The sun had just begun to paint the sky with hues of gold, casting a warm glow through Rainbow Dash’s window. She had hoped that the early morning light might bring some clarity, but yesterday’s revelations clung to her thoughts like the lingering fog outside. After a brief stretch, she flew downstairs to the kitchen, her mind still tangled in the threads of a bizarre dream filled with Sonic Rainbooms, time machines, and—of all things—muffins.

As she stood in front of the pantry, she began rifling through its contents. “Oats?” she muttered, tossing the bag onto the counter. “Cereal?” She shook her head and let the box fall to the heap of rejected options. Then her eyes landed on a pack of six muffins—her favorite.

But instead of comfort, the sight sent a shiver down her spine. A flash of Derpy’s goofy smile from her dream flickered in her mind, and a knot tightened in her chest. She quickly slammed the pantry door shut. “Nope, not today,” she muttered.

Without another thought, Rainbow flew out of the house, hoping that a blast of fresh morning air would clear her head. She touched down at her mailbox, but the crisp air did little to dispel the chaos swirling in her mind. As she opened the mailbox, two letters greeted her: a boring advertisement from Barnyard Bargains and a brightly colored envelope from Scootaloo.

Rainbow tore open the envelope with her teeth, pulling out a cheerful letter written in Scootaloo’s messy hoofwriting.

“Hey, Rainbow Dash!

Can’t wait to see you again. Don’t forget, we’re meeting Derpy today!

Love, your little sister, Scootaloo.”

Rainbow’s stomach churned. “Right... today,” she muttered, feeling a heavy weight settle over her. The thought of seeing Derpy again sent waves of unease through her. Yesterday’s revelations had turned her world upside down, and she still hadn’t figured out how to deal with it. She hadn’t even found the courage to tell her parents—Windy Whistles and Bow Hothoof—that Derpy was her real mother. How could she possibly explain that to them?

With a frustrated sigh, Rainbow Dash made up her mind to skip Wonderbolts practice. “I can’t deal with this right now,” she mumbled, heading toward Ponyville. Her thoughts raced as she tried to make sense of everything, but nothing seemed to add up.

As she wandered aimlessly, lost in thought, something barreled into her from the side, sending her tumbling through the dirt.

“Whoa!” she yelped, flailing as she hit the ground in a tangle of limbs and wings.

“Rainbow!” Applejack’s voice called out, panicked.

Rainbow groaned, rubbing her head as she looked up. “Applejack? What the hay was that for?”

“Sorry, sugarcube, but have ya seen Rarity?” Applejack asked, eyes wide with urgency.

“Uh, no. Why?”

Applejack glanced around nervously, like she expected something to jump out of the bushes. “I can’t explain it all right now, but I gotta give her this book—” she held up an old, weathered tome “—and if I don’t, somethin’ real bad’s gonna happen.”

Rainbow blinked in confusion. “What are you talking about? You’re not making any sense!”

Applejack hesitated, clearly battling with her own thoughts. “It’s... it’s a time thingy!”

“A *what* now?”

"Listen, just—just forget we even had this conversation, alright?” Applejack looked more desperate by the second. “Promise me!”

Rainbow’s confusion deepened. "Uh... sure, I guess?"

Without another word, Applejack sprinted off, leaving Rainbow standing in the middle of the road, utterly baffled. "That was... weird," she muttered, shaking her head.

A couple of minutes later, Rainbow spotted Applejack again, calmly pulling an apple cart like nothing had happened. “Applejack?!”

Applejack looked up, smiling. “Mornin’, sugarcube! What’s got you in such a tizzy?”

Rainbow's eyes narrowed. "But... weren’t you just running off like the world was ending, talking about some book you had to give Rarity?"

Applejack blinked, clearly puzzled. "Book? What book?"

Rainbow’s wings flared in frustration. "Are you seriously telling me you don’t remember? You were just panicking about a book and a 'time thingy!'"

Applejack tilted her head. "Dash, you feelin' alright?"."

“I—ugh, never mind!” Rainbow Dash threw her hooves in the air, exasperated, and flew off, leaving her friend in the dust.

The rest of the morning passed in a blur of confusion. Nothing seemed to make sense, from the strange encounter with Applejack to the constant thoughts of Derpy that nagged at the back of her mind. By the time she reached Ponyville, she was emotionally exhausted.

She was nearing Sugarcube Corner when the familiar buzzing sound of Scootaloo’s scooter reached her ears.

“Hey, big sister!” Scootaloo skidded to a stop in front of Rainbow Dash, her face lit up with excitement.

Rainbow Dash forced a smile. “Hey, little sis.”

"Hey... little sister," Rainbow Dash chuckled nervously. "So, it’s official, huh?"

"Yup!" Scootaloo beamed, still glowing with excitement. "We're sisters, and twins to boot! I was so excited, I had to tell my Aunts."

Rainbow raised an eyebrow. "And how did they take it?"

"They were a bit confused at first, especially the 'twins' part," Scootaloo giggled. "But I think they accepted it in the end. They even want to meet you and Mom later!"

Rainbow Dash hesitated. "Right... So, how did you go with your homework?" Rainbow asked, eager to shift the conversation.

Scootaloo scratched the back of her head sheepishly. "Well... I got an A for creativity... not so much for, you know, integrity."

Rainbow Dash laughed dryly. "Yeah, well, I wouldn't have believed it either."

Scootaloo’s enthusiasm didn’t waver. “Oh, come on! It’s not every day you find out you have a sister—and that your real mom is Derpy of all ponies! How cool is that?”

Rainbow Dash chuckled nervously, though her heart wasn’t in it. “Yeah... cool.”

Scootaloo tilted her head. “You okay, Rainbow?”

Rainbow sighed. “I don’t know, kid. This whole thing... it’s just a lot. I haven’t even told my parents yet. How am I supposed to explain that Derpy is our birth mother?”

Scootaloo’s excitement dimmed slightly. “Do you think they’ll be mad?”

Rainbow chuckled dryly. "Are you kidding? They’d probably throw her a parade for giving birth to me and letting them raise me."

Scootaloo giggled. "Yeah, I can totally see that happening."

Rainbow smiled, ruffling Scootaloo’s mane "But they'll be happier knowing that you're my little sister."

Scootaloo could help but relish the thought and beamed a huge smile.

As they approached Derpy’s house, the mailmare herself trotted over, her eyes lighting up when she saw them. "Both of my babies are here!" Derpy exclaimed, pulling them into a warm embrace.

"Hi, Mom!" Scootaloo said brightly, while Rainbow managed a more subdued, "Hey."

Derpy’s eyes misted with happiness. "It’s so wonderful to see you two together. It feels like just yesterday I was holding you both."

Rainbow Dash slapped a hoof to her forehead. "That’s because it was yesterday," she grumbled.

Derpy giggled, clearly missing the sarcasm. "Oh, right! Muffin time!" She produced a basket of freshly baked muffins, the scent filling the air.

Both of the girls' eyes locked onto the single chocolate chip muffin that sat gloriously on top of the basket. "So, who gets first pick?" Scootaloo asked, her mouth already watering.

"I do," Rainbow said, smirking. "Older sister’s privilege."

Derpy blinked. "But Dashie, you can't be older. Scootaloo was born first."

Both Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash froze before staring at their mother utterly befuddled. "Wait, what?"

Rainbow’s face dropped. "What? Second? But I never come second!"

"But, how?" Scootaloo asked, scratching her head.

Derpy nodded sweetly. “It’s a time thing. But don’t worry about it! Muffin time!”

Rainbow Dash's jaw dropped, while Scootaloo’s face lit up like a Hearth's Warming tree.

"Oh my gosh, this is so awesome! I have a younger sister! That means I get first pick!" she squealed, snatching the muffin right from under Rainbow’s nose. "Older sister's privilege afterall."

"MOM!" Rainbow protested as Scootaloo gleefully took a bite.

Derpy just smiled, offering Rainbow another muffin. "It’s all relative in time, Dashie."

Author's Note

Doctor Whooves here.

Well I expect that every pony is going to want some sort of explanation as to who is the older and younger sister.

As you are aware, Scootaloo was born first, and because we were on such a tight schedule - with the collapse of the universe and all - we had to give her to her Aunts' in 912. By the time Rainbow Dash was born, we just managed to get to 905, in time for her to be the daughter of Windy Whistles and Bow Hothoof.

So clearly, Rainbow Dash is the younger sibling, while Scootaloo is the older. I guess Rainbow Dash is just going to have to get used to being second.