“Seriously, Dash, what are you doing?”
Once again Twilight Sparkle found herself disregarded by the multicolor-maned pony in flight overhead, and yet she still chose not to surrender to Rainbow Dash's indifference and difficulty. Instead, the unicorn huffed and sped up, nearing a full canter in her efforts to keep up. After all, if Dash really wanted to lose her, it wasn't like she was the slowest pegasus in all of Ponyville – the pony could disappear into the distance with a trail of rainbow and the blink of an eye.
“Rainbow Dash, answer me!” Twilight demanded once more, only then catching her stride on a stray stone and tumbling head over hoof in a cloud of dust and dirt along the countryside path. Grumbling, she wiped grime from her nose and glanced up and into the inquisitive magenta eyes of the pegasus she'd been trying so hard to catch.
Dash frowned, bending her neck down over her fallen friend. “Are you all right?”
“I'm fine,” she mumbled, sitting up and momentarily shaking her mane clean. “Had I known falling on my face was the only thing to get you to stop, I might have done it earlier.”
“Oh, uh,” Dash stammered, her ears flipping back, “sorry, Twilight. I guess I didn't hear you. Did you... need something?”
“Well yes, I was going to ask if you would be able to help me hang up some decorations for the party Pinkie Pie is throwing tonight. She went a little overboard making the banners and streamers, and it's a big job for just one pony to... to, uhh...”
Twilight trailed off, grin fading to a frown as Dash's gaze wandered to the sky and over her shoulder distractedly, fidgeting all the while.
“Rainbow!” she huffed.
Snapping to attention, Dash offered a brief smile before dipping her head. “Oh, uhh... I can't. I have plans.”
Twilight tilted her head. “Yeah, plans to go to the party. You said you wouldn't miss it when Pinkie invited you last week, remember?”
“Yeah, well, now I can't,” Dash shrugged, once again casting a glance over her shoulder. “Look, Twilight, I'd love to chat, but I gotta... you know, do stuff.”
She twirled on her hooves and beat her wings for a quick exit, yet found her flight gagged inches from the ground, where she unceremoniously tumbled onto her rear. Closing her eyes, she mouthed a silent curse and glared at the sky.
Twilight, brow raised, leaned further on the pegasus's tailtip. “Rainbow, you represent the element of loyalty, remember? What else could be so important that you'd go back on your word to Pinkie?”
“Nothing,” she huffed.
“You're a terrible liar.”
A groan. “Okay, fine. My brother was planning to move to Ponyville in a couple months, but something happened and now he's coming tonight. I have to get his place ready or he'll have a panic attack or something.”
Twilight lit up. “Really? I knew you had sisters, but a brother too? Why didn't you just say so – this is great! We need to tell Pinkie; we can make tonight's occasion a welcoming party for him instead! I'm sure she invited most of Ponyville – it's perfect!”
“No!” Dash snapped, then threw her hooves to her mouth. “I-I mean, I-I don't think that's a good idea.”
“What? Why not? You've seen Pinkie's cutie mark. She's great at this stuff.”
Standing, Dash dusted herself off and shook her head. “That's not it. My brother's... not really the 'party' type, okay?”
“Brother?” Rang the elegant, refined voice of Rarity as the white mare stepped toward the two, fabrics of both shining and patterned variations peeking from the overstuffed saddlebags hanging at her sides. “I don't remember you mentioning a brother, Rainbow Dash.”
Sighing broadly, the pegasus bowed her head and glared elsewhere. “It's just, he's... he's kind of embarrassing.”
The two unicorns exchanged glances.
“Rainbow, darling, maybe you need to give him more time,” Rarity offered. “I used to find Sweetie Bell dreadfully annoying until I realized how much she looked up to me.”
“Yeah, thanks,” Rainbow mumbled. “I'll try to remember that.”
Unfazed, the fashionista smiled proudly. “So when do we get to meet the dear?”
“Rainbow said he's moving into Ponyville tonight,” Twilight grinned. “I was thinking we should ask Pinkie to integrate her party to welcome him to town like she did for me when I moved here from Canterlot.”
“Really?” Rarity drawled. “I did pick up some extra fabric; I could certainly whip up something dashing for him to wear for the occasion. Tell me, Rainbow Dash, do you know his size?”
Throwing her head back, the pegasus released a mortified groan. “No! No parties! No sweaters! No anything! Forget I even said I had a brother, okay?”
And with that, the pegasus spread her wings once more, a moment's rainbow trailing her tail as she disappeared into the clouds – leaving the two unicorns gaping after her in shock, their manes cast every which way from the resulting gale.
“I'm worried, Rarity,” Twilight murmured as they passed Ponyville borders and into the town, her violet eyes scouring watercolor hues of the sunset and the clouds scattered in its midst. “Rainbow Dash has never even mentioned a brother before, and now she doesn't even want us to have anything to do with him. This isn't like her.”
“In my opinion, Twilight, it is our duty to ensure her brother finds his niche in Ponyville.” Her head held high, the mare's eyes glittered with intrigue and determination. “It's not every day a pegasus pony decides to leave Cloudsdale for good. Frankly, I'm jealous – if I had wings of my own, I'd...” Met with a look of skepticism, Rarity giggled and flipped her mane. “I-I'm only joking, Twilight, of course.”
She chuckled, but only briefly. “Rainbow was heading towards that vacant little cottage outside town. What if he has a hard time making friends, or if he gets lonely? What if Rainbow doesn't want to keep up with him after he moves in?”
“Please, Twilight. I didn't get the impression he was just a foal.”
She dipped her head. “I guess you're right, it's just... I was new to town once. The princess told me to make friends here, but I didn't know where to start. I was lucky to get to know you girls, but what if he doesn't get that kind of opportunity?”
“Don't fret, dear, you'll give yourself wrinkles. Besides, I'm sure Rainbow Dash will come around; she just might be a little stressed out over all the changes.” Throwing back her curled mane, Rarity glanced briefly at the colored balloons tied to the fence bordering Sweet Apple Acres as they passed. Golden light billowed from the barn, and even from a distant the two saw a variety of colored flanks and manes within the barn to accompany the music and voices bursting from within. Glancing at her saddlebags, Rarity offered to catch up after dropping by her shop to leave the fabric and whip up something for the mystery brother.
Twilight heard the familiar blue-eyed, balloon-flanked pony long before she saw her; in the center of the crowd Pinkie Pie grinned and bounced, seemingly hitting the climax of some fairly illogical yet delightfully exuberant story involving Bon Bon and a batch of raisin cookies. As the unicorn neared, the surrounding crowd burst into heaps of great laughter, and with flattened ears Twilight crept her through to her friend’s side.
“Hey, Pinkie, I need to ask you something—”
“Oh, hi Twilight!” squealed the earth pony’s voice. “What took you so long? Hey, do you know where Rarity or Rainbow Dash are? I thought they said they were coming.”
“Well, about that… Listen, we found out Rainbow Dash’s brother is moving to town tonight.” Twilight stepped back as Pinkie’s eyes lit up, and continued with minor hesitation. “She doesn’t want us to get involved, but we figured since you throw such good parties, maybe we could—”
Pinkie squealed, and for a moment Twilight could have sworn the earth pony's curly mane had puffed out even further in excitement. “Leave it to me, Twilight!” she winked, ushering the purple unicorn back out the door, “You go get Dashie's brother, and I'll get this party fixed up lickety-split!”
Pushed from the barn, Twilight stretched her neck to argue one last time: “He's supposed to be shy, Pinkie, so don't--”
“Twilight, don't worry! I'll handle everything!”
And with one last beaming grin, the farm door was shut abruptly behind her, casting the unicorn into the thick of the night. She frowned, sighing. “That's what I was afraid of...”