Rainbow Dash had no idea how Fluttershy had talked her into this, but somehow she and the yellow Pegasus were foalsitting Dinky Doo while her mother Ditzy was making a long-distance delivery.
Oh wait, yes she did. The shy mare had guilt-tripped her into it, being worried about the last time she'd done something like this.
And they had run out of interesting things to do about three hours ago by Dash's estimate.
"Okay, Dinky, I think it's nearly bedtime..." Fluttershy said, and Dash made sure the filly didn't see how relieved she was.
"Aw. Okay, Auntie Fluttershy... But can you tell me a story before I go to bed? Mom always does."
That was another thing that had been a little confusing actually. Dash had known Dinky and Ditzy for years, but Fluttershy had only recently enough been introduced to them - Only met Dinky tonight, in fact. Yet Fluttershy was already "Auntie."
Perhaps she was better with kids than her experience with the Cutie Mark Crusaders let on. But then again, those three were no normal fillies.
"I wonder if Twilight has a book on exorcisms..." Dash muttered.
"Ooh! Can it be a ghost story?" Dinky perked up.
Fluttershy squeaked as Dash grinned.
"Better than that... What about a real story about when Fluttershy beat something really scary?"
It was kind of mean, but her thoughts about why she was here and the Crusaders gave her an idea. It would be a small bit of revenge for Fluttershy guilt tripping her into helping, and at the same time if it worked out, Dinky would think Fluttershy was cool. Using Dash Math, she figured it would be between a fifteen to twenty-five percent increase in coolness.
"Ooh!" The eager filly said.
"Um... I don't..."
"Okay then, Dinky. And to make it cooler, me and Fluttershy are going to act it out! Fluttershy will be herself. These can be the Cutie Mark Crusaders..."
Dash referred to a pillow like a marshmallow, a porcelain chicken, and an apple from the fruit bowl.
"D-Dash, if this is the story I think it is I don't..."
"...And I'll be... the cockatrice!" Dash grinned as Fluttershy quietly squealed.
"...But what about Twilight?" Fluttershy said softly.
"I've got an idea for that, trust me, Fluttershy..."
"Okay... but I still don't really like this idea..."
Dinky however, did, overruling her argument.
"That was mean..." Fluttershy complained later, once the rock that had portrayed Twilight was outside.
"Maybe, but Dinky thought it was cool. And that was the point, right?" Dash replied quietly.
Fluttershy sighed and nodded.
"I guess. Thanks, Dash..."
"No problem."
"I mean for helping me out tonight. I was worried about what happened last time..."
"And you didn't do that badly then either. Those three combined are worse than nine Dinky Doos." Dash said.
"I guess I didn't. Dinky was a lot easier to look after..." Fluttershy agreed.
"...But if I do it again do you mind helping me?"
Drat.
"...Sure. I guess."