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Rainbow Dash never had a chance. None. She never even heard it coming. Her attacker knew just where to step to avoid the squeaky floor boards that would otherwise have given away her presence. The cyan pegasus was snoring gently, curled up in her bed and snuggled into her blanket, with a beatific smile on her muzzle, completely oblivious to everything but her dreams.

She was flying with the Wonderbolts through the splendid summer skies. The wind was in her mane, spreading out behind her in a rainbow contrail that cut through the crystal clear air. While hardly a unique dream for Rainbow, it was still a most pleasant one. Too bad the rule seems to be that the more pleasant the dream, the more abrupt the end of it.

Rainbow’s attacker crouched down, eyes glinting in the morning light as she landed atop the pegasus’ belly, forcing her awake and forcing the air out of her lungs in one fell swoop; announcing her presence in a voice that radiated doom to the hopes of any peacefully sleeping ponies. “Good morning Rainbow Dash!” Dinky Doo let out a giggle as the startled Rainbow Dash stirred, flailing her hooves comically as the little filly sat atop her belly. “Momma says its time for you to get up and go to work!”

An inarticulate moan greeted this pronouncement as Rainbow buried her head back in her pillow, drawing up the covers to hide her head. “Hnrrnnrg.” She mumbled which Dinky—having practice at this—correctly translated as meaning ‘I’m afraid it’s still a bit too early for me, Dinky would you be a dear and ask your mother to wake me up in another two or three hours? Thank you.’

Dinky hopped up and down on Rainbow’s tummy. “Wake up wake up waaaaaake uuuup!” She chanted, wiggling her hooves as she jumped up. “Momma made you a special breakfast but she said if you don’t go downstairs now you won’t get any before you have to go kick the clouds away!”

Unable to resist the eager filly tap dancing on her belly—and, incidentally, on her bladder—Rainbow groaned as she started to sit up. “Aright, Dinks I’m up, I’m up already.” The bouncing unicorn filly mercifully stopped jumping on Rainbow Dash and instead settled for leaping on the bed. “Special breakfast, huh?” The blue pony inquired.

“A huh!” Dinky nodded. “Momma says she made pancakes and muffins with lotsa syrup and apple cider but you won’t get any if you don’t get downstairs now.”

Rainbow Dash stretched, sighing in relief as she felt her joints crack and pop as she yawned out her tiredness in one last great big yawn. “Oourrh! You’re mom sure knows how to make breakfast.”

Dinky nodded. “Ya huh! It was really good!”

“So you ate already squirt?” Rainbow flexed her wings, straightening the odd crooked feather with her teeth. “What’re you up to now?”

In response, the unicorn filly just snuggled into the warm blanket and pillow Rainbow Dash was in the process of vacating. “I’m gonna stay here where it’s nice and warm!”

“Heeey! No fair!” Rainbow pouted, imitating the behavior of a little filly shockingly well. “If I have to get up, then you do too!”

“Nope!” Dinky snuggled into the blankets like Rainbow Dash had a moment earlier and buried her face in the pillow, closing her eyes. “I can’t hear you, I’m sleeping! Ah feeew, ah feeew.” She threw in a few fake snores just to add to the effect, but ruined it by peeking and giggling.

Not one to accept defeat easily, Rainbow Dash stretched out her hooves menacingly. “All right Dinks, you asked for it!” She hopped back into bed and began tickling the little filly with her hooves.

“Aheheheheee!” The little pony squeaked, giggling. “Noooo! I sleepin’!”

“If I don’t get to sleep, then nopony does!” Rainbow declared tossing in an evil laugh for good measure. “Mwahahahaa!”

Their good natured fun was interrupted by a pair of golden eyes that managed to take in the whole scene (and perhaps an extra 20% of the room) without even turning her head. “Rainbow Dash!” The gray blond-maned pegasus attached to those most unique of oculars shook her head but couldn’t help smiling at the sight. “You’re supposed to be out the door in five minutes and you haven’t even showered or had breakfast yet! Hup hup hup!” She shook her wings in a shooing motion at Rainbow. “Hurry up missy or my wings’ll tan your rump!” Ditzy’s glare was as threatening a look as she knew how to give—which wasn’t saying much.

Dinky giggled at the thought of her kind-hearted mom punishing a pony—she knew she wouldn’t even hurt a fly. “Uh oh, momma’s mad.” She hid her giggles behind her hooves. “You better hurry up if you don’t wanna get spanked!”

Rainbow affected a look of mock-horror. “I’m terrified.” She deadpanned. “Really, I’m shaking in my horseshoes.”

“You should be.” Ditzy tried to glare ferociously but the fact that one of her eyes was currently checking out something off to the side somewhat diluted it. The fact that she was biting down on her lip to prevent from smiling didn’t help either. “Come on Dashie, get going.”

“Yes MOM.” Rainbow smirked as she trotted past her old friend, her tail swishing from side to side as she headed out. Then she let out a sharp yelp as she felt a stinging flick on her rump. “Oww! Ditzy!” She turned her head around, looking between the innocently whistling Ditzy and the slight red mark on her backside (Dinky had gone back to feigning sleep).

Ditzy innocently whistled a tune Rainbow Dash recognized as ‘Have you Seen the Muffin Mare?’ before deigning to notice the surly pegasus rubbing her back end. “What?”

“….” Rainbow shook her head. “Never mind.” She rolled her eyes and made her way to the bathroom. A few moments later she headed down stairs and joined Ditzy and Dinky at the breakfast table. She drooled at the picture perfect stack of pancakes, topped with strawberries and liberally doused with syrup and flanked by blueberry muffins and a tall cool glass of Apple Family cider. “Oh my gosh!” She smacked her lips, loudly. “This looks amazing Ditz!”

The gray mare beamed happily, her daughter sitting next to her sipping down some milk. “Aww, thanks Rainbow Dash! Now c’mon, you’re due at work soon!”

“Heh no sweat!” The cocky pegasus rubbed her hooves together greedily. Without any further ado she dug into her breakfast like a diamond dog looking for a gem (or a bone). Ditzy and Dinky watched with wide eyes as she demolished her breakfast with practiced ease. In under a minute the pancakes had vanished and the cider glass was empty. Rainbow patted her slightly distended belly and let out a burp. “Ahh….that hit the spot!”

Dinky let out a horrified giggle mixed with a high-pitched ‘eeeeeew.’ She stuck her tongue out Rainbow Dash. “You’re GROSS!” Dinky’s voice belied any sense of condemnation as she smiled and added. “…and funny!”

Ditzy rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Dinky this is what we call an example of how NOT to act.”

“Hey!” Rainbow hiccupped, pounding her chest with one hoof. “You were the pony warning me not to be late!” She stole a quick glance at the cuckoo clock (complete with a pegasus who popped out on the hour). “Whoops, hold on a second!” Rainbow dashed upstairs and proceeded to brush her teeth with lightning speed, before heading back down. “Now, who wants a ride to school today?”

Dinky’s eyes lit up as she raised a hoof as high as her tiny form could manage. “Oooh! Oooh me! Me me me! Please momma, can Rainbow Dash fly me to school today? Pleeeeease?” She begged. Ditzy smiled and rubbed her daughter’s mane.

“Of course you can muffin.” She nonetheless shot Rainbow Dash a look that warned of dire consequences should anything go awry. “Just remember to be careful.” She was ostensibly talking to Dinky but her eyes were on Rainbow. The cyan pegasus gulped, unconsciously look back at her rear. She nodded quickly.

Dash nodded. “Got it.”

Then Ditzy was all-smiles again. “Okay! Have a good day muffin!” She gave Dinky a colossal mom-hug and kissed her horn. “You too Rainbow Dash!”

“Right back at you Ditzy!” Rainbow tossed a salute. “C’mon squirt let’s fly!” With a hop and a squeal, Dinky climbed onto Rainbow Dash’s back and then they were off.

The skies were nearly as clear as they were in her dream as Rainbow Dash soared over Ponyville, Dinky clinging tightly to her back. “Oh wow!” The filly exclaimed. “Lookit Rainbow Dash! All the ponies are so little!” She pointed. “They’re TINY!”

Rainbow grinned. “Wanna see them a little up closer?”

“YEAH!” Her wings flicked forwards as Rainbow Dash fell into a controlled dive. Dinky buried her face in Dash’s mane and shrieked in glee as the ground rose up to meet them. The ponies looked up when they heard the shriek through the air and immediately dove for cover as Rainbow zoomed downwards. With a smirk, Rainbow banked up just as she past the tree-line. “That was so cool!” Dinky chirped as the air rushed past.

“I know, right?” As she approached their destination, Rainbow circled around wide the school smiling as the school foals below looked up and pointed and waved at her. “Okay Dinky, here we are. What are you doing after school?”
Dinky sat up, shaking her mane out of her eyes. “Um, I was gonna go with Pipsqueak to Sugarcube Corner.”

“Who? Oh, you mean the short spotted guy?”

“He is NOT short!” Dinky instinctively defended. “He’s just…not very tall.” She corrected primly, letting out a sniff.
Rainbow let out a small laugh. “Awwwww.” Her voice squeaked. “You think he’s cute don’t you?”

“What? Nooooo! Ewwww no way! He has cooties!” Dinky protested furiously.

“Then why are you hanging out with him?”

She felt Dinky fidgeting on her back. “Cuz…he has less cooties than the other colts.”

Rainbow Dash resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “All right, whatever you say.” She angled her wings downwards and came in for a landing. “Time for school Dinks.”

“Okay!” The little filly chirped as Rainbow’s hooves touched down on the ground. “See you later Rainbow Dash!” She ran into the school house, joining the herd of little ponies that nearly knocked Cheerilee off her hooves.

Shaking her head, Dash sped off to start her shift as a weathermare. She arrived in the center of town where her co-workers were waiting for her.

“The fastest pony in Equestria and you still manage to be late.” Cloud Kicker chuckled as the lavender pegasus rolled her eyes. “Only you Dash.”

Drawing herself up primly Rainbow Dash decided to take the mature road, by blowing a big ripe raspberry at her that lasted a good twenty seconds. She finished it up by adding “…to you CK.”

“Classy.” Cloud Kicker remarked, brushing away some imaginary spittle from her chest. “Although, I can think of a few good uses for that tongue…”

“Cloud Kicker!” Blossomforth interjected, her face flushed. “Don’t be weird on the job!”

The lavender pegasus quirked an eyebrow. “Ooooh, so you want me to save it for after hours? I getcha.” She winked. “My place or yours?”

Blossomforth’s face lit up in a huge blush as she covered her face with her hooves and squeaked very softly. The final member of their quartet, Raindrops, wondered just how Ditzy had managed to put up with these two for so long.

“Enough already…Cloud Kicker, no breaking Blossomforth unless you want to do her shift as well as yours.” Rainbow snorted.

CK stuck out her own tongue at Rainbow Dash in response. “Oh you’re no fun anymore.”

“You know if we got paid to trade witty banter instead of push clouds around…” Raindrops started. “Wait, no. You still wouldn’t be earning anything. So maybe we should just stick to the job at hoof?”

Dash snorted. “Okay ladies looks like we’ve got ourselves an easy day. Light summer shower over Sweet Apple Acres at ten, low humidity, wind speed is going to hang around fifteen miles per hour and light cirrus cloud cover after lunch.” She looked around. “So, usual division of duties? I’ll go north and handle Sweet Apple Acres, Blossomforth you take the east, Cloud Kicker the west and Raindrops, you’ll handle the south.”

“Shouldn’t I be taking care of Sweet Apple Acres?” Raindrops’ mouth had thinned into a straight line. “Rainfall is my special talent and I’m more familiar with the amount and kind of rain that the farm needs.” Unspoken was the comment that she’d been working in Ponyville long before Rainbow Dash had arrived.

Rainbow Dash either missed the subtext or chose to brush it aside. “Nah, I got this. Besides, I got this wicked prank I’ve been meaning to get Applejack with.” She grinned, rubbing her hooves together in gleeful anticipation. “Who says you can’t mix business with pleasure?”

“Well—” Cloud Kicker started but was cut off by a quick elbow jab to her gut by Blossomforth who had had enough embarrassment for one morning.

Raindrops rolled her eyes. “Whatever…” She mumbled as she flew off.

Rainbow Dash was going to make a comment about Raindrops needing to pull the stick out but pulled back; less from a sense of maturely wanting to refrain from foalishness and more from not wanting to give Cloud Kicker another opening for her ribald humor. Rainbow had just had breakfast after all.

“Okay everypony you know the drill: last pony to finish their sector pays for lunch!”

Blossomforth flew off to her assigned area but Cloud Kicker hung back, clearly wanting to talk to Rainbow Dash. Grunting, Rainbow tossed her head to indicate that if she wanted to talk, she’d have to keep up because she wasn’t going to wait for her. Rainbow Dash sped off, Cloud Kicker followed, doing her best to match her. If it was a real race there would be no contest. But Rainbow wasn’t flying at her top speed, just making sure that she was slightly faster than CK practically taunting her by being juuust out of reach…and doing the odd loop or aerial maneuver in the process. Still, Cloud Kicker did well enough not to let Rainbow Dash lose her completely so after a few minutes Rainbow came to a stop: they were above Sweet Apple Acres anyway.

“Okay Kicker, what’s on your mind? I mean, besides the usual.” Dash quipped as she fluttered down onto a large branch, lying down with her hooves folded behind her head.

Cloud Kicker settled down on a neighboring branch. “It’s about this thing between you and Raindrops.”

“What thing? There isn’t anything between me and Dropsy.” She replied, using her own nickname for Raindrops—one she and Cloud Kicker both knew Raindrops HATED, thus unintentionally proving Cloud Kicker’s point.

Sure enough, the lavender pegasus lifted a foreleg and pointed. “Yes, you do! There, just like that! You know how much being called Dropsy annoys her.” A grunt was Rainbow’s only response. Cloud Kicker groaned. “Aw, c’mon boss. You know I’m right. The way she tenses up around you, the way you needle her—it’s like you just came off a bad break up.”

“Pff, get serious.” Rainbow lifted her head up. “She really needs to loosen up.” She smirked. “Which is your specialty, I believe?”

Cloud Kicker sighed. “She does have an insanely powerful hind end…but that’s not the point.” She shook her head. “Yeah, she probably could stand to lighten up a bit, but I think the main problem is how you treat the job.”

“What’re you talking about? I always do what I have to do—and faster than anypony else could too!”

“Yeah, I know you do…” She sighed as she sat down on the branch. “Problem is that you treat like something you can just get done anytime. Like you don’t need to show up on time or can nap through most of your shift and get it all done at the last minute in between napping and training for the Wonderbolts.”

Rainbow Dash gave her a look. “Uh, CK? I CAN do it in between naps and training for the Wonderbolts.”

That prompted an eye roll from the lavender pegasus. “I KNOW that, that isn’t the point. Look, Raindrops’ special talent is the rain, right? So while this job might not mean that much to you, it means a lot to her. You know she works hard at it and she really loves her job. So when you don’t treat it seriously it feels like you’re slighting her and her dedication.” She gave a small smile. “Maybe you could just try to, I don’t know, give the position a little more weight?”

Rainbow Dash was incredulous. “This from the pony who randomly made it rain on ponies just so you can flirt and tell them how sexy they look with their manes wet?”

“One time!” Cloud Kicker protested. “One…Time…I did that…okay, maybe twice. Or…well, whatever that’s not the point either!”

“You keep saying that.” Rainbow drawled laconically. “Are you sure you know what the point is?”

That prompted a facehoof and a resigned sigh. “Just…think about it, okay? Catch you later Dash.” CK waved and flew off to her assigned area, leaving Rainbow Dash alone.

She didn’t see what the big deal was. So she liked to make her job more fun, was that a crime now? How was it her problem if Raindrops was a stick in the mud? Further ruminations on this line of thought were put off when Rainbow spied Applejack bucking her way through the trees. She grinned and quietly flew up to grab one of the rain-laden clouds, bringing it down below the tree line and hid it amongst the branches and leaves. This was gonna be good…

Just as the farmpony made her way over to tree where Rainbow Dash and her cloud were hiding, a familiar gray-coated pegasus flew up to her. “Maaaaaail!” Ditzy sang out, resplendent in her blue uniform jacket and cap. “Mail for you Applejack!”

“Well, howdy there Ditzy Doo!” Applejack smiled warmly. “What’ve ya got for th’ Apple Family today?”

Ditzy dug around in her mailbag. “Let’s see! Ooh you’ve got your monthly Apple Digest magazine…a notification from AppleCon…party invitation from Pinkie Pie…a brochure from the Equestrian Agriculture Conference and Exhibition, another invitation from Pinkie…” In her tree, Rainbow Dash facehooved. There was loving apples and then there was being INSANE. Applejack crossed that line about three letters ago. “…oh here’s a letter from Appleloosa!”

Applejack beamed as she saw the return address on the letter’s front. “Why that must be mah cousin Braeburn! Heh, wonder what he’s up to…” Flipping it over, she ripped the top open with her teeth and took out the letter. “Lesse now…what?” She asked in confusion, reading aloud:

Rainbow Dash-

Be joyful and rejoice for I—The GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE—shall grace you with my presence, though I am sure you have done little to deserve it. Still, I am Great and Generous as well as Great and Powerful, so I will be visiting your new home in ‘Ponyville’ (original name, by the way) and look forward to your wide-eyed awe and adoration. Perhaps while I am around I will grant this two-bit town with a show of my amazing magical prowess! I will be in the need of a lovely assistant…could you recommend somepony?

…Fine, you win, I could NOT start a letter without introducing myself. I owe you ten bits (blast you). I’ll be arriving tomorrow with my wagon. Looking forward to seeing you and catching up.
Signed,
-TRIXIE, THE GREAT AND POWERFUL

“…tarnation?” Applejack scratched her head.

All of a sudden a wild whoop and a flash of blue exploded out of the tree in front of them. “YYEEEES!!! All right!” Rainbow Dash pumped her hoof in the air as she twirled about doing a mid-air dance. “Trixie’s coming to town! Ha ha! This is gonna be a blast!”

“Rainbow Dash what in tarnation is yer friend’s letter doing in mah cousin’s envelope?” Applejack demanded. Then she narrowed her eyes. “And what were you doin’ in one of mah apple trees?”

“Nothing.” Rainbow quickly answered. Ditzy examined the discarded envelope.

“Whoopsee! I see what happened.” Picking it up with her hoof, she wedged her wing along the side, gently tearing a second envelope off the back of the first. “Looks like your cousin’s letter got stuck to Rainbow Dash’s letter.” The mailmare explained, holding up the opened one, which was post-marked to Rainbow Dash while the other one, from Braeburn, still sat unopened on the ground.

Applejack nudged her hat back. “Huh, well ah’ll be. Sorry for reading your mail Rainbow.”

Rainbow waved a hoof. “Pff, naah it’s fine.”

“Who's Trixie?” Ditzy asked as she idly poked through her mailbags for anything for Rainbow Dash.

“Pal of mine from Canterlot. She’s got this whole magic show thing going on, pretty neat.” She buffed a hoof on her chest. “Doesn’t have a patch on my flying though. We have a bet going over which one of us makes it big first. I think saving the world puts me ahead.”

Applejack snorted. “Yer impossible.” She looked down. “Oh look, there’s more.” She peered at the letter. “‘PS I finally got around to having those photos from that magic show back in Canterlot printed. You know the one.’” As she read, Rainbow Dash’s face paled. “‘Turn over.’”

“No, wait!” Rainbow Dash snatched the letter (and incriminating photograph) away before Applejack or Ditzy could see it. “Hehehe, nothing to see there!”

“Obviously.” AJ drawled, chuckling as Ditzy giggled softly behind her hooves. “Dun worry, ah ain’t gonna pry.”

Coughing, trying to regain her cool Rainbow Dash changed subjects. “Hey Ditz, Dinky said she was going to hang out with Pipsqueak after school at Sugarcube Corner.”

Ditzy let out a mother’s awww which words cannot accurately hope to relay. “That’s so cute.” She smiled. Meanwhile Applejack took the time to open and scan her cousin’s letter. Seeing her distracted, Rainbow Dash saw this as a good time to make her escape.

“Yeah…so see you later Ditzy! Bye AJ!” She propelled herself into the air and out of sight before they could protest.

Applejack watched her go, shaking her head. “That filly. You’ve got a big heart to let her stay with you and yer daughter.”

Ditzy blushed, scuffing the ground with her hoof. “It’s nothing really. Dinky loves her to bits. Besides, Rainbow can be really sweet. Um, don’t tell her I told you that.” She added weakly.

Chuckling, Applejack replied, “Told me what?” She smiled. “Anyway, it’s nice to know that one of her old friends is comin’ into town—even if she does seem a mite full of hot air. Still, anything that keeps Dash busy has got to be a good thing right? How much trouble could she cause with a friend in town?”

The question, meant to be rhetorical, was answered in the concrete when AJ bucked the tree Rainbow Dash had been occupying, setting off the rain-filled cloud and dousing the orange-coated earth pony with chilly rain.

“Um, are you okay Applejack?” Ditzy asked tentatively.

“J-just…d-dandy.” AJ said through chattering teeth, mentally reminding herself to have a word with a certain blue pegasus the next time they met.

Said pegasus had paused in the branches of another apple tree as she wiped the sweat off her forehead with a hoof, exhaling in relief. “That was close…” Looking up, she saw that the sky over the rest of Ponyville was largely cleared. Clearly the others had been working hard. Rainbow sighed, knowing that Raindrops or Cloud Kicker would be grumbling to her later about her ‘slacking.’ Determined not to pay for lunch and even more determined not to lose, Rainbow threw herself into her work. She moved the clouds into their proper position and bucked the rainwater out of them and onto the trees and fields of Sweet Apple Acres.

When she finished she saw with no small pride that despite her late start, she still finished before her three co-workers. An awesome breakfast, flying the squirt to school, pranking AJ, learning an old friend was coming to town, and about to get a free lunch? All in all, not a bad way to start the day.

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