Without A Doubt (revised)

"Hey, Dash!"

A sudden tension in her back sent the blue pegasus tumbling hooves over head before she could catch herself, so her rainbow contrail twisted into a corkscrew behind her. Forelegs crossed and jaw set, Rainbow hovered closer to the griffon on the cloud she had just passed and gave her best deadpan. "Gilda. What are you doing here?"

"Just checking on my good, old friend Rainbow Dash," Gilda grinned with a glint in her eyes.

"Yeah, right," Dash huffed.

"You finally decide not to be lame anymore?" The griffon turned her head away to preen her outstretched wing, though she still glanced at Dash now and then.

Silence stretched between the former friends, broken only by the measured beating of pegasus wings. A faint breeze ruffled Gilda's feathers and Rainbow's hair, and sent wisps of vapor floating around the griffon's legs. Even as her many-colored mane whipped into the pegasus' face, her unblinking stare stayed on the avian. Gilda returned that look as the silence deepened, the wind forgotten until Dash answered in a low tone, "I don't know about you, but I never stopped being cool."

Gilda scoffed, took off, 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 in the air. Again, they stared at one another, in spite of the awkward position. Even as blood rushed to her head and colored her cheeks, Rainbow Dash did not back off. While the griffon hovered casually, her arms crossed, the cyan pegasus strained her wings at an odd angle to keep herself aloft and cool. For a moment, the pony's expression softened and her eyes shimmered with unformed tears.

"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 someone awesome like me?" The half avian sneered and swept a talon across the horizon.

Dash furrowed her brow as her glare hardened. "The sky doesn't belong to you."

"Sure it does. So come on, get lost." She touched back down on the cloud, a sharp grin on her beak, and rubbed her claw on her chest. Then she smoothed her feathers back down, and inspected her talons with detached interest.

"Oh yeah?" The pegasus placed her face right in front of Gilda's and stared into the griffon's eyes. Though Gilda neither winced nor flinched, Dash slowly pushed her into the cloud.

"Yeah! What's a loser like you want up here, anyway?" Gilda challenged.

The 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 as she shot past Rainbow, so close she almost knocked the pegasus out of the sky. "Figures you'd still need flight school."

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

"Nothing. Just that your signature moves could use some work."

"You're just jealous because you never pull off anything even half as cool," the pegasus blurted out.

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

"At least I push myself!" Dash burst out and swooped around the griffon, but did not turn to face her again. Instead, the colorful pegasus spread her wings and flared out her feathers. Even though the pony's wingspan paled in comparison with Gilda's, she still looked a lot bigger than before with her wings stretched. Dash reared up and braced her hooves against imaginary ground, forelegs crossed and head bowed. The cyan mare clenched her eyes and gritted her teeth as she trembled, and struggled to take a deep breath.

The griffon followed the pegasus with a faint chuckle and circled around the filly. Every move the predator made seemed deliberate and precise to the last, from the steady beating of her wings to the flexing of her claws. In spite of Rainbow Dash's feeble efforts to turn away, Gilda eventually slipped in front of her, a fierce grin across her beak.  "Riiight. If you're that full of yourself, how about a race?"

"I'll take jerks like you on any day!" Rainbow shouted and pointed with her still shaking hoof. "You're so on."

"The loser stays on the ground for as long as the winner says," Gilda explained with a triumphant grin.

The blue pegasus stiffened and raised her head, then laid her ears back. "Oh. Uh... yeah, you're still on."

"Good. I'll see you later. We'll pick a course then, Rainbow Crash." A tendril of vapor hit Dash in the face as the griffon took off.

"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," Gilda 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 faded 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 a yellow pegasus touched down next to her.

"Huh?" Rainbow lifted her head and smiled faintly, yet did not open her eyes fully. "Oh, hi Fluttershy."

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

"Oh, yeah. I'm fine." The cyan pony smiled a little more, though she still lay sprawled on the cloud. "Why wouldn't I be?"

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

"Heh... yeah, I guess I am pretty tired." A yawn did nothing to hide her heavy breathing. "I've been practicing all day."

"That's... good. We were just so... worried." Fluttershy looked at the other pegasus for a long time. A frazzled mane of many colors hid barely open eyes. Fur and feathers stood on end. One hoof idly drew circles and furrows in the cloud. Bright blue wings shuddered and rustled as Dash turned her back away from her friend.

"Worried? Why would you be worried about me?" The blue filly gave her friend a smile as she got up.

"The weather isn't what it should be." She lowered her head and turned it away, hiding wide open eyes behind the faint pink of her mane. "We thought you might be hurt."

"No, I'm fine. Really. Just busy practicing for the Wonderbolts." The colorful pegasus trotted to the edge of the cloud and waved her hoof, wings spread with a slight tremor.

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..." The yellow filly straightened and stood as tall as she could. Hooves buried in the cloud and chest pushed out, she was perfectly still. Only her eyes closed for a moment before she fixed Rainbow in her gaze.

Dash rubbed the back of her head, a nervous grin on her face. "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, head still held high.

"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.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't hear you. Have you been waiting for a long time?" the yellow pegasus called from the other side of the room, where she was busy feeding a flock of songbirds, each and every one individually.

"Hey, Fluttershy." Dash strutted into the room, not showing any interest in her friend's apology, her activity, or the little white bunny who held the door open. "Sorry I couldn't be here sooner."

"Oh no. It's okay." Angel tapped his foot on the ground and arched a brow as the cyan mare walked past him, yet she paid him no heed.

"You know I don't leave my friends hanging." Dash shifted her wings, plopped down on the sofa, and watched Fluttershy finish her chores.

"Yes. You didn't have to hurry, though." By then she held a feather duster in her mouth and cleaned every last shelf, bough, and nest in that part of the room, while Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes with a sigh.

"Pffft, hurry..." The blue pegasus waved a hoof and brushed it across her wing. "I'm always that fast."

Fluttershy just nodded as she moved about the house and continued her daily routine. Little critters flocked around the pony's hooves and fought for position. The yellow pegasus admonished them in her soft and soothing tones, and they fell quiet around her. Dash's sighing proceeded into open groaning. Once again, their caretaker provided exactly what they needed to each and every one of them, without ever running out of food, medicine, or patience, unlike her guest.

Rainbow Dash tapped her hoof on the ground and looked around the room. "Now, what did you want my help with?"

"Oh... It's nothing..." The pale yellow filly shuffled her hooves and turned back to the task of cleaning.

"Fluttershy. I'm here to help," the speedster exclaimed, voice raised and face stern.

"I don't want to keep you from practicing," the pink-maned filly backed off and skipped around the sofa.

"Fluttershy!" Dash jumped up in front of the timid pony, one wing twitching, and glared at her.

Wings tucked against her back, the pale yellow pegasus bumped flank-first into the 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 flexed her wings, yet did neither lift nor stretch them. 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," the caretaker whispered.

"I want to. Now, where's that stuff you gotta move?" She'd already taken to the air, just off the ground. In fact, the tips of her hooves still brushed the floor as she let her legs dangle. The rhythm at which her wings beat was unsteady, at times uneven. Her ears drooped, as did her eyelids when she let her head hang and stifled a yawn. After that, the pegasus threw herself higher into the air and strained to hold her head high.

"Uhm... outside. I should return the carts Applejack lent me." The yellow filly cowered, yet kept an eye on Rainbow's quivering wing.

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

"I'm sorry," Fluttershy whispered as she tried to brush a hoof along Rainbow's wing.

"No, it's alright. It's just..." The weatherpony smirked and glanced at her folded wings. "They're so slow. And if I fly like I want to, they always break."

"I can ask somepony else for help. I'm sure Applejack and Big Macintosh wouldn't mind picking them up tomorrow." The pale yellow filly moved a little closer to her friend still.

"No, no, no, no, no." Dash's rainbow mane rustled with the motion 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 yellow filly was already heading for the door.

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,"Dash shot back with too much bile.

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

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 the fawning dragon behind her just as everypony else did. "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." Rainbow turned her head away and looked down.

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." Dash cringed as the white unicorn began to fuss over her. A brush wrapped in blue, magical glow appeared before the blue filly out of nowhere and worked the knots out of her mane. Dash drew back, but the fashionista stepped up. When one white hoof brushed against her wing, the pegasus winced and clasped her wings shut. "My word, such tension."

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." Before the purple-maned unicorn could carry on, Rainbow Dash threw herself into the air with a single stroke of her wings. She faltered, swayed, and dropped, still just above the reach of the fashionista's hooves.

"Rainbow Dash, you positively have to come with us to the spa. Trust me, it will do you a world of good. A nice bath, a grooming, and a massage for your wings." Rarity walked around the pegasus and looked her over while she pulled the airborne pony back down onto the ground.

"No, I... really should get back to practice." Dash skirted around the group, yet she stayed.

Twilight craned her head around to look 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 and fixed the brash pony with her eyes.

"I could be better." She stomped a hoof and zipped to the other side of the group, wings spread. "I have to be if I want to impress the Wonderbolts."

Rarity held her head high and took a few steps towards their friend. "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 mane later." The speedster huffed and brushed errant hair out of her face. Right away, it dropped back over her eyes. She shook her head and ran a trembling hoof through her mane. With one hoof off the ground, the cyan pony swayed and one of her knees gave. A flutter of wings kept her from tripping, after which she struck a dashing pose and put on a smug, if lopsided, grin.

"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," the cyan pegasus protested.

Twilight moved over and placed a hoof on Dash's shoulder. "Rainbow, I know the Wonderbolts are important to you. But you've never practiced this hard in such a short time before. What's wrong?"

The speedster looked at the lavender filly's eyes, soft and wide. "You really want to know, don't you?"

The unicorn smiled and nodded, and everypony else followed suit.

"Fine." Dash groaned and sighed, slumping down on the ground. "I ran into Gilda today. She's still a jerk. She challenged me to a race, for the right to fly above Ponyville. I kinda accepted."

"What?" Three ponies and a dragon stared at her. Even Fluttershy had raised her voice above her usual whisper.

"Oh no." The yellow filly's voice returned to meekness. "How awful."

"I do have to agree, darling." Rarity trotted around the blue pegasus to inspect her once more. "This is quite possibly the most horrible idea Rainbow Dash has ever agreed to."

"Hey, no sweat. I'll ace that race. Heh," Rainbow waved off their concerns.

"Not in this state, you won't. You need rest." The purple unicorn shook her head and moved closer to her winged friend.

"No, I don't." Dash took off with a gasp and circled above her friends. "I'm fine."

Fluttershy hovered up to her winged friend. "Uhm... Rainbow Dash? Don't race against Gilda... please?"

After she had looked at the other pegasus for a moment, the speedster closed her eyes and sighed. "I'm sorry Fluttershy. I have to."

Rarity overheard the exchange, and fixed Rainbow Dash in her hard gaze, then threw her head back with a huff and strode towards the spa. "If you do decide to come to your senses and fix 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 dreamy sigh. Twilight shook her head again 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. A heavy breath swelled the pony's chest and she let her head hang. The pegasus clenched her eyes for a moment, then shot off towards her home, trailed by a flimsy rainbow.

* * * * * * * * *

"Rainbow Daaaaash! Rainbow Daaaaash!" Pinkie Pie's shrill screams echoed through the weatherpony's home. Every few seconds, a pink blur soared past the window, all four hooves braced against a metal rod. How the party pony 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 bubbly speech, she stayed at the window a little longer than gravity should allow while she said all that.

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 the pink pony had used to reach the pegasus was nowhere to be found. Instead, the pink earth pony hopped around, and at times seemingly bounced off thin air. "This is gonna be sooo great. And with your help, it's gonna be even better."

Rainbow'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." The speedster tapped her hoof on the ground.

"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?" Rainbow stared at the earth pony.

"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." The party pony grinned.

"If I have to tell everypony, I won't be done until nightfall," Dash groaned. Her eyes wandered across the many roofs of Ponyville. She dropped on her haunches and drew a deep breath. For a few moments, the cyan pony just kept staring. Then she closed her eyes and rubbed her hoof over her brow. Little by little, she sank to the ground, until her chin lay in the dirt.

"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 to her feet and 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 and let her wings droop, one lower than the other. "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, and try to find everypony?" As she talked, she hopped all over the place, into and out of bushes, and up the trees, upside down in the branches.

"Errr... I guess not." The weather pony looked out across the many roofs of Ponyville and shook her head.

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

"I don't know." The pegasus shuffled her hooves. "I don't want to let you down, but I was kinda busy with practice."

The pink pony said nothing at all. Instead she tilted her head, almost upside down, and kept her eyes fixed on Rainbow's face.

"Uhm... for the Wonderbolts?" the pegasus added and took a step away from her friend.

"Aww, but you do that every day. Can't it wait? It's not like the Wonderbolts will be at my picnic." A loud gasp interrupted Pinkie's rambling. "Oh, that would be great! I totally have to invite them to my next big picnic. And then you can show off to them, and maybe they'll make you a Wonderbolt. Wouldn't that be great? It'd be totally great."

"Uhm, Pinkie?" the blue mare tried to interrupt the ranting pony.

"Oh, yes, right! Why do you really practice so hard today, Dashie?" A grin split the party pony's face while she leaned forward at a sharp angle.

"I've got to be in good shape today. I've got to, uhm, be some place later." The weather pony flinched under Pinkie Pie's unwavering gaze.

The pink filly pushed her lower lip out in the biggest possible pout. "Come on, Dashie. Wouldn't you much rather come to my super duper picnic party than race a big, dumb griffon?"

The pegasus gaped at her friend, eyes wide. "What? How do you know?"

"Because she's a grumpy Grump McGrumperson, of course. I mean, duh." She waved it off with her hoof.

Rainbow Dash's laughter fell silent when Pinkie's face grew fixed and stern.

"You really shouldn't race her." The words were delivered with a severity entirely uncharacteristic of the party planner. There was no trace of bubbling laughter left in her voice. The bounce was gone from her step as for once she stayed firmly grounded. Flanks on the ground and hooves dug into the dirt, she would not budge from her spot in front of Rainbow Dash.

"Why not? It's just Gilda. I'll beat her." In spite of her words, the speedster backed away from her friend.

"You already hurt your wing. And she doesn't want to lose. You might get hurt worse. And I don't want you to get hurt." The earth pony did not move at all. Even her cotton-candy mane remained still in the light breeze around them.

Feathers rustled as the cyan filly flinched and shrank even further. "I guess maybe I don't have to race her."

"Good!" Pinkie brightened. "You'll see, it'll all be fine. Now, how about you get those letters in the sky? Free cupcakes!"

"Okay, okay..." Dash looked at the sky and sighed. "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, another of her songs on her lips.

* * * * * * * * *

"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 eighty percent smile.

Rainbow Dash stared at her, eyes wide and fixed. "What? I... you... how... I only just got done. How did you..." The speedster shut her eyes and lowered her head. Cyan hooves dug into the soft forest soil as her body wound up. Feathers rustled when she shifted, stretched, and flapped her wings, and her tail whipped the air.

Pinkie just kept smiling.

"Oh, forget it." Dash slumped down on the ground and sighed. One hoof rubbed across her face before she looked up at the pink pony.

"Okie dokie lokie."

"Yep, that's Pinkie Pie fer you," drawled a familiar voice behind her.

"Hey Applejack." Rainbow looked up at their friend from the ground. "What are you doing here?"

"Ah came here with Pinkie, before she went off tah get you for that there writing. Brought some apples for her picnic."

"Oh... Heh, yeah... That makes sense, I guess." Dash rubbed the back of her neck and laid her head back on the ground.

Applejack moved over and looked down at her friend. Cyan wings draped across the dirt, one stretched further than the other, and all four legs lay limp. Her hooves trembled and tail flicked while she drew deep but slow breaths. Many-colored hair stuck in all directions and covered much of Dash's face and all of her ears. "Don't mind me sayin' so, but you 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 with a wink as she cartwheeled about the place for no apparent reason.

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

"Why do you always practice so much?" the farmpony asked when she sat down beside her friend.

"I've got to impress the Wonderbolts so I can join them." The pegasus reared on her hooves and spread her wings, feathers rustling in the breeze. The new pose showed of ragged and misplaced feathers, trembling knees, and heaving chest of the bedraggled pony.

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

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

"Ah reckon' you wanna prove yerself. Ah can understand that." A smirk creased Applejacks lips while she cocked her eyebrow.

"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?" The blue pony lifted a brow.

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

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

"If you go on like this, you'll tire yerself out 'n' make mistakes. Trust me, ah know." The farm pony took her eyes off the pegasus and instead looked at the branches above with a heavy breath.

Rainbow Dash stared at her friend. The earth pony 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, sugarcube." Applejack snorted, leaning on the pegasus for support. "Sure can't."

With the added weight on her back, Rainbow collapsed and the orange earth pony followed suit. A tangle of limbs rolled around the ground, no pony on top for more than a few seconds. In spite of their energetic scuffle and the loss of Applejack's priced hat, laughter still rose from the two ponies, broken only by gasps of breath. Somewhere nearby in the woods, a pink party pony joined their mirth with a giggle and an even greater bounce to her step.

"Remember the Running of the Leaves?" The pegasus poked her earthbound friend in the ribs.

"We sure made foals outta ourselves then."

"Yeah, and you lost to an egghead." A grin split her face ear to ear.

"So did you." She smirked and put her hat back on.

"Still beat you." The speedster protested.

"Nah, you didn't." Applejack paused. "You 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 you mah friend." The farm pony draped her leg across Rainbow's withers.

The pegasus laughed and rubbed her neck even as she tried to squirm out of the casual embrace. "Uh... Thanks, Applejack..."

The earth pony let go of her winged friend and looked her in the eyes. "But look, that race ain't no friendly Iron Pony contest. Gilda's hurt, ah'm sure, and she doesn't like losing."

"So?" The monosyllabic answer was punctuated with crossed arms.

"Ah'm not sayin' she'd try to hurt you, but you're in no good shape."

Rainbow Dash glared at the earth pony. Wings and nostrils flared. She stomped the ground. Her chest heaved worse than before. Feathers rustled with her shifting stance. Lips drew back in a scowl. Still, the farmer stayed calm and held her ground. Hooves firmly planted on the ground, she held her head high and her eyes open. The earth pony looked the pegasus in the eyes and answered the enraged stare with a gaze of concern.

"Look, I know you're a great flyer. Everypony does," the orange pony conceded. Legs tense, she was ready to jump up at any moment to catch her friend. "But you can't even stay on your hooves."

"You bet I Can. Am. Whatever." The blue filly shook her head and closed her eyes with a grunt. "I'll beat Gilda, you'll see. She doesn't stand a chance."

"If you're that sure, why all the practice?" Applejack's lopsided smile and the tilt of her head only added to the challenge.

"I can't be too sure, can I?" The cyan pony stared off into the forest and took a deep breath before she looked back at the farm pony. "I just want to be ready for the race."

"Rainbow." The earth pony placed both hooves on the shoulders of the pegasus. "Ah know you can beat her. But you're tired. And ah don't know where she wants to race. You could get hurt bad. Real bad."

"I have to race her! She challenged me. Here in my own town." Dash's fur and mane bristled.

"No, you don't." Applejack looked up through the dense cover of leaves. "She's got no right to take anything from you. The sky least of all."

"How do you know about that?" The cyan pony grabbed the farmer by the shoulders.

"Pinkie told me. B'sides," the orange pony poked her friend's chest, "ah don't think Gilda can do a Sonic Rainboom. And ah never heard about one of them Wonderbolts doing one."

"Indeed," Rarity added as she strode over to the friends beside a bouncing party pony, followed by Twilight, Fluttershy, and a dazed Spike. "I might not appreciate your brash style, but I do recognize outstanding ability. And you are definitely in an entirely different class than that uncivilized griffon. You are 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 to beat Gilda, join the Wonderbolts, or perform a Sonic Rainboom for that."

"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! Do 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.

"Yegh, gross." The griffon produced a retching sound as she dropped through the branches.

"Hello, Gilda," Rainbow Dash deadpanned while she pulled herself out of the pile.

"Come on Dash, let's go." The avian jerked her beak towards the sky. "You can still be friends with me, instead of those dweebs."

"What do you think I am? You want me to leave my friends, just because you're being a jerk? Fat chance." The blue pegasus snorted and stood tall between her friends and their would-be rival before she walked towards Gilda.

The griffon lifted an eyebrow as she watched the display. Her eyes wandered across the battered shape of the pony. Legs, sides, and wings trembled like the leaves in the breeze above her. Feathers rustled as the winged pony swayed and tripped. Cyan lids drooped over dull, red eyes, blinking over and over. A tangled mess of hair had lost any resemblance to the pony's namesake.

When Rainbow Dash stood right in front of her, Gilda's suppressed snicker burst into laughter. With a wide grin, she met the pegasus's unsteady gaze, and addressed her: "Okay Dash, if you want to be like that, it's time to race."

The pegasus stiffened and straightened. "Why don't you just get lost? I'll win, anyway."

"You've always been full of yourself." The avian smirked and shook her head.

The weather pony lurched forward, but a single stroke of her wings carried the griffon out of reach, as somepony held onto Rainbow's multi-colored tail. While her friends galloped over, Applejack let go and slipped around the pegasus to begin a circle the other ponies completed. Except for Applejack and Pinkie Pie, who faced Gilda, everypony turned to Rainbow Dash.

"I'll be ready whenever you break free, dweeb." The griffon chuckled and sat down nearby, watching the little group.

"Please don't do this," Fluttershy whispered and glanced at Gilda.

"Why not?" The speedster crossed her arms. "It'll be okay. You'll see."

"I don't think so," Twilight answered in a flat tone.

"I've never lost against Gilda." Rainbow huffed and looked at each of her friends in turn while she got back to her hooves. "Why are you trying to stop me?"

"Darling," Rarity chimed in, "you are most certainly not in a fit state to race anybody, much less a griffon this aggressive."

"I'm fine!" Rainbow stomped her hooves, and fell. "Just a little worn out. Let me just take a little nap before the race." The speedster closed her eyes and folded up her battered wings. Squeaking, Fluttershy knelt down and looked the other pegasus over.

"Rainbow Dash, I will not have you participate in any race in your current state."

"Drop it, Rarity." Rainbow waved her off with a hoof.

"I most assuredly will not. We might not always see eye to eye, but you are my friend, and I will not simply stand back and let you run into your doom."

"I'm not..." The cyan pony began, only to receive a purple hoof to the mouth.

"You are. And I don't even understand why," the bookish mare stated.

The pegasus pushed the offending hoof away. "That's just how it works. She challenged me, I accepted, now I have to race her."

A yellow pegasus chimed in behind her: "But Rainbow, your wings..."

"… are the fastest in Ponyville, I know." The speedster put on a smug grin. Her wings spread, then rose until they pointed straight into the air. The brash pegasus strutted back and forth several times, just a few steps. Then she stopped in front of the griffon, pulled herself up to full size, and held her head high. Feathers rustled as Rainbow flexed and shifted her wings. After a few lazy strokes, Dash folded her wings against her back and let her grind widen.

"Oh, no... uhm, I mean... you've sprained a wing..." The timid filly cowered behind the very pony she had spoken to.

Both unicorns frowned. "You want to race Gilda with a sprained wing?"

Rainbow's wings drooped. "Didn't you listen? I have to."

"No, you don't. There is no shame in backing out of a contest you have no hopes of winning," Rarity answered.

"I have to," The speedster protested. "We had a bet."

"So forfeit it. What could be important enough for you to risk life and limb over?" the white unicorn continued.

"The sky." Rainbow's croaked whisper was barely audible.

Pinkie's giggling stopped at a light kick, and Twilight frowned at the blue pegasus. "You do know that she cannot make you give up flying, right?"

"Yeah, but..."

"No objections." An immaculate white hoof was placed on Rainbow's back. "You are staying on the ground."

"Why do you really want to race with Gilda?" Twilight looked down at her friend.

"I just have to, okay?" the speedster replied.

"Rainbow!" the purple unicorn shouted.

The pegasus sighed. "Okay, Fine. I just want to know I'm still better than her, alright?"

"Don't you think that's a mite silly?" Applejack remarked.

"Maybe," the pegasus admitted.

"Darling, you are the most fabulous flyer in all of Ponyville, possibly all of Equestria," Rarity said.

"Yes, you're a great flyer. You don't need to beat her," the purple unicorn added before she chuckled. "If I had parchment and quill, I could probably offer mathematical proof you're the better flyer without you moving a wing."

Spike ran his claw down his face. Rarity cocked an eyebrow. Fluttershy shook her head and looked down. Applejack just stared with wide eyes. Dash held a hoof to her mouth. Pinkie Pie snickered. A few moments of silence passed in which a sheepish grin spread on Twilight's face. With her ears flattened, she looked around at her friends. "What? It's true. Taking into account their mass, wingspan, reaction time, and..."

"Thanks." With a faint smile and suppressed chuckle, the rainbow-maned filly got up. "But what will I tell Gilda?"

"The truth. B'sides, I think she heard." The farm pony smirked.

"Ungh, that was so lame. Next time I see you in the sky, you're going down." After she pointed at Rainbow Dash, the griffon turned and spread her wings.

"Wait!" At that shout, the predator turned to face the pink pony, who bounced on the spot for a while before she hopped over. "You can't do that to Dashie. I'll race you."

"You will?" Gilda blinked, and burst into laughter as everypony else stared at the party pony.

With a huff, Pinkie dropped on her haunches and crossed her arms. "Hey! Don't laugh. I'm serious."

The blue pegasus trotted up to her friend. "Uhm, Pinkie..."

"Ssshh, I'm talking to Gilda." The party pony waved off the former contestant.

Still snickering under her breath, the avian looked at the earth pony. "Okay, fine. The loser stays out of Ponyville."

"Sure," Pinkie replied with an unwavering smile.

"Pinkie?" Rainbow Dash tried again, louder.

Before she continued, the griffon tapped a claw to her beak and looked around. "Okay, from here to Sugarcube Corner, to that cloud over there, back here."

The pink pony still wore a beaming smile. "Okie Dokie. Ready when you are."

"Pinkie, you can't do that. You can't race her to a cloud. You can't even fly." The pegasus seized her optimistic friend by the shoulders and shook her. All the other ponies stared at them, eyes wide and jaws on the ground.

"Go!" Gilda shouted and took off with a cackle.

"Don't worry, Dashie. I got this covered." Once she had given the blue pegasus a pat on the head and slipped out of her grasp without effort, Pinkie Pie hopped off towards Ponyville. Soon after, she was lost among the lush trees of Whitetail Wood. Before anypony could recover from the party planner's sudden departure, a lion's roar could be heard far off in Ponyville. Then an eagle-shaped shadow rushed up from the village towards the cloud landmark, and all eyes followed its course. Yet when it reached the cloud, another roar scared birds and other critters from the underbrush.

"Hey girls, how's Gilda doing?" Without further warning, Pinkie popped out of a bush and jumped into their midst. When nopony answered, instead just staring or blinking or shaking their heads, the party pony huffed. "Hey, I'm talking to you."

A while later, a wheezing griffon crashed through the trees and hit the ground near them. The pout instantly gone from her face, the party pony jumped over and placed herself right in Gilda's face. "Hey there, slowpoke. Did I win? Huh? Huh?"

For a few moments, the predator just stared at her, then she reared up and roared. Wings spread far enough to brush against the trees, the enraged griffon flexed her talons and swiped at thin air. "You! You cheated. You tricked me. There's no way you're faster than me. You can't have gotten up to that cloud."

"Ohhh, you're a sore loser." The earth pony giggled and grinned.

"I'm not. I'm just... This is insane. I'm done with this place. I'm leaving." One ferocious snarl later, Gilda had broken through the canopy and left behind only broken twigs, leaves, and staring ponies.

First to recover, Rainbow Dash slipped over to Pinkie, who still wore her broad, gleeful smile. "How'd you do it?"

"Do what?" The party pony tilted her head.

The blue pegasus ran her hoof down her face. "Beat Gilda. Walk on clouds."

"You silly filly. I can't walk on clouds." The giggling earth pony wrapped her arm around Rainbow's withers and pulled her along. "Now, let's go get some cupcakes."