Scootaloo woke to a wonderful feeling. It was the best in the world. Few feelings had ever equaled this one, this grand feeling. She wouldn’t trade this feeling of dry, unwet, undamp, inaquatic sheets for anything in the world! Not to mention dry pullups! She had a desert in her bed and everypony was invited!

Of course, the first pony she should tell, the pony she needed to tell, was obvious. Her mouth opened wide, a great gust of air being sucked in as she prepared to release a third of the distinctive yell she had refined while Crusading. Before the filly could bellow “RAINBOW DASH!” at the top of her lungs, however, she realised that perhaps screaming Rainbow Dash awake was a….bad idea.

I’ll just do it the boring way, Scootaloo thought, but she still giggled happily to herself. Kicking back her sheets, the excited filly jumped down, wings buzzing as she sped through the opulent cloud house to her idol’s room. She slid to a halt outside Dash’s door, a bright grin on her face. She’s going to be so proud of me!

Creeping up quietly, she made her way to her idol’s bed. Each step she took was gingerly placed on the compacted cloud floor, the only sound made being the quiet breathing coming from her muzzle and the soft crinkling of the thin padding on her rump. And, of course, the cacophony of snoring done by Rainbow Dash. Easing across the floor, she decided that, though a scream would be inappropriate, it couldn’t hurt to hop up into Dash’s bed, a decision motivated mostly by her filly-like excitement.

She eased into position, a wry grin on her small muzzle. Slowly, waiting for the right moment to pounce, she watched…

Then she leaped! A great, energetic leap into─

Squish.

“What?!” she said as she felt what was unmistakably a puddle underneath the blankets which were bunched up around Rainbow’s lower body. For a moment, Scootaloo felt the sharp sting of fear, wondering if, somehow, she had kept her bed dry only to somehow lose control just as she landed. Except….

Scootaloo stared down, her mouth hanging open, as she beheld the wetness centered on Rainbow Dash. She had woken to the same thing often enough, albeit from another perspective, too often to miss the obvious answer.

“Ngh.” A jumbled, sleepy grunt came from Rainbow Dash. She groaned, slowly opening one eye to stare blearily around. “S-squirt?” she mumbled, the word barely comprehensible. Before another thought on that train made its way through her brain, another one crashed its way onto the track: I’m… wet?

Scootaloo stared at Rainbow Dash, totally at loss for what to say. She closed her mouth, still staring. Rainbow Dash, suddenly very, very awake, stared back. Neither said a thing. Mare and filly stared at each other for a few seconds.

“Ha!” Rainbow Dash let out a nervous laugh. She sat up, shaking her head. “Good one, kid. Bit early for it, but funny.”

“...huh?” Scootaloo looked at her, confused. “Uhm, thanks, but...what?”

Giving her bedding an annoyed shove, Rainbow Dash grinned. “That was a good prank. Warm bowl of water, right? Or you just pour it right on?”

It clicked, suddenly, and Scootaloo looked away, embarrassed not for herself, but for Rainbow Dash. “It...it wasn’t me, Rainbow Dash.”

The icy sensation of panic was making its way from the pit of Rainbow’s stomach into her throat. She gulped to melt the icicle that was growing in her neck. “W-what do you mean it wasn’t you?!”

“It wasn’t me. I didn’t do anything,” Scootaloo replied with a worried look. She gave Rainbow Dash a shaky smile. “Wait, this is a prank, r-right? You’re just pretending you…wet the bed, aren’t you?”

Dash was fumbling. She… she hadn’t really wet the bed, had she? “Um… uh, yeah! Heheh, of course I am! I… I’d never…”

Scootaloo wasn’t buying it, and Dash knew it. “Are you lying to me, Rainbow Dash?” Her voice was more hurt than anything else.

“No!” Rainbow crossed her hooves indignantly. “Of course not! I’m way too awesome to wet the bed!”

The little pegasus sitting on her bed gave her an almost hurt look. “And I’m not?”

Dash immediately regretted her choice of words. “Look, I’m sorry, Scoot. I didn’t mean what I said.”

“Yeah, I bet.” There was no hiding the bitterness and hurt in Scootaloo’s voice.

Rainbow sighed, then she put on what she was almost sure was a reassuring smile and hopped off the bed, wincing as the cold air hit her damp fur. “Come on, let’s go get breakfast, okay? I’ll make whatever you want!”

Scootaloo didn’t acknowledge her idol’s promise. She just walked alongside her, the pair heading to the kitchen with a rather bleak mood in evidence between them. Dash kept shooting her young fan worried glances, a hint of guilt in her eyes before looking away again.

Breakfast came and went with few words being spoken. Rainbow Dash’s unease only grew as each moment passed without a word or expression from Scootaloo. It wasn’t long before her minor, niggling guilt was growing and she began to feel bad.

“I, uh…” Clearing her throat as she ruffled her feathers, Rainbow Dash rubbed the back of her head. “I’ve got work, so, you know, gotta head off to Cloudsdale to check the schedule for the week. Anything you want for lunch? I can get something special to have later, if you want.”

Her peace offering didn’t get any more reaction from Scootaloo than the breakfast offer did. Sighing, she walked toward the door, looking forlornly at the small, angry filly standing in her living room. “I’ll have Fluttershy come by and watch you while I’m gone, okay?

Scootaloo shrugged, not even looking back at her.

“...okay.” Dash’s expression fell further. Once again, her big mouth had gotten her in trouble, but she figured Scootaloo would be happy again by bedtime.

Bedtime…

Suddenly the list of rules made their way to the front of Dash’s brain, specifically the rule about bedwetting without wearing a pullup. Would Scootaloo really make her do that? Dash shook her head as she flew off to the weather station. “Nah,” she said out loud. “The kid’ll forget by bedtime, and then I’ll be home free! I mean, what are the odds that I wet the bed twice in a row?”

Wiping her brow from her morning’s work out bucking apple trees, Applejack was struck by the urge to...laugh. She wasn’t sure why, but she felt immensely satisfied with herself.

The flight to Cloudsdale soothed Rainbow Dash, flying without much need to think. She had flown there so often, she let her thoughts drift off. The familiar sensation of soaring across the sky elevated her mood a bit, though the little nugget of guilt in her belly was still there. She put it out of her mind as she alighted on the landing platform just outside the Weather Patrol headquarters building. Passing beneath Ionic columns making up the walls of the building and wending her way around the pegasi going about their business, she walked through the main atrium of the building and headed into the door marked, “Weather Manager”.

“Well, look who turned up on time today!” Making a show of checking the clock, the manager of the weather patrol sat behind his desk, his grizzled, gray-furred face matching his barrel chest. Rainbow always thought he looked like he belonged in the Wonderbolts rather than behind the desk of a boring weather patrol, but she suspected asking the rather sarcastic, and oftentimes caustic, pony about it would lead to a lecture of some kind. And Rainbow hated lectures.

“I’m always on time!” she retorted. A raised eyebrow prompted a quick addendum of, “Most of the time.”

Her boss got up from behind the desk and circled it. “Be that as it may, your schedule is right there.” He pointed a hoof at the gridded paper on the wall with various names on it, along with duties. Rainbow noted that, as usual, she was one of the flight leaders, responsible for directing her teams on their tasks to clean up and maintain the skies around Ponyville. She noticed however that this particular week would be fairly busy.

“Um, sir?”

“What is it, Rainbow Dash?” he said as he walked to the file cabinet.

“This week is going to be pretty busy. Do you think I could maybe share my workload with another pony?”

He looked at her from the corner of his eye. “Feel like the hour-long break you get for naps isn’t good enough, Captain?”

She shook her head. “No, it’s just, I’ve got this little filly I’m looking at, and she’ll probably want to play with m─”

“What?” The manager turned and gave her a look of alarm. “And you just let this little filly stay at your house all day by herself?!”

It was Rainbow’s turn to look shocked. “Of course not! Um, sir! I am leaving her in very capable hooves, sir!”

Her boss walked over to her and put a hoof on her chest. “I will not have a pony on my crew dodging responsibilities like that, least of all for taking care of a filly! You will take off however many days you need to care for her, then return to your duty. Cloudchaser will handle your workload until you return.”

“But she’s not nearly as…” Rainbow cut herself off as his steely gaze bored into her.

“I was not asking you to evaluate Cloudchaser’s abilities as a weatherpony, Rainbow Dash. You are to take off from your work, as of right now, and deal with your responsibilities as a caregiver.” He pointed at the door without so much as a word.

Rainbow gave him a quick nod, then walked out the door. As she was about to close it, the manager said, “And next time, try to remember your duties to the weather team before you accept responsibilities like this again. Do you understand me?”

She gulped. “Yes, sir.”

“Good.” The door closed, thankfully ending the conversation there. Dash stood there for a moment, looking perplexed and confused.

“I…what just happened?” She asked herself. A moment later she realised she was speaking to herself in the middle of a hallway. Sighing in disgust, Dash shook her head and headed for the exit. Whatever. At least I have the week off now. Maybe Scoots will be in a better mood when I get back.

Upon her return home, however, it seemed Dash’s hopes had been in vain. Scootaloo was lying on the ‘deck’ of Dash’s house, a little cloud base that spread out from it, looking morose. Wincing, Rainbow Dash put on her biggest smile as she zoomed down.

“I’m back!” she announced, landing next to Scootaloo. “And guess what?”

“....what?” Scootaloo asked tonelessly.

Rainbow Dash’s smile withered slightly, but she forced it to stay put. “I got the week off! We can hang out heaps now, as much as you want.”

“...great.”

Dash’s smile died completely at the lackluster response. The attitude Scootaloo was displaying actually hurt Rainbow. She was hoping that she could get Scoots to smile with this news ─ after all, who wouldn’t want to spend a week with the awesomest pony in Ponyville? ─ but the frown on the orange filly’s face was exactly the opposite reaction she was looking for. Not exactly a great start to the “awesome” week we were going to have, thought Rainbow as she walked up to the little filly and laid next to her.

“Hey,” she said gently.

Scootaloo looked up at her, a sad frown dominating her features.

“I’m sorry, squirt. I didn’t mean to make you hate me. I was just shocked that something like that could happen to me, y’know?” She sighed. “I didn’t mean that you weren’t an awesome kid. In fact, you’re one of the awesomest kids I know.”

“....you mean it?” Scootaloo’s voice trembled slightly, looking up sadly at Rainbow Dash.

Giving the filly a comforting smile, Dash sat down next to her and gently nuzzled her fondly. “Of course I do. You’re really awesome.”

Scootaloo gave Dash a weak smile, then said, “Thanks, Rainbow Dash.”

“Anytime.” Suddenly her attitude perked up. “Hey! I’ve got an idea! How about we go out to the park and play for a bit? Stretch our wings and hooves?”

The way Scootaloo’s smile grew, and the eager nod she gave, made Rainbow Dash’s guilt lessen. She grinned back, reaching down to ruffle the filly’s mane.

“Let’s get going then!” She leaned down, offering her back to Scootaloo. “Hop on, squirt, and off we go!”

Eyes wide with glee at the chance to fly with her idol, or even on her, Scootaloo all but jumped on. “Yeah! Let’s go!” She squealed happily, scrambling to get into a good spot.

“Hold on, we don’t want you falling off,” Dash teased with a chuckle. In reply Scootaloo giggled and gave her back a poke.

“Mush, mush!”

“That’s for snow dogs.” Rainbow Dash took off, grinning widely, all too pleased with her work making Scootaloo happy again.

The trip to the park didn’t take long at all. Rainbow Dash soared over Ponyville, taking a slightly scenic route for the sake of one or two of her more tame tricks. Barrel rolls and loop-de-loops had Scootaloo squealing and shouting in excited glee as loudly as Rainbow Dash was sure the filly’s mother would be yelling at her.

Eh, what she doesn’t know won’t hurt her, Dash thought with a smirk.

With a final loop, Dash landed on the soft, inviting grass of the park just outside Ponyville where she usually took Tank out for the weekly Pony Pet Playdate, crouching a little so Scootaloo could dismount.

“How was the ride?” Dash asked.

Scootaloo gave the only answer she could. “Awesome!” she cheered.

“Heh, of course. I’m pretty awesome, right? Best you’ve seen?” As much as she loved being praised, Dash wasn’t just being egostical right now. She glanced at something, a sign with a poster behind Scootaloo.

“Yeah! You’re the best!” Scootaloo nodded eagerly.

Leaning down, Rainbow Dash’s grin got even wider. “How would you like to see fliers just as good as me? Better, even!”

Scootaloo gasped. “Better?! But….you’re the best,” she protested.

Rainbow Dash spun Scootaloo around, facing the filly towards the distinctive poster dominated by blue and yellow.

“Say that after you see them!”

Scootaloo’s jaw dropped in amazement. “Wait… you’re taking me to… to see…”

“The Wonderbolts!” shouted Rainbow enthusiastically. “On one condition.”

“Name it!” said Scootaloo, her tail wagging and her eyes glued to the poster.

“Keep your bed dry until the show.”

Frowning, Scootaloo looked up at Rainbow. “But… but I…”

“Hey,” said Dash gently, “it’s okay. I know you can do it, squirt! I believe in you!”

A smile formed on Scootaloo’s muzzle. “O-okay.” Then she chuckled. “What about you? What if you don’t keep your bed dry?”

Dash wasn’t expecting the question, so she was caught off guard slightly. “I, er, um…” When her brain finally engaged, she said, “I guess I’ll just cross that bridge when I come to it.”

Scootaloo giggled, prompting a sheepish smile from Dash. The elder pegasus glanced around, just to be sure nopony was around to have heard the filly.

“So, this morning…” Dash began, hesitating. She wasn’t good at this mushy stuff.

“It’s fine,” Scootaloo said, calming down, only to snicker again. “Water under the bridge.”

Rolling her eyes, Rainbow Dash gave the filly a wing-hug. “Let’s not talk about water, okay? Wanna go, I dunno...” Her eyes widened. “Wait, I do! How would you like some grade-A prank training, from the master prankster herself?”

Scootaloo beamed in excitement. “Really?” She began to look around, confused. “Is Pinkie Pie here?”

“No, squirt, me. Geeze, somepony seems to have learned to be a little mouthy, huh?” Rainbow Dash gave the filly a playful nudge. She grinned in good humour.

“I learned from the best,” chirped Scootaloo.

Dash buffed a hoof against her chest. “Well, I guess it’s okay then. So, how about it? Wanna show this town what happens the two most awesome pegasus around get to pranking?”

Bouncing up and down, Scootaloo nodded eagerly. “Do I ever! Who are we going to prank first?”

Looking thoughtful, Rainbow Dash rubbed her chin. “Well, Rarity is always good for a prank or three. In fact, I have an idea I think you’d be perfect to help me with….”

Rarity hummed to herself as she worked. Her muse was in full swing, and she barely needed to think about what she was doing. It was all simply done by pure inspired instinct, or so it felt to her.

A loud, jarring knock brought Rarity’s thoughts firmly back to the world. She scowled for a moment before taking a breath. Holding a comb in her magic as she trotted from her inspiration room, Rarity did a little bit of work on her mane. I shall simply send them away before my muse flees me, she consoled herself.

The door closed behind her, and her material strewn ‘inspiration room’ was silent as the clop of her hooves on the stairs died away. It was empty and motionless for a few seconds before the window slid open.

Good thing Sweetie Belle let us try getting our industrial espionage cutie marks here, Scootaloo thought as she climbed into the room. Dropping to the floor with an undignified squeak.

The filly began to search the room, immediately creeping with exaggerated caution to the drawing board. After a few fruitless attempts to get high enough, Scootaloo pulled over a stool. She winced at the sound it made as she dragged it, hoping Rarity couldn’t hear that.

Rainbow Dash will keep her distracted. She’s the best at pranks! I just have to do my part right, and she’ll be super proud of me!

Climbing onto the stool, Scootaloo did as Rainbow Dash had told her.

“Rarity has this big drawing book, full of designs. Make sure it’s the one with the blue spine, not the red one. The red one is commissions and stuff,” Rainbow Dash had explained a few minutes ago. She had been unusually serious about this part. “Do not touch the red one. I mean, pranks are fun, but I’m not going to ruin Rarity’s business or anything, got it squirt? The blue one is the ones she does to experiment, and try out new ideas, stuff like that.”

So, faithful to her idol’s instructions, Scootaloo made sure it was the blue spined book. Flipped a few pages back, Scootaloo found a pair of designs, perfect for the prank. Using Rarity’s own eraser, the filly carefully removed the numbers from the first dress. Into that she copied the measurements of the second design, giggling at the thought. Rarity was going to make these, and the sizes would be completely wrong!

With the first dress done, Scootaloo looked at the second, and suddenly realised she had a problem on her hooves.

What were the numbers from the first one? I can’t remember! Chewing her lip, Scootaloo gulped nervously. What am I gonna do? I can’t let Rainbow Dash down, she’s relying on me...ooooh! I know!

Scootaloo had sat through at least one or two lessons from Rarity, when the Crusaders had been so out of ideas they’d asked Rarity to help them get their cutie marks in making stuff. She blushed as she remembered looking through Rarity’s measurement records, and how happy she had been when she found Rainbow Dash’s.

Maybe I shouldn’t tell Rainbow Dash that I memorised her measurements…. she thought as she wrote Rainbow Dash’s sizes into the second dress. The prank completed, Scootaloo hurriedly put things back as best she could remember before heading for the window.

“-so I zoomed, ZOOMED, in, totally awesome, and I was like ‘Yo, you think you can steal my tortoise and drop him from the sky because you’re a hungry eagle in my neighborhood?’” Rainbow Dash had been going for several minutes now, not giving Rarity the chance to so much as get a single word in edgewise as she related a tall tale. After all, Rarity had too many manners to interrupt. She didn’t react to Scootaloo waving from the roof. “And….sorry, Rarity, you wanted to say something?”

Sighing in relief at finally getting Rainbow’s attention, Rarity gave her friend a tight smile of barely constrained frustration. “That was a very, very fascinating story, really, and I am sure I will regret never hearing the end, but I am rather busy right now. Thank you very much for coming to see me, but perhaps another time?”

Rainbow Dash put on an expression of disappointment. “Well, alright. I’ll tell you all about it next time. Good luck with the dresses.” With a twinkle in her eye, Rainbow waved goodbye.

Rarity sighed in relief. “Finally,” she said under her breath. “Now, back to work before I completely lose my inspiration.”

As she walked into the house Scootaloo was trotting up to Rainbow Dash. “I did it!”

Dash gestured at her to quiet down, glancing at Rarity’s home to make sure the unicorn hadn’t heard. Once she was sure, she looked back at Scootaloo with a grin. “Awesome! Come on, squirt, let’s get out of here before she finds it.”

“Right!” said the little filly as she ran down the street. Rainbow chuckled and rolled her eyes as she kept up with Scootaloo, thinking how cute she was when she was all excited. She trotted up next to her.

Scootaloo was smiling broadly as she clopped along the road. “So who are we going to prank next? We could change out the ink in Twilight’s inkwells. Ooo! Or we could take Pinkie Pie’s sugar bags and switch them with concrete!”

Rainbow winced at that one. “Um, that would be kind of… unhealthy, Scoot. And I think Twilight would notice. Her nerdy-sense would tingle and she’d know right away. Besides, I already did that one to her.”

Nodding, Scootaloo’s brow furrowed. “Well, maybe we’ll think of somepony to prank on the way to the park.”

“Why are we going to the park?” asked Rainbow. She was content to let Scootaloo lead them wherever it was she wanted to go.

“Iunno,” replied Scootaloo. “It’s a nice day out and I’d kind of like to play a bit.”

“Well, looks like it’s your lucky day.” Raising a hoof to shield her eyes from the sun, Dash smiled. “Because I think Apple Bloom had the same idea. Hey! AJ! Over here!”

“Huh?” Applejack turned her head at the call, just in time to receive a hoofball to the head. She stumbled for a moment, her hat knocked askew, as Apple Bloom called out apologies.”Dangnabit, Rainbow Dash! Just had to shout when ‘Bloom was throwin’ the ball to me, didn’t ya?”

Flying closer, with Scootaloo scurrying to keep up, Rainbow Dash scooped up the hoofball. “Nah, but it was pretty funny anyway. Whatcha up to?”

“Well, Ah was playin’ catch with my lil’ sister until a pesky pegasus got me bonked on the head,” Applejack said, but she smiled to show she wasn’t upset. “How about yerselves? Not gettin’ Scootaloo in any trouble, ah hope.”

“Me, get her in trouble?” Rainbow Dash landed in front of Applejack, bouncing the ball up. “Pfft, never.”

“Uh huh.” Giving her friend a flat look of disbelief, Applejack shook her head and looked to the filly. “An’ how’re ya’ll doin’ with Dash?”

“It’s been...uh, great! Dash is taking me to see the Wonderbolts!” Scootaloo frowned suddenly, despite her positive words, as Apple Bloom reached them. “I thought you were going away!” she whined.

“Ah’m goin’ tomorrow, Scootaloo, ah told ya!” Apple Bloom huffed, pouting. “Not my fault if ya can’t remember what day it is.”

Scootaloo rolled her eyes and mumbled something about how days of the week were stupid.

Ignoring the fillies, Rainbow looked at the ball, then said, “So, would you two like to play some hoofball?”

Applejack shrugged. “Well, Ah was gonna play with AB since she’s travellin’ ta Appleloosa ta stay with Braeburn for a few days.”

“Doncha mean, ‘AAAaaaaaapleloosa?” said Apple Bloom with a chuckle, rearing up playfully.

Glaring at her, Applejack said, “It’s rude ta make fun of older ponies, Apple Bloom.” Privately, she thought that Apple Bloom’s imitation of Brae’s rather boisterous way of saying the name of his hometown was pretty much spot-on and she would have had a laugh at Braeburn’s expense if he’d been in their company, but she was brought up not to make fun of ponies behind their back. Even if it was a pretty good imitation.

“Sounded right to me,” Dash snickered.

“Anyway,” said Applejack as she tried to steer the conversation to something more productive and less rude, “Ah was gonna toss the old hoofball around with AB before her trip, but if’n ya’ll wanna join us Ah’m sure it’d be alright.”

“Yeah!” said Apple Bloom with a grin.

“Thanks,” said Rainbow. “Normally, I love a good prank.”

“Prank?”

“But I love spending time with this little squirt even more!” Upon hearing this Scootaloo beamed up at her.

“Ah bet,” said Applejack with a grin. “Now, how ‘bout we start our game?”

Rainbow grinned, then tossed the ball and caught it. “You bet!”

Applejack and Apple Bloom both took up positions opposite of Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo, then the pegasi huddled up.

“Okay, so what’s the plan?” said Scootaloo in a conspiratorial whisper.

Drawing in the dirt, Rainbow started to make little X’s and O’s. “Okay, so it’s like this. I’ll be on your left and will be the Quarterback. You be my Right Tackle. I’ll say ‘Hut, hut!’ and then ─”

“Wait a minute, why can’t I be the Quarterback?” Scootaloo whined.

Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Because I’m older and I say so.”

“But─”

“Will y’all quite yer yappin’ and throw the dang ball?” shouted Applejack.

Looking up, Rainbow and Scootaloo both sighed. “Fine,” said Rainbow, then she tossed the ball to Applejack, who caught it in midair. She then tossed it to Apple Bloom, who threw it to Scootaloo, who then passed it to Rainbow. Huffing, she tossed it back to Applejack. “And I was gonna win, too.”

Applejack heard it and rolled her eyes at how childish Rainbow was being, then chuckled at how it perfectly fit what she’d had planned. Idly, she wondered if the cider had kicked in last night. Not that Dash would tell her if it had. Putting it out of her mind, she decided she could at least make Dash have a little fun with this game, even if there weren’t going to be any winners. She hoisted the ball up in one hoof. “RD! Up for a challenge?”

Grinning madly, Rainbow Dash laughed. “Who do you think you’re talking to? Give me everything you’ve got!”

“Go long!” Applejack shouted back at her, sending the pegasus higher into the air, further away, hooves out. Applejack didn’t simply throw it. She tossed it up, spun, and fired off a kick with one back hoof. The ball fired like a cannon ball, streaking straight towards Rainbow Dash.

Dash’s eyes shrunk to pinpricks as it came thundering towards her. “Oh, buck.”

She caught it….if you counted having to hit her in the chest and knock her from the air as ‘caught’. Dash yelped as she shot off at an angle.

She fell right into a big, pink foal carriage, emptied seconds ago by a pink earth pony mare with a platinum blond mane. Had Dash not been occupied by the whole ‘knocked out of the sky by a football’ thing, she might have recognised the mare whose foal she saved that one time. As it was, Rainbow just sent the carriage rolling backwards, and the pink mare merely looked on, the shock of what happened stunning her into silence. Her foal giggled, unconcerned by such things.

Applejack gasped as she saw the carriage bounce away with her friend inside. “Dagnabbit!” she shouted, taking off in pursuit. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo ran after her, but she was faster than the fillies and quickly left them in the dust.

The carriage and its captive bounced down the road, moving too fast for most ponies it passed to get a good look at it. One pony, whistling cheerfully as he pulled his cart of cabbages down the road, turned at the sound of something tearing down the road. His eyes widened when he saw the carriage, set for a direct collision with his cart.

“My cabbages!”

Hooves thundering, Applejack dived at the last moment, grabbing the handlebar and planting her hooves into the road. The dirt tore into her soles as she forced them to slow down until, at last, they ground to a halt inches from the carriage. She looked into the basket of the contraption to see Rainbow Dash wedged into it, her eyes rolling in her head. She could have sworn there were birds chirping.

Applejack sent a stern look at a bush. “Quiet! Ah need ta see if she’s hurt!”

The three songbirds fell silent, looking slightly offended, and took off to give Fluttershy an earful about rude earth ponies who didn’t appreciate narrative sound effects.

Applejack looked back at Rainbow, concern on her face. “Rainbow! Say somethin’!”

“Ah don’ wanna baba of joos. Wan’ soda!” the delirious pegasus whined.

Sighing in relief, Applejack gave her friend a shake. “C’mon, Rainbow. Start talkin’ normal!”

“Huh?” said Rainbow as she came to. She squirmed in her trapped state. “Whew… I almost bought it there. Thanks, Applejack.”

“Not a problem, sugarcube,” said Applejack as she pushed the carriage back up the street.

Rainbow looked at her with a frown. “...uh, wanna help me out of this thing?” Applejack ignored her as she pushed her friend up the street to Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, who were finally catching up.

“Ngh, Applejack, pull me out,” Dash complained as she tried to pull herself up, a look of dismay crossing her face as she realized her back was jammed tightly into the small carriage.

Applejack snickered. “In a minute,” she said with a grin.

“AJ…”

While Applejack pushed the carriage up the street, the pony who had just received her fresh cabbages snickered as she trotted back into her store. Shaking her head, she glanced out the window of the foal store to watch the pair from the other day going on their way back to the park. “I hope they get an adult-sized carriage. Those foal carriages can’t be good for her back.”

“Heave!”

“Ho!”

With a groan of effort, Rainbow Dash popped free of the carriage. Forelegs still held by Applejack, she yelped as she hit her friend and the pair fell down into a pony pile.

Wriggling out from under Applejack and Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo shook her head to clear away the stars. “In hindsight, it was probably a bad idea to stand behind your older sister while we were all pulling on Rainbow Dash.”

“Yeah,” replied Apple Bloom as she struggled to maintain her balance, her hoof going up to her head to make the world stop spinning.

Rainbow groaned and rubbed her back gingerly. “I think that’s enough hoofball playing for now,” she said wearily.

Scootaloo wanted to object, but the headache she felt told her not to argue.

“Well,” said Applejack, “Ah think AB an’ Ah will head home. Ah’m pretty sure Granny’ll want us ta tend to the chickens and the pigs.”

“See you around. Guess we’ll head home. Come on, squirt,” Dash said, gesturing at her back before hesitating. “Actually… let’s just walk, and then I’ll fly you up when we arrive.”

Nodding, Scootaloo said her goodbyes, making Apple Bloom promise to tell her all about Aaaaaappleloosa when she got back, and to bring her some cool souvenirs. The pair of pegasi headed off towards the edge of town, where Rainbow Dash’s home hovered.

“We can prank the others later,” Rainbow Dash said. “Tomorrow, we can get Pinkie or somepony real good. For now, let’s just play some games for a bit, okay?”

Considering Scootaloo’s mom never let Scootaloo get any sort of game - she’d had to borrow Button Mash’s with huge bribes of candy to even try any out, and he spent the whole time mumbling about getting cooties on his game - that was more than enough for her.

“That sounds great!”

“Just don’t tell your mom though,” Dash whispered conspiratorially. She swept Scootaloo into her hooves and took off, carrying the filly up to her home. Her back, fortunately, withstood the extra weight she was holding for the short trip. “Stupid carriage.”

Scootaloo giggled, thinking again of when Applejack had returned, pushing a carriage containing a trapped and embarrassed Rainbow Dash. The filly grinned innocently when Dash shot her a suspicious look, pretending as if she wasn’t finding the memory of her idol trapped plot-first in a foal carriage hilarious.

The trip back to Rainbow’s house was soon over, and as Rainbow alighted on the cloud walkway leading up to her house she noticed that the sun was rather low in the sky. “We probably won’t have much time to play many games, Scoots,” she said rather regretfully.

“Awwww,” the filly whined, pouting. “Can’t we stay up late?”

Rainbow shook her head. “‘Fraid not, Scootaloo. I might be letting you play my games, but your mom will know if she gets back and you have bags under your eyes. Do you really want her telling you you’re not allowed to hang out with me anymore?”

Scootaloo’s eyes widened in horror. “No way!” She shook her head frantically. “Nuh-uh! She wouldn’t do that again.”

“Good, so- wait, what? Again?” Rainbow Dash gave her a sharp look. “What do you mean, again?”

Gulping, Scootaloo rubbed the back of her neck nervously. “Uh, mom may have...told me not to hang around you anymore, after you broke your wing. She didn’t want me to try and be a… ‘crazy daredevil pony’ like you.”

Scootaloo really didn’t like the look on Rainbow Dash’s face. The older pegasus was angry, and clearly upset.

“She changed her mind! She let me stay with you, didn’t she?” Scootaloo added quickly. She gave Dash a pleading look. “Please don’t be angry, she was just worried about me.”

Blowing out a heavy sigh, Rainbow Dash gave Scootaloo a small nod. “Yeah, yeah, I get it. Don’t like it, but I get it. I guess its a mom’s job to be a crazy nag─ er, I mean over-protective of her kid.”

Scootaloo snickered a little at the comment.

“C’mon, squirt. I just got this great game called Napping Cats. I don’t know what it’s about, but Pinkie Pie said it was hilarious so I figure you’d like it.”

A bright grin popped up on Scootaloo’s mouth. “Awesome!” she said, then trotted past Dash into the house. Rainbow followed up behind her, shutting the door and heading for the PonyBox, ready for an awesome evening of game playing.

“Wow,” said Scootaloo as she shut off the console. “I didn’t think I would ever hear that word so many times in a row!”

Rainbow blushed and grimaced, wishing Pinkie would have mentioned that it was a game decidedly not meant for children. “I hope you don’t mention that to your mom. She already thinks I’m nuts. I wouldn’t want her to get the idea that I decided to teach you how to swear, too.”

“Would you?” asked Scootaloo with just a bit too much eagerness. The glare from Rainbow made her forget the idea.

As Dash put the disc back in the box, she heard the clock chime eleven times. “Aw, man. Guess we got a little too much into playing the game. C’mon, squirt. It’s time to go get in bed.”

Scootaloo nodded, then trotted up the stairs. But instead of stopping in her room she trotted past it to Rainbow’s room. Dash raised an eyebrow, then chuckled. “Probably wants to sleep with her favorite pony.”

But when Rainbow walked into the room and saw Scootaloo pulling out the package of pullups, she started to frown. Didn’t she wake up dry? Then suddenly she remembered. She gulped and then chuckled nervously. “Um, squirt? C-can we talk about this?” Slowly she started to back up out of the room.

“Nu-huh,” said Scootaloo as she noticed Rainbow moving away from her. She walked over to her, a fresh pullup under her tiny wing. “You know the rules, Rainbow. You gotta wear one of these if you wet the bed, and you were soaked last night.”

Rainbow started to hyperventilate, her irises shrinking to pinpricks. This couldn’t be happening! She was a world-class athlete, a future member of the Wonderbolts Reserves! No way was she going to wear─

A bump to her rear end told her Scootaloo was trying to push her toward the bed, though she was having little success in moving the older pegasus. “Come on!” she said, pushing with all her might against Rainbow, who was currently planting her hooves on the floor. “We gotta… get you… ready for… bed!”

“Aren’t you getting a bit too into this thing, squirt? I mean, come on, I’m not a filly or anything,” Rainbow Dash pointed out. She remained exactly where she was, despite the efforts of the filly.

Suddenly Scootaloo stopped and marched up to face Rainbow. She looked her square in the face. “Well, you’re acting like a big baby about this whole thing anyway!”

“No, I’m not!” said Rainbow, who pouted, crossed her forelegs, and then plopped on the floor. She blew a raspberry at Scootaloo and then looked away indignantly.

Scowling, Scootaloo held up the pullup. “You are going to wear this to bed, Rainbow. If I had to follow the rules and wear one of these things, you will, too. Twilight made it so you had to do it.”

“Pfft,” Rainbow Dash snorted, rolling her eyes. “Listen, kid-”

“You promised,” Scootaloo reminded her, giving Dash a hurt look. “We both did! But if you’re not going to do it, I guess I’ll just tell Applejack.”

With that, Scootaloo started towards the door. Rainbow Dash’s wide, horrified eyes followed her for a moment before she shot over, blocking the door.

“Whoa whoa whoa! Let’s not be too hasty,” the pegasus said, the irony of her pleading for taking things slow passing over her head. “Applejack would just, you know, get all upset.”

“I’m upset,” Scootaloo whined. “You made me wear a diaper last night, and I didn’t want to do it, but I did it anyway because I knew I was supposed to. Why can’t you do the same thing?”

It was a legitimate question. Rainbow tried and tried hard to come up with an excuse not to go through with this. Unfortunately, the excuse-making part of her brain was geared to finding ways of getting out of one of two situations: school and work. Nothing her mind was coming up with would fit a “don’t want to wear a diaper to bed” kind of situation. At least, none that would get her out of it without breaking Scootaloo’s trust in her. Resigned to her fate, she sighed and said, “Let’s get this over with.”

Scootaloo’s frown turned upside down. She grinned at her idol’s change of mind, pulling out the pair of pullups. Spreading them open, she held them out eagerly. “Come on, Rainbow Dash, just step in.”

Gulping to swallow the ball of embarrassment that was pressing in her throat, Rainbow looked behind her and guided her rear hooves into the leg holes. The feel of the soft, cottony material sent waves of apprehension shooting up her spine. Rainbow thought for a second that Scootaloo should have put foal powder and cream on her rump, but she didn’t want this experience to last any longer than necessary. Besides, it’s not like she’d wet herself twice in a row. Scootaloo pulled it the rest of the way up her flanks, stopping to guide her tail through the hole in the back. When it was through, the filly tugged on the crinkly garment, making sure it was good and snug. “There we go,” she said, then gave the pullup a couple of pats.

Flicking her tail, Rainbow Dash gave the pullup an annoyed look. “Urgh, this thing is so…” she trailed off, hanging her head and grumbling. Her cheeks were blazing red under her fur. “Don’t get used to it, squirt.”

The warning didn’t seem to bother Scootaloo. She was grinning up at Rainbow Dash, or more exactly, at her pullup. The sight of Rainbow Dash, the Rainbow Dash, in a pair of fillyish pullups was enough to make any lingering resentment from this morning fade.

“Thanks, Rainbow Dash! I knew you were too cool to break your promise,” Scootaloo said, beaming happily.

Rainbow winced guiltily, because she knew if she could have avoided this without destroying the pedestal Scootaloo put her on, she would have done it in a second. The pullup just felt so weird, clinging to her butt alarmingly.

“Yeah, I guess…” Dash muttered, not looking all that pleased with herself.

Not noticing, Scootaloo trotted past her, out the door. A few seconds later her head reappeared, peering back at Dash.

“Aren’t you gonna tuck me in?” she asked innocently.

Sighing, Rainbow Dash nodded. Her first few steps with the pullup on were the weirdest, though they weren’t enough of an issue to make a big deal out of it. She walked behind Scootaloo, the crinkling her pullup was making sounding as loud as a tornado in her ear. She followed Scootaloo to her bed, then when she was in the bed Rainbow pulled the covers up and over the little filly’s body.

After saying their goodnights, Rainbow left the filly to sleep, every step reminding her of her predicament. She needed something, anything, to take the edge off. She’d never be able to sleep otherwise.

Walking quietly downstairs, she looked around for the Wyvern’s Reserve she kept in the cookie jar. When she opened it up, she found herself disappointed, as empty cookie jars often did. Turning to go, Dash paused, a grin slowly unfolding as she beheld the pair of barrels.

How could I have forgotten these? she wondered.

Trotting up to the barrel with a mug, the slightly padded pegasus filled it to the brim. It didn’t last long, chugged down her thirsty throat. Two mugs of cider later, she put the mug in the sink and then walked upstairs to her room. It was a long walk down the hallway, and each step was a loud reminder that she had wet the bed the night before. But she wasn’t worried. It was just a fluke, right? Yeah. A fluke.

She crawled into bed and nestled into it, then pulled the covers up and turned out the light. The sooner she got this night over, the better.

In her shop, Rarity was just putting away the latest dress she’d completed. She tucked the hem into the shipping box, making sure the ribbons and lace were arrayed just… so. She wanted to make a good impression, after all. She sighed with relief. It was the last of many commissions she’d received, but she had finally gotten them done. And now, time for fun!

She flipped open the blue book that had her sketches and personal designs and then started to look at the latest ones for something she could do. As her meticulous eye ran over each design, registered each number, she spied something. Something… off. Some of the measurements were erased and overwritten. It wasn’t like her to simply erase work. She wouldn’t have made the mistake in measurements to begin with in the first place. They were all taken and written down with the utmost care, then double checked for accuracy. Years of working as a dressmaker had taught her to do this.

She looked at the new measurements more closely. After a moment, something clicked in her head. She let out a startled gasp as she realized they were Rainbow Dash’s measurements.

“Why would I have written down Rainbow’s measurements for a foal’s dress?” she wondered aloud. Rarity frowned, staring down at it in confusion. Rainbow Dash? When I saw her, she was…

Her frown deepened sharply.

“Oh Celestia, that mare…” she sighed, rubbing her forehead wearily. “No wonder she sounded like she was making it up as she went along...why am I talking out loud?”

Shaking her head, Rarity went to turn the page. She would have to have some stern words with Rainbow Dash about sneaking into another pony’s home. The actual measurements weren’t a bother; she just used the measurements of her ponyquins in place of actual ponies for general ideas. But sneaking in like that! Although how she did it while distracting Rarity was quite remarkable, all on her own-

A soft ‘ah’ of understanding left the unicorn’s muzzle, nodding quietly to herself. Scootaloo! She could remember Sweetie Belle mentioning it, and she had been rather impressed that Rainbow Dash would take the burden of caring for a filly on herself, even if only for a week. She was rather less impressed now that she knew her friend was already making use of Scootaloo for pranks.

A naughty little idea slinked into the foreground. Her hoof, holding the page half turned, stopped as she looked over her design again. A smile spread over Rarity’s face. She giggled to herself, putting the page down unturned.

“Oh, Rainbow Dash, darling,” she said to herself with an oddly sinister look in her eyes. “Let’s see how you take a little of your own medicine…”

Late into the night, the pony next door woke up with a yelp. Caramel stared at his ceiling, wondering why there was a strange, villainous laugh coming from Rarity’s home.

Author's Note

Tyrant: Here’s chapter 2! Thank you all for the warm welcome given to chapter 1, and this story in general. From myself, and surely Vector, thank you and please, enjoy chapter 2 (or else). It took us a little time, but hey, this is updating faster than my other stuff, right? Note that is not an invitation to bombard with questions about when they’ll get updated. They’ll get updated when they get updated.

Vector: Thanks for your patience in waiting for this one. I had a great time writing it along with Tyrant Hoof, and the story is now starting to get to the “good stuff”, hehe. I hope you like it, and please let us know what you think of it so far! Also, feel free to bombard *me* with questions about when it’ll get done, etc. I won’t actually *answer* any of them, but please feel free. :)

Tyrant: Because asking futile questions to which you know you won’t get an answer is just so much fun.

Vector: Yes. I hear it’ll be a sport soon. Or at least a board game.

Tyrant: Bet I'd win.