It was mid morning in Ponyville as Celestia’s sun shined brightly upon the land, its golden rays bathing Equestria in a warmth and serenity beloved by all. Today was a perfect day by every definition of the word. Especially for for one burnt-orange little pegasus with a scraggly purple mane. Her week was over, plans were set, and her diminutive wings let out an audible buzz with anticipation. With a smile reaching cheek to cheek across her muzzle, Scootaloo looked up to the cloud mansion just on the outskirts of her home town.
Any other day of the week—or any other day of the year for that matter—she’d be trying to get her cutie mark with Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle or off trying to get her hooves on some of Granny Smith’s home made treats. Not today, Scootaloo thought. Today was the day that she took a page out of her idol’s play book. Today is the day I beat Rainbow Dash at her own game and show her that I’m worth taking under her wing!
“Rainbow! Hey, Rainbow Dash!” Scootaloo shouted up to her quazi ‘big sister’s’ mansion.
Nothing moved.
“Dash! Come on!” Scootaloo huffed in frustration. “I bet I could beat you in a race!” Scootaloo’s confidence beamed from within as that got the reaction she wanted. A rustling from within the clouds grew louder before the cyan pegasus with the polychromatic mane flew down from above.
“A race?” Rainbow Dash looked down on the mini-pegasus with a smirk. “C’mon squirt, that wouldn’t be fair,” she said while simultaneously ruffling the purple mane with a hoof. “I mean I know we’ve been working on your flying, but you’re not ready for that sort of air time yet.”
Despite having been training constantly, Scootaloo knew that too, and was counting on Rainbow bringing that up. Feigning disappoint with a faux scowl on her face, she did what she thought Rainbow would do. She taunted her opponent. “Well…. Fine! We’ll make it a hoof-race! Through Sweet Apple Acres and around Ponyville, back to here! If I win you officially take me on as your personal protjay...protegeee… you’ll be my official personal trainer! None of this ‘whenever I have the time stuff’ anymore.” She put a hoof to her muzzle in thought…. “and I want your autographed poster of Spitfire too!”
Dash was speechless. On one hoof, she had no doubt at all that she would win. On the other hoof, that would also crush her tiny admirer’s dreams… and besides she would NEVER risk that poster. It was her prized possession! “And what if I win,” Dash asked, hoping that a lack of a response would keep Scootaloo’s mind grounded and keep her from forcing Dash’s hoof.
“If you win, then me and the Cutie Mark Crusaders will keep all of our crusading attempts as far away from you as possible for a whole month!” Scootaloo let a devilish grin overtake her muzzle as Dash’s eyes grew as wide as saucers and her jaw dropped.
Dash’s mind went blank with thoughts of their last attempt at ice sculpting. Given the amount of mayhem involved she was almost certain that Discord had had his paw involved in the planning stages. She was absolutely certain that even Berry Punch could never forget the events that day (despite her best efforts and strongest drinks), and would never again accept unsolicited offers to “liven up” the front of her bar.
“Deal.”
The two ponies hoof-bumped and start trotting towards the edge of a small cluster of woods nearby—the starting and finish lines for the day’s events. Scootaloo just grinned to herself. Unlike when she and her friends were crusading, things here were going exactly as planned. She had left no stone unturned, no hoof ungreased, and—unlike most ideas she had—no plot unfinished.
*****
Earlier That Day
Scootaloo woke to the bright sunlight filtering through her windows and the sound of hay bacon sizzling in the kitchen. The smell wafted through her house, rousting the filly from her nightly routine of pleasant dreams and the agonizing wait until the next day she could make another attempt at getting her cutie mark. However, today was different. Rather than getting through the night and making a crusading plan, today was about one thing and one thing only. Beating her idol in a race; beginning her time as an official student of THE Rainbow Dash, Equestria’s fastest pony. Scootaloo giggled to herself as she tossed aside the covers and made her way to the bathroom. She knew she could never beat her idol in a fair race, but all of her ‘Twilight Time’ had taught her to use her brain in addition to her brawn, and this time she had a plan.
Walking into the bathroom she looked at herself in the mirror. Wiping the sleep from her eyes with hoof she picked up her mane brush before pausing. She looked from her usually disgruntled mane to the brush in hoof. Mane. Brush. Mane. Brush. She shrugged and tossed the brush over her shoulder before running through the kitchen. Grabbing a plate from the table she shoveled hay bacon, hash browns, and sauteed vegetables into her muzzle before sprinting out the door with a quick “Thanks ma, delicious, gotta go, have, plans, love ya. Bye!”
To the untrained ear it was nothing more than an unintelligible jumble. To anyone who spent any amount of time in Ponyville—especially near the Cutie Mark Crusaders or Pinkie Pie for that matter—it was as clear as day.
In a flash, Scootaloo donned her helmet and fired up her wings, jumped onto her two-wheeled speeder and sprinted through town. Her diminutive wings filled the air with a rapid buzzing. With much to do and little time to do it in, Scootaloo buzzed through town, narrowly avoiding a collision with Vinyl Scratch and her…. she wasn’t quite sure what the speaker box was with the suspicious red button on top.
Successfully navigating her way through town, Scootaloo managed to avoid any major catastrophes, save for her wings giving Roseluck’s flower stand an unnecessarily close trim. Plucking several thorns from her coat as she buzzed by it, the filly swore Roseluck’s screams of “the horror!” would never stop.
Rounding the bend to Fluttershy’s cottage the filly hopped off her scooter and made a beeline for the door. Checking the window to see if she was home, the butter-colored pegasus with cherry blossom hair was fluttering to and fro inside with a bag of feed and chasing a white bunny. Scootaloo couldn’t hear what was going on; but from the animated paw shakes and pantomimed noose that the demonic pet was making, it seemed like Fluttershy was on the losing side of the battle to get the critter to eat.
Stepping back to the door, Scootaloo let loose a quick rap of her hoof as she yelled out for the timid mare. “Fluttershy! I need your help!”
A loud “eep!” emanated from inside the humble abode, followed by a loud thud, and then silence. Stepping back to the window, Scootaloo could see a distinct cloud of dust around a freshly made hole in the ceiling with a cherry blossom tail hanging out of it.
Scootaloo facehoofed. “Fluttershy,” she yelled out while tapping on the glass, “it’s just me! Scootaloo! Hello?”
Tail disappearing into the hole, suddenly a yellow face peeked out, hidden behind pink mane. “Oh. Um… hi.” Satisfied there were no raging dragons, ferocious beasts, wall-eyed mail mares, or other scary intruders, she flew down and opened the door for the frantic little filly.
“Is… is everything alright, Scootaloo? Care for some tea? I just brewed a fresh pot before lunch… I hope it’s not cold already.”
“No thanks, Fluttershy! But I do need your help with something.” The filly began explaining her plan to impress Rainbow Dash in earnest, the grown pegasus just listening with her usual timid smile.
“That’s where you come in, ‘Shy! I… I know I can’t do this on my own. But if there just so happened to be a flock of something that needed to get across to the river… or just so happened to be something coming back the other way…” the filly stared up at Fluttershy with eyes that only foals can muster. One look at the adorable filly and Fluttershy never stood a chance.
“Oh well… um… I mean… if you really want me to… I guess it’s for a good cause.” The pegasus suddenly felt a bit heavier as a pair of orange forelegs wrapped themselves around her withers.
“Oh thank you thank you thank you! You’re the best!” Donning her helmet and grabbing her scooter, the speedster took the road to Ponyville. “I’ll see you soon, Fluttershy!”
One down, five to go! Scootaloo was as giddy as a filly about to be let out of school for the summer. Zooming into town with a trail of dust and leaves behind her, she set her sights on the place she knew could never let her down. Her mouth started to water at the thought of all the delicious baked goods and… No. Stop it. Bad Scootaloo! Treats later. Right now it’s time for action. With her mind back on the prize she made for the door of Sugar Cube Corner.
“Pinkie Pi—” her sentence was cut short as what could only be described as a culinary work of art was thrust into her maw by a pink blur. Whatever was on Scootaloo’s mind at the time melted away with the bliss that was the pastry presently melting in her muzzle.
“Well, whatcha think? Huh? Huh? Huh?” Pinkie Pie’s rapid-as-ever speech filled the air while she waited for the filly to recover. “It’s my new secret recipe! I’ve been working on it for-EVER! I think I finally got it down, whatcha think?” The filly could only nod as her eyes glazed over.
“Woohoo!” The Ponyville’s premier party pony jumped, hooves held high in success, her cotton candy mane bouncing to the motion. “I wasn’t really sure and didn’t want to be a bother to anyone so I thought how could I get someone to—”
“Pinkie Pie,” Scootaloo deadpanned.
“—try my new recipe without bothering them but then I realized SURPRISE CUPCAKES! Because I mean who doesn’t like surprises? OR cupcakes? They’re totally—”
“PINKIE PIE!” This time the filly shouted as loud as she could, catching the party pony’s attention.
“Yesssssssssssss Scootaloo?”
“I need your help with something.” The filly began an explanation as quickly as she could.
“You need me to make the most awesomest most super totally fabulous party ever to distract Rainbow Dash so you can win a race? I have juuuuuuuust the thing to make it go off with a… blast.” Pinkie’s hooves rubbed together as she laughed maniacally.
The filly just nodded and backed away slowly, unsure where the dark clouds or lightning flashes behind the party pony were coming from… or how they vanished just as quickly as soon as she stopped rubbing her hooves.
“How did you know that?” Scootaloo asked, shocked.
“Just a hunch. Let’s see, I’ll need streamers, and balloons, and…”
“Well, thanks Pinkie! I’ll see you in a bit!” Before the party planner could say another word or force feed her another sweet, the orange and purple blur was out the door and heading down the road.
Phew! Two down, three to go… not that I don’t love Pinkie Pie, but that was just getting weird…. even by her standards. The energetic filly made a beeline straight for her next target. Under normal circumstances she wouldn’t worry about this particular pony. However, after the last time she, Sweetie, and Apple Bloom had gotten together, the alabaster-white unicorn had been a touch more irate with the filly. With a sigh the pegasus prepared herself for the worst. It’s not like it was MY fault Sweetie Belle couldn’t handle the chainsaw…
Approaching the front door to Carousel Boutique the filly who was brash, arrogant, and generally feeling on top of the world stopped cold. She gulped before pushing open the door and heading inside. The bell overhead rang, filling the boutique with a delicate jingle.
“Welcome to Carousel Boutique, where everything is—” Rarity began her usual greeting as she walked into view from the rear of the store, but as her eyes settled on the filly she stopped. Her eyes narrowed. The orange pegasus filly stopped and gulped again. She recognized that look. This wasn’t the look of anger. This wasn’t the look of distaste. This was… was…
“No. Nope. Nope nope nope!” The filly turned to run but was encircled in an aura of magic from the unicorn and pulled quite deftly through the air to follow the seamstress into the back. Scootaloo’s short legs scrambled, begging for a surface to grab onto and run. Her wings flapped as fast as she could make them. Nothing helped and she let out a sigh as her head hung slow, resigned to her fate.
“Scootaloo, darling! So wonderful to see you again. I know things did not go quite… as intended the last time we spoke, however that’s all water under the bridge. Lately I’ve been working on a new piece that would simply be adorable for a little pegasus such as yourself, but I’ve been in need of a model to perfect the sizing.” The happiness flowed from the unicorn as Scootaloo was dragged to a fate worse than death.
Being a living, breathing, ponnequin for the Ponyville’s premier fashionista.
“Wait! Rarity. What if… what if I could get you a better model? Somepony more elusive than me.” At her words, Rarity paused. “I mean not that I wouldn’t be honored to model for you,” a little flattery never hurt when it came to saving one’s flank. “But, what if there was another, more dashing pegasus I could send your way?”
“Scootaloo… are you… are you saying what I think you’re saying?” The fashionista put the filly down, now focussing entirely on what she had to say. “I can’t get that mare to sit still for a fitting for the life of me! Do you really mean you could get her here? Voluntarily?”
“Well…. getting her here? Absolutely,” Scootaloo said with an evil grin. “Although after that, some suggestion may be required. The magic you used on me may be of some assistance though…” and so the nefarious pony began to spin her plan to the high class mare.
After several more minutes the bell lightly rang through the shop as the front door opened and a diminutive pegasus was pushed through the door with a hoof. Soft ramblings about ‘needing to prepare’ followed Rarity back inside, leaving Scootaloo to shake her head. She was just happy to have escaped without having been wrapped in a brand new frou-frou outfit. Thank Celestia.
Shaking off the thought of that fate worse than death, Scootaloo began buzzing through the town to her next stop. The crystal castle was home to the most studious mare the mini-filly had ever met, even compared to Ms. Cheerilee. And she knew everything!
Walking into the castle Scootaloo called out as loud as she could, her voice echoing down the empty halls. “Twilight! Are you here?” As if in reply, a loud explosion echoed back to her. Slowly, the thudding of steps ascending the stairs came to a head before the door to the new lab swung open.
Out of a plume of black smoke a tiny purple and green dragon emerged. “Nope, nope, nope,” he muttered. Stopping only briefly to look at the stunned filly, he shrugged and then proceeded upstairs to the bathroom, trailing soot and smoke in his wake.
A voice bounded up the stairs and down the hallway after the baby dragon. “Spiiiiiiiiiike, wait! Get back here! We need to record the results!” A slightly crazed looking lavender alicorn galloped up after him. Scootaloo took one look at a face that was one dog-eared page or one smudged cover away from another “Smarty Pants” level mental breakdown.
Before Twilight could say anything, the filly had disappeared through the door and was blocks away, forcing her scooter to go as fast at it could.
Barrelling out of Ponyville towards her final piece of the puzzle, Sweet Apple Acres quickly grew on the horizon. Horseapples… three for four… Although Applejack should be a sure thing at least.
Closing in on the farm house, she passed the turn off for the Cutie Mark Crusader clubhouse. Eyes grew wider than Elizabeak’s fresh eggs as one very important fact she had neglected hit her like a ton of bricks.
It was just the other day she had attempted to help Apple Bloom subvert Applejack in her quest for golden delicious goodness. Ponyfeathers.
Rather than her usually brash approach, the filly wagered on a more subtle attempt. Slowly approaching the front of the farm she halted and quickly changed course. Granny Smith was gently rocking in her chair out front. Asleep or not, the previous day’s memories of the mare wielding a knitting needle were best left unrepeated.
Approaching the back of the Apple family household, smells of fresh baked pie slowly began to take root in the filly’s nose. Tantalized as she was, Scootaloo failed to watch where she was walking, and planted herself firmly into the side of Applejack’s flank.
“Well shucks, if it ain’t the gettaway flyer from yesterday’s little stunt.” The orange farm mare glared back at her sister’s partner in crime, who was now trying to look anywhere but the farmer’s eyes.
“I uh… well… you see....”
“An’ Ah hear that Granny Smith’s been workin’ on knittin a new project that she could really use some help with. Why, after that lil’ stunt Ah’d say yer jus’ the pony to help hold it while she works.”
The thought of being on the receiving end of a knitting needle flashed through Scootaloo’s mind. The balloon had popped as if it were nothing. A steel needle glinted in her deepest fears as the mad old mare cackled and popped Scootaloo herself.
Eyes wide, suddenly she realized this may not have been the best idea. Quickly looking down at her fetlock as if she were checking an imaginary watch, “Oh Applejack... riiiiiiight… I’ve got this thing to do at this place and it looks like, um… based on the trajectory of the sun and those birds I’d say it’s about time to um…. go…”
“Aw hay, don’t worry yerself about it, Ah couldn’t stay mad at ‘Bloom for that stunt, an’ Ah won’t be stayin’ mad at you.” Applejack turned to face the filly with a smile and a chuckle. “T’was just too easy a chance to pass up messin’ with ya, sugarcube.
“So does that mean Apple Bloom is free?” Scootaloo asked with wings buzzing excitedly, all fears quickly forgotten.
“Not quite. Ah said Ah wasn’t mad at y’all fer the balloon incident. She went an’ got herself in a heap more o’ trouble after that though. But if’n you’d like, yer welcome to stay for lunch.”
“Oh no, I can’t, I’ve got some big plans for today… hey, wait a minute, if it’s almost lunch and there’s a pie in the oven, why’re you out here?”
“Big Mac’s got the cookin’ covered today. We gotta get the last of last year’s cider stock out’a the cellar and into the barn so it can hold everypony over until this year’s batch is ready.
A light quickly went on over Scootaloo’s head, prompting a peculiar look from Applejack. Looking up she saw several lightning bugs engaged in what were decidedly not foal-friendly activities. With a loud shriek she proceeded to wave her hooves to dismiss them, as she scampered away from the rather risque display.
“Anyyyyyyways, so you’ve got some cider left, you say? Can I ask your help with something?
Five minutes, several pressing questions, and 27 pantomimes later, the farm pony still wasn’t convinced.
Actually, truth be told, she had been convinced the moment Scootaloo had mentioned her plot was against Rainbow Dash. But, that didn’t mean the farmer hadn’t learned a thing or two about negotiating terms of any deal thrown her way in her years of experience.
Finally, after getting Scootaloo to promise to keep the cyan flyer so busy she’d stay away from using Sweet Apple Acres for naps for a month and a pinkie promise to the same, spit-covered hooves were bumped and the deal was sealed. Walking back to her scooter, the filly rubbed her eye. No matter how many times she made a pinkie promise she had not yet perfected the art of not poking herself when miming the cupcake portion of the act.
Four out of five ain’t bad, Scootaloo hummed happily to herself as she made her way to the outskirts of town. I still wish Twilight wouldn’t have been all evil genius, but whatever. I think I actually have a shot! Slowing as she approached the shadow that hung over the hills, she looked up to her target.
“Rainbow! Hey, Rainbow Dash!
*****
Anypony in town would’ve been crazy to stay in the middle of the street today. From the distance, two rapidly growing clouds of dirt and dust were approaching the city at speeds unheard of. First a tiny purple and orange blur buzzed fast, followed later by a cyan blur with a polychromatic color stream in its wake. Every time the cyan blur was about to take the lead, an ‘unfortunate’ happenstance would strip the opportunity.
Scootaloo looked back as she zoomed along the roadway, giddy as a school filly and giggling all the while. Admittedly, she was never one to admit to giggling or any other activities she would consider ‘uncool’, but that thought was quickly forgotten as her lead would continue to lengthen and her plan went off without a hitch.
Lone cries of distress and anger were all that Scootaloo could hear as she rounded Sweet Apple Acres and made for the finish line. This time she was going to do it. She would best her idol and win her idol’s official support and training.
The poster of Captain Spitfire was just icing on the cake.
A slow smile crept across her muzzle and her brow furrowed as the finish line came into sight. I’ve got this. I’VE GOT THIS! I’ve—
A cyan plur brushed past her so fast that the force of her wake knocked the filly off balance and onto her flanks.
Scootaloo watched in horror as the blur got closer to the finish line. She couldn’t believe it. She did something totally uncool. She lay down and cried. Starting with a sob and sniffle of her nose, tears rolled down her cheeks. She failed.
Rainbow Dash was within spitting distance from the finish line when she stopped dead in her tracks. Her ears swiveled back on her head towards the sound of… of… is that… crying? Turning around she saw the filly with hopes of grandeur and a heart as pure as Rarity’s coat was white. She was sobbing in the dirt. Dash looked back over her shoulder to the finish line, and then back to Scootaloo. Finish line. Scootaloo. Finish line.
Scootaloo lay in the road, muzzle buried in her forehooves. Tears mixed with dust and stained her cheeks, when a shadow overtook her eyes and gravelly voice spoke up.
Her tears stopped flowing when a cyan hoof lifted her up out of the dirt and placed her onto its owner’s back. Scootaloo looked down in shock as she was placed upon Rainbow’s haunches. The cyan pegasus was breathing heavily, her muscles tensed from exhausting herself.
She didn’t say a word, Rainbow Dash simply walked over to the finish line and they crossed it together.
“Ra… Rainbow Dash, what are you doing?” Scootaloo asked as they tied the race.
“Me? Nothing,” Rainbow replied with a smile. “I just stopped to help my little sister on the side of the road, what sort of mare would I be if I didn’t do that?”
“I... but… you… the race… passed me…”
“Check the scoreboard,” Rainbow replied with a smile. “turns out we tied, and only an awesome filly that was worthy to become my apprentice could ever hope to tie with someone like me.”
She picked up Scootaloo with her wings and placed her back down on the ground..The cheering crowd that had gathered around to watch the end of the impromptu race were all around them, shouting Scootaloo’s name. “So no more tears, we both won until you're ready to take me on for real.”
“Thank… thank you,” Scootaloo said between sniffles with a small smile.
“Nope, you earned this one Scoots. Although I’m keeping my poster, I think I might have one that you’d like better.”
Disappearing in a blur towards her mansion in the sky, she left Scootaloo alone to comprehend all that just happened.
Landing with a thud behind the filly, Dash called out to her and tossed her a box. This was something Rainbow Dash had been holding onto for just the right occasion. “Yours fair and square… well… square anyways,” she said with a sly look on her face. “I’m not sure how fair that whole thing was, but it takes a pretty awesome pony to pull that off. So I’ll allow it.”
Scootaloo opened the box and her eyes grew to the size of saucers as she pulled out what was inside. It wasn’t a poster of Spitfire in her flight suit or dress blues. It was a picture of a familiar cyan pegasus in her Wonderbolts Reserves uniform. It was a genuine, first edition print of Rainbow Dash. “I wont tell you how many strings I had to pull to get one of those made, not an easy task for a mare who is just in the reserves,” Rainbow said with a smile.
As Scootaloo fully took in the framed portrait, she read what was written at the bottom, “To my number one fan, Rainbow Dash.”
Scootaloo returned her poster to the box, jumped at Rainbow, and wrapped her in a giant hug, one that sought to crush the life from the pegasus. Rainbow smiled as she wrapped a hoof around Scootaloo’s tiny body, feeling her sob in pure joy. “I hope your ready for what’s coming, squirt. I’m going to push you past the brink, so much so you may end up hating me, but one day…” she pulled the little orange pegasus away from her chest, “we’ll race again, and you’ll beat me for real.”
Scootaloo wiped a tear from her eyes before saying, “Thank you so much, Rainbow Dash.”
“Not a bad day, huh?”
“Best. Day. Ever!”
Scootaloo’s wings buzzed in excitement as she stretched her hooves in anticipation for the most important race of her young life. Looking over at her idol she couldn’t help but admire the flyer’s form.
Rainbow was an athlete through and through. Beneath her glistening cyan coat lay taught muscles, under which beat the heart of a Wonderbolt. Nopony in Equestria could hope to match her in the air.
Scootaloo smiled. She knew all of that. By keeping Dash grounded… along with a few other surprises, Scootaloo figured he had evened the playing field.
“Whenever you’re ready, squirt!” Rainbow got into a crouch, flank held high in the air.
Scootaloo sat there.
And sat there.
And sat there.
Rainbow started to get antsy, hooves trembling with anticipation. “Well?” Standing up she gave the filly an inquisitive look. “Any day now!”
Scootaloo looked over at her ‘big sister’. She smiled inwardly.
“OnetwothreeGO!” With a flash, Scootaloo disappeared in a cloud of smoke in the direction of Fluttershy’s cottage. Dash was left quite literally in the dust, blinking with a ‘what just happened’ look on her face.
“Hey, no fair, get back here!” Rainbow shouted as she took off after the little orange and purple bolt of lightning.
The little pegasus was fast on her hooves, a clear indication that she had not skimped on her training. Each and every day she practiced, she raced, and ran just about everywhere, making sure that she was in the best shape she could manage.
She never stood a chance against Rainbow, not even in a hoof race. The cyan pegasus easily caught up to her, closing the distance in the blink of an eye.
The small pegasus was rather spritely. She reminded Rainbow of herself at that age.
She was about to catch up to the filly, just as she rounded the corner of the road passing Fluttershy’s cottage. However, when she made the turn herself, she had to flair her wings to stop on a bit. If she hadn’t, she would’ve ran muzzle first into a huge stop sign held up by a canary-colored pegasus. Fluttershy had picked that moment to act as a crossing guard to a family of little ducklings that was crossing the road.
Rainbow tried to duck past, “‘Shy!”
“Rainbow, the ducklings need to get back to their family. If you don’t mind... that is.”
Rainbow fumed as she stood on the tips of her hooves and looked past the ducklings; the little pegasus had ran under Fluttershy’s legs and was already sprinting past the cottage. “Hurry up, ‘Shy!”
“You can’t rush babies, Rainbow,” Fluttershy replied. “They’re very delicate and you have to be extra careful to make sure they stay safe.”
Rainbow offered a grunt in reply. Hopping back and forth on her hooves, she was chomping at the bit to begin the race again. No sooner had the ducklings finished crossing when several tortoise hatchlings began crossing, going in the opposite direction.
“Grrrrrr…. come on!” Rainbow shouted, stomping her hooves. No matter how much she tried though she couldn’t be mad. They reminded her too much of Tank.
Fluttershy happily held the stop sign directly in front of Rainbow’s path. The mare growled and started to flex her wings before remembering the ‘no-flying’ rule. Rainbow just stared at the familiar pegasus.
Is it me, or does Fluttershy look ALL too happy to be holding this up. She shook her head and dismissed the thought. Fluttershy is like that for every animal. She’d look just as happy for everything from a romp of otters to an army of frogs.
As soon as the last tortoise had crossed, Fluttershy lowered her sign and turned towards Rainbow. “Thank you for—”
She didn’t even have time to finish her sentence. Rainbow shot past her like a bat out of Tartarus, spinning the timid pegasus several times in place before she landed with a crash on her rump.
*****
The orange pegasus filly looked over her shoulder as she approached the boundary to Ponyville, looking for any hint of her rainbow-maned idol.
She let loose a giggle at the thought of Fluttershy’s critter friends slowing Rainbow down. Passing through the outermost buildings though, a blue blur appeared and was approaching quickly. The filly picked up the pace and shot past Sugar Cube Corner, her hoofbeats kicking up a venerable smokescreen of dust.
Rainbow was gaining on her biggest fan. Fluttershy’s distraction slowed her down, but it was nothing she couldn’t recover from. She watched the orange pegasus round Sugar Cube Corner, her purple tail flicking about in the breeze. She was gaining fast. She could almost hear the filly’s labored breathing. She was so close.
Rounding the curve to the bakery, Rainbow Dash yet again flared her wings in attempt to stop on a bit. Coming to rest in a cloud of confetti and streamers she let out a yelp. Pinkie Pie stood in the middle of the street, party cannon in hoof.
It wasn’t Ponyville’s premier party pony that caused her yelp, though. As soon as she stopped, a peculiar toothless alligator had decided that Rainbow’s tail looked good enough to eat… er… gum.
“Heyyyyyyyyyyy Dashie, you made it!” The pink party pony with the cotton candy mane bounced up to her and dropped a party hat on her head. “I wasn’t sure if you were gonna make it at first because I was worried your invitation got lost but then I remembered I didn’t send out invitations yet so how could it have gotten lost but then I realized that you couldn’t come at all if you didn’t know about it but here you are and you made it and I’m so happy!” Pinkie’s muzzle moved in a blur, not even stopping to allow a breath.
“Uhhh Pinks, that’s great but—” Rainbow tried to explain she wasn’t there for the party. She never stood a chance.
“Anyways I’m super-duper happy that you made it because Gummy would’ve been sooo sad if you didn’t. He’s getting older and today we’re celebrating a clean bill of health! It’s his ‘The Dentist didn’t find any cavities during his checkup’ party!” Pinkie set off her party cannon again, blasting the pegasus in even more confetti and streamers.
Eyebrow raised, she looked at the party pony positively befuddled. Gummy… dentist… what?
She looked over Pinkie’s shoulder and watched the filly disappearing down the street and around the next turn, gaining distance over the champion flyer. “Pinkie I—”
Pinkie just giggled. “Look at Gummy, he’s so happy you’re here!”
The alligator hung limply from Rainbow’s tail, the multicolored locks gripped firmly in his maw. He blinked… first his right eye, followed by his left.
“I’ve never seen Gummy so happy before!”
“Grrrrr! If I promise to come back later, can I go? I’m really in the middle of something realllllllly important.” Rainbow tapped a hoof impatiently.
Pinkie’s mane deflated. Rainbow wasn’t quite sure how that was possible but chalked it up to Pinkie being Pinkie.
“Do… do you Pinkie Promise?”
“Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye. OW!” Rainbow mimed the motions, quite literally poking herself in the eye with a hoof as she finished. She never had quite figured out how to manage not actually poking herself.
Pinkie’s mane quickly inflated back to its usual cotton-candy texture. “Okie dokie lokie!”
Rainbow Dash was off in a flash and with a flick of her tail sent Gummy flying straight into Pinkie’s mane. Once the dust had settled the party pony looked at her pet and giggled.
“Hehehe, do you think we got her, Gummy? I hope Scoots can actually pull this off!” Wheeling her party cannon back inside to bake more treats she began to prepare for Rainbow’s return to her ‘fake’ party. After all, she had to come back. Nopony breaks a pinkie promise.
No pony!
*****
Rainbow Dash bounded through downtown Ponyville, a cold chill running down her spine as she thought of just taking a nap after the race to avoid all the weirdness that had been happening. She shuddered at the thought. She knew nopony could break a Pinkie promise. She could swear she even heard Pinkie’s voice in the breeze screaming no pony!
Scootaloo’s hooves thundered through the town, every twist and turn taking her out of Rainbow’s line of sight. As she rounded Rarity’s boutique, Rainbow even swore she saw the filly give a wave and a nod to somepony out of sight.
Rounding the corner herself, Rainbow suddenly watched the little filly disappear at a rapid rate. What!? Try as she might, her hooves found no purchase as they attempted to rocket her ahead. Noticing the aura of magic surrounding her the tom-coltish pegasus stopped cold. No. Not now… please no…
“Why Rainbow Dash! Such a pleasant surprise to see you here! Come in, come in! We have much to discuss! I have a new line that I must say is simply divine and would suit you perfectly!”
Sweet Celestia, why hast thou forsaken me? Rainbow facehoofed. “Rarity, now is really not a good time.”
“Why Rainbow Dash, there is never not a good time for fashion! A mare must simply be looking her best all the time!” Rarity began to dig through several designs and folded fabrics as she placed the pegasus down in front of the mirror.
Taking the small opportunity to escape, Rainbow dashed for the front door, only for a magical aura to slam it shut seconds before she got there. Her muzzle quickly became very intimate with the wooden door. “Ow…”
“Now darling, I know my most loyal friend wouldn’t leave me high and dry, now would she?”
Rainbow pulled her muzzle out of the whole it had been occupying and started to rub it with a hoof, “Rarity, I really really REALLY don’t have time right now.”
“But I have so many designs and I need your help. Please Rainbow Dash?”
“Ugh!!!!” Rainbow muttered out loud. “But… I… fine! One dress though, ONE! And you only get two minutes, tops!” Rainbow knew at that time, based on Scoot’s speed, she’d be able to pass her around the apple farm. Even with a two minute delay.
“Oh, absolutely wonderful!”
“Minute fifty-nine, fifty-eight, fifty-seven,” Rainbow started, causing Rarity to rush to the back room.
Rarity hurriedly grabbed several pieces of fabric and a flowing, off-white dress before rushing back out to the pegasus. With a poof the dress was elegantly place on Rainbow Dash as Rarity rushed to accent the garment with bits of gold and blue fabric. “This particular piece is from my spring collection, specifically aimed at pegasi.”
Rainbow sighed to herself, “minute twelve, eleven, ten.”
Rarity quickly put the finishing touches on the outfit and let out a squee. Holding up a mirror so Dash could see herself her eyes glistened. “Rainbow Dash, you look positively divine! I wasn’t quite sure what to do to accent the cloud design, but these colors are perfect on you! The golden sunlight and touch of sky look simply regal.”
“Can I take this off now? I’m really starting to fall behind,” Rainbow trotted in place, eager to begin the race anew.
With a poof the dress magically removed itself and folded neatly into the box in Rarity’s hooves. “Oh Rainbow, pish posh, there are so many other designs we simply MUST perfect.” Turning back to her inspiration room, the bell over the front door chimed as Rainbow made a hasty exit.
Opal dropped her toy mouse and scampered upstairs as quick as her paws would allow.
*****
Rainbow Dash’s hooves thundered as she galloped through town, trying to make up for lost time. First Fluttershy, then Pinkie, and now Rarity? Once is random, twice is… well it’s Pinkie Pie… but this? Something’s not right…
Rounding the corner toward the Golden Oaks library she prayed to Celestia for no more interruptions. She paused briefly as Spike jumped from the balcony, still covered in soot, and ran from the tree screaming. A lavender mad scientist jumped after him with an eye twitch and a yell. “Spike! You can’t run forever! It’s for science!”
Rainbow thought about helping the baby dragon for all of one second before picking her hooves back up and continuing on. Poor little guy is on his own with this one… nopony stops Twilight from science.
Sweet Apple Acres crested the horizon and came into view as Rainbow Dash barreled toward where she believed she’d be able to catch her biggest fan. Putting some extra energy into her legs, she pressed herself harder to make up the distance as she passed the entrance to the farm and an orange farm pony setting up a roadside stand. Slamming her hooves to the ground she stopped and did a double-take on the sign that now hung in front of Applejack’s table.
The farmer chuckled as she waved a hoof at the assortment on display. “Well Dash, with this year’s season comin’ Ah got some new recipes to try, an’ what better way to know what’s good than to see what ponies like?”
Rainbow Dash walked to the table and lifted her forehooves to the edge, salivating at the delectable display of ciders before her: aged cider, hard cider, cinnamon infused, maple casked, even a few blends from the Apple Family’s private reserve. Picking up a glass of the cinnamon apple cider and gulping it down, Dash’s eyes rolled back and her tongue lolled to the side at the sweet taste. Placing it back down, Applejack immediately went to refill the glass.
Wait a second. Something wasn’t right, and Dash could tell. Since when is she so quick on the refills? Usually she’s telling me to slow down. Looking the farm pony square in the eyes, she waited. Applejack’s gaze shifted ever so slightly to the direction Scootaloo had run. It was a furtive movement, something a pony wouldn’t notice if they weren’t looking for it. But Rainbow Dash was looking, and she did notice it.
“Aww horseapples! She got to you, didn’t she!” Rainbow took off like a bat out of Tartarus down the road, trying to catch up to the trickster.
Galloping as fast as she could, Rainbow Dash made up for lost time. Onto the home stretch she could see Scootaloo in the distance, but she was growing rapidly. A smirk crossed Rainbow’s face as she passed the filly. So close, Scoots, yet so far.
Rainbow Dash was within spitting distance from the finish line when she stopped dead in her tracks. Her ears swiveled back on her head towards the sound of… of… is that… crying? Turning around she saw the filly with hopes of grandeur and a heart as pure as Rarity’s coat was white. She was sobbing in the dirt. Dash looked back over her shoulder to the finish line, and then back to Scootaloo. Finish line. Scootaloo. Finish line.
Turning back to her number one fan, she reached out a hoof and gently lifted Scootaloo’s muzzle. Dash smiled at the filly and carefully picked her up, placing her on her back and trotted towards the finish line with Scootaloo in tow.
“Ra… Rainbow Dash, what are you doing?” Scootaloo asked as they tied the race.
“Me? Nothing,” Rainbow replied with a smile. “I just stopped to help my little sister on the side of the road, what sort of mare would I be if I didn’t do that?”
“I... but… you… the race… passed me…”
“Check the scoreboard,” Rainbow replied with a smile. “turns out we tied, and only an awesome filly that was worthy to become my apprentice could ever hope to tie with someone like me.”
She picked up Scootaloo with her wings and placed her back down on the ground..The cheering crowd that had gathered around to watch the end of the impromptu race were all around them, shouting Scootaloo’s name. “So no more tears, we both won until you're ready to take me on for real.”
“Thank… thank you,” Scootaloo said between sniffles with a small smile.
