"Hey, Dash!"

A sudden tension in her back sent the blue pegasus tumbling hooves over head before she could catch herself. Forelegs crossed and jaw set, Rainbow hovered closer to the griffon on the cloud she had just passed. "Gilda. What the hay are you doing here?"

"Just checking on my good, old friend Rainbow Dash." Gilda grinned.

"Yeah, right," Dash huffed.

"You finally decide not to be lame anymore?"

Rainbow Dash glared at Gilda for a moment before she replied. "I don't know about you, but I never stopped being cool."

Gilda scoffed and dove around the pegasus. "Yeah, right. I bet that's why you hang out with those dweebs."

"You're still upset about some stupid pranks? That's so not cool." She flipped over to face Gilda, upside down.

"Yeah, whatever. If you can't see how cool I am, why don't you go back to your lame friends and leave the sky to awesome people like me?"

Dash's glare hardened. "The sky doesn't belong to you."

"Sure does." she touched back down on the cloud and rubbed her claw on her chest.

"Oh yeah?" The pegasus placed her face right in front of Gilda's and stared into the griffon's eyes.

"Oh yeah. What's a loser like you want up here, anyway?"

The angry glare vanished from Rainbow Dash's face, she did a few loops and flips, and kicked the air. "I'm practicing for the Wonderbolts."

"Practicing?" Gilda laughed. "Yes, you need that."

Dash thrust her muzzle into Gilda's face. "Hey! What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing. Just that your signature moves might need some work."

"You're just jealous because nothing you can pull off is even half as impressive," the pegasus blurted out.

Gilda laughed. "I'll give you that: High-speed crashes are impressive."

"At least I dare something." Dash trembled as she raised her voice.

Gilda only laughed again.

"Just you wait. I'll be a Wonderbolt someday," the cyan pony hissed through gritted teeth.

"Like they'd ever let a dweeb like you join," the griffon called over her shoulder as she flapped off.

"Why, you..." Rainbow Dash bolted after her, only to stop after a few feet and sink onto the cloud with a heavy sigh.

Every last cloud above Ponyville bore a clean hole right through its middle. Many of them were strung on fading rainbows. Though they had been reduced to frayed rings, the dark clouds still clung to the sky like flies in a colorful web. Far below, the residents of Ponyville glanced up and talked about the peculiar, and unscheduled, weather.

Rainbow Dash lay on a tattered cloud among rising wisps, her eyes closed. She kept her legs folded under herself, wings clasped tight against her flanks, though they sometimes twitched or fluttered. Her whole body trembled and shook as she gasped for air.

"Uhm..." The cloud barely gave way as the yellow pegasus touched down next to her.

"Huh? Oh, hi Fluttershy." Rainbow lifted her head and smiled faintly.

"Are you okay?" The pink-maned filly's soft voice was almost lost in the wind.

"Oh, yeah. I'm fine." She smiled a little more, ears perking up. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Fluttershy rubbed her hoof against her leg. "Oh... you look... uhm... tired."

"Heh... yeah, I guess I am pretty tired. I've been practicing all day."

"That's... good. We were just... so worried."

"Worried? Why would you be worried about me?"

"The weather isn't what it should be." She lowered her head and turned it away. "We thought you might be hurt."

"No, I'm fine. Really. Just busy practicing for the Wonderbolts.

Fluttershy laid her ears back. "But... don't you think you should... maybe... take care of the weather... if you're not too busy, that is..."

Dash rubbed the back of her head. "Heh, yeah. I got a little carried away. I'll get right on it."

"I could help a little, if you want." The yellow pegasus stepped closer.

"Oh no, I'm fine." Dash took to the air. "I'll get this sky cleared in no time."

"I... when you're done, I'd really like your help... I mean, if you don't mind..." Fluttershy's voice trailed off.

The rainbow-maned pegasus had already disappeared, kicking clouds in the distance. Fluttershy bowed her head with a light sigh before she floated back down to her cottage.

The door swung open just as she stopped knocking.

"Hello, Rainbow Dash." Fluttershy smiled, hovering near the ground.

"Hey, Fluttershy." Dash strutted into the room. "Sorry I couldn't be here sooner."

"Oh no. It's okay." She eased the door shut and slipped to the window to feed a group of birds.

"You know I don't leave my friends hanging."

"Yes. You didn't have to hurry, though."

"Pffft, hurry..." The blue pegasus waved her hoof. "I'm always that fast."

Fluttershy just nodded as she tried to convince Angel to eat.

"Now, what did you want my help with?"

"Oh... It's nothing..."

"Fluttershy. I'm here to help."

"I don't want to keep your from practicing."

"Fluttershy!"

Wings tucked against her back, the pale yellow pegasus backed onto her sofa. "Oh... uhm... I just wanted your help moving a few things...But if you'd rather practice, that's okay, too."

"Just moving something?" Dash got up, her wings lifted high. The blue filly's gaze shifted back and forth between Fluttershy and the door, until it lingered on her friend. "Alright, let's do this."

"Oh, you really don't have to."

"I want to. Now, where's that stuff you gotta move?" She'd already taken to the air, just off the ground.

"Uhm... outside. I should return the carts Applejack lent me."

"Carts?" She dropped back down and folded her wings, groaning. "I hate pulling those."

"I'm sorry."

"No, it's alright." She smirked. "It's just... they're so slow. And if I fly like I want to, they always break."

"I can ask somebody else for help. I'm sure Applejack and Big Macintosh wouldn't mind picking them up tomorrow."

"No, no, no, no, no." Dash's rainbow mane rustled with the shaking of her head. "I promised I'd help you."

"No, please... I'll just..." Her words hung in the air as Angel tugged on one pale pink strand of hair and pointed to the clock on the wall. "Oh my..."

"What? What is it?" Rainbow Dash looked around.

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize it was already so late. I have to go see Rarity and Twilight at the spa."

The other pegasus breathed a heavy sigh. "That's alright. I should get back to Ponyville myself."

"Oh, Rainbow Dash, you look absolutely terrible. Whatever happened to you?" Rarity exclaimed.

"What? Nothing. I'm fine."

"She's right, you know," Twilight said as she moved around the pegasus. "You look like you got caught in a storm."

The blue pegasus finally touched down. "No, I'm fine. Really."

"Just look at your hair." The white unicorn flicked her own mane over her neck, ignoring Spike's dreamy sigh. "Even more untidy than usual. Terrible."

Twilight stopped in front of her friend and looked into her eyes. "And your eyes are red."

"They always are."

Twilight furrowed her brow. "I am not talking about your eye color."

"And your feathers are in such disarray." Rarity stepped to Rainbow's side and brushed a hoof across her wing. "No, this will not do."

Though Fluttershy had been standing off to the side the whole time, legs close together and her head lowered and turned away, she took a step closer and spoke up. "Uhm... Rarity? I think Rainbow Dash wanted to go practice... and we should go to the spa, or we'll miss our appointment."

Rarity lifted her head high, ears perked up. "Iiiiideeaaa!"

"I don't like the sound of that." With a flap of her wings, Rainbow Dash threw herself a few feet into the air.

"Rainbow Dash, you positively have to come with us to the spa. Trust me, it will do you a world of good." The purple dragon tip-toeing after her, Rarity walked around the pegasus and looked her over.

"No, I... really should get back to practice." Dash rose a few feet higher, yet she stayed.

Twilight craned her head back to look up at her friend. "You're as focused on your practice as I used to be on my studies. That can't be good for you."

"No, I'm fine. But I've got to be in top shape for the Wonderbolts."

"Rainbow Dash, you saved my life and won the Best Young Flyer competition at the same time. I would say you very much are in top shape when it comes to flying. Your appearance, however..." The unicorn frowned.

"I could be better." She zipped to the other side of the group. "I have to be if I want to impress the Wonderbolts."

Rarity lifted her head into a dignified pose and took a few steps towards their hovering friend, Spike following close behind. "The Wonderbolts are a very prestigious group. Do you think you could impress them looking like some common rascal? I think not."

"I've got to get my tricks down, first. I'll worry about my hair later."

"It's not just your hair. You're tiring yourself out. You should take a break," Twilight said.

"I don't need a break. I'm fine."

Rarity fixed Rainbow Dash in her gaze for a moment, then turned and strode towards the spa. "If you do decide to do something against your terrible state, you do know where to find us."

Fluttershy and Spike hurried after her, one with a squeak and the other with a sigh. Twilight shook her head and lingered behind. "Dash, do you remember how you all told me you were proud to know a unicorn with my talent? Well, I just want to tell you, we're proud to know such a great flyer, too."

Dash hovered in place as she watched the purple unicorn run off to catch up with their other friends.

"Rainbow Daaaaash! Rainbow Daaaaash!" Pinkie Pie's shrill screams echoed through the pegasus' home. How she could use a mere pogo stick to jump high enough to peek into Dash's window was a mystery to everypony.

"What is it, Pinkie?" Dash got up from the small pile of fluffy clouds she had been resting on and walked over to the window.

"I need your help. I had a great idea. It'll be super duper fun. I promise." Even with her bubbling speech the time she stayed at the window to say all that was slightly disquieting.

Rainbow Dash smirked and shook her head. "I'll be right down, Pinkie."

"Woohoo!" For a brief moment as she cheered, it looked almost as if Pinkie was leaning into the window from above.

When Rainbow Dash flew down to her friend a few moments later, the pogo stick was nowhere to be seen. Instead, the pink earth pony hopped around, at times seemingly bouncing off thin air. "This is gonna be sooo great. And with your help, it's gonna be even better."

Rainbows's head bobbed as she followed the frantic, nature-defying movement of her friend. "So, what is this cool idea you had? An awesome new prank?"

"Oh, no. Nonononono." Her face was a blur as she shook her head. "Muuuuuch better."

"Come on, tell me."

"With those dark clouds today, everypony got so sad and frowny. But now that the weather's better, we're gonna make it all better." Pinkie hopped on the spot.

"How?"

"We're gonna have a party, of course. A big picnic in Whitetail Wood. And with your help, we can make sure everypony knows."

The pegasus touched down next to Pinkie and laughed. "What do you want me to do?"

"Easy peasy. What you do best, of course: fly."

"If I have to tell everypony, I won't be done until nightfall," Dash groaned.

"Oh, you're not telling them. You're showing them." Pinkie pointed her hoof straight up.

The blue pegasus followed the direction with her eyes. "I don't get it."

"Duh!" A pink foreleg wrapped around Dash's withers and pulled her so close their faces were squashed together cheek to cheek. "You get up there, grab some fluffy clouds and pretty rainbows, and write it in the sky in biiig letters: Big Picnic. Whitetail Wood. Free Cupcakes."

Dash gulped. "Wouldn't it be easier to just tell everypony?"

Pinkie Pie giggle-snorted. "Oh, so you wanna run here and there and everywhere and aaaaall over Ponyville, trying to find everypony?" As she talked, she hopped all over the place, into and out of bushes, and up the trees, dangling from the branches.

"Errr... I guess not."

"Then what are you waiting for? Get up there and paint the sky."

"I'm just not really sure I'm the right pony for the job."

"Don't be silly. You're the fastest and best flyer in Equestria in, like, ever. Of course you're the right pony for the job. See you later, Rainbow Dash." She hopped off towards Ponyville, falling into another of her songs.

"Rainbow Dash. Over here. Over here." A pink foreleg waved frantically.

"Pinkie Pie? How did you get here so fast?"

"I walked here, of course." Her face seemed to be at least 80% smile.

Rainbow Dash stared at her, eyes wide and fixed. "What? I... you... how... I only just got done. How can you..."

Pinkie just kept smiling.

"Oh, forget it." Dash slumped down on the ground and sighed.

"Okie dokie lokie."

"Yep, that's Pinkie Pie fer yah."

"Hey Applejack." Dash looked up at their friend from her lying position. "What are you doing here?"

"Ah came here with Pinkie, before she went off tah find yah. Brought some apples for her picnic."

"Oh... Heh, yeah... That makes sense, I guess." Dash rubbed the back of her neck.

"Don't mind me sayin' so, but yah look kinda beat today."

"I'm fine," Dash blurted as she jumped to her hooves and spread her wings.

"Oh, I know. I know. Flying practice, right? For the Wonderbolts," Pinkie called out as she cartwheeled about the place for no apparent reason.

"Yeah, you got that right," Dash admitted.

"Why do yah always practice so much?"

"I've got to impress the Wonderbolts so I can join them."

"Sugahcube, you ain't gotta impress nopony."

"Of course I do. Why else would they let me join?"

"Ah reckon' yah wanna prove yerself. Ah can understand that?"

"Prove myself?" Dash laughed. "I just want everypony to see how cool I am."

"Uh-huh... 'n I just wanted tah harvest all them apples by myself."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothin'." Applejack smirked. "Point is, yah gotta slow down."

"Rainbow Dash never slows down." She stood up tall, showing off her wings. "Never."

"If yah go on like this, yah'll tire yerself out 'n' make mistakes. Trust me, ah know."

Rainbow Dash stared at her friend. She nudged the brim of her hat up and returned the stare in equal measure. A few moments of silence later, Rainbow broke out in laughter. "Yeah, I guess you do, Miss I-don't-need-no-help-from-nopony."

"Awwww... You're no fun." Pinkie pouted and and put her popcorn down. "You let Applejack win."

"Huh? Win?" They both turned to the pink earth pony.

"Staring contest," she chimed and hopped off to spread streamers on the trees.

The two friends looked back at each other and burst out laughing.

"Can you imagine that? Me, just giving up?"

"Sure can't, sugahcube." Applejack snorted, leaning on the pegasus for support. "Sure can't."

"Remember the Running of the Leaves?"

"We sure made foals outta ourselves then."

"Yeah, and you lost to an egghead." Her laughter died to a snicker.

"So did yah." She smirked and flicked her hat up.

"Still beat you."

"Nah, yah didn't." Applejack paused. "Yah did beat me for Iron Pony, though."

"Yeah, I left you in the dust." The pegasus grinned.

"Well, ah don't have wings."

"Hey, the rules didn't say anything against it, so it wasn't cheating."

"You mighta tricked me, but ah'm still mighty proud to call the Iron Pony mah friend."

Rainbow Dash laughed and rubbed her neck. "Uh... Thanks, Applejack..."

"'sides," the orange pony poked her friend's chest, "ah never heard about one of them Wonderbolts doing a Sonic Rainboom."

"Indeed," Rarity added as she strode over to the friends beside a bouncing Pinkie Pie, followed by Twilight, Fluttershy, and a dazed Spike. "I might not appreciate your brash style, but I do recognize outstanding ability. And you positively are the most outstanding flyer I have ever had the pleasure of knowing."

"And we're all proud to know you," Twilight added. "You don't need the Wonderbolts for that, or a Sonic Rainboom."

"Rainboom?" a certain pink pony perked up. "Oh! Oh! You know what would make this party totally great? A Sonic Rainboom!"

The other friends all looked at her, some with lifted eyebrows. Even Spike tore his gaze away from Rarity to look at her.

"Come on, Dashie! Come on! Make a Sonic Rainboom!" She hopped around the cyan pegasus.

Grinning, Rainbow looked up at the sky and spread her wings. Somepony cleared her throat. The eager pegasus look at the gathered friends, especially Applejack, and folded her wings with a sheepish grin. "Not now, Pinkie. I need rest."

"Awwwwww..." Pinkie drooped for an instant before perking up again. "Oh, I know. I have an even better idea."

The friends looked at her in silence, varying degrees of worry and surprise playing across their faces.

"Pony pile!" the energetic pony shouted and flung herself into the air. After a few too many moments off the ground, she tackled Rainbow Dash. Together they stumbled back into the group of friends. Knocking them all over, Pinkie pulled all her laughing friends into a hug; even the reluctant baby dragon.

Dear Princess Celestia,

today my dear friend Rainbow Dash learned a valuable lesson about friendship. True friends like you for who you are, and can look past your flaws even as they help you overcome them. As long as you and your friends believe in yourself, you do not have to prove yourself to anypony.

your faithful student,

Twilight Sparkle