Read it and Weep (another perspective)

“Triple Threat, please report to the manager’s office.” A voice said on the loudspeaker.

The name’s owner was surprised. She went to the manager’s office.

“Triple Threat, your friend Rainbow Dash had a flying accident and is grounded for a few days; she has requested you take her place on Ponyville weather patrol. You are relieved of duty here at the weather factory and are to start at Ponyville immediately.” the manager said.

“Right away sir.” Triple said.

The red athlete shot out of the factory and headed for her house. Triple packed as fast as she could and headed straight for Ponyville. When she arrived, she went to the hospital. The receptionist was surprised to see a red Pegasus demanding to know where her friend’s room was.

“Dash, are you okay? What happened?”  Rainbow Dash jumped at the voice looked to see it belonged to her red companion.

“I’m fine Triple, what’s not okay is nopony to look after the weather.” Dash said.

Then she smiled. “I’m glad you’re on the job, if it went to Ditzy Do, we’d all be in real danger.” Dash said.

Triple Threat remember when she first met Ditzy Do, nice pony, yeah she had an eye crossing disorder, and she can be a bit absent-minded at times (Okay almost always), but beside that, she’s fun to be with and a good friend. Still, the red pony could understand the blue's concerns.

“Don’t worry Dash, I got this.” Triple reassured her.

“I know you do, but, well I have to whisper it to you.” Rainbow said.

Triple came close so Dash could whisper it in her ear. Triple Threat was stunned by what she learned.  She was also given the key to Dash’s house and instruction on how to take care of her new pet tortoise Tank.

“Actually, you’d better take this too.” Dash said. She took a feather from her left wing and handed to Triple.

“Why?” Triple asked.

“So Tank knows he can trust you.” Rainbow said.

Triple put the blue feather in her left wing of red feathers. It stuck out like Princess Celestia among a crowd of earth ponies.

"Trust me; you’ll have to show him it.” Dash reassured.

After that, Nurse Redheart came into the room and told Triple she had to leave her rainbow haired friend to rest, then walked out.  As Triple turned to leave, her purple eyes noticed Dash had one of her favorite books in her hoofs.

“Daring Do and the Quest for the Sapphire Stone! I loved that one; it’s my favorite in the series!” Triple Threat screeched.

The blue pegasus looked at her surprised, then worried.

“Triple Threat, you can’t tell anypony that I love reading.” Rainbow Dash said.

“Why not?” the red pegasus asked.

“Because if our friends find out after I told reading is not cool, I’ll be called egghead for the rest of my life. And what’ll hurt most is the fact that it’s true.” Dash sighed.

“The other elementals will understand.” Triple said encouragingly.

“NOPONY CAN KNOW.” Dash declared.

“Okay Dash, your secret is safe with me.” Triple promised as she left her friend to her to her reading.

Unlike the cyan mare who often put off her work, Triple Threat went outside to begin cloud busting immediately.  Unfortunately, being a rainbow specialist at the weather factory, she wasn’t as familiar with it as Rainbow Dash. On her first attempted, Triple slammed her hoofs into the cloud. However, she didn’t hit the cloud hard enough and soaked Golden Harvest, who was walking under the cloud.

“Hey!” the earth pony yelled.

“Sorry, my bad.” Triple Threat apologized. By now, more ponies came around to observe the red Pegasus trying to do Rainbow Dash’s work.

Triple Threat tried again, this time she jumped on the cloud as hard as she could, only to shock herself. The crowd laughed.

“Stop that, I’m new to this!” Triple called to them.

A yellowish Pegasus with sea greenish hair flew up to Triple Threat.

“Look you need to get some momentum going before you strike the cloud.” Raindrops said.

She flew a short distance then charged at the cloud, busting it by plowing right through it.  Triple thanked her for the demonstration and proceeded to as she was taught. This time, she busted the cloud easily. The ponies watched as Triple Threat acrobatically flew from cloud to cloud, plowing through them as she went.  Thirty seconds later, the sky was clear. The crowd cheered as Triple landed and took a bow. A unicorn walked up to her.

“Girl, you got moves, I bet you can take on Rainbow Dash in a contest.” Twinkleshine told the visitor.

Triple Threat smiled uncomfortably. She suddenly remembered that she couldn't win anything against Rainbow Dash.

“Thank you.” Triple said.

“One thing, though. Why do you have a blue feather in your wing?” Twinkleshine asked, pointing to the cyan feather.

Triple looked at it then remembered her other responsibility. She left Twinkleshine without another world and a ruined mane.

Triple Threat rush to Rainbow Dash’s house. As soon as she entered, he saw Dash’s pet tortoise. He was wearing this strange contraction that allowed him to fly.

“Hi Tank” the red speedster said. He looked at newcomer confused, and then put on an angry look.

“Who are you?” he asked, readying himself to defend the house.

Triple produced the feather Rainbow had given her and held it up for Tank to see.

“I’m Triple Threat; I’m here to take care of thing while Rainbow Dash is down for the count.” Triple Threat explained.

“Well if that don’t beat all, nice to meet you!” Tank said in a more friendly tone.

“Did Rainbow teach you to talk?” Triple Threat asked.

“No, you can hear what I’m thinking thanks to an advanced thought translator system installed in the house.” Tank said.

“You don’t say. Might I ask how you got Dash to adopt you? You’re not really her kind of…” Triple started but was interrupted by his laughing.

“Oh, that is an interesting story. Well, when I hatched from my egg, I saw no other tortoises around me. I had no parents, so I had learn the ways of the world on my own, which wasn’t bad; it taught me how to take care of myself. But as I grew up, I noticed I was the only tortoise around. I felt lonely, and needed someone to love, so I decided to try and find a family. As I searched, I came across a little cottage, occupied by a kind pegasus pony who knew how to treat animals.” Tank explained.

“That sounds like my friend Fluttershy.” TT piped up.

“Yes, that’s her, she allowed me to stay with her until I found the family I was looking for. Fluttershy told me she hadn’t seen any other tortoises around, but suggested that maybe I can become someponies pet. It became my dream to be someponies pet. After months, she pulled me aside.

“My friend Rainbow Dash is looking for a pet; this could be your chance.” She told me. Fluttershy took me to see her.” Tank continued.

Tank also told Triple about how her cousin doubted he was “pet material” and how she kept putting him down after every contest that the animals had to go through for Dash to make her choice. In the end, however it was combination of him saving her life and his tenacity (never giving up) that won her over.

“I would have adopted you on the spot when Fluttershy told me it was your dream to be a pet.” The now sympathetic pegasus told him. Tank laughed.

“I appreciate that, but I’m sure I’d be happier with Rainbow Dash, besides, you know you’ve found the one when you have to prove yourself to them.” Tank said.

The temp found his food and feed him his lunch. After he ate, Tank took a nap (Like owner, like pet) so the replacement unpacked and left her saddlebag at the house. Triple Threat is one of the few ponies who can hang out with the mane six, and was on her way to do just that. She found Twilight at the library.

“Hey Twilight.” The red pegasus said as he entered.

“Hey Triple, what’s up?” Twilight asked.

“Well not much I just took care of everything so I’m a bit bored.” Triple told the unicorn.

“I know what you need.” Twilight said.

She ran to a shelf and pulled out a book. The visitor looked at the cover.

“Daring Do and the Vampire Dagger. This is the latest in the series and she hadn’t had a chance read it yet.

“How did you know I liked Daring Do?” TT asked.

“I didn’t, in fact I was afraid you were going the give me the “reading is not cool speech.” Twilight admitted.

“Yeah, Rainbow thinks reading is for nerds with no life. Believe me, she’ll come around sooner or later.” Triple Threat laughed. “If only she knew.” She thought to herself.

Twilight had to finish studying for the day, but promised to meet Triple at Sugarcube corner. Triple headed to the bakery hoping to see Pinkie Pie there. When she arrived, Triple didn’t see Pinkie right away, but Mr. Cake assured the red pegasus that the pink earth pony was in.  The red athlete took a seat and started reading. As she did, she thought about the time Rainbow caught her reading.

“Hey Triple, you’re not reading are you? because only eggheads read books.” She said to her red companion.

The red filly threw Daring Do and the Quest for the Sapphire Stone away.

“No, I was just seeing how dumb it was.” Triple lied.

Of course it was easy to tell, but since both acted the same way, Dash couldn’t.

“Okay, but believe me, it’s not worth your time. C’mon Fluttershy is waiting for us.” Dash said.

Despite remembering this, the red  Pegasus was  suddenly able to sense Pinkie Pie going to pop up out of nowhere ( Triple had gained this new sense from catching Pinkie Pie off guard with their first kiss. She made a mental note to hone her new found power later.)

”HI PINKIE!” The red Pegasus shouted looking up.

The pink earth pony fell from the ceiling and landed on the table.

“How did you…?” Pinkie asked the athlete, who only smiled at her.

“What’ll it be then?” Pinkie asked.

“I’ll have a slice of the Black Forest Cake and some Apple family cider.” Triple replied.

Pinkie went for it. Triple went back to the book. When she read a Daring Do, the red athlete always gets into it; in fact she could finish one of the books in thirty minutes. Pinkie came out with the order, along with a slice and a glass of Apple family Cider for herself.

“You like Daring Do? Cool, I thought you didn’t like reading.” Pinkie said.

“Wow, did you assume that based on Dash’s act?” Triple Threat asked. Pinkie Pie blushed.

The two chatted for some time, Pinkie told Triple about Rainbow’s crash. Even though the second best flyer from Cloudsdale wouldn’t have made such a mistake, but it happens to the best of them. Soon Rarity, Applejack, Twilight, and Fluttershy joined them.  They told Triple Threat about the cider contest between the Apple family and two unicorn brothers. All too soon the day came to an end. Triple Threat went back to Rainbow’s house and called it a night.