Chapter 3
& & &
After pranking Twilight, Rainbow Dash took care of the clouds over Sweet Apple Acres. The rest of her day was pretty average, napping, practicing, dinner with Ditzy, bed. The next day found Rainbow Dash setting things up for Trixie’s impending arrival.
She had strung together an arc of clouds over town square, right above the main road leading through town. It was a Saturday which meant that town was full of young ponies enjoying their school-free morning. That also meant that Rainbow Dash was watching Dinky since Ditzy still had her mail rounds to do.
“You okay squirt?” Rainbow called down as she nudged another dark cloud into place.
Dinky nodded. “Yes Rainbow Dash!” She chirped in between licks of an ice cream cone Rainbow had gotten her.
“Heh, enjoying yourself?” The older pony grinned. The little filly nodded, nomming her frozen treat. “Glad to hear it.” Having checked on Dinky, Rainbow Dash finished up her cloud display and fluttered down to the ground. “There, all done!” She smirked. “This is going to be so great…”
“Is Trixie a good friend of yours, like momma?” Dinky asked, a dab of ice cream on the tip of her nose.
Rainbow smiled but didn’t mention it to her. “Yeah, but not quite like me and Ditzy. Your mom and I go waaay back. I didn’t know Trixie until I moved to Canterlot.”
“That’s when you met the Princess she became your teacher, like Miss Cheerilee, right?” Dinky giggled as Rainbow Dash’s hoof ruffled her mane.
“Why are you asking me when you know already? I must’ve told you that story a hundred times!”
The little filly unleashed her most devastating puppy dog pout. “Pleeeeeease Rainbow Dash? I want to hear about the Princess again!”
“Why’s that?” Rainbow Dash asked curiously.
Dinky scuffed her hoof along the ground. “I like to pretend that I’m a muffin princess sometimes!” Rainbow grimaced, fairly certain her heart had just exploded from a fatal overdose of cute.
She groaned. “Fiiiine. I’ll tell you again tonight when you go to bed. Deal?”
“Okay!” Dinky grinned, hugging Rainbow’s leg. “You’re the best, Rainbow Dash!”
“Yeah, I am. But you’re pretty cool too, squirt.” She patted her head. “So…want to hear about my friend Trixie?”
“Yeah!” The filly nodded eagerly. The two ponies sat down, getting comfortable as Rainbow Dash started telling her story.
She cleared her throat. “Okay, so you know that I was in Canterlot as Princess Celestia’s student. It was pretty great. Buuuut sometimes I would…” she looked for the right words. “Excuse myself to engage in extracurricular activities.”
“Does that mean you played hookey?” Dinky asked innocently, with piercing insight.
Rainbow winced. “…yeah. Hey, you can’t learn everything in a school! But, um, don’t tell your mom I told you that. And, uh, don’t do that yourself. A heh. Aaaanyway!” She hurried along. “So me and Cloud Kicker—you know who Cloud Kicker is right?”
The unicorn filly nodded. “She worked with momma on the weather team and used to watch me sometimes when momma was busy, sometimes she even brought her little sister Alula along! She’s really fun! And Miss Cloud Kicker is really funny!”
“She sure is.” Dash agreed. “I met her in the same summer flight camp where I met Fluttershy and your mom. Cloud Kicker was in Canterlot at Westhoof training to be a member of the Royal Guard.”
“Miss Kicker’s a Royal Guard?” Dinky’s eyes went wide. “Whoa…”
Rainbow Dash chuckled dryly. “Not really…it’s complicated. But that’s not the point. So when I wasn’t taking lessons from the Princess and Cloud Kicker wasn’t training for the guards, we used to hang out, explore the city—” get into a lot of trouble, but Rainbow chose not to mention that part. “—and have a lot of fun.” Which meant the same thing but she didn’t see fit to elaborate on that either. “One time we saw there was this fair in town so we decided to check it out. There were a lot of booths and rides and shows with lots of ponies—and non-ponies—coming around to buy and sell stuff.”
“That sounds really neat!” Dinky squealed, wriggling excitedly.
“Sure was! We ate cotton candy and candied apples and flew around playing games and stuff. Naturally, I won the most.” She grinned cockily.
Dinky laughed. “And that’s where you met Miss Trixie?”
“You better believe it!” Rainbow leaned in…and couldn’t resist stealing a bite of Dinky’s ice cream cone. “Yum!”
“HEEY! This is MY ice cream! Get your own!” Dinky protested, turning and covering her ice cream protectively with her body.
Rainbow pouted. “Aww c’mon Dinks! I paid for it! Don’t I get an itty-bitty taste?” She pleaded, pressing her hooves together.
“Weeeeell…” Dinky thought it over. “I guess so. Um. Can you do me a favor though?” She asked hopefully. “I kinda promised Pipsqueak that you’d help us build a pirate ship-fort…”
“Heh, sure.” Rainbow Dash agreed breezily. “No problem. It’ll be a piece of cake.”
Suddenly a voice called from behind the two of them. “Hey, Rainbow Dash?” They turned around to see Raindrops walking up to them.
“Raindrops.” Dash nodded evenly.
“Miss Raindrops!” Dinky waved eagerly. Hi! Want some ice cream?”
The jasmine pegasus smiled. “Nah, I’m good. Thanks Dinks.” She fished some bits out a pouch she had tucked under her wing. “Here, why don’t you get some goodies from Sugarcube Corner while me and Rainbow Dash talk?”
Dinky’s eyes widened as she eagerly scooped up the bits and scampered off to indulge her sweet tooth at the bakery. Rainbow meanwhile looked at Raindrops curiously. “So what is it that we need to talk about?”
Raindrops took a deep breath. “I—spoke to Cloud Kicker a bit yesterday after lunch.”
“Yeah. So?” Rainbow asked challengingly, crossing her hooves over her chest.
Not rising to the bait, Raindrops sighed and continued. “We talked a bit and…well, for starters if I took issue with how things were working with you as chief weather pony I should’ve spoken to you in private and not criticized you in front of Cloud Kicker and Blossomforth.”
Rainbow was incredulous. “You really think I care about that?”
“I do.” Raindrops stressed. “It wasn’t professional and it wasn’t the right way to go about talking to you. So, sorry for that.”
“Fine, you’re forgiven. Is that it?” Rainbow Dash asked impatiently, keeping an eye open for the arrival of Trixie.
Raindrops looked irritated. “You could still try to take your job a bit more seriously, try to show everypony that you might actually deserve it?”
THAT got Rainbow Dash’s attention. She whirled on Raindrops, seething mad. “So what, you think I don’t deserve the top spot?”
Raindrops either missed or ignored the dangerous tone in Dash’s voice. “Well gee, you tell me.” Raindrops retorted sarcastically. “You nap all day, you’re never on time and you just got the job ahead of other ponies more qualified than you. What do you think?”
“And by qualified ponies you mean you?” Rainbow snorted. “Who are you trying to kid? There’s a reason why I was offered the top slot and you weren’t. Before you try analyzing me, you might want to think about just why it is that you’ve never been offered the job before—including back when Ditzy was still in charge and everypony thought she was a klutz.”
The two angry mares locked glares. It might have escalated if not for the timely arrival of Dinky Doo. “Ah gawf uffins!” She mumbled around a bag full of bakery-fresh goodness. Not wanting to have it out in front of her, they backed down. Dinky spat the bag out of her mouth. “Who wants blueberry muffins?” She asked so cheerfully that neither pony had the heart to continue arguing.
“Thanks Dinky.” Raindrops said with a smile that looked more like a grimace. “You take care. Bye Rainbow Dash.” Rainbow grunted non-comittedly. The jasmine pony took a muffin and flew away.
Dinky looked up at Rainbow Dash. “Is something wrong?” She asked worriedly, her ears lowering.
Rainbow winced. Darn that filly was a sharp one! “…it’s nothing Dinks.” She plastered a smile on her face. “Just some boring grown up stuff.”
“Oh.” Dinky thought. “Um, is it about mortgages and bills and stuff?”
“Naaah.” Rainbow chuckled. “It’s…oh look!” She pointed with a hoof. The little filly’s eyes followed it to a yellow wagon with a red roof, decorated with stars and moons, that was slowly coming into town square…only nopony was pulling it. It looked like it was moving all on its own. Then it stopped and its sides seemed to open up into a full blown stage, with curtains and everything!
“Whoa.” Dinky breathed. “It must be magic!”
Chuckling, Rainbow Dash nudged her forward. “Sure is. Go on, grab a spot in the front before they’re all taken!” Dinky eagerly nodded and rushed forward where a gaggle of other foals were already getting seated up in front.
“Rainbow!” The pegasus turned to see her friends—Twilight, Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy—walking over from the other side of the square. She waved them over to join her but soon a throng of ponies had come between them, all intent on seeing who this mystery mare in the wagon was. She shrugged. They could always talk after the show. And it looked like the show was about to begin…
“Citizens of Ponyville!” A voice boomed from somewhere out of sight. “Prepare to watch in awe and be amazed by the magical wonders of the Great and Powerful—TRIXIE!” A puff of smoke and a flash of light—mirrors, Rainbow Dash knew—heralded the appearance of a light blue unicorn mare with a snow-white mane and resplendent in a purple cape and pointed hat. She smiled widely, holding a pose on her hindlegs as fireworks and rockets were set off behind her and sparklers sparkled on either side.
The foals just ate it up but a surprising amount of grown ponies were also whispering in amazement. Trixie smiled. “Prepare yourselves for the grandest display of magic ever seen by equine eyes!” She raised her hooves higher in the air and the fireworks went off again. Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, shaking her head slightly. She’d been telling Trixie forever…do some magic first, THEN you can start bragging. Doing it the other way around just made her seem obnoxious. Not that Trixie wasn’t obnoxious mind you, but being a stage performer it was somewhat expected, even encouraged. To a point, that is.
She twirled her hooves in the air and a bouquet of flowers appeared. Amid the ooohs and awws she tossed the bouquet into the audience. “Now, the Great and Powerful Trixie requests somepony from the audience comes up. Hmmm….” She looked around as if not noticing the forest of raised hooves in front of her, especially among the eager little ponies occupying the front row. “Where can she find one….hmm…how about…YOU!” She pointed at a small, somewhat chubby colt with a gray coat and a darker gray mane.
“M-me?” The colt gasped as his peers nudged him up to the stage. Rainbow Dash let her mind drift as Trixie pulled out her usual faire—card tricks, slight of hoof, and some minor magic. The last time she had seen Trixie had been what? Two maybe three years ago? She had left Canterlot intent on traveling Equestria to make a name for herself. It had been hard to keep in touch since then…but it looked like Trixie had done okay.
A burst of applause brought Rainbow’s attention back to the stage as the delighted and amazed little pony scampered off. Trixie strode forth, her head high and her cape and mane blowing in the wind. “Is there any doubt that Trixie is the Greatest and most Powerful pony in all of Equestria?” Trixie gestured grandly.
“I doubt it!” Everypony looked up to see Rainbow Dash hovering overhead, her hooves folded and the wind dramatically blowing through her hair. A slight smile tugged at her mouth as Trixie looked up at her. Anypony watching would swear that Trixie had never seen her before, she betrayed nothing. Rainbow pointed a hoof at Trixie. “Nopony’s more incredible and awesome than me!”
Trixie smirked. “Is that so? Very well—we will let the audience decide.” She looked to the crowd briefly. “Top this! Her fire works redoubled in size and number, streaking upwards and exploding brilliantly. Flashes of color lit up the sky spelling out in large multicolored letters that could be seen all the way across town ‘THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE IS THE BEST!!!’
Rainbow Dash yawned demonstratively, idly tilting her head to one side, moving out of the way of an errant firework as it zoomed past. “Not bad…not bad.” She admitted, damning with faint praise. With a tooth-filled smile, she flew down to where she had strung up her archway of thunder clouds. She flew through it so fast that the clouds activated, rumbling with thunder and shooting lightning at the ground. Nimbly, Rainbow weaved her way around the lightning strikes as she flew in and out of the archway. Then she doubled back and proceeded to dance in midair, shaking her hips and tossing her head as she narrowly avoided being struck by the lightning. The bolts shot to the ground and seemed to rebound back up to the cloud, forming pillars of crackling light that sizzled and sparked on either side of Rainbow, providing for an amazing backdrop.
Narrowing her eyes, Trixie levitated her hat off her head. Her horn flashed as the clouds moved and bunched together. The lightning became more concentrated, with more strikes coming faster and faster, the space between the bolts narrowing. Rainbow Dash grunted and flew out of the thunder arch, heading up to the sky. She barreled through clouds as she made her way up to Trixie’s firework display, dragging droplets of mist and dew up with her. When she came to a stop the light refracted off the water droplets and formed three rainbow-colored bands that seemed to just grow out of her wings. Then, with some subtle wingwork and maneuvering, she managed to rewrite Trixie’s name to now read as ‘Dixie.’
But Trixie wasn’t finished either. A trio of over-sized rockets shot overhead, coming right for Rainbow Dash! She started to fly and they gave chase, magically directed by Trixie. They swirled and circled, hemming Rainbow in, but not for long. The agile Pegasus broke free, leading them on a merry chase. A rainbow contrail followed in her wake as she flew, one that eventually ended up spelling out “RAINBOW DASH IS #1!” Then she stopped and let the rockets converge on her. An instant before they would’ve impacted with her, Rainbow Dash stopped flying and let herself fall. The rockets collided and exploded in a bright burst of color and fury as Rainbow let gravity tug her down to the ground. She fell faster and faster. Ponies gasped, some covered their eyes. Just as it seemed impossible for her to pull up, that’s what she did. She pulled out of her steep dive and blazed a rainbow trail just above the heads of the amazed crowd.
The rest of the show was of the same vein, with the two ponies simultaneously competing with each other and working off one another to perform more and more incredible stunts and acts of flying and magical daring. The crowd just ate it up.
After about ten minutes of that, with Trixie beginning to slightly tire, she turned to the audience. “So, who thinks that the Great and Powerful Trixie is the most talented pony who ever lived?” A roar of cheers and stomping hooves greeted her. “And Rainbow Dash?” Trixie pulled a face as the audience also, loudly, indicated its appreciation for Rainbow Dash’s exploits. She coughed. “Yes, well, I suppose she wasn’t the worst act Trixie has ever seen.” Then hurried along. “The Great and Powerful Trixie will be performing again before she leaves. Feel free to show your appreciation!” She bowed as the encore of cheers and applause before vanishing with another puff of smoke.
Dinky ran up to Rainbow Dash. “Ohmygosh that was AMAZING!” The little filly enthused.
“I know, right?” Rainbow gave her a noogie as she looked around. “I’m gonna go say hi to Trixie…think you can stick close to Carrot Top for a bit?” She waved at the carrot farmer as she set up her stand. She was next door neighbors to Ditzy and close friend. The orange-haired earth pony waved back at Rainbow Dash and Dinky.
Dinky nodded. “Okay! See you later Rainbow Dash!” She galloped off to help Carrot Top sell her wares while Rainbow turned back to the crowd, making her way to the stage. When the throngs had thinned, ponies still eagerly discussing the show in small groups, Rainbow Dash circled around and flew through the half-open door on the wagon’s back. “Hey Trix!”
“Ugh, how many times have I requested that you not refer to the Great and Powerful Trixie as ‘Trix?!’” The unicorn stomped her hoof.
Rainbow pretended to think about it. “Eh, I’d say two-hundred forty-seven. Would you rather I called you by your full name, Trixie Lulam-nngh!” She found her mouth magically zippered shut.
“I also warned you about calling me THAT, Rainbow Miriam Dash!” Trixie frowned, knowing that Rainbow’s middle name didn’t bother her the way ‘Lulamoon’ bothered her. She released her magic a second later. “Still, I suppose I should be thanking you for giving me the chance to show these Ponyvillians just what I am truly capable of when challenged.”
“You’re welcome.” Rainbow Dash drawled. Then she walked over and proceeded to hold out a hoof. “C’mon don’t leave me hanging…” Trixie stuck out her own hoof and tapped it against Rainbow’s own. “What, that’s it?”
“Hmm….” Trixie tapped her hoof against her muzzle. “Yes, Trixie thinks so.”
Rainbow Dash groaned. “You are such a pill, you know that right? Here.” She tossed Trixie a flower she had tucked in her mane. She flung it at Trixie only to have the showmare use her telekinesis to hold it steady while she took a tentative bite.
“Chrysanthemum! You do have good taste.” Trixie allowed as she swallowed. “Fine. Here.” She walked over and gave Rainbow Dash a hug. “Never let it be said that I never did anything for you.”
“Gee, thanks.” Rainbow snarked, but returned the hug. “Speaking of, don’t you owe me ten bits?”
Trixie let go and backed up. “Um, let us deal with that later.” She changed topics. “I was wondering what you were up to. I was surprised to hear that you had left Canterlot for this…town.” Her pause indicated that some other, less polite word had been her first thought.
So, Trixie hadn’t heard the news yet. Rainbow Dash’s eyes lit up. This was gonna be gooood…then her ear twitched. She listened carefully as she heard somepony outside calling her name. “Well Trix—excuse me, TRIXIE—if you want to hear the full story, then there are some ponies I need you to meet first. They’re really cool, trust me.” She walked out of the wagon, Trixie sniffing but following suit.
As Rainbow Dash expected, her friends were all waiting for her outside. “Hey you guys!” She waved with one wing. “Check it out! This here is Trixie, an old friend of mine from my Canterlot days. Wasn’t that a cool show? Be honest, who was better? It was me, right?” Her smile suddenly started shrinking when she noticed the expressions on her friends’ faces.
Applejack sneezed, then sniffed and blew her nose into a tissue Rarity was daintily holding in front of her with her magic. Applejack’s nose was red and sore looking while her expression was one that said she would be mad but she was too darn tired and sick to bother. Rarity looked at Rainbow Dash only to primly look away with her nose high in the air. Pinkie Pie sheepishly looked at her hooves as Fluttershy hid behind her mane and Twilight Sparkle was looking at Rainbow Dash with stern disapproval.
“Um…something wrong?” Rainbow asked lamely, her ears flattening across her head as she winced.
Trixie ignored the awkward tension. “Greetings! I am the Great and Powerful Trixie!”
“Yeah. We heard.” Applejack said curtly, her voice rendered somewhat nasal by her cold. She sniffed again.
Twilight sought to ease the tension. “Okay, why don’t you all get acquainted with Rainbow Dash’s friend…I just need to speak to her for a second.” An undercurrent of iron shot through her request, making Rainbow Dash audibly gulp as Twilight led her around to the other side of the wagon.
When they came to a stop, Rainbow shuffled her hooves awkwardly. “So, uh, is something wrong?”
If looks could kill Twilight would’ve buried Rainbow Dash six feet under already. “Is something wrong? How can you stand there and ask me that?” She snapped. “Did you see Applejack?”
“Y-yeah, how is her having a cold my fault?”
“It is when YOU were the one who doused her with cold rain water.” Twilight stomped her hoof. “And then after the rain shower you didn’t clear the clouds away, so Applejack had to work that entire afternoon in the shade with cold, used up rainclouds blocking the sun.”
“Oh.” Rainbow said in a small voice.
But Twilight wasn’t done. “And what you were doing that afternoon instead of your job? You and Pinkie were busy pranking me and setting whoopee cushion traps all over my house! I can’t sit down without setting one of them off—I’ve already found 47 and I *still* haven’t gotten them all!”
“C’mon Twilight it was just a joke!” Rainbow Dash defended hastily. “You can’t be upset because of that.”
“I’m not!” Twilight bit her lip. “I’m upset because…because….” She took a shuddering breath and looked down.
Rainbow walked over to give her some support, only to have Twilight back away from her. “What is it?”
“….was it all just a trick?” The distraught unicorn asked in a murmur.
Understandably confused, Rainbow Dash asked for clarification. “Was what just a trick?”
“All that stuff you said in the library…” Twilight looked up, her eyes wet. “About being glad I came to Ponyville with you, about Shining Armor and Dinky and…and was it all just buying time for Pinkie’s prank?”
Rainbow’s eyes widened. Oh horseapples. “No!” She said firmly, determined to put this to rest right here and now. “I meant every word! Twilight, I’m sorry…I didn’t think! It all happened so fast with Pinkie coming up with a prank and…” she trailed off, knowing how lame it sounded. “Twilight, you are the coolest unicorn I’ve ever met and one of my best friends ever. That’s the truth. I—I like pranks yeah, but I would never lie about something like that!”
Twilight sniffled. “…You promise?” She asked hopefully.
Nodding eagerly, Rainbow Dash held up a hoof and spread her wings. “May I be plucked bald if I lie!”
“You’d look pretty silly.” Twilight giggled as wiped her eyes. “Thank you Rainbow Dash.” She sniffed one more time, but she was smiling. “I wish I could stay but I have to get Pinkie back to the library so she could clean out all of the whoopee cushions left.” Twilight paused. “Um, should I ask just how she got so many into my house in such a short amount of time?”
“What do you think?” Rainbow replied, giving her a skeptical look. Twilight nodded, conceded the point. “So, you can’t stay? I mean, I was looking forward to Trixie meeting you guys…”
“Sorry Rainbow. But Cheerilee wanted to come over and talk about what books she wants to use when school starts up again and I really can’t have a conversation if….you know.” Twilight blushed.
Rainbow couldn’t resist snickering. “Eheh. Sorry, I shouldn’t laugh but…it’s just too funny!” She let out a giggle. “You going on in full egg-head mode about the literary elements and theme of this book or whatever and then sitting down and….” She clopped her hooves together. “Ppppppppppth!” Rainbow blew a raspberry, chortling.
Twilight pouted adorably, her face still red. She crossed her hooves and let out a ‘hmph!’ “You WOULD find that funny.” She sulked.
“I’m a low brow mare.” Rainbow Dash shrugged. “Hay, remember when we first met and I needled you for being a bed wet—HMPH!” And for the second time that day the blue pegasus found her mouth magically zipped up. That had to be some sort of record.
If Twilight was simply blushing before, now her head turned pure crimson. “Shhh!” She hissed. “You promised you’d never talk about that!” Rainbow lowered her ears and nodded contritely, apologizing as best she could without being able to speak. Twilight released her a moment later. “You really need to learn to think before you talk.”
“Yeah, sorry Twi.” Rainbow apologized, again. She sighed. It felt like that was about all she’d been doing with her friends lately. “So you and Pinkie gotta split?”
With a guilty little smile, Twilight rubbed her head. “Actually, Rarity and Fluttershy were taking Applejack to the doctor, so they can’t stay either.”
“….Oh.” Rainbow mumbled. “I…I guess I’ll just show Trixie around town myself. Maybe we could all meet up later?” She asked hopefully.
Her friend nodded. “That sounds nice.”
Rainbow scuffed the ground. “And Twi? I’m sorry about Applejack too…could you tell her that if she doesn’t want to talk to me? I mean, I’d get it if she didn’t…”
“AJ’ll be fine. Right now she’s more upset with Rarity trying to pressure her into using these herbal teas, baths, and remedies than she is at you. It doesn’t help that Fluttershy is trying to get her to stay in bed and drink lots of soup like a good filly.” Twilight let out a little giggle. “In the nicest possible way of course.”
“Heh, yeah.” Rainbow agreed. “And uh, about the prank…say the word and I won’t ever prank you again. Ever. Pegasi’s honor.”
Twilight pretended to think about it. “Nyaaaah. It’s fine. I can’t very well make you promise never to prank me while I’m planning on figuring out how to get you back.” Her eyes twinkled merrily as she promised revenge prompting Rainbow Dash to give a weak chuckle back, hoping she was kidding. “Just…use your head a bit and try to take things a little more seriously, okay?”
“No sweat Twi. I promise.” Dash nodded. “So, uh, we cool?”
“Yes. We’re ‘cool.’” Twilight nodded. “See you later Rainbow Dash.
“See ya Twi.” Rainbow called back as she trotted off. As Twilight turned a corner and was out of sight, Rainbow Dash turned and found Trixie standing behind her. “Gyah! Trixie!” She snorted at her. “How long have you been there?”
“Not long.” Trixie shrugged with practiced nonchalance. “Oh I just came by when the sneezing one started arguing with the white unicorn about tea.” She said breezily. Her mouth twitched. “So, hm, THOSE are your new friends?”
Rainbow nodded. “Yeah! Uh, sorry I didn’t get a chance to introduce them but they’re the best friends a pony could have!”
“A huh.” Trixie packed a lot of disbelief into that one exhalation. “Whatever you say…”
The pegasus gently bumped Trixie’s hip with her own. “C’mon. I’ll show you around Ponyville. We’ll catch up with them later.”
Trixie shrugged. “If they’re not too busy for you…again.” She spoke so lightly, so casually, but it still managed to make Rainbow Dash wince and lower her head.
“…Let’s just go.” She mumbled as she started walking.
Trixie smirked.
& & &
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Trixie is and always will be a bitch, no matter what universe she's in.
1418533
Wouldn't be Trixie if she wasn't. Still a great character.
Definitely got Trixie down pat, but I also love how you portray Dinky. She is too adorable for words.
Interesting. Really looking forward to see how this plays out. Kind of seems like you might be setting up a scenario where Dash tries to do something heroic to become more appreciated by Ponyville.
My heart exploded from Dinky's adorable ness
1418998
Everyone thought this was going to be 'Boast Busters' + 'Griffon the Brush-Off', but surprise twist! It's actually 'Boast Busters' + 'The Mysterious Mare-Do-Well'!
Please don't make her obnoxious... Trixie gets more hate than she deserves without any more enticing from you...
Very nice. Liked Trixie's introduction and the dynamic of competitive friendliness between her and Rainbow.
I also quite liked the scene with Rainbow and Raindrops. I always enjoy seeing a situation where there's character conflict and both of the characters involved seem reasonable and sympathetic, and neither one of them is completely right or completely wrong.
Also, Dinky continues to be adorable.
1419135
Even if it involves elements of "The Mysterious Mare-Do-Well" it still has to involve "Boast Busters" and "Griffon the Brush-Off," simply by virtue of including Trixie and involving one of Dash's friends from outside the Mane 6.
1419478
I tried to think of how Gilda and Rainbow Dash acted with each other and thought how would that translate to Trixie. And you would be the expert on that kind of conflict, wouldn't you? Update already! I need resolution dangit!
Dinky adorableness is my bread and butter.
'Klutz' is spelled with a k.
You really need to start putting warning labels on this story, Dinky is diabetes-inducingly adorable.
47 whoopee cushions and counting? Jeez!
1419602
Heee...I try.
She's Pinkie Pie. That's how.
If you want a new chapter to start like this, you should include some kind of refresher of what happened, i.e. "After pranking Twilight, ..."
This is one of those annoyingly common mistakes; "she" shouldn't be capitalized here
I don't usually go after missing commas, but this sentence could mean one of several things: Dash is the best Rainbow, Rainbow Dash is the best, or she's the best Rainbow Dash
This means "extra activities pertaining to the curriculum." If you wanted "activities outside the curriculum," "extra curricular" should be one word
Two things: the period should be a comma (dialogue rules are confusing, I know), and the "I" should be italicized, otherwise it sounds like Raindrops was answering Dash's question
1419842
You're doing a pretty damn good job of it so far!
Hmm... If Trixie is this AU's Gilda, I'm kinda curious to see where Gilda actually fits into the picture.
1420024
Not sure yet. It's more like I'm conflating and mixing Trixie's flaws with those of Gilda. Even I'm not entirely sure what Trixie's final 'character' will be like yet. I want her flawed--as she was in the show--but still somewhat relateable.
Is it wrong that i hear rainbow dash presents voices when unread the dialogue?
1420146
Understandable, there's a lot of room for her to develop within this story. Mixing those two characters makes her a bit more of a wild card, but exploring that's half the fun.
O-kay, so Cloud Kicker (To a much lesser extent), Raindrops and Trixie. So that makes three characters I want to punch in the face right now (Again, Cloud Kicker's only there 'cause she's being... well, Cloud Kicker and seemingly going out of her way to prove it.)
Nice to see a sequel 'cause I'll be honest, Rainbooms and Royalty is hands down my favourite fic on this site. And this one seems to be living up to the standards set by its predecessor.
1419602 It's Pinkie, it's probably an infinite number of whoopee cushions.
Nice work once again, and I must say I agree with you modifying Trixie's personality from the show for this. If you pay attention to her episode, it is clear that she is very lonely with no real friends and no good family relationships so the fact that she has a friend to talk to in Rainbow Dash (and apparently CK) in this story will change her significantly. When you add in how much trouble those two tend to get into and how their personalities will influence her, I think it is safe to say she will be significantly different from what we see in the show.
1419478 Honestly, your characters need more Dinky in your story. She would diffuse so many conflicts through her adorableness overwhelming minds of the ponies fighting and making their hearts explode.
Of course, that is probably exactly why she does not get a lot of page time. Deus ex machina is generally frowned upon in storytelling.
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If nothing else, the presence of Dinky would kill just about any drama for as long as she was there. Well, until Comma writes another story killing Dinky's mom...
1418533
vvvvvvvvvvvv
1422730
Exactly, while she may still be arrogant and such, she almost seemed like a grown up Diamond Tiara in this chapter.
Also, I noticed she switched topics from that 10 bit bet pretty quickly, considering 2-3 bits bought 3 tomatoes, that's saying something.
Okay, finally recently got around to reading Rainbooms and Royalty (even though I had kinda already done so, starting from nearly the beginning, but never made time to read chapters I had missed before discovering it), and then this one, even though did it in reverse order.
I have to say you've created quite an interesting universe, with Dash being Celestia's protege, rather than Twilight, even if can't understand why the Rainboom would've drawn her more than Twilight's out-of-control magic, but hey, it was your call! 
Anyway, about this story, it's been pretty fun so far, even if can't say I've read the stories where Dash's co-workers are from, due to not making time for it. Where you're borrowing their personalities from, as I've read in the comments so far. Anyway! It's funny how you make Dinky continue to be cute and affect RD, even if normally, she's not into cute things.
I guess I like some of the other ponies as well, mainly Cloud Kicker; even though I'm a little perverted myself, don't think I could match Cloud Kicker's manner of portrayal in this, or would want to in the way she does. 
And Dash sure seems to like rubbing her new workmates with her normal lazy attitude (at times) depicted in the show. And Trixie at least seems to have gotten a warmer response for the time being, but might get ugly fast, if she starts acting more like she did at the end. At first, thought her friendship with Dash would be explained in Rainbooms and Royalty (as again, hadn't read the opening chapters, but started reading after certain one and continued to follow and read it), but I see this chapter did that, more or less.
Onto a few minor... inconsistencies, I've noticed so far. Well, even though you've referenced that it's summer a few times so far at this point in the story, you've made mentions that Dash takes Dinky to school, even in the summer. Not sure if in your universe (or this series, at least), summer isn't a break off for ponies or if Dinky is going to summer school, for some reason. Cause you also mentioned in this chapter that Twilight needed to talk to Cheerilee about her books for the upcoming year.
Dunno how AJ caught a cold (as don't think Dash was at the library that long, even though didn't cover the time Pinkie took to get whoopee cushions and travel to the library, actually; and you mentioned in beginning that she cleared them, after pranking Twilight), even though aware that getting chilly and not taking care of things like warming self up would do that, but you'd think would do it so AJ would know better. Then again, I know the way the story is summed up, might be doing it to seem like Dash's new friends are not good for Dash, at least in Trixie's eyes so far. I honestly hope that by the end, Trixie's at least somewhat more well-received by the end, even if you still don't know where you're going with her character as-is.
Well, I shall wait patiently for updates to this story and see where it goes!
Smart Dinky is best Dinky.
I would demand MOAR, but there are 3 other chapters to read...
Now that this is 3 chapters in (and I've finally started catching up), I think I'm justified in this complaint:
Your writing of Cloud Kicker is very... what's the word... lacking. You see, rather than make subtle references to another story's version of the character, you blatantly write her like that, and then expect us to know what's going on. In essence, you're assuming we're familiar with Chendar Qordath and Comma-Kazie's Winningverse. But that assumption makes no sense for two reasons: One, I have yet to see any sign that this is an official side-story/companion story to the Winningverse. Second, this is an AU fic, which would make it hard to have this as a side-story in the Winningverse, as it relies on canonical situations and such. What I'm trying to say is this: Subtle nods to another story are just fine. But to just take another story's version of a background pony (and thus having no set personality) and throw her in here just seems lazy to me. The only reason I know it's Winningverse Cloud Kicker is because I read the comments and I've a couple of the side stories (assuming Life and Times is the "main" story). Now I have to wonder how much of the rest of your characterization is taken from the Winningverse... There are other ways to make her Winningverse Cloud Kicker that don't seem so... lazy. You could build her character rather than throw it at us, and then give subtle nods that fans of the Winningverse will catch and appreciate, but won't make people like me feel they have to read a story they have no desire to read in order to understand some of the things that are going on.
Of course, you may have addressed this in the next 3 chapters, but for right now, I feel justified in my "complaint."
In any event, this is shaping up to be quite the interesting story. Time to finish catching up.
47 is a reference to Star Trek.
I swearr if Dinky manages to weaponize her cuteness anduse it at will, Celestia help us all. Ditzy Doo is going to have a lot of trouble chasing off allthe colts when Dinky becomes a teen if her cuteness continues.
Again, Raindrops rocks!
Well played, you two, well played.
"Trix, after all, are for kids!"
And she's going to pull a Gilda. Lovely!
Great little performance by Dash and Trixie, there. Now that is how Boast Busters should've gone!
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Indeed.
Needs beginning " marks.
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This was an epic chapter. With some nice moves, and a more realistic Trixie than the one in the show.
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Indubitably