"Pinkie! Guess what?" Rainbow exclaimed excitedly, as she hovered over the earth pony opening the sweets shop.

"The princesses have decided to make pie the official party pastry, thus making cake obsolete and forever changing the face of parties as we know them!” Pinkie gasped, “Oh Rainbow, that's horrible! I love cake! Does it include cupcakes? I'll need to work on my pies. Maybe I can make a cake pie? A cake inside a pie? What about a cake within a cake?"

"Uh... no," Rainbow answered slowly, redirecting the often rambling train of thought of her pastry making friend. "I got invited to the Wonderbolt tryouts!"

Pinkie instantly recognized how huge this news was, and reacted appropriately.

"Really?! That's awesome Dashie! Hang on, I'll be right back with the party cannon!" Pinkie started.

"No time! I have to tell Rarity and Twilight before work!" she said as she zipped off to Rarity's boutique. The town below her was just waking up as she dove into her bedroom window, crashing loudly into her mannequins and startling the fashionista nearly to death.

"For heaven's sake Rainbow Dash, there's such a thing as knocking, you know!" Rarity spat indignantly, having been roused from a dead sleep by her friends intrusion.

"No time for doors Rarity! I got invited to Wonderbolt tryouts!" she squealed happily.

Even though it was far too early for the well groomed unicorn to express the kind of emotion the situation warranted, she still managed a sincere congrats before throwing her sheets back over her head as Rainbow left to go inform Twilight of the good news.

The pegasus rocketed through town, entering the library through Twilight’s bedroom window, which she’d wisely learned to keep open in case Rainbow ever dropped by. Gracefully fluttering through her window, she noticed both Spike and Twilight still asleep. Smiling deviously, Dash hovered over Twilight's sleeping form, gently lowering herself over her until she was astride Twilight on her bed. Rainbow leaned in close, really close to Twilight, staring her dead in the eye, waiting for her to wake up and holding back laughter at how she'd react to her.

After a moment, Dash got bored and decided to expedite matters with a quiet cough. A pair of lavender eyes flickered open beneath her, blinking blearily before focusing on her face. Twilight yelped in surprise and scrambled backwards, and promptly fell out of bed to the sound of Dash's laughter.

"How many times do I have to tell you not to do that?" Twilight snarled, embarrassed she'd reacted just the way Rainbow wanted her to.

"I dunno... I just know it's funny..." she gasped between breaths, before hearing Twilight threaten to start locking her windows again.

"Okay, I'm sorry Twilight, its just that I got a really important letter today!"

Rainbow jumped off Twilights bed as she began to make it using her magic. "What about?"

"Oh, nothing. Just that the Wonderbolts want me to try out for the team!"

Twilight's eyes lit up. "That's great Rainbow! I'm proud of you!"

"Me too!" she added cockily.

"You two want to take girl time somewhere else?" A tired voice moaned from his woven basket.

Twilight sighed, "C'mon, cranky pants gets upset when he doesn't get a full eight." They exited to the main room of the library so as not to disturb any more sleeping assistants.

"So is it a tryout just for you, or is it a group of ponies trying for a spot?" Twilight asked, putting on some breakfast tea.

"I dunno, the letter didn't say. All I know is I have a shot, and I'm gonna take it!"

"I'm glad you're so confident Rainbow, can we come watch you tryout?" she asked, echoing Applejack's sentiment.

Rainbow swallowed nervously, "I'm not sure if it's open to the public, but I'll let you guys know if it is."

"Oh. Well that's fine, we know you'll do great even if we can't be there for you personally."

Rainbow blushed. She may not have shown her mushy side to her friends, but she was certainly glad she had them. She loved them all, and they supported her in everything she did.

"Yeah, I know you guys are rooting for me." She smiled back as Twilight rooted around in her cupboard for her kettle.

"The tea will be ready in a few minutes, if you can stay." Twilight said, turning to her.

"Nah, I gotta get to work. Raincheck?"

Twilight nodded with a smile. "Sure. See ya Rainbow!"

"Later Twilight!"

Rainbow cruised along the rooftops on her way to work before she spotted a group of fillies walking to school, a certain orange filly with a purple mane stuck out like a sore hoof between her white and off-yellow friends. Dash descended quietly upon the helpless girls, circling them like an eagle circles the fields in which it hunts. Locking onto her target, she began a dive straight out of the sun, so even if they did spot her, they wouldn't see who it is until it's too late.

"Nah uh, there's no way a pony like Rarity beat up six changelings! I bet Rainbow beat up like, twenty!"

"Yes huh! My sister used her magic and took them all on! I bet she even saved Rainbow Dash!" Sweetie Belle shot back.

"Now, you two need ta calm down. Ain't nopony kicked more flank than Applejack anyhow."

As the three devolved into a shouting match, Applebloom noticed Scootaloo's shadow getting bigger.

"Uh, Scoots...?" she pointed a hoof towards her ever enlarging shadow before the frightened filly looked toward the source, the outline of some winged beast heading straight towards her.

She let out a terrified scream as the three of them took off towards the schoolhouse.

"The hawk is back! Don't let it eat me!" she cried, flapping her wings in a vain attempt to fly.

Try as she might, Scootaloo couldn't outrun the creature, as it wrapped its cold, scaly hooves around—

Hooves? Scootaloo thought, not feeling the talons of a bird of prey gripping her tightly. Instead she noticed a set of cyan hooves wrapped firmly around her belly.

"You worry too much kid! Hawks don't eat ponies!" Rainbow assured her, though Scootaloo had been harassed by such a bird that seemed to mistake her for another kind of flightless animal.

"Thats what you think!" she shouted back happily, as Rainbow flew her the rest of the way to school.

"Guess what squirt?" Dash posed, dropping Scootaloo out in front of the schoolhouse where a few other pony parents were leaving their children.

"What?" she asked, beaming. Rainbows quick ride having, without a doubt, made her morning.

"I'm gonna be a Wonderbolt!"

"You are?!" the young filly gasped. "That's incredible Rainbow! I want to be a Wonderbolt one day too!"

Dash smiled, mussing her purple mane before responding. "I know kid, and you will be one day. Just as soon as you start getting those wings of yours to cooperate."

"I practice one hundred flaps every night like you said, forwards and backwards!"

"Stay with it Scoots, you'll be flying in no time."

"I know! I hope I start soon!" she said happily as Applebloom and Sweetie Belle caught up to her, the bell signaling the start of the school day ringing loudly above them.

"All right, get to school squirts, and don't give Cheerilee too much of a headache today." She smiled as they ran in. Only then did Dash realize her little playtime with her number one fan had made her late for work! If she flew as fast as she could, she still might make it in time. Her rainbow contrail flowing behind her, she burst into the weather team HQ without a minute to spare, though she was quite tired from the flight.

"I'm not late... Am I?" she panted as her supervisor came out of his office. An older brown stallion with a faded blond mane, his cutie mark was a cloud with the sun obscured by it.

He glanced at the clock: 9 am, and not a minute more.

"Technically," he grunted. "How was your vacation?" he asked, this being her first day back at work since her and Mac's little adventure.

"Interesting," she answered.

"You know, one day you will be late, and when you are, I'll be waiting," he added in a most unamused tone. Rainbow didn't blame him for being such a jerk. If she were his age, and stuck as the supervisor of a small town weather team, she'd hate life too!

Dash always knew she was destined for bigger and better, and being the element of loyalty was just another thing that helped prove this to herself, and helped give her such unwavering confidence in the face of adversity.

"Well I hope you brought a book, 'cause I haven't been late since I started!" she answered confidently, having caught her breath.

"Whatever. Here's your sector and forecast, get to work." He slapped a page of instructions on the floor before her and stomped back to his office.

Rainbow took the sheet and began splitting up the work between her subordinates, leaving what was left for herself.

After an easy days work, she set out to do the one thing she'd had on her mind all day: practice. She would fly until her wings fell out from above her, she'd go to bed tired, and wake up sore, only if it meant she could finally reach her lofty goal of flying glory.

Near her house was plenty of open sky, but she much preferred the airspace over Sweet Apple Acres. Especially after Mac had covered for her when AJ asked whether or not she had lost any cattle. Since he took the blame for the lost cattle, he was technically correct in saying Rainbow didn't lose any cattle. The best kind of correct.

Mac was usually in a far field, but AJ could usually be found near the house or the barn during the afternoon, and was always glad to watch her practice and tell her what she thought of her moves. As she flew over, she saw neither hide nor hair of Big Mac or Applejack.

Huh, maybe they went into town or something, she thought, circling the farm. She began her session behind the setting sun, pulling every maneuver, turn, twist and roll as sharply and efficiently as she could. Stunt flying was about precision, and no one was more precise when it came to flying, than Rainbow Dash. Though the twilight hours cooled the air, Dash was still sweaty by the time she decided to call it quits; well into the night.

As she flew away, she recalled never having seen Mac or AJ return home. It was unusual for them to be out later than sundown, but they were adults, and they could take care of themselves.

Rainbow's wings ached, but she was satisfied with the work she had put in today. As she soared to her house, she couldn't wait to feel the warm shower water wash away the sweat and dirt of the day.

She landed softly on her porch and entered her darkened house. After lighting her bedroom and bathroom, she quickly fetched a grey raincloud from the cabinet below the sink and lit the small gas flame that heated the water within the cloud. As she got ready to clean up, she closed the door out of habit, even though she lived only with a tortoise.

After a few minutes, Rainbow allowed the cloud to begin raining its hot water as she stepped into the shower.

There's the place, he thought, sneaking up toward the floating cloud house, he paused directly beneath it and looked around. He didn't need to be seen. That would jeopardize the mission. He reached into his bag and retrieved a rope ladder with a grappling hook on the end, except this hook was made from the same packed clouds as Rainbow's house, allowing it to safely hook onto the clouds and support a pegasi or non-pegasus using a lightness potion. He took the rope and twirled it a few times to build up momentum before hooking it into the foundation of the house on the first try.

He quickly climbed to the houses porch and peered inside. Everything seemed dark, and it looked like nopony was home. He pushed open the door softly before seeing light from under the bedroom door.

She is home. Dang. Oh well, at least I can still surprise her! he thought going silently down the hallway and pushing the door open. She was taking a shower, the steam was pouring out of the cracked bathroom door. He crept silently into her room, choosing a perfect place to lie in wait for his unsuspecting prey. He crawled on top of the bed and waited patiently for her to emerge, his trap set.

Rainbow always felt better after a nice hot shower. Plus she loved the way her new shampoo smelled. She turned off the cloud and ripped the curtains aside with one foreleg, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around her flank and torso, and one around her mane. She opened the door and nearly screamed in surprise. A fresh from the fields Big Macintosh laid, pin-up style on her bed. The scene was almost too much.

"Howdy."

Rainbow laughed nearly to the point of tears. She knew Mac was doing this for her, and made sure not to laugh at him for too much longer. Ordinarily, he was quite good at romantic gestures that didn't come off as cheesy, but every now and then, he'd do something like this.

"Hey there cowcolt," she said after regaining her composure.

"Ah thought Ah'd surprise ya after Ah saw ya this mornin'. Ah know we haven't had a lot of time ta see each other..." he began, he was no stranger to the fact that Rainbow wanted to do a little more than kiss. In fact, he'd be lying if he said he hadn't felt the same way, but his daily chores had to be done, and by the time they were, either she was asleep, or he was too tired to do anything but sleep for the next days work. "Ah got Applejack ta watch the farm for the whole night," he said smiling back at her.

Rainbow bit her bottom lip slightly, returning a much more seductive smile. "Really?"

"Eeyup. Its just me and you tonight. Ah was gonna surprise ya, but the fella at the potion shop had to brew another batch of the lightness potion Ah need not ta fall out of your house. It took all day, but Ah went straight into town as soon as my chores were done," he explained as Dash threw the towel on her head over him.

"So wait a second, you mean you went from being at the farm, into town, and then back here?"

"Eeyup," he answered confidently.

"And the first thing you do when you get here is lay your grossness on my bed?" she accused, realizing how dirty he was upon closer inspection.

Mac turned to her calmly and took off his yoke, leaning it against the bed frame. "Eeyup. What are you gonna do about it?" he asked in a fake serious tone.

Rainbow grinned. She loved it when he did this. Dash threw her last towel over Mac's head and turned her rear towards him. He pulled his head from underneath the towel in time to see her staring back at him playfully.

"You aren't staying in my bed like that. You need a shower, so come on." Rainbow beckoned, inviting him into the bathroom as he got off the bed, strode slowly next to her, and shut the door behind him.