Rainbow Dash flew through the clouds in the sky one summer afternoon in a happy mood. She ended her flight with a roll and turned around.
"What the hay?" Rainbow Dash had formed the clouds into 'My coat is fluffy.'
"Rainbow Dash!" Suddenly, all of Ponyville was on the ground beneath her.
"Let me feel your fluffy coat!" yelled Lyra. Rainbow made a face.
"Uh, no," she answered in mild disgust.
"I love fluffy stuff!" yelled a stallion next to him. Rainbow made a another face.
"What the heck?" She zoomed of in the other direction.
"Come back!" screamed Minuette. Rainbow flew as fast as she could to Sweet Apple Acres.
"Phew, that was close," she remarked as she neatly landed behind Applejack, who was sitting on the ground. "Hey, Applejack, a bunch of ponies are convinced I have a fluffy coat. Alright, sure, I left a message in the clouds. But I didn't mean to write that! I didn't mean to write anything!" When Applejack didn't respond, Rainbow walked closer. "Applejack?" Applejack was staring, transfixed, at a piece of rope dangling in the air.
"Uh, Equestria to AJ?" Rainbow waved her hoof in front of Applejack's face. Applejack didn't move.
"Yeah, that's creepy." Rainbow withdrew her hoof and made another face as Applejack began to drool slightly. "Hang on, Applejack, I'm going to get Twilight and the others. That kooky egghead will know what to do." Rainbow Dash patted Applejack's head like she was a small filly and took flight.
"There Rainbow Fluff is!" shrieked Dust Devil, pointing at Rainbow. Immediately, a large crowd had gathered. Rainbow facehoofed.
"On second thought, I'd better go undercover."
Nopony noticed the enormous cumulonimbus cloud that parked itself right over Golden Oaks Library. Nopony. Rainbow peered through the cloud to see Spike dusting the doorstep.
"Pssst!" she whispered, throwing a thunderbolt at him. Spike let out a high pitched scream, then blushed. Rainbow laughed and poked her head out of the cloud.
"It's just me, Spike. I need Twilight." Spike looked around.
"She's inside with Rarity," he responded after a moment. Rainbow did a loop-de-loop right past Spike and crashed into the library floor.
"Rainbow!" Rainbow was greeted by twin voices of shock and disapproval.
"Guys!" Rainbow grabbed them and held her hoof out dramatically. "Applejack is in grave danger! She is hypnotized! You must come with me in my Cloud!" Rarity wriggled out of Rainbow's grip.
"Rainbow, of course we'll come and help Applejack. You don't have to ruin my mane to ask me!" She stroked her purple mane, which looked extra thick and silky.
"Take us to Applejack, Rainbow," Twilight said seriously. Rainbow waved a hoof.
"She's just at Sweet Apple Acres. Why don't you Poof! into Fluttershy's and Pinkie Pie's houses and pick them up?"
"Of course," Twilight replied. "I'll meet you two there." In a flash the purple unicorn disappeared. Rainbow looked at Rarity. Rarity grimaced.
"No, Rainbow-"
The next minute, Rarity was on top of the cumulonimbus cloud as Rainbow steered it towards Sweet Apple Acres.
"All this friction and electricity and static is ruining my hair!" She complained.
"We're going to save Applejack!" Rainbow yelled back. "Forget about your mane!" Rarity harumphed and crossed her hooves.
When the cumulonimbus was parked above Sweet Apple Acres, Rainbow Dash and Rarity joined Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Twilight, and Applejack.
"What can we do, Twilight?" Fluttershy asked in concern. "She can't stay like this forever!" Twilight rubbed her chin.
"Maybe we can-"
"Oh! Let me try!" Pinkie exclaimed, waving her hoof in the air like a schoolfilly. "Pick me! Pick me! I know I can help her!" Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes.
"Alright, Pinkie," Twilight agreed doubtfully. "You can try."
"Oh, goodie!" Pinkie clapped her hooves. She bent down in front of Applejack. "Who's a silly pony? You're a silly pony! Who is? You is! Applejack! Bumping into fences and starting at rope! Who is? You is! Applejack!" Rainbow covered her face with her wings.
"Um, Pinkie, I don't think that's very nice," Fluttershy began softly, but Pinkie cut her off.
"Now, Applejack, stop being a silly pony and stop looking at this tiny piece of rope!" Pinkie grinned. The farm was silent. Applejack didn't stir. She made a small mumbling sound as she stared at the rope.
"Excuse me, Pinkie, but I think a, how should I put this, a more cultured pony should handle this. You're still delightful, darling." Rarity smiled and flipped her curls. Pinkie didn't seem to mind.
"Give it a go, Rarity!" She hopped onto Rainbow's back to watch.
"Hey, Pinkie! I'm not a bleacher!" Rainbow shook Pinkie off.
"Hello, Applejack. Twilight did my mane today. She used a special conditioner that makes my mane extra smooth, and it smells like perfume." Rarity pulled a lock of her mane under Applejack's nose. "Now, I know the scent doesn't suit ponies like you. If you don't snap out of this trance, you'll be smelling this for a long time. Time to wake up, hmm, darling?" Rarity patted the rest of her mane. Applejack grunted but did nothing else. Rarity frowned.
"Any time now, Applejack."
Rainbow snickered. "Rarity, I don't think your mane will wake Applejack up." Rarity glared at Rainbow and snapped her head back.
"What do you have in mind, Rainbow?" She asked.
"Um, guys-" Twilight began.
"Simple." Rainbow grabbed the rope and held it away from Applejack. "Easy as pie- HEY!" Rainbow was caught off guard as Applejack tackled her.
"What is wrong with you?" Rainbow cried as she wrestled Applejack. Applejack growled and grunted. Rainbow threw the rope to the side.
"Take it! Take it!" As soon as Applejack was off her, Rainbow shot ten feet in the air. Applejack resumed her staring.
"I think it's my turn now," Twilight decided. "I have an anti-hypnosis spell. Let me try it." She ignited her horn. Everypony watched except Fluttershy, who covered her eyes with her wings.
In the next second, Rainbow, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Twilight were bent down with Applejack, staring at the rope with rapt attention. Fluttershy peeked out of one eye.
"Oh, Twilight," she murmured. "Your complicated spells only work once out of six times. You really should practice your magic." Fluttershy bent down next to Applejack, as well as the other newly hypnotized ponies. She closed her eyes and took a breath.
"Applejack!" Fluttershy unleashed the stare on her friend. "I demand you snap out of this trance! It is unhealthy and bad!" Applejack's attention was torn from the rope to Fluttershy, the All-Powerful Stare Master. She suddenly rolled over.
"Fluttershy?" She rubbed her head. "What happened? Ah remember Trixie comin' up to me, and Ah, Ah don' remember..." Fluttershy hugged Applejack.
"You're safe now. I have to get the others out of the trance too." One by one, she stared down Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Twilight.
"You saved us!" Twilight exclaimed. Everypony hugged Fluttershy. Fluttershy blushed modestly.
"It was nothing, really," she murmured.
"But it was something!" Rarity insisted. "I insist on taking you to the spa right away!" The five ponies paraded Fluttershy out of Sweet Apple Acres.
"OH MY CELESTIA! IT'S RAINBOW FLUFFY DASH!"
