Rainbow Dash snoozed lazily, waiting for her call to action and waiting for the first rain of the year. The pegasai had already picked up the water from the lake, and were no doubt making rainclouds to help water the crops throughout Ponyville. She could see it now.

    Industrious weather factory workers, packing clouds full of clean water and sending them down for her to shower the fields and bring the seeds and sprouts the earth ponies had planted to life. But for now, she could relax, rest up, maybe take a little nap before things got started.

        She closed her eyes, enjoying the warm sun filtering through the branches and drifted off into a light spring morning snooze. She worked hard, she deserved it.

        Rainbow Dash, you know I love you, but you need to jump.

        Mommy, I’m scared!

        I know Dash, but you need to do this, one time, one time and you’ll never be afraid again!

        I-I’m flying, mommy I’m flying! I’m really flying! Mommy I’m--

        Dash, no! Rainbow Dash!

        Rainbow dash jumped, awakening from her nightmare just before the fateful plunge ended. She clutched herself, trying to rid her body of the creeping sorrow that her nightmare had dug up.

        “Uh...Rainbow Dash….” Applejack called to her friend, Dash barely realizing she wasn’t alone. “You alright up there?”

        Rainbow Dash took a moment to shake herself back to normal. “T-totally! What’s up, the clouds here yet?” She asked, trying to remain nonchalant despite her miniature panic.

        “No, they ain’t. That’s the problem.” Applejack shot back, stunning the flamboyant mare and making her hop down from her perch.

        “Whaddya’ mean, what time is it?”

        “It’s five, Rainbow Dash, the clouds were supposed ta’ be here hours ago.”

        “What!?” Rainbow Dash snapped, looking up and shooting past the barren trees. She scanned the horizon for what felt like ages. Not a cloud in the sky, not a drop of rain. She continued to search, flying around, looking for traces of water in the lake, the stream, even the town fountain was bone dry.

        She darted around to Fluttershy’s cottage, the reservoir, even the river in the Everfree. All were barren, all were empty. Rainbow Dash’s heart began to pound in her chest, threatening to force her to the ground if she didn’t calm down.

        This was bad, in all her years as weatherpony, the rain had never been late. It couldn’t be late, they needed to water their plants, they needed to fill the water tower, they needed to bathe, to drink, they needed water to live.

        “Somepony musta’ gotten hurt!” She chanted to herself, flying back towards Sweet Apple Acres. “They wouldn’t be late if it wasn’t important!”

        She flew hard, back to where Applejack had gathered the farmers of the town. She floated above them, looking out over the angry crowd as she tried to come up with an excuse. “Rainbow Dash, what the hay is goin’ on?” Applejack asked, her tone growing angrier by the word. “We ain’t got no water, we ain’t got no food. Yer’ folk know that!”

        “I--” Rainbow Dash stuttered before being rudely interrupted by the crowd.

        “Where the heck’s the water!?”

        “Yeah!”

        “Well, where is it!?”

        “Hurry up!”

        Rainbow Dash’s heart sunk as the crowd turned against her. The once friendly crowd of people turned bitter and angry, and she had no right to blame them. She knew just how important the first rain of the year was, but what could she do?

        Could she race to Cloudsdale, could she steal the untamed clouds clouds from the Everfree and risk hurting somepony, what would any of that accomplish? How would going up and barking at the laboring weather factory workers do a thing besides make them go slower, if anything she might make them mad and force the rain to be pushed back a few days, if not a week.

        Rainbow Dash was stuck high in the air, flying in circles as she tried to think of something. She had to do something, she was Rainbow Dash ,Rain-bow Dash, it was in her name! She had to figure out a plan, she had to do that much.

        Rainbow Dash bolted up, flying through the clear spring sky and towards Cloudsdale. She didn’t know what she would do, but she knew it would start there. Start at the source, and eventually you’ll find the problem.

        Her eyes stung as she soared through the air, speeding through the sky and towards Cloudsdale. The flight was normally short, but with her added haste she was there in minutes.

        She could see ponies flying like mad out of Cloudsdale. Rainbow Dash’s heart picked up out of her gut as she slowed her pace and landed outside the common area. Everything was damp, humid and cool, clouds were being made somewhere in the city.

        “Ha-haaha...phew.” Rainbow Dash tried to calm herself, she totally over reacted, there was no way they could forget to bring the rain. They probably just had some sort of malfunction or hiccup in the system.

        She pushed her head through a cool cloud and steadied herself. Once her head was cooled off and her mind was cleared she shook off a thick cloud that stuck to her face. She felt great, secure in the knowledge that the clouds were going out.

        “Ms...you need to go home.” A rugged voice cut Dash’s mind asunder.

        She snapped around, face to face with a rough looking pegasus with scar. She nearly stepped off a cloud as she tried to give him room. “Whoa- hey….”

        “You need to go home. Now.” The scarred one stated coldly.

        Rainbow Dash’s throat went dry. She had no idea who this horribly rough pony was, nor did she have any interest in finding out. “I- uh- I can’t until I--”

        “Go home. Now.” The scarred one stated, taking an aggressive stance over Rainbow Dash and flaring his wings. “Last warning.”

        Dash’s voice fizzled in her throat. Her usual brash attitude and roguish nature was nothing compared the the weight this stallion carried with his mere presence.

        She backed away from him, taking to the air and flying back to Ponyville. Her worry replaced with anxiety, her time with the scarred stallion, however short, had left her rather shaken.

        Ponies were generally nice, kind, perhaps a bit rude to strangers at times, but he was different. A bitterness followed him, emanated from him, clung to his mane, his coat, his entire being.

        He consumed her thoughts as she flew towards her home town. Who was he, why did he tell her to leave, was he why the rain was delayed? Her mind swam with more and more questions as she lowered herself into the bustling town’s main street and watched as a mass of ponies pushed past her.

        Ponies were running like mad, past Rainbow Dash and towards the center of town. “Hey!” Dash yelped, a unicorn scraping her with their horn as they ran off. “Jerk….”

        Dash’s anger subsided as she dodged a coming horde. She stared at the rushing mass of ponies, completely unaware of the strange shadows casting over her town.

        They came in droves. They came from the sky. They came from everywhere.

        Dash looked to the sky. Pegasai flew in trios, dumping leaflets from their sides as they bolted past.

        The papers fell. The words sunk in as Rainbow Dash looked upon the pages with horror.

        In bold black the words split Dash’s mind and turned her world dark.

        Water is a privilege, not a right. Give us Sharp Quill.

        Give us Sharp Quill.

        Sharp Quill for water.

        Sharp Quill, Sharp Quill, Sharp Quill.

        All around her were calls for this Sharp Quill, yet not a single explanation, not any hint of what was happening.

        Another wave of fliers zoomed past, littering the skies with paper.

        Sharp Quill, wanted for desecration of Commander Hurricane’s grave.

        The Princess is hiding him.

        The Princess is holding your water.

        The Princess has Sharp Quill, the Princess has your water.

        Sharp Quill for water, water for Sharp Quill.

        Pegasai spread the word, solidarity in our founders name. Withhold all water from the Earth ponies and the Unicorns until justice has been dealt. Pegasai control the skys, the water, the key to life. We are strong, we are powerful, and we will have justice.

        Earth tribe and Unicorns, your Princess holds your water….

       The words went on and on, blasting propaganda and sending Rainbow Dash into an utter panic. This wasn’t a mistake, this wasn’t an accident. This was an embargo. And her town was caught smack dab in the middle. The first rain of the year, perhaps the last rain of the year, was not one of life giving rain, but of paper. Paper bearing the doom of a city, of lives, and possibly of all of Ponyville. Next Chapter: Feathers Estimated time remaining: 40 Minutes