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Chapter 1- Friendship Means Hardship Sometimes
In a field not to far away from Ponyville...
Rainbow Dash tore freely through the air, streaking one way then the next. She was practicing the routine that would surely get her into the Wonderbolts one day soon. She landed in the middle of the field huffing a little with sweat pouring out of her pores and staining the ground. She thought to herself, 'Man, cloud busting must have really taken it out of me today. I've only practicing for about twenty minutes.' She looked around for some shade to rest in, and her gaze landed on an oak tree that looked well suited for her needs.
Rainbow Dash gently lifted of the ground and she tiredly made her way to the oak tree. She landed on one of the largest branches the tree had and stretched herself out. She lazily sprawled out on the branch, and soon her eyelids began to fall.
"A quick nap couldn't hurt.", Dash mumbled into her hoof as she yawned.
She couldn't help herself, the day was perfect for napping. The sun's rays were warm and inviting, the breeze gently blew through the trees, and this tree was just sooo comfortable. Dash enjoyed the feeling of time, as well as her consciousness, slipping away, and the sensation of her muscles relaxing, sent a pleasant shiver down her spine. Nothing could ruin this perfect nap that she was speeding towards.
"Oh Rainbow Daaaash? Where are yoooouuuu?", a voice rang out from the other side of the field.
Rainbow's eyes shot open and she instantly spotted who she knew the voice belonged to.
'Oh no. Not Pinkie Pie. ', Dash thought to herself bitterly.
Pinkie Pie happily bounced through the field that Dash regularly practiced in, in search of her rainbow maned friend. Rainbow Dash silently hoped that if she stayed motionless, Pinkie Pie wouldn't find her, and she would eventually leave. Dash closed her eyes, and when she reopened them, pink and baby blue was all she could see.
"Hiya Dashie!", Pinkie Pie blurted happily in Rainbow Dash's face, which caused her to shriek and fall out of the tree. Pinkie Pie peered over the edge of the branch and asked with a cringed smile, "Ouchies, did that hurt?", she asked as her cringe deepened, "Cause it looked like it did."
Dash, slightly dazed and very angry, rolled over and righted herself on the ground. She shakily stood and began stretching out her body, which was now racked with pain, and as she began stretching her wings out she noted the pain in her left wing was a little more severe than everything else, so she gave it a few test flaps.
'POP!', was the sickening sound that erupted from her wing's base joint.
"Ow!", Dash said as she teared up from the pain, "PINKIE PIE! You made me hurt my wing!", she angrily shouted up at the pink party mare, while reeling back from the new sickening pain in her wing.
"Ohmygosh! I'm so so sorry Dashie!", Pinkie shouted down as she jumped from the tree.
She landed on the ground with a soft thud, and attempted to hug her friend, hoping to make her feel better, but instead Rainbow Dash backed away with a scowl on her face. Pinkie Pie shrank back into a defensive stance from the intensity of the glare that Rainbow Dash was shooting at her. She had only wanted to hang out with her friend so they could play and be happy together, but now Rainbow Dash was hurt and angry, and she wasn't having any fun at all.
"I'm sorry Dashie. I only...", Pinkie Pie quietly began.
Dash held up her hoof stopping her friend from continuing, "Save it."
"But... I only wanted us to have fun together and...", Pinkie asserted before being cut off by Dash again.
"I don't want to hear it Pinkie Pie! Just go away!", Dash's glare hardened, "And... leave... me... alone!", Dash shouted in Pinkie's face, while snorting hot air to prove just how angry she was.
Pinkie's mane deflated a little as she hung her head, "O... okay Dashie. I'll... I'll leave."
Pinkie Pie turned and started walking away from Rainbow Dash, and upon seeing this a little angelic version of herself appeared on Dash's shoulder, 'Look at how sad you've made her. You have to apologize.'
Suddenly a devilish Dash appeared on her other shoulder and Dash turned towards her as soon as she started talking, "Apologize? Apologize for what? It's that crazy mare's fault that you got hurt in the first place! I honestly don't know why you hang out with somepony as dangerous as her!"
"She is your friend, and she has already apologized. It's not like she wanted to hurt you Rainbow Dash. You should really consider things from her point of view.", the angelic Dash retorted while she shook her hoof authoritatively.
"Her point of view? If she had things her way it would rain chocolate milk and hail jawbreakers from the sky. She's crazy and she's always chasing you, or rather hunting you.", devilish Dash stated.
"But every time she had good intensions. Let me ask you something Dash, could you imagine your life without Pinkie Pie? Just how bland and unawesome it would be? You need to apologize."
And with that the two mini-versions of herself disappeared with a poof. Dash carefully considered what they had said, and also the fact that she may have a concussion from the fall, cause why else would she be seeing mini-Dashes, and quickly determined what would be the best thing for her to do.
"Pinkie Pie.", Dash said quietly.
Pinkie's ears perked up when she heard her name, and turned around with her eyes filled with hope, "Yes Dashie?"
"Pinkie Pie, you are single handedly the loudest, zaniest, and most annoying pony I know.", Dash said with a frown.
Pinkie's ears folded back to her head and her mane completely deflated, and she turned back around to run away, so Dash wouldn't see the tears streaming down her face.
"And that's why I like you.", Dash said with some cheerfulness in her voice and her frown turned upwards slightly.
Pinkie turned around once more with fresh tear trails on her cheeks and asked, "Really?", she took a few steps back towards Dash, "Do you really mean that Dashie?", she asked earnestly.
"Of course Pinkie Pie! You're one of my bestest friends!", Dash exasperated, "Look, what I'm trying to say is... I'm sorry for yelling at you. That was only because of the pain in my wing.", she said as she motioned to her wing, "Can you forgive me?", Dash asked with an unsure smile.
Pinkie's mane exploded back to its normal poofiness, and she charged at Rainbow Dash. Dash took a step back, not knowing what to do, and Pinkie Pie enveloped her friend in a spine cracking hug.
"Of course I forgive you Dashie.", Pinkie whispered as she nuzzled her friend.
With her wing caught under Pinkie's iron grip, Dash gasped out in pain, "Pinkie... please... my wing.", she reminded her overjoyed friend.
Pinkie Pie immediately released her and backed away with a sheepish smile on her face, "Oops! Sorry!"
Dash rubbed her aching wing and hissed, "Itsss okay. Jussst pleassse don't do it again.", Dash took notice to the frown that was forming on Pinkie's face and continued, "At least not until my wing heals.", which made Pinkie's smile return in full force.
"So are we going to go to the hospital?", Pinkie asked in a cheerful tone.
"What, so they can put me in a wing sling for who knows how long?", Dash furiously shook her head, "No thanks. I was thinking that maybe ol' Egghead could help me out."
"Okie dokie lokie!", Pinkie chirped.
The two friends began walking back towards Ponyville. Well Rainbow Dash was walking and occasionally cringing from the pulsating pain in her wing every once in a while. Pinkie Pie however was happily bouncing beside her friend while humming a tuneless song. Soon she began vocalizing her song and Rainbow had had enough. Her head was pounding now and Pinkie Pie's la la la's weren't helping.
"Pinkie Pie could you please stop singing? I think my head might explode.", Rainbow Dash pleaded.
"Sure Dashie.", Pinkie obliged and she stopped singing but continued to hum her tune.
Some time later the two friends entered Ponyville and they began to head straight for the library, that doubled as the home for their friend Twilight Sparkle. As they made their way through the busy marketplace, Pinkie Pie zipped back and forth quickly from pony to pony bringing smiles to every pony around as she greeted each and every one of her friends.
Rainbow Dash smiled as she watched her friend go from juggling, to brighten up a crying filly's day, to telling jokes to a group of stallions, that looked rather angry about something. All the while her smile never faltered, and if the tasks were tiring, she never let it show.
'She sure does know how to make others smile.', Dash warmly thought as another pulse of pain shot up from her wing.
Soon the library was within sight, and Dash quickened her pace. As she approached the door however she saw a little slip of paper gently flapping about in the breeze. She approached the door and took hold of the note.
To whom it may concern,
Sincerely,
Author's Note
Tell me what you think. Critiques are welcome, positive or not. Hope you enjoyed.
Chapter 2- Same Old Problem, New Found Hope
Rainbow Dash released the note in a daze. She sat down on the ground and allowed this new dilemma to seep in. The rage inside of her began rising steadily like magma in a volcano preparing to erupt. She started massaging her temples, trying to force this new found rage to subside, but it wasn't working. She threw her head back and released a mighty scream of frustration with her hooves held up into the air.
"I don't believe this!", Pinkie shouted out behind Dash after her outburst.
"I know right?", Dash said as the last of her anger disappated, "What could be so important that Princess Celestia needed Twilight right now?", she turned her head to Pinkie Pie, "I mean why didn't Twilight tell us about this before she left?", Dash continued as she turned back to the note to reread it.
Inside a room of the Royal Palace...
Princess Celestia carefully eyed the tower that stood before her. All was silent as she quietly contemplated what she should do in this most dire situation.
"Princess Celestia? I fail to see how this is a matter of grave...", Twilight interjected, breaking the silence that had befalled the room over twenty minutes prior.
"Twilight Sparkle," the Princess cut her off, "this task requires magical prowless, patience, and most importantly... silence.", Princess Celestia said quietly, without taking her eyes off of the tower before her.
Twilight respectfully bowed her head and whispered, "Yes Princess.", before supporting it with her hoof on the table.
Princess Celestia enveloped a wooden stick with her magic, and removed it from the tower. She cautiously eyed the tower before she began to put the stick in a pile of other sticks beside her on the table. Suddenly, the tower collapsed onto the table. Princess Celestia sat still holding the stick she had pulled for a few moments, staring dejectedly at the remains of the tower.
"Looks like you win again Twilight.", Princess Celestia said with a warm smile, "Best four out of seven?"
Back in Ponyville...
"What? I wasn't talking about Twilight, silly.", Pinkie gushed from behind Rainbow Dash.
This caused Dash to bewilderedly spin around to see Pinkie Pie bouncing up and down at a market stall across the street.
"Then what were you talking about?", Dash asked incredulously.
"The prices of these bags are unbelievable!", Pinkie squealed as she picked up and showed a fuzzy pink bag to Rainbow Dash, before paying for it and placing it into her saddlebag.
Pinkie Pie bounced over to Rainbow Dash, who was staring at her dumbfoundly, and asked with an excited smile, "Now what was that about Twilight?"
Dash deadpanned and pointed to the note on Twilight's door. Pinkie Pie happily bounced over to the door and read it.
"What!?", Pinkie shouted as she shot into the air and stayed there for a few seconds with her legs jutted out from beneath her, "What?", Pinkie asked in a curious tone when she noticed the incredulous stare Dash had fixed on her. Pinkie Pie gently floated back down and landed on her hooves, which earned a somehow even more puzzled look from Rainbow Dash.
"How did you do that?", Rainbow Dash asked slowly with a raised eyebrow.
"Do what?", Pinkie responded with her head tilted, "This?", she jumped back up into the air and stayed there, "Or this?", she slowly floated back down.
"Both.", Dash said.
"I dunno.", Pinkie said thoughtfully.
"You don't...", Rainbow started, but then she face hooved, "You know what, never mind Pinkie Pie.", she said as she shook her head so she would stop staring.
Rainbow Dash sat down on the ground and placed her hoof to her chin to think. The pain in her wing was bearable for now, but she couldn't think straight as it throbbed its way to her brain. She needed some help.
'I need somepony, who can fix my wing right now! I don't want to have to wait several days to fly again,", Rainbow Dash thought as she stood up and began pacing, "Or worse," Dash stopped walking.
"Weeks...', she whispered as her pupils shrank to the size of pinpricks as this new revelation dawned on her.
"Hmm? What was that Dashie?", Pinkie asked as she put her new bag that she was rubbing on her cheek back into her saddlebag.
Pinkie Pie instantly picked up on Dash's sadness when she looked into her friend's eyes and saw tears starting to well up. She stared at one of the things she feared most, a friend who wasn't smiling. Pinkie Pie's own smile faultered for a split second, but she knew that if she was going to help, she couldn't be sad. She had to be happy. She had to make her friend happy, because she is Pinkie Pie and no pony is allowed to be sad when Pinkie's around.
"Where are we going to go now Dashie?", she asked her friend in a caring tone.
"I don't know who else could help me.", Dash stated gloomily, "Twilight was my only bet.", she mumbled.
Pinkie Pie placed her hoof to her cheek and thought out loud, "Well... what about Rarity?", Dash looked over to Pinkie Pie with a slightly confused look, "She's a unicorn. She might know a spell that could help.", Pinkie Pie explained.
Rainbow Dash brightened up as the idea sank in and said, "Hey yeah! Why didn't I think of that?", she turned to Pinkie Pie, "You're a lot smarter than everypony thinks you know?", Dash said before quickly adding, "No offense."
"None taken, and yes I do know.", Pinkie said with a smile as she donned a hat that had 'Smarty Pants' written across it.
Pinkie Pie beamed at her friend and held out her hoof to help Dash up from the ground, which Dash graciously accepted. Pinkie easily pulled Rainbow Dash to her hooves, and the two friends started trotting towards Ponyville's very own Carousel Boutique, which was owned and operated by Rarity, another good friend of both mares.
Author's Note
I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please leave a comment below about why you like or didn't like it. Critiques are welcome so please feel free to go grammar Nazi on me. Thanks for reading.
Chapter 3- Good Help Sometimes is a Rarity
Rainbow Dash walked up to the door of Carousel Boutique, and began knocking earnestly.
"We're open. Please do come in.", a refined voice sang out from inside.
Rainbow Dash openned the door, and she with Pinkie Pie still tagging along, entered the fashionista's establishment.
"Oh Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, to what do I owe the pleasure?", Rarity asked with a smile.
Pinkie drew in a large breathe, "I was looking for Rainbow Dash in the field where she practices her tricks, and when I found her she was napping in a tree, so I said 'Hiya Dashie!', and I kinda accidentally scared her, and she fell down out of the tree and landed on her back.", Pinkie Pie mimicked Dash falling onto her back, "She had gotten her wing hurt and then she started yelling at me cause she was mad, but we made up, and thought that maybe Twilight could help her.", she said with a bounce, "We went to the library, but Twilight wasn't there, and I got this really cute bag from a stall across the street from the library.", Pinkie pulled out the pink fuzzy bag she had bought for a split second before returning it to her saddlebag, "Then we thought that maybe you could help Dashie since you're a unicorn and all. So," Pinkie leaned in real close to Rarity, "can you help her?", she asked with her signature smile.
Rarity's smile had slightly faded during Pinkie's onslaught of an explaintaion. She knew how eccentric her pink friend could be, but this was really rather much, even for her.
"Uh... what was that dear?", Rarity asked.
Pinkie drew in another large breathe, and Rarity prepared for another undecipherable mash up of words, but Pinkie Pie was stopped before she could start talking again by Dash's hoof covering her mouth.
"Look, I got hurt. I need help. Twilight's gone so can you help?", Rainbow Dash summed up, which earned a quick nod from Pinkie Pie, whose mouth was still covered by Rainbow's hoof. Pinkie Pie pulled out her new bag and muffled something into Dash's hoof. Dash gave an agitated sigh, "And Pinkie bought a new bag.", she said in an irritated tone while rolling her eyes and shaking her head.
Rarity gasped, "You're injured?! Dear, you should go to the hospital!"
"Nuh-uh! No way! I need to get get better now not later.", Dash stated with a forceful hoof stomp.
"Well Rainbow Dash, I'm afraid I can't help you.", Rarity said listfully.
"Well why not?", Dash asked.
"Rainbow, dear, I never learned how to perform medicinal magic.", Rarity stated.
Rainbow Dash sat down on the floor, hung her head, and asked, "Do you know anypony who can help?"
Rarity began to think as Pinkie Pie approached her and held out her new pink bag.
"Whatcha think Rarity?", Pinkie asked.
Rarity chuckled a little bit as she examined the bag her friend was holding.
"Yes Pinkie, it's very nice.", Rarity said with a smile.
Pinkie beamed back at her friend, placed the bag back in her saddlebag, and happily bounced away.
Rarity went back to trying to think of somepony who could help Rainbow Dash, but unfortunately no name could come to mind besides Twilight's.
Rainbow Dash looked up quickly with a glimmer of hope present in her eyes.
"Hey what about Fluttershy?", she asked quickly.
"Fluttershy is taking care of one of her little woodland creatures who apparently has a rather terrible cold.", Rarity said with a smile.
Somewhere in the Whitetail Forest...
Fluttershy gently floated upwards with a box of tissues on her back. She retrieved one of the tissues in her mouth and gave it to the grizzly bear she was floating in front of. Barry Bear hadn't been feeling well lately due to his cold, but since Fluttershy started coming by earlier this week, he had been feeling loads better.
The bear uttered an appreciative growl for the kindness he was being shown. The creamy yellow mare was his only pony friend, and she was always nice to him. She would even bring him fish that she had bought every once in a while, all the while asking for nothing in return.
"Oh you're very welcome Barry.", Fluttershy said caringly as she nuzzled the burly bear.
The bear wrapped her up in a hug and as he broke it his nose began to twitch. He began to sharply intake air, as a powerful sneeze built up. Fluttershy, moving quickly, placed her leg in front of his nose and he quickly stopped his approach towards the sneeze.
Fluttershy smiled warmly with her eyes closed and removed her leg. She gracefully landed on the forest floor and began trotting over to her medical bag to retrieve a tongue depresser, when suddenly Barry sneezed.
The sneeze lifted Fluttershy off her hooves and sent her soaring through the air at speeds she could rarely reach while using her own wings. She squealed in a mixture of surprise and fright, as she tumbled through the air. After a few moments she was able to unfurl her wings and correct her body's position enough to gain control over the impromtu take off. She looked over to Barry, who was lying flat on his back from the force of the mighty gust that had escaped his nose, and she flew over to his side.
"Oh my. Bless you. Are you okay Barry Bear?", she asked in a motherly tone.
The bear raised his head off the ground and was shocked at the state that Fluttershy was in. She was covered with mucus, and her mane had been blasted back, and was held in place by his mucus. Twigs and leaves littered her mane and tail as well as an old abandonned bird's nest.
The bear began apologizing profusely until he was interrupted by Fluttershy, "It's okay, really. I... um, like my mane like this."
Back in Ponyville
"Regetably dear, I can't seem to think of anyponyelse who has the skills to help you.", Rarity said thoughtfully.
Rainbow Dash's head was almost on the floor when Pinkie Pie suddenly sprang up from in between her and Rarity.
"Any pony!", Pinkie shouted as she jumped into the air.
Rarity and Rainbow Dash looked over at Pinkie Pie with perplexed expressions plastered on their faces.
"Zecora, sillies! You know, black and white stripes..."
"Pinkie we know who she is.", Rainbow Dash stated.
"makes potions...", Pinkie continued unphased.
"Pinkie Pie...", Rarity said trying to get her attention.
"lives in the Everfree Forest...", Pinkie continued.
"Pinkie Pie!", Rainbow Dash and Rarity shouted at the same time.
"Yes?", Pinkie said with a smile.
Rainbow Dash smiled, "What are we waiting for?", she asked. She and Pinkie started heading towards the door, when Dash looked back and asked, "Ya coming Rarity?"
"Sorry dear, but I have to run my boutique, and I have a client coming over to place an order soon.", Rarity said with a sad smile.
"Oh, it's okay. See you later.", Rainbow said with a smile and a wave.
Rarity, glad to see her friend wasn't to disappointed, smiled and waved back, "Good luck, and please do let me know when when you have resolved this situation.", she called out as her friends left the shop.
Chapter 4- A Cure For All Ailments?
Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash began walking out of town, and as they approached the city limits Rainbow Dash realised something.
"Man I'm bored," she looked over to her bouncing friend, "wanna race?"
"Not really, sorry.", Pinkie stated with a smile.
"Well... wanna play I Spy?", Dash asked.
"I love games!", Pinkie said in an excited voice, "You go first."
"Okay um... I spy with my little eye... something... green.", Dash said as her eyes finally landed on a tree.
"Tree!", Pinkie shouted, "You're gonna have to do better than that Dashie.", Pinkie said and Dash lowered her head. "Okay, I spy with my little eye... Applejack!", Pinkie said while looking down the road.
Rainbow Dash looked up, and sure enough Applejack was trotting towards them. Her hat was cocked forward a little like she was a mare on a mission.
"Hey Applejack! What's up?", Pinkie Pie asked as Applejack got closer.
"Hiya Pinkie, RD. Ah'm lookin' for Applebloom and her little friends.", Applejack said with a frown.
"Is everything alright AJ?", Dash asked.
"No.", Applejack plainly stated.
"What happened?", Pinkie asked.
Applejack drew in a ragged breath.
Earlier that day in Sweet Apple Acres...
"Cutie Mark Crusaders Cattle Drivers YAAAAAYYY!", three very excited little fillies yelled as they high hoofed each other.
Back in the present...
"Need Ah say more?", Applejack asked.
Rainbow Dash absent mindly kicked at the ground before replying, "No, and I haven't seen them."
"Me either!", Pinkie added with a smile.
"Well alright then, but if'n ya'll see those little varmits, tell'em to get back to the farm. There's plenty of work that has to be done now that they've destroyed half of it.", Applejack fumed, "Say would you two mind giving a helping hoof?", she asked.
"Sorry AJ, but Pinkie and I are heading over to Zecora's.", Dash said.
"Zecora's? Why?", Applejack asked with an arched eyebrow.
"I hurt my wing, and there's no way I'm going back to the hospital.", Rainbow Dash explained.
"It's not to bad is it?", Applejack asked in a tone that was thick with concern.
Dash flicked her hoof, "Nah, but it does hurt, and I don't think I can fly with it.", Dash said.
"Well alright then. Be sure to let me know when you get better sugarcube."
Dash gave a little salute, "Will do, and then we'll help out with the clean up."
"Yep, yep, yep!", Pinkie added in agreement.
"Thanks girls. Ah'd better be headin' back now. See ya'll soon.", Applejack said as she waved and continued walking towards what was left of Sweet Apple Acres.
"Bye!", Dash and Pinkie said at the same time before continuing on their way to Zecora's hut.
A few minutes later Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie stood in front of the Everfree Forest, gaping at how dark the path was.
"Ya know Pinkie Pie, it's darker than I remember.", Dash said as she swallowed a lump.
"Ye...yeah, but we have to get to to Zecora's!", Pinkie said as she pranced in place.
"Pinkie Pie? What are you doing?", Dash asked with a raised eyebrow.
Pinkie looked over at Dash and flashed a sheepish smile, "I can't help it Dashie! I'm just so excited!"
"Excited about what?", Dash blurted out.
"Just think of all the things that could go wrong! We could get eaten by a monster, or get lost, or even...", Pinkie Pie was cut off by Dash's hoof.
"Heh," she half heartedly laughed, "right."
Dash cautiously stepped forward and eyed her surroundings.
"Coast is clear.", she said as confidently as possible.
Pinkie Pie bounced past her and began laughing and giggling at nothing in particular. Dash followed alongside Pinkie Pie, occasionally glancing about for anything that may threaten them.
"Are you ready?", Pinkie asked in a sing-song voice.
"Ready for what?", Dash asked.
"For more I Spy silly! It's my turn remember.", Pinkie Pie said with a grin.
"Oh yeah, sure.", Dash said.
'Good. A game should take my mind off of things.', she thought to herself.
"I spy with my little eye something that has eight legs, nine red eyes, and large sharp fangs!", Pinkie Pie said excitedly.
"Wha...?", Dash said as she stopped and looked around, "Wh...where is it?", she asked as a sliver of fear shot up her spine.
"Come on Dashie! I can't tell you that! It would ruin the game!", Pinkie exclaimed.
"Pinkie this isn't funny. Where is it?", Dash whispered.
"Oh alright," Pinkie sighed, "it's in your mane."
Dash instantly felt the thrill of terror hit her, so much so that she began screaming, "Get it off! Get it off! Get it offffff!"
Pinkie Pie fell onto the ground on her back and rolled around holding her sides, laughing up a storm. She sat up and watched Dash frantically use her hoove to comb through her mane, searching for the creature that Pinkie had described.
"Gotcha Dashie!", Pinkie said before rolling around and laughing some more.
Rainbow Dash heard that and calmed down.
'A prank! A prank! She pulled a prank on me at a time like this!', Dash thought as she stared daggers at Pinkie Pie, 'She pranked me?', her train of thought continued before she began giggling.
Soon the darkness of the forest was filled by the laughter of the two mares. Dash fell to the ground, unable to hold herself up from laughing so hard, as Pinkie Pie finally stopped rolling and sat up on the ground.
Dash held her eyes closed so she could hold back the tears that were forming in her eyes as she turned to Pinkie Pie and said, "Ha! You got me good Pinkie Pie! You got me!"
Pinkie laughed and snorted, "Yeah I know Dashie! You should seen the look on your face!", she said as continued her laughing fit.
Dash openned her eyes and her pupils shrank to tiny dots, "P...Pinkie?"
"Yes Dashie?", Pinkie asked between giggles.
"Don't move.", Dash said.
Pinkie Pie looked to her friend, "What?"
"It's on you.", Dash whispered.
"Oh come on Dashie! You said so yourself that I'm smarter than what everypony thinks! I'm not going to fall for that.", Pinkie said as she shook her head slowly.
Dash slowly walked over to Pinkie and quickly pushed something off of Pinkie's mane. Pinkie looked down and her eyes went wide with fright. She and Dash screamed and ran the rest of he way to Zecora's hut in the heart of the Everfree Forest.
Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie hurriedly pounded on Zecora's door to which a voice from inside said, "Who ever is pounding upon my door, please tell me what you are here for."
""Zecora it's Rainbow Dash!", she started.
"And Pinkie Pie!", Pinkie Pie interjected.
"Please let us in!", Rainbow finished.
Zecora openned the door and Dash along with Pinkie rushed inside.
"My dear pony friends you seem to be scared, but what could have frigtened such bold little mares?", Zecora asked.
"Weird... bugs!", Rainbow Dash said as she tried to catch her breath.
"BIG... weird... bugs!", Pinkie Pie added.
"Yes, yes. The creatures of the forest can be quite scary, but that is why you must be extra weary.", Zecora said with a smile and a chuckle.
Zecora walked over to her cauldron and began to stir its contents. It glowed green and began to bubble profusely. Raibow Dash walked over to it and decided to take a little sniff.
"Blah! What is that stuff?", she asked with her tongue stuck out in disgust.
"This is a potion that is completely new, not even I know what it will do.", Zecora answered.
"So why'd ya make it?", Pinkie asked in her normal bubbly voice.
"Curiousity can lead one to many things. It can make the rich poor, or turn the the poor into kings.", Zecora said as she added a new ingrediant to the mixture making it glow red, and smell of lilacs and roses.
"So you don't know what it will do, but you made it anyway?", Rainbow Dash asked.
Zecora simply nodded her head and continued to stir her brew. Pinkie Pie watched from behind Rainbow Dash and her curiousity began to rise. She watched intently as the brew bubbled and steamed, wondering just what exactly it would do once it was used.
Zecora and Rainbow Dash walked over to the ancient tome that Zecora had found the recipe for the potion in and the two began looking it over. The writing in the manuscript was ancient and Rainbow Dash stared at it in wonderment.
'Wow! So this is how Daring Do must feel every time she finds an ancient artifact!', she said as she surpressed a small giggle and allowed herself to drawn into a daydream, where she and Daring Do go on a totally awesome adventure. Her daydream however was ended shortly after it began.
"Foolish pony you know not what you have done! We know not what it does! It might be the opposite of fun!", Zecora exclaimed bringing Dash out of her dream.
Dash shook her head and glanced over at Pinkie Pie who was now glowing. Pinkie Pie was looking at each individual part of her body and saying, "OOOO, pretty!", she clapped her hooves together and danced in place.
After a few seconds Pinkie said, "Hey Dashie! You should really try some of this stuff!"
"Pinkie, we don't know what it does! It could hurt you! Why did you do that?", Dash scolded.
Pinkie Pie pursed her lips together and said, "Well I tasted it, and I feel great now! My hooves were hurting from all that running we did from those icky bugs, but now," Pinkie jumped up and did a flip while holding her back hooves, "I feel super-duper great!"
Rainbow Dash looked over to Zecora who was intensely studying Pinkie Pie. Zecora looked over at Dash and said with her hoof brought up to her chin, "It is possible that this potion is a cure all remedy, from a stiff back to an achey knee."
Rainbow's curiousity was peeked to say the least. 'This potion is a cure all!', she exclaimed inwardly. She had to have some. It would fix her wing, and by the looks of Pinkie Pie, completely rejuvinate her. She walked over to the cauldron, cautiously grabbed the laddle, and poured some into a brown bowl that was sitting nearby.
She replaced the laddle and grabbed the bowl with her mouth saying, "Down the hatch.", through clenthed teeth.
The warm liquid entered her mouth and she swallowed. Even though it smelled like flowers, it tasted like vanilla cream. After she finished swallowing it, and licking her lips, she began to feel slightly strange. She looked around and realized that her whole body had began to glow, and the pain that was in her wing had disappeared. Dash gave her wings a few test flaps to see if the pain would return, and to her amazement it hadn't. She jumped into the air and began hovering with ease.
"The pain's all gone!", Dash happily exclaimed.
"See? I told ya so!", Pinkie said as she bounced around Dash.
"It would appear that the potion is quite safe, but if something goes amiss reurn post haste.", Zecora said as she flipped through her book once more.
Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie happily waved good-bye to their zebra friend and rushed out the door to tell their friends the good news. Zecora continued to flip pages in her book, barely noticing that the two mares had left. Eventually she came upon a page that made her blood run cold.
She rushed to her door and shouted into the darkness,"Little ponies return to me quick, for the next pony you touch, your minds will switch. If the effects are not altered by the end of two days, then in each other's body you shall stay!", but she was only speaking to the darkness of the forest.
Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie were already to far away to hear her, so Zecora ran back into her hut and began making the antidote that the book prescribed, and said to herself, "I must be fast, I must be quick. I hope that this potion will do the trick. But alas it takes a full day to make, and if those two touch any pony else, it will be a big mistake."
Chapter 5- An Equestrian Freaky Friday
Rainbow Dash walked down the path as Pinkie resumed to hum tunelessly. She flared her wings out and stared at each of them pensively. She took a few more test flaps and gently rose off the ground. She flew in circles over Pinkie and Pinkie Pie looked up and smiled at her friend.
Rainbow Dash landed on the ground gracefully and beamed the largest smile she had ever smiled. Pinkie Pie began rubbing the back of her head and allowed her smile to fade slightly, "So Dashie... about earlier..."
"Pinkie just stop there. It's okay. You didn't mean to do it and I know that, but you have to teach me how you sneak up on ponies like that sometime.", Dash said with a wink.
"Sure!", Pinkie said as she broke out into giggles.
The two friends continued walking until they came to a fork in the road. Pinkie walked to the left towards Ponyville, while Dash chose the path that led to the right.
Pinkie gave Dash a questioning look and asked, "Where are you going Rainbow Dash?"
"I'm to go help Applejack, by the way it sounded, she really could use all the help she can get.", Dash said as she looked over her shoulder towards Sweet Apple Acres, "What about you?"
"I was going to tell Rarity that you're okay now and then go back to Sugarcube Corner.", Pinkie said with a small bounce and a smile.
"Alright, see you later.", Dash said as she lifted off the ground and waved.
"Yep. Tootles."
Rainbow Dash rocketed off to Sweet Apple Acres as fast as she could go. The air rolled around her body and made her mane messy as she flew faster and faster. She pushed herself to gain more and more speed. The world around her began blurring as tears escaped her eyes and suddenly, 'BOOM'!
Pinkie watched Rainbow Dash speed away. The trail she left in her wake slowly began fading away when it happened. 'BOOM'! Pinkie watched the Sonic Rainboom explode from her friend and she couldn't help but to just smile wider as the colors spread through the air, bringing back memories of how she got her cutie mark and the party she through for her family. She began bouncing back towards town happier than ever before.
Rainbow Dash landed on the ground with a big smile on her face. When she heard somepony calling her name.
"Rainbow Dash!"
She turned around to see Scootaloo scooting towards her with a panicked look on her face, and being pursued by an angry Applejack.
"Get back here you little trouble maker!", Applejack yelled.
Scootaloo quickly sped around Rainbow Dash and stopped. She jumped off her scooter and made sure that Rainbow Dash was a barrier that would seperate her from Applejack.
"Scootaloo, ya have to pay for what you and yer friends did here!", Applejack yelled as she stopped on the other side of Dash, "And yer payment is to work on helping us repair what you three destroyed!"
"Well why didn't you make Sweetie Belle work?", Scootaloo shouted back.
"Cause Rarity would never let me hear the end of it if Ah did that. She would rather just pay with bits and have Sweetie work for her.", Applejack explained.
Applejack attempted to get on the same side of Dash as Scootaloo, but when ever she moved Scootaloo would just mirror her, and eventually Rainbow Dash was the center piece of a game of cat and mouse.
"Git back here you little varmit!", Applejack yelled as she sprinted around Dash.
"No! It's not fair!", Scootaloo shouted back.
Finally Dash decided that she had seen enough of this and she caught Scootaloo, and she was suddenly blinded by a bright light.
Back in The Carousel Boutique...
Rarity's attention was drawn to the sound of the bell above her front door chiming. She placed a warm smile on her face as she made her way towards the counter. As she entered the main show room she saw a familar face.
"Oh hello Pinkie Pie.", Rarity said and her smile faltered, "How's Rainbow Dash doing?", Rarity asked out of concern.
"Zecora had this really deliscious potion that fixed her right up!", Pinkie excitedly explained.
Rarity sighed in relief, "Well that's nice dear. Thank you for keeping me in the loop.", Rarity said with a small smile.
"Has your client showed up yet?", Pinkie asked as her attention was taken by one of Rarity's many dresses.
"Unfortunately no, and it's getting close to closing time.", Rarity said.
From deeper within the living quarters of the boutique there was a crash.
"Sweetie Belle? Is everything alright in there?", Rarity asked.
"Everything's fine Rarity.", came Sweetie's annoyed reponse.
"You know Applejack's looking for Sweetie right?", Pinkie asked.
"Yes dear. She found her and her friends, and sent Sweetie home with a note detailing the how much was damaged, and how much it would cost to repair it all.", Rarity said with a furrowed brow.
"So you payed a portion of the price for repairs, and now Sweetie's working it off?", Pinkie asked.
"That's correct dear."
"So how much did it cost?", Pinkie continued as she moved on to looking at another dress.
"Let's just say mother and father won't be seeing Sweetie Belle for the next few months.", Rarity said with a small frown.
Pinkie's head shot back over to Rarity, "That much?"
Rarity nodded in response with her eyes closed, "It was that or have her go work in all that mud. I think I made the appropriate choice.", Rarity said with a smile.
"You're a good sister Rarity.", Pinkie said as she reached out a placed a hoof on her shoulder and her sight was filled with light. When the light went away she felt nausious and light headed, but she pushed the feelings down and smiled. She slowly reopened her eyes, looked up, and saw herself. "Oooo, cool mirror Rari..."
Suddenly the realization that something was wrong donned on Pinkie. Her reflection wasn't talking or moving like she was; instead it just stood there with its mouth wide open like it was going to scream, but it just couldn't do it. Pinkie lifted her hoof and waved but the reflection just stood there.
Pinkie placed her hoof on her mouth in an attempt to surpress a gasp, and when she did she caught a glimpse of it out of the corner of her vision. She shakely brought the hoof up to her face and gasped.
"Th... this isn't my hoof!", she shouted.
The 'reflection' finally found it's voice, "Um Pinkie?", Pinkie looked over at her reflection wide eyed, "Could you be a dear, AND EXPLAIN WHAT THE HAY IS GOING ON?"
"Rar...Rarity?", Pinkie asked.
Rarity pinched the narrow of her new pink snout with her hooves, "Yes Pinkie. It is I. Now please tell me why am I staring at my on body?"
Pinkie Pie suddenly bursted into a giggling fit and fell onto her back. Rarity was throughly confused and angry with the sudden outburst.
"I fail to see what is so funny dear.", she said in an annoyed tone.
"I'm... I'm you, and... and your... me!", Pinkie exclaimed through her laughter.
The door to the boutique burst open and three ponies ran inside. Pinkie and Rarity shot glances between Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Scootaloo.
"Girls please, you have to help us!", Rarity whined.
"Let me guess...", Rainbow Dash started using Scootaloo's body before Pinkie Pie interrupted.
"Wait, wait, wait! You," she pointed to Rainbow Dash in Scootaloo's body, "and you...", she pointed at Scootaloo in Rainbow Dash's body.
Scootaloo sighed heavily, "Yes Pinkie. Just like you and Rari...", Pinkie errupted into laughter once more.
"Hey what's so funny?!", Dash demanded as Pinkie chuckled and stomped the floor.
"You, the fastest flier in all of Equestria,", Pinkie used her hooves and showcased Rainbow Dash's body, "have switched bodies with a..."
"DON'T YOU DARE SAY IT!", Scootaloo shouted angrily and flared Rainbow Dash's wings menacingly.
"Say what... filly?", Pinkie asked quizically as she pointed at Scootaloo's body, "What did you think I was going to say?"
"I... well you see..."
"Alright now Ah've had about enough of this!", Applejack broke in causing Scootaloo to sigh in relief, "Let me get this straight. Pinkie and Rarity have switched bodies," Pinkie and Rarity nodded each other's heads, "and Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash have switched bodies, right?", the two pegasi nodded, "Okay, so how did this happen?", Applejack asked the group.
"It had to be that potion that Zecora gave us.", Rainbow Dash said.
"Hey yeah! I bet this was one of the side effects!", Pinkie exclaimed with a bounce.
"Okay? So now what? When will it wear off?", Rarity asked as she tried to comb Pinkie's rebelious mane into submission.
"We don't know how long it'll last, but I know where we need to go..", Rainbow Dash stated.
"We go back to Zecora's!", Pinkie shouted as she jumped in the air.
Applejack rubbed her chin with her hoof and after a few moments she said, "Alright, Ah guess I'll go too, just to make sure nothing else happens.", Applejack added with a determined stomp. "And you," her eyes narrowed on Scootaloo's body.
"She's over there.", Dash said as she motioned to her own body, which was now beaming at its wings and giving them a few test flaps.
"Right... sorry, Ah forgot. This all so confusing." she walked over to Scootaloo, "And you," she started again and poked Scootaloo in her new cerulean chest, "don't think that you're gettin off the hook. You still have to to help repair the damages to the farm."
Upon hearing this Scootaloo sagged her head and sadly mumbled, "Yes mam.", but in her mind she thought, 'Unless... I couldn't do that... could I?'