Rainbow Dash Writes A Book

"Could never have done this without you, Rainbow Dash," said Daring Do. The cyan-coloured pegasus surprised her by giving her a big hug.
Smiling, the adventurer hugged back, warmly, before pushing away from her broad, smiling face. "I've got a book to finish!" As Daring Do flapped away slowly, her hoof came to her mouth and she had a realisation. "You know..." she started, turning around, to see Rainbow Dash was still smiling at her. "I suppose I should give you a reward for helping me defeat Ahuizotl. Follow me." Rainbow Dash pumped the air with her hoof. Her favourite author, AK Yearling, was giving her something! She would cherish this forever, whatever it was!

Five minutes later, both ponies arrived at the author's house. Rainbow Dash was still buzzing from the hug, and a present to top it off? What could be cooler?

AK Yearling opened the front door and trotted in. On her bookshelf was a dusty book with a hardback cover, which she grabbed and thrust in front of Rainbow's face. It was a dull green colour, with a big red ruby on the front cover, surrounded by gold carvings stretching out to each of its four corners. It looked very mystical to Rainbow Dash, and she cocked her head in confusion as soon as she saw it.

"What's this?" she asked.

"This is something special, Rainbow. It's a little experiment of mine that never quite worked. I used this to write the first draft of my very first story about Daring Do. What makes it special? It was the only one written in first person." The author threw the covers wide, and Rainbow Dash saw a lot of mess, Yearling's name, credited as the author, and the first few lines of "Daring Do and the Quest for the Sapphire Stone", (Rainbow's favourite book) however, most striking were the four words at the very beginning of the paragraph:

I am Daring Do.

"I'd like you to have it," Daring Do resumed, snapping the book shut and giving it to her happy friend. "I hope it inspires you to write something great as well. I'll be checking up on you!" she laughed, before trotting up her stairs, most likely to get some sleep from the exhausting adventure she'd just partaken in. Gleefully, Rainbow Dash zipped out the door and went straight back home. However, what neither pony realised was that all the writing AK Yearling had just shown her was magically erasing itself...

***

As soon as Rainbow Dash got home, she gently put the book down on her empty bedside table (so as not to damage the brilliant ruby on the front cover) and rummaged around in the drawers underneath for a quill. Sitting on her bed, Rainbow Dash pondered what she should write. She'd never really been one for facts, nor teaching people new things. Fiction it was then! But how to start it... Rainbow tapped her head with her hooves. Suddenly, her eyes lit up. I'll base it on real life! she thought. And who better to star in it than me? Rainbow gripped the quill at last, dipped it in its ink pot and started to write.

My name is Rainbow Dash, and I am the best Wonderbolt in all of Equestria in just about every way!

As she wrote, the ruby on the front of the book started to glow, but of course Rainbow Dash didn't notice. But suddenly she remembered: Wonderbolts training started in ten minutes! Hastily, she closed the book, put the quill away, slipped on her Wonderbolt uniform and placed the book in her saddlebag, before zipping off to the Academy to meet up with Spitfire, her best friend in the Wonderbolts.

She couldn't understand why she wasn't ready earlier, she'd been a Wonderbolt for years and hadn't ever missed a single training session, in fact, she was usually very early to them. As fast as she could, she sped to the Academy.

***

With only minutes to spare, Rainbow Dash spotted Spitfire outside the Academy grounds. Spitfire's attention was directed elsewhere, but when she heard Rainbow Dash soar overhead, she looked up and waved, beckoning her to come down and socialise. Of course, Rainbow complied.

"Well, well, Captain Rainbow Dash. You were almost late. I think that would've been a first for you," Spitfire smirked.

"Spitfire, you know I have never and will never miss a single training session. I was just occupied with something today, that's all," Rainbow replied as the ruby glowed. It was true; if anything, she would attend training early and get some extra practice in before any other Wonderbolt could get there. Spitfire noticed the bag glow slightly and craned her neck behind Rainbow Dash to look at it.

"You must've been in a hurry," said Spitfire with a smile, "you forgot to take your saddlebag into the locker room!" The ruby glowed again.
Rainbow's face was a little flushed. How could she have been so stupid as to forget something like that? She had to make something up to fool Spitfire. "Um, well, actually, this saddlebag is a lot comfier than our Wonderbolt uniforms. A-and it's always been very special to me..." Once more, the ruby shone, leaving a dull red glow to emanate from the bag. "D-do you want to touch it again?" Slowly, Spitfire lifted the saddlebag with the book in and it was VERY comfy. Comfier than her own skin, in fact, so much so that she had allowed Rainbow Dash to cut a special hole in her Wonderbolt suit that allowed the saddlebag to rest on her skin after she first got a touch of the miracle substance. Some of the other Wonderbolts initially complained, but once Spitfire let them feel it too there were very few objections. Rainbow Dash could never be seen without her precious saddlebag. She even slept and bathed with it! Thank goodness it has waterproof stitching, she remembered thinking the first time she tried.

Spitfire smiled. "Mmm, thanks Rainbow. I guess I'll let you have the day off just for that. My treat. After all, you're the oldest one here, and you deserve a break once in a while."

As the ruby shone, Rainbow Dash breathed a sigh of relief. They were pushing her too hard in the Wonderbolts lately, and she wondered if she should ask to retire soon. She flew with General Flash for pony's sakes! But now was a good a time as any to visit some of her friends. Maybe she should check on Pinkie Pie, or maybe Applejack! She liked having young friends, it made her feel younger. As she flew home and took off her uniform on weakened, old wings, she vaguely remembered starting to write a story some years ago. An odd memory to have at this time, but she didn't mind. She'd been full of those recently.