Equestria Days: Hearts, Hooves and Wings

To say the previous Hearts and Hooves Day had been an ordeal for Big Macintosh and Cheerilee is a bit of an understatement. This year, however, the two previously poisoned ponies shared a outdoor table at Sugar Cube Corner in the warmth of the sun, cheerfully chatting away about the mundane on what may or may not be a date.

The residents of Ponyville do indeed love to get into the sprit of celebration; they had left the town in an assortment of reds and whites, stickers and streamers. Ponies left and right were softly swooning over one another in the streets and shops, leaving the town air thick with love and friendship. A mysterious-looking figure, however, cut through the sweet fog as if the joyous occasion had simply been Tuesday.

Hidden in an alleyway behind dark sunglasses and a wide brimmed straw hat most likely pulled from one of Applejack’s scarecrows fluttered a dainty Pegasus. Peeking side to side, obviously worked into anxiety due to the number of people packing the streets for the holiday, she’d set foot out only to find herself in the path of an oncoming pony.

Trotting away, lost in inspiration, unicorn with the pristine white coat and luxurious lavender mane barely managed to buckle to a stop before running into her spa friend forever. Rarity was initially irritated at the carelessness of somepony’s negligence; after all, a lady was walking here! But irritation soon turned to warmth upon recognizing her friend through her paper thin disguise.

“Fluttershy, darling! What ever are you doing hiding out here in that… um, delightful little hat? Everypony who is anypony is looking for you.”

Snowy Unicorn put on the best smile she could as not to offend the tastes of one of her closest friends. Pegasus yelped, audible to everyone in a five foot radius, upon being confronted. A sigh of relief soon followed.

“Oh Rarity! I’m sorry. I didn’t see you there.” The subtle trademark hum of Unicorn magic in the works filled the narrow alley as strips of green ribbon flicked about, entwining itself in the loose weave of Flutershy’s borrowed hat, dainty Pegasus oblivious to the impromptu makeover. “I know! I’ve been trying to hide all morning. My cottage has been swamped by reporters and ponies who want me to spend the day with them.”

“We ladies in fashion can be a bit stubborn, but I think that Photo Finish may be singling you out, dear. Not much we can do about it now, I’m afraid. Hm… Gems or flowers?”

“I’ve been getting both.” Fluttershy mistook her friend’s musing.

“Darling, that’s fantastic! Gems and flowers from adoring fans? I’m jealous!” The plethora of notions and niceties floating about Fluttershy’s head came to a pause, Rarity giving her best smile. “…But not too jealous, of course.”

Assurances aside, while the two pony friends chatted away, one of the clouds hovering above Ponyville had been drifting about as if it had a will of its own. Unlike the sparse few other clouds in the sky, which proudly billowed out in pristine white puffiness, this lone nimbus puttered around in a state of gray melancholia.

Rainbow Dash lounged back against the floating pillow, eyes peering off into the infinite expanse of  impossibly blue sky, the Pegasus completely lost on what to do. She thought she had this all down pat.

Wake up, manage the weather, do what I want. Easy peasy? Rainbow mused silently, trying to rationalize the worries and responsibilities nipping at her flank. While drifting in her thoughts, the makeshift couch Rainbow Dash had been resting on grew into a miniature storm cloud, much to the chagrin of Applejack, who certainly did not approve of an unscheduled rain in the middle of gathering flowers in the east field. Even she could agree that selling bouquets during the love-filled holiday to help Sweet Apple Acres through the early parts of the apple growing season was another one of  Big Macintosh’s good ideas. In fact, that awfully quiet stallion seemed to have those all the time. Despite this, never in a million years would she learn the story that lead to the inspiration. Shaking her head, Applejack kicked up a bit of dust as she looked up at the gray blob that marred an otherwise clear spring sky.

“What in tarnation? What’s that weather patrol doin’? I’ll bet Rainbow Dash’s nappin’ on the job. Well, I don‘t need no gloomy ol‘ cloud rainin‘ on this here parade!”

The middle child of Sweet Apple Acres trotted over to the small pile of supplies kept handy for work in the fields and quickly had her trusty lasso spinning about as naturally as shaking out her mane. Taking matters into her own hooves, Applejack hurled that heavy rope into the sky and looped around the middle of that saturated puffball, leaving the Earth pony to slowly haul it toward the ground. If she can’t get alter the weather like her Pegasus friends, at least she can move it.

As the small cloud came down to eye level, Applejack wondering what to do with it, a semi-proud smile was plastered over an otherwise sheepish blue face. Caught in that little lariat act was the perpetrator of precipitation.

“Eh heh. Heya AJ.”

“Rainbow Dash! What are you doing bringing rain clouds over mah farm? I’m awfully busy and can’t be fool to any of yer pranks today.”

Puzzled, Rainbow squirmed around to bear witness to exactly what Applejack had been fuming about, actually not meaning to cause trouble for once, leaving her wide eyed.  The cloud had been white when she rest on it after suddenly leaving Fluttershy’s cottage, but it must have absorbed moisture somewhere along the way while Dash moped about.

“Hey! I dunno what happened! It must have soaked up some water from the other clouds when I wasn’t paying attention. Uhm… New trick?”

Two pairs of eyes graced the skies, one skeptical and the other slightly embarrassed. There weren’t that many other clouds in the sky and Applejack smelled a bad egg. Loosening the rope to let her friend free to fix this situation, the rancher adjusted her well worn hat and turned in the direction of work.

“Well, whatever it is yer doin’, could you please do it somewhere else, sugarcube? At least clear up that gloomy looking cloud. Such a dark thing. Givin’ me the willies!”

Rainbow Dash stretched out her wings and rolled off the cloud to hover gently in front of her freckled friend, indicating that the request was out of her league.

“Oh. I can’t do that. It’s a rain cloud.”

“Cantcha just make it poof like you always do?”

“Nonono. You’re thinking of the cumulus clouds! These  are nimbus clouds. They have to get rid of all their rainwater first.”

Ears flopped down in confusion on all the rules that Pegasi had when it comes to controlling weather, and that left Applejack with a sigh. The weather was scheduled for a reason, and Sweet Apple Acres couldn’t handle a freak patch of rain, but AJ could be just as clever as her older brother.

Rainbow Dash hopped up and down on the now charcoal-colored cloud, stamping her hooves against its wispy surface, causing the water stored in its plush form to gush downward into the open top of the farm’s once empty water tower. As the droplets came down in a torrent, the cloud grew lighter and lighter until it all but disappeared in a fine mist, leaving Applejack’s water supply solid for the season.

“So anyway, Rainbow. Magic clouds aside, what brings you around here? I figured you‘d be back in the heart of Ponyville trying to schmooze the them Wonderbolts.” Heavy valve twist shut with the help of Bucky McGillicuddy and Kicks McGee with a loud clang, Applejack noticeably less tense and growing warmer in the presence of her friend as a nice change of pace to the absurd amounts of work she made a habit of piling onto herself.

“Well, I was just at Fluttershy’s…” Rainbow Dash trailed off for a moment before catching herself getting stuck in a moment of weakness.  “But now I gotta find those Cuite Mark Pipsqueaks. Me and Scootaloo need to have a wing-to-wing talk. Pegasus stuff. Real hush hush.” Perhaps it was best not to get into detail about the filly’s situation, let alone Dash’s own emotional attachment to the runt.

“Oh! You mean Apple Bloom’s little Crusader friends? Well, AB left with Rarity’s little sister, but not the one with the scooter. Maybe yeh can try the clubhouse? But for me, I gotta get back to work, Rainbow. It was good seein’ ya.”

The gurgle of a grumbling tummy and shuffling hooves filled the otherwise empty clubhouse. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle had spent the day at Carousel Boutique, throwing a filly fashion show to help Rarity with her newest line of  foalwear. Scootaloo notably excused herself from such girly activities on a regular basis, preferring to work on her stunts just like her idol. What fan club president would she be otherwise? Still, though, the tangerine pony still hoped they’d at least bring snacks back this time.  Stomach growled once more as the miniature Pegasus sat on the middle of the clubhouse floor, trying to piece together her scooter from a pile of broken, mangled an otherwise exploded parts.

“Why couldn’t Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom have gone to Sugar Cube Corner? I can’t think on an empty stomach!” Scootaloo slumped over the deck of her means of transportation, as dejected as she was famished. “I just hope there isn’t a cutie mark for eating chicken feed…”

She hated being called a chicken! She was as brave as any pony, and fearlessly challenged the skies that seemed unwelcome to her. Being the oldest non-flying Pegasus she knew, the insult cut like a knife and here she had to stoop to the level of subsiding as one.

It started as a sniffle or two, but when the first teardrop hit the pastel painted floor the sobbing began. Ears flopped down and stubby wings hugged tightly against a lithe body for the warmth and protection that such a life sorely lacked until it was only the charred scooter that held the filly high enough from the floor that she didn’t rest in a pool of her own tears.

Rainbow Dash had witnessed Scootaloo’s pitiful breakdown, chewing on her own bottom lip the entire time. How could she possibly go in there and console such a broken bird? But she very well couldn’t just leave her go! Rainbow hated being alone more than anything. Hated. A feeling used for nothing else in the Pegasus’ life but loneliness. That icy grip still plagued her soul to this very day from a past carefully buried beneath the warmth of friendship provided by her five true companions.

“Help! I need the help of none other than THE CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS!”

A scratchy, high pitched voice called out dripping with comic book drama. Sounds serious.

Filly ears perked up, as Scootaloo rose to her feet to clear the mess from her face to address the call. It couldn’t possibly be who she thought it was. That somepony was just way too cool to need the help from such a prolific secret society of three school-aged fillies.  Mane all tussled, coat matted up and eyes bearing the fruits of a hard session of bawling, Scootaloo peeked out the window.

“Rainbow Dash! Its just me up here today. The other Crusaders are at the boutique so I don’t know how much use I can be to you…” The young pony kicked her legs just enough to push her way out of the window onto the deck of the Crusader’s Headquarters. The elder Pegasus flew up beside the runt, continuing the dramatic performance to mask her own insecurity.

“I have a mission of the utmost importance. All of Ponyville hangs in the balance! And only us Pegasi can pull this off. Are you in, squirt?” This caused the slightly bloodshot purple eyes to dilate and tiny mouth to hang open, leaving Scootaloo to nod slack jawed. She may have been tired and hungry, but whenever Rainbow Dash was around, she lit up like Hearth’s Warming Eve.

“Do I?! What is the mission, boss?”

Rainbow Dash paced back and forth partially for effect but mostly to hide the fact she had been shaking the whole time,  still wondering if she really had the guts to go through with even half of what she had planned. Inhaling sharply, she’d lay down the mission specs, having dug herself into actually going through with searching out for a certain somepony thanks to this charade.

“As of right now, Crusader, one of our own is under siege in Ponyville by--”

“Siege?”

“ Um. Like she’s under attack.”

“Under attack?! We haveta saver her, Rainbow Dash!”

The bright blue Pegasus could barely contain a chuckle building up, despite how stressful it has been for a time. She still wasn’t sure if she could be anything resembling a caregiver, or even a big sister, but by Celestia… if the pipsqueak wasn’t growing on her!

“Uh. Yes. I know. That’s the mission, squirt. There’s a whole bunch of people that are bugging the hay out of her. Again. And we have to protect her from them. …Again.”

Leaning down to take Scootaloo’s mane in her mouth, Rainbow Dash lifts the filly up and onto her back, letting her cling tightly around the elder’s neck and multihued mane. Finally riding on somepony’s back! Just like her friends. Just how she always wanted to do, but never had anypony.

“I don’t have siblings I can rely on in times like this like Rarity or Applejack. Think you can fill the gap, Scoots?”

Rainbow simply just looked ahead, painfully aware how cheesy she must have sounded trying to come up with the coolest and least embarrassing things to say. Scootaloo let the tough older filly mask fall away as she clung tightly into Rainbow Dash’s mane, her squeaky voice muffled against the soft blue coat between sniffles.

“So who are we saving… big sis?”

Dash didn’t correct the tangerine troublemaker as those strong wings beat downward with enough force to lie the two of them from the clubhouse and send the flags and streamers onto their ends.

“Just a very special somepony.”