All in the Name of... Tickets!

Part One

All in the Name of... Tickets!

A couple of hours pass by and time is one o’ clock in the afternoon…

In the bright and sunny meadows outside Ponyville, five of the “Mane Six” gather around a blanket to setup for their traditional afternoon picnic. However noticing the absence of Rainbow Dash, they ponder why she’s late. Suddenly, the group hears a loud thundering roar as Dash comes flying in at Mach speed.

Decelerating and landing upon the site of the picnic, Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy, whom is shaking after being startled by the sonic boom, see Rainbow Dash dressed in a black leather jacket with “Pöny Crüe” etched in red on the back.

“Well… You’re late Rainbow Dash,” Twilight remarks as removes the blanket from atop picnic the basket.

She apologies, “Oh, um… Sorry about that! I was trying to find this old jacket of mine to wear today.”

“And why so?” asked Rarity.

Dash explains, “Well… Today I learned that my favorite band in the whole wide world, Pöny Crüe, is coming to perform in Equestria for the first time!” Rainbow Dash’s voice cracks as she forms her “wub” face, “And I know it’s going to be SO AWESOME!”

“And who is this, "Pöny Crüe" that you speak of?” Rarity asks.

"Only the most super spectacular band in all of the world, duh!" Rainbow Dash exclaims, "I mean, have you ever heard of their hits like “Shout at Tirek” and “Mares, Mares, Mares?”

“Well,” Rarity answers, “um… no.”

“I have,” Twilight replies, “And I also know that do some dynamic stage performances. Right?”

“Exactly! I mean…” Dash grumbles, “That is what Gilda said when she went and saw them.”

“Well, why don’t you go see them? Silly!” said Pinkie Pie.

Rainbow Dash slumps her face downwards, “I wish, but the tickets cost two-hundred bits per. pony.”

Twilight, Rarity, Applejack, and Fluttershy all react accordingly,

“Ouch,”

“Oh my!”

“Wow!”

“That’s just awful Rainbow Dash!”

“Yeah,” Dash weeps, “So I’m afraid I won’t be able to go... unless…”

Rainbow Dash commences to beg her friends for extra money. Staring at Twilight, Rainbow Dash assumes she has plenty of money at her disposal since she is an Alicorn Princess. However, Twilight reveals that Princess Celestia budges her an allowance each week and that she rarely accepts requests for extra bits unless it’s for a dire situation.

Rainbow Dash pleads, “But this is a dire situation!”

“Um, no it’s not,” Twilight refutes.

Frustrated, Rainbow Dash shifts her attention towards Rarity. Getting down on her knees and putting her hoofs together, Rainbow Dash urges for Rarity to donate money since she’s a high class fashion designer.

“Um… No, Rainbow Dash,” Rarity informs, “While I do make a wealthy amount of bits being who I am, I nothing to spare since I am currently investing most of them into a project for one of Photo Finish’s expos in Manehattan. So I’m sorry Rainbow Dash, but I don’t have anything to support your outcry.”

Rainbow Dash snorts at Rarity’s answer, but doesn't give up on asking Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy for bits.

Rainbow Dash whimpers, “Please!”

Nodding their heads in agreement, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy also deny giving money to Rainbow Dash on the account of their own personal reasons. Out of options, Rainbow Dash flops on the soft grass with her back touching the ground. As she begins to except her fate, Twilight communicates an idea to Rainbow Dash.

“Hey Rainbow Dash! If you really want to see them live then why don’t you just save up your bits?”

Rainbow Dash complains, “But that would take forever! Besides the concert is in three months and I don’t think I could save up enough bits for it unless I take up another job!”

Twilight instigates, “Well, why don’t you do that?”

“Well, you see-”

“I think that sounds like a great idea Rainbow Dash!” Pinkie Pie blurts out, “Besides I know a ton of ponies in Ponyville that would love some extra hoofs!”

Rainbow Dash grunts before fixing herself up into a sitting position. With her legs spread out in front of the picnic blanket, she accepts the idea of picking up another job for extra bits. Asking Pinkie who needs help, she smiles and motions Rainbow Dash to follow her to the job site.

Upon arriving at their destination, Rainbow Dash exclaims, “Well this is no surprise!” as she finds herself at the Sugar Cube Corner.

“Oh come on Rainbow Dash!” Pinkie Pie bounces up and down with excitement, “It will be fun! Besides, I promise it won’t be like what happened last time.”

“Fine,” Dash unenthusiastically remarks as a past memory comes to mind.

Entering the store, Pinkie and Dash were greeted by Mr. and Mrs. Cake, who were running around carrying boxes of different pastry goods.

Rainbow Dash leans over to Pinkie and murmurs, “A little busy… Uh?”

“Oh this is nothing!” said the pink pony, “You should have seen them when Princess Celestia was visiting here… oh wait,” Pinkie giggles, “You were there weren’t you?”

“Yes Pinkie, I was,” Dash retorts.

“Oh,” she giggles again, “Right… Well… Anyways now that you’re here, I’m sure that they will love the help!”

On that quote, Mrs. Cake re-enters the room with a wobbling stack of four boxes containing freshly decorated cakes. Unfortunately, it took no longer than five seconds for Mrs. Cake to trip on a hole in the wooden floor and send sweet pastries into the air. Thinking fast, Pinkie and Dash proceeded to catch every single container except for one.

The one that landed on Pinkie’s head… always.

Fortunately for Pinkamena, the box opened up at the last second and all that splattered upon her face was a sweet creation labeled as chocolate cake. Using only her tongue and spinning it around faster than a tornado, she cleans her whole face by devouring the cake in a matter of seconds while still holding the box she caught on her right hoof. Complementing Mrs. Cake for the cake’s delicious taste, Pinkie Pie introduces Rainbow Dash as they set their boxes down upon a nearby wooden self.

While Pinkie talks about how Rainbow Dash can be a good assistant, Mrs. Cake is frantic to put Dash to work, “Yeah, your help will be much appreciated Rainbow Dash!”

“Um, thank you Mrs. -”

“Quick! Pinkie Pie… Take Rainbow Dash into the kitchen,” Mrs. Cake pulls out a slip of paper with the word “ORDER” clearly written across the top, “and show her how to make this exactly like the customer wants it.”

“Okie-dokie! No problem!” cheered the happy Pinkie as she takes the slip of paper and Rainbow Dash into the kitchen.

As they enter, they see Mr. Cake rolling dough right as the stove timer goes off. Pulling out a fresh batch of un-glazed donuts, he sees Pinkie and Dash and points them towards their work station that’s ready to go with necessary ingredients and tools for their order. Arriving at their position, they grab the white aprons and chef hats off the table and proceed to dress themselves for work.

“So, you ready to get started, Rainbow Dash? Looks like Mr. and Mrs Cake got everything all ready for us,” said Pinkie.

Dash was nervous, “umm…Yeah, Pinkie Pie! So what does that order want us to make?”

“Cupcakes!” she gleefully shouts.

“Cupcakes?” Rainbow Dash scratches her head, “Yeah… sure, ok. Well alright! Pinkie, What exactly do you need me to do?”

“Well… First you take a cup of flour-”

“WITHOUT SINGING!” exclaimed Dash.

“Fine.”

They get started by preheating the oven to a scorching three-hundred and fifty degrees Fahrenheit. While Rainbow Dash struggles to line a muffin pan with foil liners, Pinkie Pie quickly sifts together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa, and salt in a blue bowl. Then using a larger yellow bowl, she violently mixes together butter and sugar until they are seen light and fluffy. Afterwards, she adds three eggs to the mixture while beating them down with each addition. This is then followed by vanilla extract being stirred in.

Adding the bowl’s two mixtures together with milk, Pinkie Pie then beats it until she deemed it to be at a “fine” quality. Next, she fills each muffin cup, the ones Rainbow Dash lined, with three-fourths full of the cupcake batter. Finally, Pinkie lets Rainbow Dash take the four full muffin pans and place them in the oven for fifteen minutes.

In glorious triumph for making cupcakes at rocket speed, Pinkie Pie looks at Rainbow Dash, “And that is how you do it! Hm!”

Wiping off sweat, Rainbow Dash is impressed, “Well… You sure are the best at what you do here!”

She laughs, “I know! But hey Dash-e, do you know what the best part about baking is?”

Rainbow Dash tries to correctly guess, “Umm… sampling?”

“No silly! DECORATING!”

Stumbling for words, “Oh… right. Decorating,” a moment goes by as Dash states, “Um Pinkie Pie. You do know that I haven’t done that before right?”

“I know… But that is why I’m here to help!” Pinkie Pie searches around the table but cannot discover what she’s missing, “Hmmm... It seems like Mrs. Cake forget to get the frosting out for us.”

Eager to help, Dash replies, “Oh don’t worry Pinkie Pie, I will get it,” she glances around, “Umm… Where is it exactly?”

Pointing to a closet on the other side of the kitchen, Pinkie tells Dash, “Well it’s over there, silly!”

“Oh.”

As Rainbow Dash strolls over to the closet and opens up the wood carved door to reveal a full sight of different colored frosting tubes, Rainbow Dash couldn't make up her mind on what tube to return with. Therefore, she decides to carry as much frosting tubes as she can hold. However as Rainbow Dash proceeded to walk back on her hind legs, Pinkie Pie accidentally spills leftover ingredients behind Dash’s hoofs. As a result, the slippery mess manages to cause Rainbow Dash to fall and hit her head on the tile floor.

She knocked herself out on contact.

When Dash regained consciousness, she finds herself staring at a light fixture shining directly in her face. While she tried to shake her head, she noticed she is on the floor covered in frosting and cake batter. Then helping her tilt her head up, Pinkie Pie stares at Rainbow Dash with a smile as she reveals a sharp knife. Shocked by her imagery, Rainbow Dash screams as she bolts out of the Sugar Cube Corner.

Pinkie pouts, “Uh… Well fine! I guess you don’t want a cupcake then!” as she uses her baker’s knife to slice a cupcake in half on the table, giving one-half to Mr. Cake.

Meanwhile inside Rainbow Dash’s bedroom, she has her head tucked under a pillow with the covers pulled over her body. Still shaking from the Pinkie Pie incident, Rainbow Dash decides she doesn't want to bake with her again. Instead, Dash comes to the conclusion that she needs the next job to play to her strengths.

Thinking about the extra job that might be perfect for her, Rainbow Dash decides to soar back into Ponyville and visit the marketplace to see whose hiring. The time is three o’ clock and the afternoon crowd is outside making the scene bustle with shoppers and store employees. Flying above the mass, Rainbow Dash searches each vendor. To her disappointment, she finds no “Help Wanted” posters.

Still frantically looking and not paying attention to her flying, Rainbow Dash accidentally bumps into a mail pony and scatters letters and parcels to the ground.

Rainbow Dash apologies, “I’m so sorry about that!” as she lowers herself to the ground to help the tan pegasus.

“No, no, no. It’s my fault really,” said the mail pony as Rainbow Dash picks up his mail, “Besides I wasn’t looking where I was going away.” A thought comes to mind, “Hey! Since I am not from this town, do you know where the Carousel Boutique is? I just cannot seem to find it.”

“It’s over near the town hall,” recalls Dash before asking, “Do you have something to deliver there?”

“Why yes, but I am running a bit late. Thank you and have a good-”

Dash interrupts, “Oh! I can get it there for you!”

The mail pony raises his left eyebrow, “Really, like fast?”

“In under ten seconds flat. Watch me.”

Rainbow Dash grabs the package and takes off at supersonic speed, out of sight of the mail pony. While he stares at his watch, timing Rainbow Dash and seeing if she can live up to her own hype, Rainbow Dash is already flying back towards him. Hitting the ground hard and spurring up dust on contact, the tan pony record's her time.

“Wow… 9.87 seconds!”

Rainbow Dash gloats, “Told ya so!”

“No kidding.” Overwhelmed, the mail pony then asks, “Hey, have you ever considered being a mail pony? I think with your talents, you would a have a job with us no problem!”

Dash ponders at the idea, “Well maybe… I mean how’s the pay?”

“Well for a starter, I guess around eighteen bits per hour.”

“That sounds awesome!” replied Dash. “Where do I apply?”

The mail pony points in the direction towards the Ponyville Post Office and tells Rainbow Dash to apply for the position of “Mail Carrier.” Two days pass by and Rainbow Dash finds herself being interviewed for the position. While the mail supervisors know that she is the town’s main weather pony, Rainbow Dash declares that she can handle both jobs at the same time. Another day passes by and Rainbow Dash gets a notification in her mail box which informs her that she has been hired. With excitement in her eyes, Rainbow Dash reaffirms herself that the dreams of seeing Pöny Crüe live is only job shifts away.