Rainbow Dash walked into the weather patrol station, nodding polite greetings to her fellow Pegasi. Hanging with Gilda for the past four days had been a blast, well except for that last part, but Rainbow didn't like to be the type of pony that dwelled on the past. Nope, she preferred to live for the moment.
Too bad that right now the moment likely included catching up on four days of paperwork. Dash hated paperwork, but like it or not, she had a whole town depending on her, and she could hardly consider herself the most amazing pegasus in all Equestria if she didn't at least try to live up to that responsibility.
As she flew up to the terrace outside her office, a rather frazzled Cloudkicker, who looked like she hadn't combed her mane since the last time Dash saw her, hovered down to greet her. "Rainbow Dash, am I ever glad to see you. You would not believe what the past four days have been like. First the delivery from Fillydelphia was late; then-there-was-that-heat-wave-coming-off-of-the-Everfree; thenThunderlanehadtoleadateamdowntoHoofingtontohelpthemdealwith —"
Dash stuck a single hoof into the babbling mare's mouth to cut off her gibberish attempt to convey every crisis of the past four days in a single breath. It wouldn't do to have Cloudkicker passing out from lack of air, and Rainbow was in no mood to have to resuscitate her assistant manager, mouth-to-mouth, again. "Okay, I get it! I'll read the reports and get back to you in the hour." Dash then pulled her hoof back and tried to offer up a reassuring smile, "Uh, good job holding down the fort. With you around, Kickster, I ... um ... I always know what to expect around here."
If Cloudkicker noticed any lack of sincerity or backhoofedness from her captain's praise, it didn't show. She beamed with pride, as all the tension seemed to melt out of her; even her mane seemed to relax into its more natural style. Then there was a shout of commotion from one of the overhead station perches. Cloudkicker gave a single glance to Dash for leave and then she was off to deal with the situation.
Rainbow shook her head with a sigh, That girl has real talent, if only she learned to manage her stress better. Then again, not every pony can be as chill as me. Dash shrugged and turned to open her office door.
As she stepped though, she heard a peculiar whirring sound. Rainbow looked to her left and saw a small tray attached to a vertical conveyor ratchet its way up the wall. At the top of its ascent the tray tipped over allowing the cup affixed to it to dispense a ball into a half pipe.
Dash watched in curious confusion as the ball wound its way along the track, striking a stick which lowered a small bag to the shelf bellow. As it landed the loose sting tying the bag shut came open revealing a small pile of sunflower seeds which caused a nearby hamster in a caged wheel to begin franticly running. The wheel was attached to a crank that swiveled a small cannon into place. Finally, with a click, a dart was launched and struck an unseen target above the doorframe. Dash looked up just in time to get a face full of water as a bucket came crashing down over her head.
The pegasus stood there for a moment in her unintended new head gear, trying to process just what had happened. Finally her brain caught up to it all, she turned her head and leaned back out the doorway, bucket helmet still covering her eyes, "Alright! Whoever's bright idea this was had better be in my office in fifteen or else it's double shifts for EVERYPONY!" then she retreated back into the office, slamming the door shut behind her with one swift kick from a back hoof.
Dash trudged over to the corner of the office where she kept towels for after rain duty, tracking water along the way. Tossing the bucket off to another corner, she took a towel and began to dry herself. Because it was already a tie-dyed swirl of colors though, she didn't notice as the not-quite-water took with it all the hues of her mane, leaving the hair atop her head and down her neck white as a fluffy cloud.
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The outer offices of the weather station was abuzz with whispers, as pegasi chatted amongst themselves, each trying to figure out what exactly had just happened. Without warning a stallion stumbled, knocking over a stack of forms on a desk corner. "Hey! Watch where you..." he turned to yell at the fool who had bumped into him, then trailed off as he saw only empty air, not a single soul nearby. He reached up to scratch his head.
The Great & Powerful Trixie smirked, not that anypony could see it, or the face that it was attached to, or any of the rest of her. She'd been a bit careless in her retreat as she'd been unable to take her eyes off the weather captain's door, visions of the no longer polychromatic mare discovering her true humiliation dancing through Trixies imagination. She hadn't meant to make that poor stallion look the clumsy fool, but ... well, every war had its peripheral casualties, and most importantly nopony seemed to suspect it might have been the result of a lurking invisible intruder.
As she continued her way out of the patrol station, now vigilant to avoid bumping into any more ponies, Trixie briefly considered whether Rainbow Dash could actually double everypony's shifts, though just as quickly she shrugged away that concern. At least Raindrops had the day off and so shouldn't have to suffer any unintended ramifications. Besides, with the Everfree right next door, Ponyville could always use the extra labor.
As the unseen unicorn turned a corner to take the rarely used stairs, Cloudkicker fluttered down to Rainbow Dash's office and knocked on the door.
On the streets outside the weather patrol station, Trixie started looking for a good spot to decloak without being noticed, then she heard it, that sweetest of sounds: a moaning wail of shocked despair that surely must have echoed halfway to Canterlot.