Prologue: Families
Late September 2011, Calendar of Equestria (CE)
Second Year of the Second Age of Celestia and Luna's Twin Rule
In Sugarcube Corner, Pinkie Pie and some helpers were preparing things for yet another party. A purple unicorn was helping to put a banner in place, as the other ponies worked nearby. Two earth ponies baking, two pegasi helping put streamers in place, and one more earth pony holding a ladder steady so the unicorn had an eye level view of her work.
"So, what is this Sisterhooves Social anyway?" Twilight Sparkle wondered.
"It's basically an event where sisters take part in a bunch of games and competitions together. We used to do it all the time when we were younger. We even hold it at the rock farm every third year!" Somepony said.
"Oh, right. Thanks, uh..."
Twilight stared nervously at who she was speaking to, a grey earth pony.
"I'm Inkie." Pinkie's sister said.
"Oh, right! I was about to say Blinkie... So, how come you and Pinkie didn't take part today?"
"Pinkie prefers to organise the party now, and we prefer to help her out with it." A new voice said, as Blinkie approached, carrying a tray of cupcakes on her back.
"Ah. I guess with you two being busy on the rock farm so much and her with her job here, you and Pinkie don't spend a lot of time together."
"Not as much as any of us would like but it was nice seeing her today." Inkie shrugged.
A familiar springing noise heralded the bouncing approach of the eldest Pie sister.
"Hey, Twilight, have you got any brothers or sisters?" Pinkie asked as Twilight descended the ladder.
"Not unless you count Spike, no. Really, the only relatives I have are my parents."
"That's a super-duper shame! I can't imagine what it'd have been like if I'd been an only child... So, how about you?" Pinkie changed course and target of questioning.
"...Pinkie, I am your sister."
"Ohhh yeah, sorry, Inkie. So what abou.... Oh, yeah, Blinkie. Um... You?"
"You asked me already, Pinkie." Twilight sighed.
"Whoops..."
There was then the ringing of an alarm clock from the kitchen.
"Oh, that'll be the pies." Blinkie realised.
"I'll go get those. Unicorn magic, no need for an oven mouthguard." Twilight offered, and headed for the ovens.
Pinkie meanwhile seemed to be performing a complex mathematical equation mentally.
"Oh, I know! Fluttershy, do you have any siblings?"
"No. I had cousins back home but that's all."
"Ah, well, that's better than nothing at least! What about you, Rainbow Dash?"
The Pie sisters didn't notice both pegasi tense up a little before Pinkie had even moved to ask the question.
"I, uh... I haven't seen my siblings for a long time. They moved to Hoofington soon after I left home."
"Oh. Well, maybe you should go visit them? Or they should visit you?"
"Um, that's not really a good idea, Pinkie Pie. It's kind of..." Fluttershy began, but Dash finished.
"Complicated. Very complicated. I don't really like talking about it..."
"Wh..." Pinkie began, but a shout from the kitchen cut her off.
"Hey, Pinkie, the crust of this pie looks a little undercooked right now. Can you come check it out?"
"Okie dokie loki!" She bounced away, train of thought derailed.
"Close call..." Dash muttered, so that only Fluttershy heard. The yellow pegasus simply nodded.
Chapter One: Letters for Rarity
Early October 2011, CE
Second Year of the Second Age of Celestia and Luna's Twin Rule
The moon was setting, and the sun was rising over Equestria. At Canterlot Castle, the two royal sisters Luna and Celestia were flanked by four guards as they stood on the roof of the Raising Tower. The guards were of the recently arrived 104th Royal Flank Regiment, assigned to the prestigious two-month-long ceremonial duty of guarding the castle and also of guarding the Princesses at the daily risings of the Sun and the Moon.
Except there was a small problem. No one guarded them from the Princesses.
"...Luna, is it me or is it upside down?"
The darker alicorn frowned.
"Yes. It is."
"Dear me, how strange. It happens so often these days... I hope no one notices while I turn it around."
A nearby pegasus guard began to twitch. His northern accent began to slip out in spite of standing orders to speak in Received Pronunciation in the presence of royalty. He'd been hearing things all night that made no sense. This was the straw that broke his mind.
"Whit the... But it's a baw...a ball of fire in the sky... How can it be upside down? It looks the SAME all the time! It doesn't have a top or a bottom to... Ghaaaa!"
And he then fainted. His fellow guard stepped back to avoid being hit on the wing by collapsing pony, keeping his face blank.
The two princesses looked on. Celestia then produced a notepad and a quill as the two began to make their way down from the tower roof.
"So... That's us level. You got three of the newbies last night by making that illusion of a giant rocket to raze the moon, I got two shortly before by ordering them to buy gelatin mix to set the sun. How much of the current guard regiment is left?"
"Four more who've never been here before. We might need a tiebreaker..." Luna answered.
Nearby, the sergeant in command of the squad the Regal Sisters were using as pawns in a game of prank chess, facehooved hard. He waited until he thought the princesses were out of hearing range.
"Thur aw bloody muppets... CORPORAL MCLINTROT, PICK YOUR BLOODY SQUAD MATE AFF... OFF THE BLOODY GROUND INSTEAD OF BLOODY DODGING HIM BLOODY FALLING OVER YOU BLOODY HALF-WIT!"
He forgot that as a Sergeant his indoor voice was audible a few miles away.
"Oh, right, aye sarge! Lance-Corporal Buckson, pick up Trooper Cantering!"
"Dae it yersel, Gray! Haud on. Aw pish, ye kin pull rank in Canterlot..."
"AYE HE BLOODY WELL CAN! HE CAN PULL BLOODY RANK ALL THE TIME YOU SCROTE, JUST LIKE I CAN PULL EVERY ONE OF THOSE SCRAGGLY WEE HAIRS YOU CALL A TAIL OOT ONE BY ONE...."
Two royal sisters stifled giggles from nearby as the Sergeant ranted..
"The way the Sergeants react to it is always the best part. Maybe that can be the tiebreaker?" Luna suggested.
"Ah yes. How many times we get them shouting with the Traditional Royal Army Drill Sergeant Voice..."
As the allegedly upside-down sun rose over Sweet Apple Acres, Big Macintosh was already out. Last night's storm had turned out a little rougher than they'd been warned, and the stallion had to check his family's crop-bearing trees for damage. Applejack would likely be not too far behind him and pick a different orchard, but so far things seemed to be good. A few apples had fallen, but things could have been worse, especially with only a few days until Applebuck season.
As he made his way to check another part of the farm, seeing a blonde mane and orange coat cantering through distant trees, he noticed a familiar rainbow trail heading towards the farm. He paid it no mind until he realised that it was not a usual time for a certain pegasus mare to be at the farm. And the trail was coming from the wrong direction -Ponyville, and Rainbow Dash's cloud house she constantly renovated floating near it with the other pegasus houses, was the other way. This trail seemed to have been coming from Hoofington's direction, a good forty miles south.
Now he watched, something else seemed off. It seemed the probable-Dash was moving rather slow. Fast from a ground perspective, but the blue pegasus had flown over to bother his sister enough times for Big Macintosh to get a good judge of her usual airspeed. She didn't even slow to land, which this pegasus did, the rainbow trail fading away as the blue shape slowed and neared the ground. Macintosh realised the pegasus had landed somewhere near the front of the farm, so made his way there first.
He found not a mare, but a stallion... No, a colt. The pegasus was blue, had the same rainbow tail and mane patterns as Dash, but the mane was even shorter. This colt was around her height, and had a cutie mark of a yin-yang style symbol in yellow and red, outlined in a darker blue than his coat. He was also looking at a map, in between moments where he was adjusting the feathers on his wings. It reminded Big Macintosh of a bird, which in hindsight made sense.
"Can ah help you?" Macintosh asked.
The colt didn't seem to be surprised by a sudden voice from behind, and instead simply rolled up his map and turned to face the red stallion, putting the map away in a small bag he carried over his neck.
"Uh, hi. This your farm I landed on?"
"Eeyup."
"Cool. Hope I'm not trespassing or interfering with anything but can I ask a few questions?"
Macintosh nodded.
"Eeyup."
"Cool, cool. Uh, well, first, I'm kind of in town looking for somepony. A pegasus called Rainbow Dash? You know her?"
"Eeyup."
"Oh, cool. Uh, well, more important right now though, do you sell anything from this farm, like any produce? I set off after supper last night." The colt explained.
"Eeyup. We can sell you an apple or two..." Macintosh began to explain when there was an interruption.
"Dash! What in the hay are you doin' up still? Weren't ya'll on night duty?" A jovial voice rang out as Applejack approached.
She realised her mistake when the colt turned around.
"...Oh, sorry there pardner, thought you were a friend of mine. You shore look a lot like her. 'Cept for being a colt. You related to Rainbow Dash?"
The colt nodded.
"Yeah, she's my big sister. My name's Rainbow Runner."
"Well, howdy! Ah'm Applejack, that there's Big Macintosh. Glad ta meet ya, but gotta say ah'm a mite surprised. Dash never mentioned no brother..."
The colt looked a little forlorn for a moment.
"...We're not on great terms, her and the rest of the family. I last saw her about five years ago."
"Five years?! That's a mighty long time... Hay, she'd have just moved in down here after you last saw her ah reckon. Guess you came to patch things up?"
Macintosh simply stood there, now that Applejack was there to speak plenty for both Apple siblings, but it seemed the colt wasn't able to get back onto the thread he had been on before. Maybe he was shy, or poilte, which could both explain how he and Dash apparently didn't get along.
Or alternatively the fact that an attractive mare was now talking to him had the young pegasus distracted. Either way, Macintosh knew what he had to do...
"Runner here was sayin' he'd been flyin' all night... Was wondering if he could buy a bite to eat."
"I stopped for a break but I have been flying pretty much all night..." Runner added.
"So, you're wantin' to buy some food from us? You shore ain't much like your sister..."
The colt seemed alarmed.
"She... She doesn't steal from you, does she?"
Applejack laughed.
"Naw, don't worry there, she don't exactly steal, more borrow without askin'. She pays eventually so don't go thinkin' your sis is some fruit stealin' master criminal."
"Cool, cool..." Runner said nervously.
"Well, anyway, Macintosh, all the orchards over there are fine, just a few branches looking a little dicey. We can go fix 'em up after some breakfast and after we give Runner here his supper, I guess. Let him go find a cloud and nap 'fore he goes to find Dash."
"Eeyup. Ah'll go finish up mah side of things." Macintosh excused himself.
As Applejack led Runner towards the farmhouse, she shifted the conversation back to Dash.
"So, any other relations o'Dash she ain't been mentionin?"
"Well, there's Mane, my older brother and her twin..."
"Twin? Don't tell me there's two of her flyin' around!" Applejack exclaimed in (partially) mock fear.
"Nah, Mane's more an endurance flyer, Dash was always all about speed last time I saw her. He can stay in the air all day. We've got a younger sister, Prism... And there's our mother obviously. It's a long story and I'm pretty sure Dash won't be too happy if I spill it but to cut it short there was an... argument... a few arguments for the year of so after... well, they ended when Dash left. "
"Don't worry yer multi-coloured little head there, sugarcube, Ah ain't gonna pry into it. Sounds to me like something you ain't too enthusiastic about yerself, never mind what Dash probably thinks. Still, kinda wish she'd let us know she had family..."
"It's complicated." Runner sighed, as they neared the house.
Granny Smith and Apple Bloom were still asleep, Apple Bloom having tried for a waking up early cutie mark yesterday morning and a half-hearted and badly planned attempt at a staying awake all night cutie mark the previous evening. Applejack therefore kept her voice low
"Okay, now, it's a bit for one apple, or if you ain't fussy we can give you three apples that got a bit bruised when they fell last night for two bits. We ain't got anythin' fresh baked up but if you don't mind it like that ah can give ya some of yesterday's leftover fritters for half price, bit a fritter since they'll probably be a little stale. Or if you're fine with waitin'..."
"Bruised apples ought to be fine, thanks." Runner said.
"Shore thing. I'll just fetch 'em for ya and you can go find yourself a cloud somewhere to take a nap if ya'll been flyin' all night."
"Well, I've got a letter to deliver to somepony in town but I guess I could take the nap first then deliver it..."
Applejack smirked.
"Now, that's soundin' like Dash. Of course, in your case, there's a good excuse fer takin' a nap before ya work more..."
A few hours later in Ponyville itself. Rarity stifled a yawn as she made her way downstairs in Carousel Boutique. The mailma... mail carrier had been. Rarity, being ladylike, used the politically correct term since a pegasus stallion had started letter deliveries recently. She had never met him as early morning deliveries were, well, early.
Besides, sleeping with that dreadful storm last night had been less than easy. How could Sweetie Belle manage it? And why had her parents decided to spend TWO weeks on vacation instead of just ONE? For Celestia's sake they had one scheduled Oh well, winter was coming. A week until Applebuck season, then a few weeks later Nightmare Night, then the snowclouds from Cloudsdale. She'd have to get used to storms again, like every winter...
"Curses, missed whoever delivered the mail again. Oh well, it was probably Ditzy. I suppose if I go to the post office he won't be too hard to spot, the only other stallions I've seen there work as long distance mail or in the sorting office... "
"Um, Rarity? Are you talking to yourself?" Sweetie Belle asked from behind her.
"Oh, good morning. No, Sweetie, I'm monologuing. And now you're here I... hm, is dialoguing a real term? I should probably ask Twilight, or even Pinkie. She's remarkably good at that sort of thing. Oh well, never mind, the mail is here."
Horn glowing, Rarity picked up the various envelopes and brought a letter opener over from a nearby desk.
"Let's see... Payment cheque, I'll put that in the bank on Monday.. Junk mail... Offer to connect me to cable with Pegasus Network... Offer to stay with Vestal Media... More junk mail... Invoice for those things I ordered, I'll pay that at the bank on Monday.. Hm? What's this?"
"What's what?"
Rarity however ignored her sister, and stared at the letter.
"Rarity? Is it bad?"
"Oh, no. It's not bad, it's... WONDERFUL!"
Sweetie Belle cringed. Wonderful for Rarity was often just a different kind of bad for everyone else.
"Ah, good, um... W-well, I'll just go make breakfast..."
"Oh, go ahead, remember if it catches fire again that it's only the extinguisher on the left is safe to use, remind me to get the Weather and Rescue Service to replace the one we used on Monday. Though hopefully the milk is no longer flammable, the dairy assures everyone that's fixed."
Rarity stared at the letter for a few moments, then began bouncing up and down squealing happily. Meanwhile in the kitchen, a filly was attempting diversionary arson.
"Darn it, light, you stupid milk, the Weather Ponies could calm her down!"
Ten minutes later Sweetie Belle was dismayed to realise that even with breakfast on the table, Rarity wasn't calming down. She grinned and gave the occasional squee all through the meal, leaving her sister a little bit freaked out.
"S-So... What was the good news?" The filly asked, mentally wincing.
"Hm? Oh, yes. I WAS ACCEPTED!"
"For what? A fashion show in Canterlot?"
"Well, not in Canterlot, in Clydesdale. The Culture Society of Equestria has decided to host numerous shows called Grand Culture Expositions around the country throughout the year and I had applied to be given a chance to show my wares, so to speak, in the section of the Expo relating to fashions."
"Clydesdale? That's miles away!" Sweetie Belle realised.
"Yes, Sweetie, that's right. Oh. Oh heavens. It's miles away! I can't just take two or three trips and leave everything in storage like in Canterlot or Trottingham!"
On the plus side Rarity was no longer excited, on the downside, she was now frantic.
"Whatever will I do? It's impractical to go back and forwards, it's over four hundred miles and I simply can't trust it being sent ahead by couriers! Wait! Applejack hired a whole train car to Appleoosa. Oh, but if I did that I would need help moving everything from the station... And I could probably use help in the actual show."
Her eyes lit up.
"I-dee-aaaah!" She sang.
"Celestia help me..." Sweetie Belle prayed.
"No, not Celestia, Sweetie Belle, my friends! I could ask some of them if they'd be free to come with me to the show!" The elder pony explained.
"That's a good idea!" The younger one praised.
"Of course it is, dear. Now, while I'm gone, take any messages if somepony comes into the store. Let them know I won't be too long. "
Sweetie Belle lit up.
"I get to work the shop?!"
Rarity giggled.
"Oh, not yet, darling sister, today you're just being the sort of secretary and opening up at ten if I'm not back. One more thing, could you feed Opal while I get ready to go out?"
Sweetie Belle froze in terror.
"There's a good filly..." Rarity said, patting her sibling on the head as she made her way u
"...imgonnadie..." Sweetie Belle said softly as the door closed.
Somewhere in the shadows of the boutique, a cat grinned.
"Hey, kid, sorry to wake you but do mind moving off this cloud?"
Runner blinked awake to find a pegasus mare with a pink coat and a blue mane hovering beside him.
"Ah... Sorry, you Weather Patrol?"
The other pegasus nodded.
"Alright. Uh, can I ask you some questions before I go?"
"Sure, but be quick, somepony accidentally emptied one of the storm cloud generators last night and we need to use spare clouds to refill. Darn thing's been held together with gossamer tape for weeks, we've been asking for spares from Cloudsdale or Hoofington the whole time and..."
"Cool. Uh, well, first, do you know somepony called Rainbow Dash?"
"Yeah, she's the Station Manager. It's one of her days off though, not sure where she is since I took over from her this morning."
"Darn. Last question, you know where Carousel Boutique is?"
The mare nodded.
"Big fancy building across the river southeast of the town hall. Town hall's the big building in the middle of the square."
"Thanks. I'll get off this cloud now. See ya." He said, taking off gently.
The mare bid him goodbye as she pushed the cloud off towards the weather pony building.
'I should probably get a map of this town from somewhere... Maybe they'll know where to get one in the Boutique once I hand over this letter...'
"Clydesdale? I'd love to come and help you, Rarity! And so would Spike!" Twilight Sparkle said.
"Well, the last part was rather predictable..." The white unicorn smirked.
"I guess he's kind of obvious... So, who else are you asking?"
"Well, there's Applejack, and I'm going past Fluttershy on the way back so I'll go ask her then. I'll need to track down Rainbow Dash, and ask Pinkie last so we don't all get stuck at the Going-to-Clydesdale party."
Twilight nodded at this.
"Good thinking. So, what's happening at this show?"
Rarity smiled, and began to explain.
"Well, it's being held from the Friday morning to the Monday night, and I'm aiming to be there the Wednesday before, we're allowed to prepare our stalls on Thursday night but I want the extra couple of days to have a rest from the trip . Each day on the showfloor every designer will have a small section to showcase their work. I'm planning to have at least four displays, one for each day of the show, and some extras to rotate in during the days.."
"Wow, that sounds like a lot of work... You'd need to have a lot of dresses to stay diverse." Twilight said, impressed.
"Oh, true, but it's not just dresses. The shows are held all across Equestria to show diverse fashions and accessories. There's winter wear, horn accessories, wing accessories, socks, hats, even glasses and flight goggles. Of course, pegasus fashion is pretty much cornered by designers like Shimmer, Peacock, Light Feather and the like, but I've been pondering trying out a few designs for flight goggles. If I could just catch Rainbow Dash to get her input..."
Twilight nodded, having gotten lost somewhere around one of the mentions of accessories.
"So... A good range of things. Is it just like a market show then?
"In the day I suppose it is. But at nights after dinner, there are four catwalk shows. I'm aiming to have some of my work modelled in at least one to go for some Show Awards... Oh! ANOTHER idea! I can save on worrying about having to use the show's models, and we can try for the best model award!"
"Wait. You want to try and have us model?!" Twilight Sparkle's face lit up.
"Yes, I see it now. Applejack modelling practical but fashionable wares. Rainbow Dash bribed... or sedated... into wearing some pegasus fashion or some thing to compliment her mane and tail... Pinke Pie... just sedated. And Fluttershy in practically anything as long as we make sure she knows she only has to do it at the show and not start modelling again!"
"U-Um, what about me?"
"Oh, well, I'll need to help the girls in and out of the dresses fast to keep the runway going. And you know what they say, many horns make light work. Besides, with your organisational skills you can help keep me on track! So, does that sound good?"
"Well, yes, but..." Twilight began, but Rarity cut her off.
"Excellent, darling! Now, if you will excuse me, I really must get to Sweet Apple Acres post haste. I don't want Sweetie Belle alone in the shop for too long and it's nearly ten... See you later!"
And with that the white unicorn left.
"...but I was hoping I could maybe model something."
Rarity was wrong to assume Sweetie Belle was alone, but if she knew how wrong, she would have ran straight back to the Boutique, terrified for her dresses.
"Hm... No cat wound bandaging cutie mark." Sweetie Belle sighed, then winced as the sigh irritated a cut below the bandages.
"Sooo.... This whole looking after the shop thing. You just take messages?" Scootaloo pondered.
"Yeah. Ah guess sellin' a dress is more complicated than sellin' an apple or some hayfries and potato fillets, so ah guess Rarity just ain't got 'round to teaching 'er to sell em!" Apple Bloom added.
"Pretty much... Hey, when she's back maybe she can teach us all!"
Scootaloo's eyes widened in horror.
"...A dress-selling cutie mark?! No thanks, Sweetie Belle, I want something a little more me. Sometimes I'm nervous about working in my parent's chip shop in case I get a cutie mark in there..."
"Yeah, ah see how you'd not like that, Scoots, but to be honest ah'm hopin' for somethin' with apples mahself. Still, we can help Sweetie Belle out if she does get taught ta sell dresses!"
"Yeah!" The unicorn shouted.
The three drew in a breath for a trademark Cutie Mark Crusader battle cry, when there was a knock at the door.
"...Did Rarity lock 'erself out?" Apple Bloom pondered.
"Well, if she didn't, you're not open until ten. It's only nine fifty-three! They need to wait six minutes and nineteen seconds!" Scootaloo said triumphantly.
Sweetie Belle however ignored her and went over to the door.
"Who is it?" She shouted.
"I've got a letter to deliver to a Miss... Rare Tie? Oh, Luna curse it, Mom, stop letting Prism write names and addresses for you!" A young male voice said from the other side.
The Cutie Mark Crusaders exchanged a glance. Meanwhile, over at Sugarcube Corner, Pinkie Pie began complaining about misuse of dramatic irony, to the bemusement of Ditzy Doo who was sitting with a muffin and a coffee.
"She's not here right now. Can I take a message?" The unicorn filly asked.
"...Uh, how about a letter? Is that cool?"
"I guess if he's a male mailmare it's all right to open the door for him, but no customers for five minutes and fifty-eight seconds!" Scootaloo told Sweetie Belle.
The door however was already being opened by the temporary sort-of secretary.
"Hello. I'm Sweetie Belle, I'm taking the messages for Miss Rarity while she's... busy doing whatever it is she's doing and wherever she's doing it." She said in the most polite accent she could muster, with a slight error in the selection of words.
Runner did not seem fazed or impressed by this.
"...Cool, whatever. Here's the letter, tell her it was dropped off by somepony working for Shimmer, could you? Oh, and let her know I'll be back sometime later today to talk to her? "
"Certainly, sir!" The unicorn nodded, taking the envelope.
"Hey! He looks a lot like Rainbow Dash!" Scootaloo suddenly spoke up.
"Ah guess he does... Hey, wait, that reminds me, mah sister mentioned somethin' about how she sold all the leftover fritters from last night Rainbow Dash's brother!" Apple Bloom then spoke up.
"...When did she say this?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"Uh, actually..." Runner tried to say, but the fillies kept talking.
"At breakfast about two hours ago."
"...And they say Sweetie Belle is slow sometimes." Scootaloo rolled her eyes.
It then dawned on the crusaders.
"Hey, are you Rainbow Dash's brother?!"
"Well, yeah." He confirmed.
"Coool!" All three said
"Are you her little brother?" Apple Bloom asked
"You don't look bigger than her!" Sweetie Belle noted.
"Can you do a sonic rainboom too?" Scootaloo questioned.
"Do you have any other brothers and sisters?"
"Do you all have rainbow manes? I like unusual manes..."
"What Specialist Flying Grades have you got?"
Runner blinked as the barrage of questions came in.
"Uh, look, I've not seen her in a while and finding her will probably be the easy part about trying to meet here. You girls wouldn't know where she is?" He tried to steer the fillies towards a point where he could hopefully get away.
"Nope!" The trio happily said, forcing a brief pause as the wheels turned.
"Wait, that's not good." Scootaloo realised eventually.
"It's cool, I'll find her sooner or later. Oh, do you know where I can buy a map of town? I don't wanna keep asking for directions..."
"Try the library?" Apple Bloom suggested.
"Good idea. Where is it?" Runner continued and proved why he needed the map.
"It's a tree with windows in the north of town, about it's pretty easy to see from the air. Not sure how tall, definitely shorter than thirty metres though, I'm allowed to fly over it." Scootaloo said.
"Ah, thanks, kid. I'd better go now so... See ya!" He said, taking off.
"Hey, he never answered our questions!" Apple Bloom realised.
"We should look for Rainbow Dash so when he shows up we can get him to answer!" Scootaloo shouted.
Sweetie Belle however just blinked.
"Wait... Scootaloo, you can fly?"
The orange pegasus wondered what gave it away and looked at her wings before answering with less sarcasm. Not that Sweetie Belle had noticed.
"Well, yeah, but I prefer not to do it without my parents watching so I don't go too high and so they can help me if I get in trouble. Learning to fly isn't just about getting in the air, there's rules. And you've got to land..."
"Hold up, ya'll asked him about special flyin' grades, what the hay is all that about?"
Scootaloo smirked.
"I can tell you all about how we pegasi learn to fly and all the tests we have to pass to be allowed to do certain kinds of flying! I take my theory test next month!"
"Wait wait wait, you're not talkin' us into helpin' you with homework are you?!" Apple Bloom suddenly realised.
"Well, yeah, but it's cool homework."
"Eh, it's something to do..." Sweetie Belle said, leading the crusaders back inside and closing the door, oblivious to the fact she should have flipped the open/closed sign about five minutes ago.
"...Wait, they say I'm slow?"
"Hm, the end of December? Well, ah might be able to swing it, but ah'd maybe need to take Apple Bloom with me if ah can go." Applejack said.
"Oh, of course. I might have to bring Sweetie Belle with me anyway, Winter Solstice holiday, my parents are taking their usual vacation to Haywaii. OH! Another idea! Foal fashions!" Rarity burst out.
"Wait, what?"
"Oh, nothing, I just had a plan for the fashion show to save the fees for hiring models there..."
"Yer plannin' on havin' all of us goin' doin' yer modelin' for ya, ain't ya? And yer gonna try and drag yer sister and mine into it?" Applejack guessed correctly.
"Yes, but only things you want to wear, and things that suit you. Something like your gala dress is about as 'frou-frou' as it would get."
"And how do ya'll plan to get Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie to not bounce around the place?"
"Bribery or tranquillisers, same as always. So, what is it you need to check to see if you can go?" Rarity asked.
"Well, after Applebuck season is over there ain't much to do on the farm fer most of winter. If ah take Apple Bloom with me Big Macintosh and Granny Smith can relax on the farm fer a while or maybe take a trip to Appleoosa... "
"I see. Well, when you know if you can go let me know, Applejack. I'd best leave you to your work, I know how busy you'll be soon."
"Shore thing, Rarity. Should be able to go but like ah say, gotta doublecheck. Besides, ya'll helped me out with Bloomberg in spring, ah owe ya fer that at least."
Meanwhile, in the town, a blue pegasus was now hiding behind a wall with a look of surprised horror on her face.
"What the hay is he doing here?!"
Her eyes darted around, looking for an escape route. They landed on a windowed tree.
"The library! I'll hide there! Nopony will ever know!"
A rainbow trail shot towards the tree, keeping low. Uncharacteristically, she slowed to land, then burst through the door, slamming it behind her. Then she realised where she was. A slightly depressed Twilight Sparkle looked up from the book she had been reading.
"Uh, hi, Twilight! I was just flying past and thought I... could... ask about a... book?"
Twilight brightened up a little.
"Oh, hello, Rainbow Dash. What book do you... want? Wait, why do you suddenly want a book bursting in looking panicked?"
The pegasus blinked, then looked out of the window. She then gasped.
"OhmygoshohmygoshohMYGOSH!"
"...What's wrong? Don't tell me somepony's started talking about those jumbajet things again..."
"Twilight! A pegasus colt who looks like me is about to come in here, you can't let him know I'm hiding in your basement!"
"Huh? What?"
Dash however was already in the basement before the Unicorn had spoken.
"...Wha... Wait, Rainbow Dash, what do you mean a colt that looks like you?!"
"Stop talking to me I'm not here there's no time to explain right now!" The basement said.
Twilight sighed.
"Fine, but you owe me. Honestly, can't the pegasi in this town find somewhere other than here or the Mayor's basement to hide?"
"Like a book fort is much better!" Dash sniped back. Twilight ignored her.
The door opened a few moments later, and the predicted colt arrived.
"Uh, hi. Are you the librarian?"
"Yes, I am. I'm Twilight Sparkle. Do you need a book?"
"No, actually, somepony suggested I come here to get a map of the town. I'm trying to find a relative in town and I don't want to keep asking for directions."
"A... relative? Oh, I see. That's what... I mean, are you related to Rainbow Dash?"
"Seems everypony knows my sister in this town."
"Oh, well, she's... kind of famous... infamous even. And it's a small town so pretty much everypony knows your name!" Twilight Sparkle said nervously.
'Don't ask where she is don't ask where she is!' Twilight Sparkle's brain tried to help.
"I see. Well, my name's Rainbow Runner... Uh, don't mean to be rude..."
'Oh no he's going to ask where she is and I'm not going to think up a good lie in time and I'll just say she's in the basement ohnononono!'
"...But do you have the map I wanted please?"
Twilight blinked, then walked over to a small pamphlet rack. Most of the pamphlets were pro-reading leaflets, but there was a small bundle of maps.
"Oh yes! I do! Sorry, Ponyville doesn't get many tourists... It says they're three bits but honestly I don't think you need to worry about it since... Well, no one else has been buying them!"
"Cool. Thanks."
He opened one of the maps, letting Twilight Sparkle breathe a sigh of relief that he hadn't asked...
"By the way, do you maybe know where I could find Rainbow Dash?"
"Oh, she's in the base..."
'Twilight Sparkle what the hay are you doing?!' The brain popped back up again.
"Base... for the... weather patrol! She's at the weather patrol base! Office! Thing!" She managed to lie.
"Really?" Runner asked.
"Yes?"
'He bought it!'
"A pony on the weather patrol told me it was her day off today." He then said.
'He didn't buy it!'
"Uh, well... She'll probably be napping. Or practising. You know what she's like..."
"Actually I haven't seen her since I was thirteen so I probably don't. Complicated."
'Awk-ward...'
"Ah, um, sorry. I... I didn't know..."
Runner waved a hoof in the air to dismiss it.
"Don't worry, it's cool. Long story. I should probably get going to find her. I don't expect it to take long even if she listens to me. See you around!"
And with that he left, taking his new map, passing a confused dragon carrying shopping bags on the way. Spike stared in confusion for a few seconds.
"Hey, Twilight, is it me or does Rainbow Dash look kind of... male?" He eventually asked.
"No, that was apparently her brother. Rainbow Dash is hiding in the basement. And it's safe for her to come out now and maybe try and explain why I had to lie to him?"
The cyan mare emerged grinning nervously. Spike sighed.
"Everypony in this town is crazy. I can't wait until I grow wings so I can hide in the mountains for a while..." He muttered as he wandered off to unload his bags.
"Well, Twilight, uh... it... It's a long story, really. Complicated..."
"He said that too, but you're not in a rush. It's your day off after all..."
"Dang it. Look, Twilight, it's not... It's not an easy story to tell. I said and did some stupid things, so did everyone else involved. I'm not proud of what I did but I'm happy with what I've got now and... To be honest any of my family being around just reminds me of a really bad time. It's complicated. You get what I mean?"
"Oh. Well, I can't say I really understand but I'm sorry to have been so nosy. But maybe you should tell someone about it? Get it off your chest?"
Rainbow Dash sighed.
"I already did tell someone to get it off my chest. Fluttershy knows everything that happened. She was there for a lot of it."
"I see. Maybe you should go see her again then if she understands why it worries you?"
Dash nodded.
"I suppose. And... If it's got you curious you can come. Maybe you can tell me who was really in the wrong..."
"Only if you think it would help." Twilight said gently.
"Yeah. Yeah, I think it will."
"Okay. Spike, can you hold the fort while we're gone?"
The little dragon popped his head out from the kitchen and saluted.
"Yes, ma'am!"
As the two ponies walked, Dash realised something.
"Wait, I told Pinkie the other day I had problems with my siblings. How come you seemed so surprised I had a brother?"
"Well, you never mentioned them around me. When you said to Pinkie I must not have been there." Twilight noted, and Dash recalled what had spared her from the Pinkish Inquisition.
"Ah, yeah. Well, maybe if I'm lucky Runner's just here to deliver a message to somepony. Fluttershy said my mom mentioned it in a letter he works as a courier..."
"Wait, your mother writes to Fluttershy but not you?" Twilight raised an eyebrow.
Dash nodded.
"Like I said. It's complicated..."