoo!" Great. she thought.
Sunday morning 9:30 am
In the library the main six (and Spike), were all gathered around the kitchen's table Twilight and Rainbow holding the diary's of their last week in their hooves.
"Well?" Pinkie Pie said with a questioning look in her eye.
Twilight looked over at Rainbow, and Rainbow looked over at Twilight. Both of them nodded, and then...
"We both think that the other pony's jobs is just as hard as our own." They said together to smiles and applauds that this was sorted out.
"ACHOO!"
"Bless you Twilight," Rarity said gripping a box of tissues in her magic, and handing them over to her.
"That wasn't me Rarity." Twilight said.
"Em... It was Rainbow," Fluttershy said pointing to her friend who was sniffing a little.
"Why it looks like you caught Twilight's cold Sugercube," Applejack said patting Rainbow on the back. "You want me to call a doctor? I know three excellent nurses." she joked.
"Er..." Rainbow groaned, placing her head on to the table.
"Erm... If Rainbow's sick who will do her job next week?" Fluttershy asked.
Everypony around the table looked to the Alicorn.
Great Twilight thought.
The End
