The Colorful Aftermath

Chapters

Left Hanging
Break
Brush Out
Keep Practicing

Left Hanging

It was early morning in Ponyville, the sun merely inches above the apple tree hills. The trees themselves proved to be formidable barriers to the sun's warm light, their foliage thick with both leaves and apples. A soft, crisp breeze rushed through, rustling the leaves and shaking a few loose apples to the ground with its green tufts of trimmed grass—over here, there's an apple, rolling around, underneath the white picket fence, and on to the dirt path.

If a pony were to tread this dirt path, he would find himself at the family farm of Sweet Apple Acres. That huge red barn taking up all the space and the attention for any visitor—this was the centerpiece of the farm, although there were other things to appreciate, too, like the chicken coop by the vine-riddled entrance and the well just across. Despite the name, apples were not the only produce here; opposite the apple trees, past the barn, were the corn fields with budding stalks, and the carrots and radishes growing from beneath. What made the place complete were bales of hay laying here and there.

In front of the barn's huge doors which led into a big open space inside, a table was set. Covered in red and white cloth designed like a picnic mat, the surface was beset with the overwhelming aroma of farm fare: steaming hot apple pies accompanied by sizzling and appetizing apple fritters, thick candied apples coupled with sweet and moist apple cake, apple turnovers topped with sliced apples and apple-flavored cream—which had a tinge of red—and all of this was topped with mugs of apple cider.

Seated around the table were those six friends: Applejack, wearing her trusty hat over her blonde mane; Fluttershy, staring at the smorgasbord of food before her; Pinkie Pie, licking her lips so much, she let some of her saliva splash onto her slice of apple pie; Rarity, busy with tying a napkin around her neck and levitating her utensils into their correct positions; Twilight Sparkle, watching all of this activity happen with a hoof on a book entitled Apples: How This Fruit Shaped Equestria as We Know It; and, finally, Rainbow Dash, still not taking her seat, opting to hover over her wooden stool while also adoring the food before her, examining each unique meal from afar.

"You know what, Twilight?" Applejack said in her country accent. "I still can't believe they're talkin' about us!"

Twilight smiled. "Well, of course, Applejack. What else could they do when they see us as the mares who single-hoofedly protected Equestria from certain doom?"

Fluttershy blinked. "But, i-it's been days. It's uncomfortable to have a pony come to my c-cottage out of nowhere."

Twilight twirled her hoof around. "Just hold it off, Fluttershy. Give it a week, and it'll all cool off."

Rainbow sat down, smiling. "A week would be more than enough! Do you know Scootaloo?"

Twilight shook her head, letting her mane flip about. "I've heard her name before. Who's she?"

"She's the president of the Official Rainbow Dash Fan Club! Wants to be just like me, and, last time I heard, I'm getting a substantial following there."

Twilight rolled her eyes, let out a small laugh. "We might have to write to Princess Celestia about your ego issues."

Rainbow raised a brow. "Ego issues? You could say I brag a lot, but it isn't bragging if it's true—" and proceeded to cross her forelegs.

Twilight moaned, noticing the looks she was garnering from her friends. "Well, maybe a pie or two would lighten up the mood and make you more...comfortable?"

Rainbow felt and heard her stomach rumble.

Everyone looked her way.

She shrugged her shoulders. "What? I woke up early and cleared the skies for you."

Rarity closed her eyes and tilted her head upward, appearing snooty. "If you're hungry, Rainbow Dash, don't make it obvious. There is such a thing as 'table manners'."

"I can't control my stomach, OK?" Rainbow countered.

Applejack stretched a hoof to the table, keeping up a smile. "Let's not get too ahead of ourselves here! The food's gettin' cold, and I don't wanna be servin' you stale breakfast."

Pinkie nodded, slobbering all over her plate except for her pie slice. "Finally! Somepony I could agree on!"

Fluttershy nodded, too. "I-I d-don't like a-arguing over food...or, a-at all. Especially in the morning."

Twilight placed her book away. "Then, let's chow down, shall we?"

With Pinkie Pie the first one by slurping the whole slice into her mouth, chewing three times, then gulped it down.

Twilight gasped, gawking at her with shock. "Even this early, you eat like that? How do you do it?" She levitated a quill and a notepad into view. "Is it genetic?"

Pinkie shook her head. "Silly Twilight! It's not like I have a black hole inside that sucks up everything I eat!"

Twilight placed her writing material back, ears drooped in confusion. "Uh, you...don't?"

Rarity quietly cutting her slice of pie into neat little apple cubes, floating her knife and fork just so.

"Let her be," Applejack said to the curious Twilight, motioning to a sloppy Pinkie pouring pecans into her mouth. "She's good for leftovers, at least."

Twilight nodded. "Oh. If that's the case...I'll get on with eating."

She floated an apple, took a bite out of it.

Rainbow Dash rubbed her hooves, her mouth watering at the sight of all the overflowing plates of fresh food. "This is gonna be a treat! Thanks, Applejack!"

The farmer chuckled a bit. "Don't mention it. Just me being generous with y'all—"

"Hey!" Pinkie shouted, her mouth half-full. "Shouldn't Rarity be the generous one? You're stealing her Element!" She gulped down the rest of her food, screamed, and opened an umbrella. "Applejack's going to steal all of our Elements and take over the world with her apple trees!"

Fluttershy shuddered, but still went on, eating her mushroom soup garnished with apple slices.

Applejack groaned. "For the third time, Pinkie, I don't have plans for takin' over Equestria!"

Rainbow, ignoring the farmpony's futile argument against the pink mare, stretched her arms, cracked her neck, and let out a sigh of relief, her eyes resting upon her first serving of apple breakfast. "Alright! Time to rest in the fruits of awesomeness again!"

"Mail for Rainbow Dash," a voice said.

Rainbow turned around. "What?"

Saw a pegasus in yellow armor with a sealed scroll in hoof.

Twilight blinked at it. "Wow! The royal couriers still service us?"

Rarity's eyes glowed, beholding the scroll. "Who could it be from, Rainbow Dash? It must be from somepony famous, congratulating you for your bravery!"

"Her bravery?" Applejack pointed out. "What about our bravery? I'm wonderin' who this fellow is!"

Fluttershy dropped her spoon, spilling a little soup on to the table cloth. She wiped the stain as best as she could with her napkin.

Pinkie Pie grabbed the scroll. "Ooh! I wanna see it!"

Rainbow yanked it away. "Gimmie that! It's for me, so I get the honor of reading it first!"

Pinkie cocked her head a bit. "Aww! You're no fun!"

Rainbow rolled her eyes as she took out the seal and opened the letter.

Everyone else leaning in, even the guard despite his stoic face.

"What does it say?" Twilight inquired.

"I haven't even started," was Rainbow's frustrated reply.

Twilight blushed. "Oops!"

Rainbow then went to reading it, eyes scrolling left to right.

Gulped.

"Who's the writer?" Applejack asked, trotting to Rainbow's side.

Rainbow felt sweat going down her face.

Rolled the scroll closed.

"Um, it's nothing much!" Rainbow said, hiding it in her mane and herself behind a smile. "Just a letter from my parents about how proud they are for me and—"

"Wow!" exclaimed Twilight, beaming. "Pegasus families are known to take pride in the achievements of their foals! I'm glad it's showing itself right now!"

Rainbow sighed. "It's not just that. I'm invited to return to Cloudsdale to have a 'Princess Luna Returns and Equestria is Not in Danger Anymore' party. Luna herself isn't going there since she's busy reconciling with Celestia, but it's a full-day affair, and Mom and Dad aren't the ones who thought it up—the mayor herself wants all Cloudsdale-born ponies to go, which includes me."

Fluttershy raised her head, dismayed. "That includes m-me, too!"

Rainbow grumbled, surveying the food on the table again. "I mean, as much as I want to stay here and chat, the party's starting half an hour from now. Don't know why they're this late, but...better than nothing, right?"

Fluttershy shivered, her eyes darting back and forth in fear. "Do I h-have to pack my b-bags? What should I bring?"

Twilight placed a hoof on her shoulder. "What about I go home with you and help you prepare for the party?"

Leaving those two alone, Rainbow turned to the rest of her friends. "I can just bring myself, you know! And, sorry Applejack, but I'll take a few gobbles and move up—they're going to be cooking in the clouds!"

Applejack chuckled again. "I do wonder how they cook food way up there."

Pinkie grinned, stole Applejack's hat, and put it on her own curly pink mane. "What about I make a cloud grill and show you?"

Applejack took the hat back.

Rarity rested a hoof on her cheek, the only one still sitting down. "And, here I am, alone and with lots to eat...."

Rainbow sighed, looking at them while hovering to Fluttershy. "Gotta go accompany her to Cloudsdale! No time to waste!"

Fluttershy and Twilight smiled, as they and Rainbow left the table and the farm altogether.

Fluttershy's house was in a precarious location, perched by the edge of a short cliff. However, it had the advantage of taking in the cool winds and breezes that drifted by once in a while. What made it truly stand out, though, was the abundance of animals frolicking beside it, around it, on it, under it, and inside it. Rabbits and bunnies hopped around on the path leading to the front door, birds sat either by branches' nests or hanging birdhouses made specifically and specially for them, turtles walking slowly about by the trees and under the shade—over here, just like back in Sweet Apple Acres, thrived a chicken coop where the sounds of chickens cluck-clucking mingled with the birds' chirps and the owls' hoots and the ducks quacks, and many more.

Walking out the front door were Twilight and Fluttershy, the latter carrying a light saddle bag.

Waiting outside was Rainbow Dash, flapping her wings above the path and staring at Fluttershy with an impatient look. "Come on! Let's go already and get it over with!"

Twilight sighed. "Patience, Rainbow. The party is going to start in ten minutes, and Cloudsdale's just over there—" in which she pointed at the floating cloud city not so distant in the sky.

Rainbow grunted, looked at that nervous Fluttershy. "So, are you ready? You didn't miss anything? You're definitely sure you got all you need?"

Fluttershy's eyes widened. "Wait! Let me check."

She opened her saddle bag.

Inspected it, fumbled her hoof around inside it.

Rainbow rolled her eyes again.

Swooped in, grabbed her, and carried her away into the sky.

Leaving Twilight dumbfounded, standing on the grass and watching them fly away. "Rainbow Dash!"

Those two pegasi, alone in the sky, the vast blue sky.

Approaching Cloudsdale, that marvelous city made of clouds there with their coliseums, arenas, column-stuffed structures, weather facilities, houses, stores, falls of water and rainbows—all of these floating up there, held up by a cloudy "ground".

The both of them silent, feeling the rush of the wind, flapping their wings.

"Uh, wh-what's wrong, Rainbow?"

Rainbow did not look at her. "What do you mean, 'what's wrong'? I wasn't told about it earlier, that's all. Besides, if there's anything to it, the Wonderbolts are gonna be there, and it's the perfect opportunity to rub shoulders with them! See if I can ask for a personal show with them, fly and loop around—let them see why I'm Wonderbolt material!"

Fluttershy gulped. "But, when you read the letter, you were more than surprised. You were...embarrassed."

Rainbow gulped. "Embarrassed? Who told you I was embarrassed?"

Fluttershy shrank away, though keeping pace with her in flight. "Uh...n-no one."

Rainbow smiled again. "There's nothing wrong, Fluttershy. It's an all-day celebration. We're back to two Princesses, we won't have any eternal night, and everypony's safe and sound. What more could you ask for other than getting the letter sooner? It's going to be great, Flutters!" and poked her on the head.

"Eep!"

Rainbow laughed. "Yeah, you really need to toughen up. I think Hoops and his buddies are coming as well."

Fluttershy shuddered yet again, placing her forehooves to her mouth.

"But, if they even think of hurting you, I'll be there!"

The two of them smiled.

Then, looked forward, closer and closer to Cloudsdale.

Which was good for Rainbow Dash, since that meant she would clatter her teeth and continue her worrying in secret.

Break

The cloud-laden streets were loaded with life. By the front yards made up of cloudy "lawns"—complete with cloud bushes and shrubs—pegasi were partying, some screaming and shouting with noisemakers at hoof. Boisterous parades marched through the city, led by royal guards in armor and helmets as they blasted their trumpets and tubas, filling the air with their bombastic tunes in the face of those plugging their ears at the brass's sheer volume.

Posters of the Princesses' faces stuck to the walls, hung under the balconies, even advertised throughout the city by hired fliers carrying the unfurled posters high in the air—and so was the sky dotted with royalty. Multi-colored balloons of all shapes and sizes proliferated everywhere; streamers and confetti scattered throughout by more pegasi flying overhead, showering the streets below with buckets of party decorations while making sure to not spoil the cooks among them who were grilling vegetables and cheese over charcoal fires, much to the dismay of gas-grilling proponents who sensed that they were overwhelmed by their time-honored peers.

However, in the middle of the happy chaos was a small brick house untouched by the ceremonies. It did not have tables nor grills nor balloons nor other party decorations nor any partygoers. It was a quiet and quaint house with its average lawn bordered by a rainbow fence.

Inside, it felt cozy. Little potted plants decorated the room alongside wooden statues of squirrels, shining under the sun's mild light through the window. The floor, also made of clouds, was fluffy yet sturdy; a part of it was covered by the carpet which held up a sleek red dining table. Around the table were four cloud-cushioned chairs where four ponies sat: Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy alongside her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Shy.

Who was busy wiping her eyes with tears beneath her glasses. "O-Our daughter...r-rescued all of us from th-that horrible creature! I-I never thought it w-would happen, but—" blew her nose on some tissue paper, then gave it to her husband.

Mr. Shy, whose eyes were also pouring out tears, winced at the wet tissue before placing it inside a plastic bag crammed with more wet tissue.

Fluttershy smiled, modest. "I w-was surprised, too."

Mr. Shy hovered to her and hugged. "We're just overjoyed at having you here. When you were a foal, we wanted you to do something for yourself, but we never thought of you being..." and looked at his wife in askance. "Uh, honey, what's it called?"

"An Element of Harmony?" Fluttershy quipped.

Rainbow placed a hoof on her head, smirking. "Yeah. Pretty great, right? I wish we brought them over and let you see 'em, but the Princesses stored them somewhere safe in case anyone tries to steal them."

But the parents continued their soft crying. "H-How will you live out there?" Mrs. Shy asked her child—choked, hushed. "Ponies from around the kingdom will travel to Ponyville to get your autograph!"

Fluttershy shrank away. "Um, I'll...f-find a w-way."

Rainbow prodded her on the shoulder, but kept up a grin for the parents.

"Hey, is Fluttershy there?!" they heard somepony yell from upstairs.

Mr. Shy opened his wings and flew to the living room. "Zephyr, did you just wake up? Come down; your sister's here!"

Rainbow let out a light-hearted groan, cracking a mischievous smile. "Isn't that just great?"

Fluttershy giggled. "Actually, I don't know how Zephyr handled it." She turned to her mother, who was recovering from her crying bout by taking up more tissue paper. "What d-did he say?"

Mrs. Shy sniffled. "Well, dear, Z-Zephyr got wind of it before he went to the coffee shop. By the end of the day, he had told all his co-workers there and...they w-weren't sick of him, which is good for—"

"And guess who's home, mares and gentlestallions?!" cried out Zephyr from the living room.

Rainbow stifled a laugh.

They all turned round to see Mr. Shy accompanying Zephyr Breeze, a tall and slightly lanky stallion with his mane in a bun.

"Well, well, well!" Zephyr said, leaping over to Fluttershy and then slapping her on the neck. "I always knew my big sis' could handle big responsibilities, but defending Equestria from a world-destroying monster? Like I said, I always knew you had it in you, sis'!" and rubbed her mane until it was unkempt, that long mane now covering much of her face.

She blew her bangs out of the way, fixed it up with a brush of a hoof, and glared at him. "Zephyr, what did I say about—"

"Wow, you've really changed since I last saw you!" Zephyr broke in, bending his head back in surprise and rubbing the stubble on his chin. "Just because you're a hero now doesn't mean you gotta be bossy all the time—not to mention you were always bossy with me, sis', but...yeah...heh...."

Everyone looking at him.

Zephyr scratched his head. "Wow. This got awkward pretty quickly, eh?"

Mr. Shy trotted to the refrigerator and opened it, trying to find suitable food for the table which only had a lonely plate of wobbling gelatin.

Mrs. Shy turned to Rainbow. "You could stay with us if you want to." Sniffled, blew her nose. "Your Mom and Dad are busy setting up the games for the festival over at the square."

Rainbow gasped. "What?!"

Zephyr leaned his face in between his Mom and Rainbow, blocking each other's view and peering straight into Rainbow's eyes. "I can't believe I almost forgot about you, Rainbows of the Dash! I'm pretty sure you did a great job saving the world, making sure the both of us stay alive!"

Rainbow shot out of her chair. "I am not in love with you, Zephyr! How many times do I have to say it?"

Zephyr raised a brow. "Playing the denial game, huh? Alright, what about reverse psychology or something? Because two can play that game and I'll let you know that I really, totally, absolutely not love you."

Rainbow smacked herself on the face, disappointed. "That's not how it works, Zeph."

She looked at Mrs. Shy.

Who was busy hugging her daughter, whispering to her kind words, both of them breaking down into tears.

Rainbow looked at Mr. Shy.

Who left the fridge door open as he cried, too.

Rainbow maintained a smile for Zephyr who was still peering into her eyes. "I'd like to stay, but I can't because I gotta do a...thing...at the place...with Pinkie Pie, my party-planning pal!"

And she zipped away.

Zephyr, overlooking his rather emotional family, ran to the front door left open.

"With who again?! Sprinkle Pie?! " he shouted, seeing her fade in the distance, past the crowds of celebrating ponies on the roads and on the yards. "I'll go give her a love note for you!"

The town square was a huge flat "ground" made of flattened clouds. A few noticeboards were up, and so were a few built-in lampposts. In the middle was a clock tower, displaying the time for all to see in that square.

It was eight o'clock sharp.

The square was full of ponies busy partying. Guards were posted at strategic positions at the square and around it, watching over the whole area in their sight. More guards performed a musical performance at the back of the square—a full-on percussion performance, all of them equipped with small and large drums, creating a rumbling hum serving as the rumbling music for the festival.

The partygoers themselves merely reveled in the moment. Some just talked, enjoying casual conversation about how they narrowly avoided a global disaster. Others participated in more active pursuits: on the sidewalk progressed a cook-off with chefs competing against each other while taking care not to give in to the temptation of sabotaging their competitors' equipment; near the clock tower, several ponies stood in line to perform aerial moves, seeking to dazzle the crowd below with spins, loops, and rolls, willing to go under the scrutiny of informal judges who held up placards ranging from one to ten; over here, a pony impressed his impromptu audience by carving a magnificent cloud sculpture of the two Princesses, garnering him support and encouragement to continue on with his talent.

It was a noisy yet organized party.

Rainbow Dash was flying to the square, letting herself be passed by other Cloudsdale natives who recognized her and called out to her despite her efforts to tune them out.

She neared the square, noticing the guards stationed about.

Then, two guards flew to her and blocked her path.

Rainbow snorted. "Hey! What gives?"

The guard on the left held up a hoof. "Miss Rainbow Dash, you're a public figure and a national hero. Therefore, we've been assigned here to protect you from harm."

Rainbow groaned. "I've managed to survive up to adulthood without a meddling escort."

"But now, you're a prime target for assassination," the other guard stated in his baritone voice. "You are very valuable to Equestria, and we cannot risk losing you."

Rainbow hovered again and crossed her forelegs. "Well, if I'm a public figure and a national hero, then take my advice and leave me alone. I can fend for myself."

The two guards looked at each other.

Looked back at her.

"We shall grant you that permission, Miss Rainbow Dash," the first guard said as they stepped aside, giving her way.

Rainbow moaned, glancing at the array of activity at the square. "You know, you could just call me 'Rainbow' or 'Dash'. I don't like being called 'Miss Rainbow Dash'. I got a reputation to protect!"

The two guards nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

Rainbow groaned. "Don't call me 'ma'am', either. It sounds so girly!"

The two guards nodded again, this time bowing before her as well. "Yes, Rainbow Dash."

Her frown disappeared. "Fine. I'll take it."

She hovered past the guards and on to the square.

Standing by a popcorn stall, Rainbow could smell the flavoring powder used to make different kinds of popcorn. Aside from pure buttered popcorn, she could also detect a whiff of cheese, a puff of garlic, and a hint of sour cream and onion.

There she was, standing halfway to the clock tower on the square. Various ponies trotted and flew around, chatting about the events of past days—the words "Ponyville", "Luna", "Fluttershy", and "Rainbow Dash" were mentioned quite frequently, with Rainbow herself perking her ears up at any allusion to her person.

She threw a couple of bits at the counter, saying "I'll have one of everything."

The vendor, who was biting on a pencil and deliberating on his next move in his current game of Sudoku, jumped up and dropped everything—"everything" being his pencil and his game paper. Finally, he gave her a shocked look.

Rainbow smiled. "Yeah, it's me, the one and only. I want one of everything; by that, I mean you place all the flavors into one massive bag and—"

The vendor combed his yellow mane, took out a popcorn bag of the largest size, filled it up with scoops of each flavor, and hoofed it to Rainbow.

Then, he grinned.

Rainbow nodded, holding out a hoofful of popcorn. "Now that's what I like! Speed and efficiency!"

He took out his Sudoku paper and put it on the counter. "Please place your hoofprint on it! I have..." and picked up an ink pad. "Here! Put your hoof here and stamp it!"

Rainbow examined the unfinished game before her. "Uh, aren't you going to complete that?"

The vendor shook his head. "I started my journey from my home in Manehattan, and here...here my wish has finally come true!"

Rainbow smiled again and stamped the paper with her hoofprint. "How long did you have your wish exactly?"

"Ever since I read it on the news!" he yelled.

Rainbow flapped her wings once more, holding on to her popcorn. "OK, that's...nice to know. If you'll excuse me, I have to go somewhere else and—"

"Rainbow Dash?!" a motherly voice cried out from far away. "Is that you?!"

Rainbow sighed, looking at the vendor—stern. "Thanks a lot, sir."

With that, she flew away.

"What did I do wrong?!" the poor popcorn vendor asked himself, slouching and resting on the ground, hiding below the counter.

Brush Out

On stage, Bow and Windy were fixing up the microphone, testing it out and causing massive feedback shrill, forcing ponies to cover their ears and back away.

Rainbow plugged her ears, too, seeing her parents there and the exhibit beside them, still shocked.

She clanged her teeth, close to gnashing them. "Wh-What will I do? My shameful moments are coming to light, and it's all because of them! This should've been my day—they said so themselves! But, they're doing just the opposite, which is great! I'll be the laughingstock of Cloudsdale before nighttime! If there's a way I could cancel the show with some kind of catastrophe—"

Raised her brows.

She clasped her forehooves. "Thank you, Pinkie!"

And she dashed down, past the "ground", and back into the sky.

"Don't thank us, everypony," Bow said, his voice booming through the speakers. "The pony you should thank is our wonderful daughter, Rainbow Dash!"

Windy grabbed the mic from his wing. "We haven't seen her in a while, though, so if you could help us find her...but, she's a very punctual pony! She'll be here in a minute or two!"

The audience whispered to themselves, muttering and mumbling with concern about where she could be.

Then, balloons floating from the ground.

Everypony looked at them.

Those balloons rising higher.

Pinkie Pie rose from beneath the clouds, balloons tied to her torso.

Everypony looked bewildered at this flying Earth pony.

"Yeah, your eyes aren't deceiving you!" Pinkie declared and held out her forehooves. "Look, Ma'! No wings! So, I heard you're having carrots and onions on a stick for evening lunch, to which I say 'Evening lunch?'"

"And what are you doing here?" somepony from the audience shouted, pointing at her like he was an accuser.

Pinkie took out a note from her mane. "While I was falling helplessly toward the ground, Rainbow Dash swooped in and saved me from getting hospitalized! Not that I would be, but—just to be on the safe side...."

The parents on stage gasped.

"Rainbow's at it again!" Windy said through the microphone, exhilarated. "She just saved the life of this poor innocent pony—"

"Wait a minute!" another pony yelled from the crowd. "Isn't that one of the other ponies who defeated Nightmare Moon?"

Windy then dropped the mic, opening her mouth in surprise.

Lots of feedback, lots of ponies protecting their ears from certain doom.

Pinkie nodded. "Well, that's good and all, but I'd like to—"

And the crowd moved forward, swarming her and taking care not to pop any of her balloons.

"Well, while we wait for the mare of the day," Bow said, picking up the mic, "what about we talk with, uh...Pinkie Pie! Yeah, I could tell because you're pink!"

Pinkie snickered while hedged by several hooves holding out papers for her to sign and stamp her hoofprint on. "Heh, but as much as I want to hang out with all of you pegasuses, I still have this note from her when she saved me."

Most of the crowd went silent.

"What does it say?" yet another pony asked.

Pinkie held it out and read.

"'Hi, Mom and Dad! I'd really like to stay and chat with you and do the cool speech you're doing, but there's been an emergency back in Ponyville. I could smell something burning from up here, and I'm going to save the poor and innocent ponies trapped in a fire! Looks like I'll be missing the rest of the party, but I hope you'll end up just fine. Love, Rainbow Dash.'"

Chatter once again set in among the audience, with some voicing their disappointment that Rainbow Dash would be gone for the night and how they would miss their opportunity to interact with her again anytime soon.

Bow and Windy put on smiles for them.

"Well, there she goes," Windy said, resting a head on her husband as they stood on stage. "Our hero, going off to save lives! Let's all remember her this day—oh, and Fluttershy, too."

She sniffed.

Seeing the crowd interrogating and talking with Pinkie Pie about her friendship with Rainbow and the other Elements, all the while being served with free samples of cakes and pies and even cakepies from the saddle bag she was wearing.

"I feel like it was only yesterday that she was a wee little filly," Windy said, whispering to his ears and trotting down stage with him. "She's only getting better at everything she does. It's finally paying off for her."

Bow stopped, looked at her. "But, when was the last time we saw her?"

Windy shuddered. "Months and months ago."

Bow closed his eyes. "How time flies, honey. She's gone from an overachieving foal to an overachieving mare to an overachieving Element of Harmony, and we haven't noticed it until now."

Tears welling up again in his eyes.

"I-If we only had the time to tell her everything we wanted to tell her," he said, choking up. "Writing encouraging letters to her everyday could only get us so far. She doesn't see our faces, our smiles—doesn't see us cheering and shouting and rocking the furniture for her. It doesn't have that...impact."

Windy nodded. "I agree, dear. What if she gets caught up with so much crime-fighting, she never has the time to visit us or even read our letters?"

Laid a hoof on her head, sweating in worry.

"Why, she would be devastated! Without a daily reminder that she's the best and better than the rest, how could she go on?"

Bow patted her on the back of her neck. "And it's been a long time since she's moved out. It's a tough world out there, but she's been meeting it head on...if saving the world says anything about it, which it does."

Windy sniffed again, wiped her wet and reddened eyes. "Y-Yeah...it's just...I m-miss my baby, our Dashie..."

Bow hugged her.

She hugged him back.

Silent for a time.

With closed eyes, just being with each other.

"Hey, we'll visit her next week at her place," Bow said, now in a quieter and milder tone. "This time, we won't be telling her—if she's down in the dumps, we'll surprise her with our presence!"

Windy nodded, grinning. "Yeah! That would do!"

"Uh, anyone taking care of the mic?" a pony from the audience asked, pointing at the mic on the floor.

Everyone then looked at the two parents, Pinkie Pie still floating over the cloudy ground.

Bow and Windy smiled, nervous.

"Eh, we'll show you our Dash-mentos first!" Bow said, motioning towards the stall with enthusiasm. "Leave your bits at the door because nothing's for sale here!"

"Agh! Somepony help!"

Davenport, a calm and collected pony in his cool-as-a-cucumber vest and shirt, ran out of his burning Quills and Sofas shop screaming—fires bursting out of the broken windows and consuming his rows of sofas and his shelves of quills, both of them melting into black char under the heat.

Twilight Sparkle teleported, meeting a haggard Rarity rushing to the building.

"What happened?" Twilight asked, alarmed while facing Rarity who had brought over a dozen buckets of water.

Rarity splashed them on to the window, hampering the fire a bit. "Spike came over to the boutique for a break from his firefighting duties and wanted some moissanite for snacks. I've never fed him that before, and...well, you know the rest."

Twilight moaned, teleporting in more buckets of water and hurling them at the blazing fires inside.

Rarity panted, throwing her last ounce of water at it. "This isn't working. What fire is this?! Can you tell me how a baby dragon digests gems?! Is it with sulfur?!"

Twilight nodded, a sheepish smile on her face. "I think that worsens the problem!"

Then, a sharp shout:

"Here I come!"

A rising roar from behind.

Twilight and Rarity whirled their heads around.

Saw a fast-moving storm cloud, spitting out lightning bolts all the way while dripping rain drops, approaching the shop with the help of a pegasus flapping her wings like a bug.

"Make way!" Rainbow yelled, pulling the cloud at high speeds. "Make way!"

The two unicorns ducked.

And the cloud was chucked into the building.

It burst into a full storm, raining the whole establishment inside and soaking it wet, drowning the fire out.

It was no longer in danger, though the sofas and the shelves and other parts of the store were drenched and soggy on top of being charred and scorched in black, damaged.

Twilight grinned. "Nice one, Rainbow Dash! But, couldn't you have done that a little earlier and maybe saved at least half of his stock?"

Rainbow shrugged her shoulders. "Best I could do. I was busy with an urgent letter."

Davenport appeared from behind a nearby tree. "D-Does that mean I don't have to pay for damages? I'm i-insured, right?" He pointed at Twilight. "C-Could you write a letter and ask Princess Celestia if I'm insured for this?"

Twilight groaned. "What do I look like to you? A butler?"

Davenport gulped.

Rarity trotted to Rainbow dusting herself off from residual cloud. "Well, that is good and all, fine and dandy, but you should learn the prospect of urgency when it comes to more pressing matters like...a fire."

Rainbow giggled. "I've slacked off on worse. Take my word—if you think that's late, then you don't know the half of it!"

Rarity flicked her head away. "Nevermind. We're alive and nothing much has been lost. No need to whine about the minor details."

Davenport gasped. "But, this is major for me! This is my business and—"

"I'll give you more than enough bits to bounce back," Rarity said. "You're our prime supplier of quills and sofas—our only supplier of quills and sofas—so it is only necessary that I chip in to help you out."

Davenport nodded.

"And, I am sorry for the 'ruckus', as they say," Rarity said, taking a brief look at the run-down store. "I must've fed Spike some gems he shouldn't have eaten."

Davenport shivered, unable to bear the sight of his beloved store scalded and singed.

Rainbow breathed easy, slumping on the wall. "Boy, that was close!"

Twilight looked her way, then walked up to her. "It sure was!"

Glanced at the products' burned remains inside the store.

"OK, maybe too close for comfort, but...look on the bright side, heh-heh?"

Rainbow smiled. "Yeah!"

Twilight turned her head upward. "So, how did the festival at Cloudsdale go? I'm sure it went great."

Rainbow bit her lip, trying to stifle the jolt on her face. "Yeah, it went very great! It was superb, blew the roof of my expectations or something like that!"

"Alright! That's good to hear. So, you're coming with us for dinner at Sugarcube Corner? I heard Pinkie's got lots of stories to tell from her trip there."

Rainbow placed a hoof to her chest, breathing hard. "Uh, what was that?"

Twilight frowned. "I was asking if you were coming with us to eat at Sugercube Corner."

Rainbow rubbed her head. "Totally! It's not like I'm hiding anything!"

Twilight's ears drooped. "I didn't ask if you were hiding anything."

"Exactly!"

"Huh?"

Rainbow looked at her foreleg. "Whoops! I'm running late for a thing! I gotta go and, uh, see if my rainbow pond's sprouted any flowers lately!"

And she flew off into the sky.

Leaving Twilight alone once again along with Rarity comforting miserable Davenport who was blubbering about the precious valuables he had lost there.

It was nighttime.

Rainbow Dash's home was a two-story house made of clouds. Like ordinary clouds, this house floated in the air, spruced up with several columns and smaller clouds connected by a rainbow road of sorts. Near the entrance was the aforementioned rainbow pond—a pond of pure rainbow leaking out into a few smaller multi-colored streams trickling into raindrops, dousing the grass below with fresh water.

Past the door resided a big, spacious foyer with a round balcony near the dome-like top. Open windows allowed the cool evening breeze to rush in and permeate this home with its pleasant chill. By the door was a statue of a Wonderbolt in flight, complete with goggles.

The living room to the right had a carpeted floor, some sofas made of clouds, and a glass window with open curtains which included lightning bolts in their design.

Rainbow Dash laid down on one of the bigger sofas, relaxing.

"Phew! I'm glad that's over!" she said to herself. "After that, everypony's going to forget about what just happened and they'll talk about how I saved Ponyville again! Go me, go me!"

She pointed to herself, sat up on the sofa.

"I hope they understand," Rainbow went on, her smile fading and sounding cautious. "It's not like they'll catch on quickly, but I shouldn't be too suspicious. With this saving-the-world job, it's gonna be easier to find excuses—they're loud enough with me saving Equestria once. What if I have to save it multiple times? Then, what about just keeping Ponyville safe from danger? That will be more than enough to keep them quiet whenever I want to so they won't have to bring those pictures up again! And, when there's guards, they'll have no choice but to act properly and not hold my cheeks like a foal!"

She grinned.

"Rainbow Dash, you're a genius sometimes! I don't see how this could possibly go wrong!"

And with that, she flew away from the living room, into the foyer, and up the stairs into her bedroom.

Keep Practicing

When Rainbow Dash halted right before two certain ponies, she rubbed her eyes, stretched her hooves, inhaled and exhaled.

Standing not so far away from the clock tower at the center was a pegasus couple, both of them wearing clothes. Bow Hothoof, the husband, had a trimmed rainbow-colored mane with a lightning-shaped tail of the same colors; like Zephyr, he had stubble on his chin, though neater. Windy Whistles, the wife, had bedraggled hair, dainty freckles, and an orange sweater.

"Honey, why didn't you visit us earlier?!" Windy shouted to her, breaking out into a tight hug. "You know you can't keep a secret from us, especially if it's about becoming a hero!"

Rainbow chuckled. "Yeah...I was definitely trying to keep it a secret but, whoops!"

Bow approached them and ruffled Rainbow's mane, swelling to tears. "It's not the same as becoming a Wonderbolt, but it's close enough! Our only foal, an Equestrian champion, guardian, protector, warrior, vanquisher—"

"Dad, you sound like you just read a thesaurus," Rainbow called out.

Bow nodded, holding up a little thesaurus. "It helped me prepare our speech for all of Cloudsdale at sunset."

Rainbow blinked. "You planned that far?"

Windy let her go from her hug. "Of course, we did! It's a day to celebrate what you and your friends have done for all of us, and we felt that making this day yours would be fun."

Bow nodded. "Yeah! I already organized the dodgeball tournament and named it 'The Dodgeball Dash' 'cause I named it after you!"

"They'll be building statues and naming institutions after our little baby!" Windy said, rubbing Rainbow's cheeks, tears dripping from her own face.

Bow raised a hoof to his chin. "Wait! We didn't even get to ask about your adventure!"

Rainbow lowered her head, trying to avoid their looks. "It went well, Dad, and—"

Windy checked her daughter's wing, unfolding it. "Were you hurt? I heard the Everfree Forest is a very unnatural place!"

Rainbow nodded. "Yeah, it's unnatural, but we got through it. We took down Nightmare Moon, and that's that. It's no big deal."

Windy gasped. "No big deal? Why, that's a big deal! It's not that easy to take down a fairy-tale creature!" Placed a hoof on her own cheek. "And to think I told you those very same bedtime stories to scare you at night, believing she was just made-up!"

Bow ruffled Rainbow's mane again, unraveling it further. "So, how's Fluttershy? I guess you brought her home to let her visit her folks."

Rainbow bared her teeth, anxious. "Yeah...speaking of Fluttershy, could you please let me go? I forgot to tell her something very...important."

Windy grabbed her by the tail. "Haven't you forgotten something else? The Wonderbolts will be performing in a few minutes!"

Rainbow smiled—then suppressed it.

"We'll be busy making sure our dodgeball games will go without a hitch," Bow said. "As fun as their aerial shows are, they get old pretty fast without something personal."

Windy tapped Rainbow on the head. "But, I know you'll get there. I heard you've been practicing in Ponyville almost everyday for the Best Young Flyer Competition just to hang out with them! Such dedication!"

Rainbow let out a nervous laugh. "Y-Yeah. That, too. Look, I really got to go and—"

Pointed behind them.

"Is that Fluttershy I see over there?" Rainbow yelled, cupping her mouth. "I think you two should go talk to her first because I'm pretty busy, too, you know!"

Windy nodded. "If you say so, dear!"

"We'll be seeing you very soon, Miss Loyalty!" Bow said, saluting the Element-bearer.

And the two of them waved their wings off to her as they flew to a Fluttershy that was not there.

Rainbow wiped the sweat off of her forehead. "Phew! Now, let's see where the Wonderbolts are!"

At the end of the square was a road closed off by a few improvised fences. Over there, a varied crowd of young and old watched the Wonderbolts themselves set up a game of dodgeball—these uniformed ponies covering their eyes with thick goggles and donning themselves with blue and yellow uniforms displaying striking lightning imagery.

Murmurs and whispers rose, as one of them held up a red ball, yelling directions and orders to each of her cadets.

Rainbow approached the crowd, holding her hooves to her mouth while she saw the Wonderbolts get ready for the dodgeball game."I c-can't believe they're right i-in front of me! They're r-right here!"

A pony in the crowd turned her head round and saw Rainbow. "Hey, everypony! It's Rainbow Dash, our Element of Loyalty!"

Half of the crowd proceeded to fly out of their places and swarm her, forming a prattling circle of fans around her. There were those who opened their windows by the street only to fly out of them to meet the famed mare.

Rainbow hovered over the cloudy ground, putting on a smirk for them. "Alright, guys, let's slow down and make room for all of you."

A sharp-haired stallion flew to her. "I don't know if you remember me from ice archery class—"

"Ah, Stormbreaker!" Rainbow said, bumping hooves with him. "The Equestria Games are a bit far out, but I like your passion!"

A smile emerged on Stormbreaker's face as he took out an ice arrow. "I got something for you."

Rainbow brought the arrow closer to her eyes.

It was a cold arrow, featuring an icy blue color which made it look like a sharpened icicle.

Etched on one of the fletchings was a painting of a cloud spurting out a lightning bolt of red, yellow, and blue.

"No way!" exclaimed Rainbow, surprised, looking at the arrow then back at Stormbreaker. "That's my cutie mark!"

Stormbreaker nodded, smiling. "What else can I do? They're not Equestria Games Standard, so there's no chance of them being in the Games, but we'll remember you this way."

Rainbow smiled, doing her best to curb a merry laugh.

Another stallion budged his way past the circle, his eyes covered by his brown bangs.

Rainbow crossed her forelegs and wagged her head at him. "What do you have to say for yourself, Hoops?"

That bulky pegasus gulped. "Uh...it's peer pressure!" Faced away from her. "When this all blows over, it'll be back to normal!"

Rainbow blew her mane off of her eyes. "Try me."

Hoops gave her a dirty look.

Then saw all those ponies looking up to Rainbow Dash.

He flew away, growling as he left.

More murmuring and whispering from the crowd as they made way for yet another pegasus.

A pegasus in Wonderbolt uniform.

She took off her goggles, revealing her purple eyes.

Rainbow gasped, held on to her head. "I-Is this r-real?! Is this really h-happening?! A Wonderbolt...a fan of me?!"

Fleetfoot, that Wonderbolt, shook her head, letting her white mane whip about. "Nah. I'm not really much of a fan. However, Soarin told us we should be keeping an eye on you. Saving the world is no easy feat, and, if you can do that, then maybe you could land yourself a spot with us."

Rainbow bit her hooves in disbelief.

Fleetfoot tilted her head a bit. "Don't get your hopes up, though. Captain Spitfire's in talks with Princess Celestia about some reorganizing, so take my word with a grain of salt."

Rainbow grinned. "I'll definitely bring in lots of salt!"

Several ponies in the audience laughed.

Fleetfoot laughed, too. "Starstruck, eh? You'll love it when you're part of the Wonderbolts—trust me."

And Fleetfoot hovered away from the crowd and back to her buddies discussing the rules of the upcoming dodgeball tournament.

As more ponies closed in around Rainbow.

"What was it like over there, Rainbow Dash?"

"Was the Everfree Forest really that dangerous?"

"What does it mean to be the Element of Loyalty?"

Rainbow raised her hoof, slightly smiling. "Take it easy! You'll get your turn. Now, line yourselves up nice and straight..."

Noon passed by and the festival's vigor had not abated at all. In fact, it only grew. On the square, a concert was going on, with a band playing on stage as ponies danced about while they were served heavy snacks like multi-decker sandwiches, canned cauliflowers, and stacks of pizza.

Yet, the home of the Shy's remained unfazed and unscathed by all the action surrounding it, ever threatening to take it over but, somehow, failing every time.

By the front door, Rainbow downed another bottle of soda and threw it at the garbage wagon some city workers were busy pulling through town, their job being to pick up the ever-replenishing party litter of confetti and streamers, among other sorts of trash like gift wrappers.

Rainbow sighed. "Ah, the perks of being famous at last! Too bad Twilight wants all of us to be treated like normal ol' citizens. I need my respect around here!"

She knocked on the front door.

Was quickly opened by Zephyr. "Ah, Dashing Rainbow! We meet again!"

Rainbow groaned. "Where's Fluttershy?"

"Oh, talking with your parents."

Rainbow's eyes widened. "What did you say?!"

"I said—"

Was pushed down to the floor by a speeding Rainbow.

She whirled her head round to the table.

Saw Fluttershy conversing with Bow and Windy—and Pinkie Pie, too, who tied several balloons to her body, floating above the clouds that way.

Windy stood up. "Oh, Dashie! There you are!"

Bow hovered to her. "It's been so long!"

Rainbow rolled her eyes. "It's been five hours."

"I know!" Bow said, proceeding to squeeze her in another hug. "Such a long time, isn't it?"

Windy patted her on the head. "We shouldn't delay anymore, because we set up a Rainbow Dash exhibition debuting in ten minutes!"

Rainbow groaned yet again.

Pinkie waved a hoof at her. "I'm here for the party, even though Twilight told me it was absolutely untenable to do this!"

Fluttershy swallowed her bite of gelatin. "If only we could have all of us together, maybe we could do something like...cheer you up when you're very nervous."

Rainbow glared at her, her mean expression unseen by the snuggling faces of her parents.

"So," Zephyr spoke, looking at Pinkie, "are you that, hm, Sprinkle Pie she's been talking about lately?"

Pinkie laughed. "No, silly, but I do like the idea of putting sprinkles on pies! I've tried it before and it's delicious!"

Rainbow closed her eyes, stuck in the family embrace. "Ugh."

At the cloud park—which was like an ordinary park except the grass was made up of clouds and the other plants grew on specialized "cloud soil"—many gathered, some eating at the wooden tables. It was decorated with rainbow-colored balloons, paintings, statues, and even hats; colorful hats for all to wear, also with matching mini-flags.

Rainbow Dash, following her parents as they flew above the cloud path, sighed, wearing sharp brows and pursed lips while passing by several reporters flashing their cameras and snapping pictures of her—a few even charging in to ask her questions before a guard or two shooed them away.

"See?" Bow said, looking back at her. "You're such an awesome pony, and now all of Equestria's seeing that! But, they haven't realized the full extent of your spectacular awesomeness!"

Windy nodded, smiling. "Which is why we pulled out all our Dash-mentos and put them up on display for a limited time only! Not for fifty percent off, mind you, because—"

Leaned her head closer to Rainbow's ear.

"—they're not for sale!"

Rainbow heroically kept up that smile, though she was twitching. "Yeah, that's...totally fine! Not for sale! You shouldn't sell those trophies about the time I learned how to fly or the time I grew my first tooth!"

Windy giggled, passing by a pond where a family was having a boat picnic on. "Why would we? But, if we would sell them, they would have to be at a trillion bits to be worth it!"

Bow nodded. "Yeah. Wouldn't have it any other way if it's for you, Dashie."

Rainbow smiled. "Eh-heh...thanks, guys."

"We even preserved a sample of your favorite sandwich and, to raise bits for your inclusion into the Wonderbolts Reserves, we're going to sell that because, unlike trophies, sandwiches can rot!"

Rainbow smacked a hoof on her head again. "I already know that, Mom."

As they landed in front of the Rainbow Dash exhibit.

There, underneath a hued canopy, were all the Dash-mentos that could fit inside the stand. Golden trophies shining under the sunlight, medals and ribbons hanging round those trophies, certificates and personal letters and foalhood photos framed and tacked on to the temporary wall at the back, preserved baby books and letters by the shelves.

Rainbow smacked herself on the head. "Oh, no...this is super embarrassing..."

"What was that?" Bow asked in a light-hearted tone, bending his head closer.

Rainbow bit her lip. "Uh, I said, 'Oh, yes! This is super interesting! Everyone's going to love it because of all your hard work and effort in setting this up just for me!"

Bow smiled, wrapped a foreleg around her neck. "You're the best pony there ever was, and it'd be rude of us to hide that from everypony else. So, you could think of this as our way of saying, 'Thank you'."

Rainbow breathed in, breathed out. "OK, Dad. Thank you, too, and you're very welcome. How long are we staying here?"

Windy giggled. "Funny that you ask, because we changed the schedule and decided to have the sunset speech right at the debut!"

Rainbow's jaw dropped at that.

"And, don't you worry about missing out!" Bow said. "Actually, you're going to be standing right there on that stage—" pointed at a small wooden stage beside the exhibit, containing a microphone stand "—and you'll be the star of the show! We'll go through with the speech, and you'll say the final words!"

"And, the surprise is that there's no final words!" Windy continued, spreading her forehooves in the air out of joy. "You'll make up the final words, and I'm sure you have something very meaningful to say in front of everypony in Cloudsdale!"

Rainbow clattered her teeth. "E-Everypony?!"

"Everypony, Dashie!" Windy said. "Plus the tourists from Appleloosa, Baltimare, Trottingham, Stratusburg, Choctown—"

"I get it, Mom, I get it!" Rainbow interrupted, holding a hoof up and putting some distance between her mother and herself. "Lots of ponies will be seeing me...standing beside those...mementos..."

Bow looked up. "Oh! We'll be starting in three minutes! We'll call you when it's time!"

And the two parents flew away to the exhibition, now answering visitors' questions about their fearless daughter.

Who, on the contrary, took out a paper bag, and huffed and puffed into it out of fear.

"Hi, Dash!"

"Agh!"

Rainbow shot up to the air and turned around, only to see a Pinkie floating around with her balloons.

"Don't scare me like that!" Rainbow yelled, still having a grip on that feeble paper bag. "What do you want?"

Pinkie shrugged. "Just wanted to see how you are! I'm excited for your big speech. I sure hope there won't be any emergency happening back in Ponyville that'll need your help, but that's why I asked Spike to be today's firefighter!"

Rainbow scratched her head, confused. "What?"

Pinkie took out her balloons and hoofed it to her. "By the way, I didn't have the time to bake you a 'Happy Tenth Equestria is Saved Pie!', so please accept this!"

Rainbow grabbed it.

Leaving Pinkie floating in mid-air.

Pinkie looked down at the cloudy "ground" below her.

"I didn't think this through, did I?" she asked.

Then, fell down screaming through the sky below.

Rainbow sighed buried her face in her hooves, scared.

As more ponies gathered round her parents by the exhibition, seeing all those Dash-mentos on display.