Chapter 1
The bell tower rang out 16 times, signaling the end of the work day for one Rainbow Dash. The pegasus glanced away from the weather team clearing up a couple of clouds towards the clock tower in assurance. Sure enough, the hands read four 'o clock. Which meant that she could go home and take a much needed map. She couldn't stop a grin from sneaking it's way onto her muzzle as she thought of laying on the fluffy mass that was her bed.
"Alright, guys! That'll do for now." She called.
The pegasi nodded their heads in understanding and some even did a hoof pump. They all disbanded from the cloud mass heading off in different directions, but not without giving goodbyes to their friends. After they had gone, Rainbow scanned the skies. They were clearer than usual and the sun was still out coating the ground in a yellow-orangish tint.
Immediately her mind pictured her speeding through those skies dragging a rainbow across it for all to see. She imagined the wind in her face, her mane flying wildly in it's wake, the freedom she'd have to do whatever she wanted. Not to mention it wasn't too hot out, so it would be a stupid thing to waste a day like this sleeping.
A more determined grin worked it's way onto Rainbow's face and in moments her body was already scrunched up preparing to take off. Her body snapped sending her forward into the afternoon sky. The wind immediately hammered her eyes making them water slightly, but not slowing her in the slightest. She started off with a quick loop linking into an ascension into the clouds. All she saw was a white wall in front of her, simulating blindness, but she soon breached the top giving way to an oasis of cloud. There were holes of various sizes littering this oasis giving her a clear view of the town below.
She could see Pinkie bouncing around the market waving her hoof at everyone who passed. She had the same infectious smile plastered on her face, which cause Rainbow to smile as well. In another hole she could see Twilight leaving the Carousel Boutique holding something in her hooves. She had a dopey grin on her face accompanied with a blush on her cheeks. Rarity came out shortly after holding the door with her magic. Her and Twilight exchanged words before Rarity leaned in close whispering something in Twilight's ear causing the librarian to giggle. The two shared a quick hug before waving goodbye to each other.
"Wonder what's going on between those two?" She said to herself.
She cruised a bit trying to find more viewpoints. The sun's warmth on her back felt great and she closed her eyes in bliss. She yawned feeling herself slowly drifting off. She reopened her eyes focusing on the clouds instead of sleep. After a second or two, she found a couple more beginning to peep through them.
In one, she saw Derpy opening the door to a white colored house. It had some rosebushes planted in front of the door next to the mailbox along with a couple of windows. Almost immediately after she opened the door, an indigo filly with the same color mane jumped out trapping the mail mare in a hug. At first she was a little stunned by the sudden embrace, but returned the little one's embrace. The two walked in together, the filly lips already moving while Derpy nodded. In another, Applejack stood next to her brother in what looked like a heated argument.
Applejack threw up one her hooves with her muzzle scrunched up in either frustration or anger while Mac maintained a stoic expression hiding any emotions from his sister. Applejack's mouth moved rapidly along with her hooves which flailed wildly around her and her sibling. Eventually it came to a standoff with both siblings having a staring contest. They both turned into statues with neither one letting up, until Applejack grabbed her hat off her head slamming it on the ground, then stomping off. Mac turned around glanced up at one of the trees, then bucked the apples off the branches and into a bucket.
Rainbow yawned again. Despite what was going on, it wasn't anything too exciting. She had wasted time she could have spent practicing her moves, but instead spent it spying on her friends. However, just as she was about to take off she noticed something in the last hole. She peeped over the clouds down on a grassy hill.
On the hill was Scootaloo, but something was different about her. Taking a closer look, Rainbow took note of two cans of paint. One was a rainbow mix while the other was blue. The same shade of blue as her coat. Rainbow adopted a confused look. Why would Scoots need paint, especially rainbow colored paint? Then she noticed Scootaloo coat and mane. Her tail was rainbow colored, matching Rainbow's own tail, and the lower half of her body was the same shade of cyan as hers was. Scootaloo held a paintbrush in her mouth, the bristles dripped the cyan paint onto Scoots' coat as she dragged it across the surface covering her orange coat in a cover of cyan.
Rainbow was, what was that word? Bifflead? Baffled? Whatever that word was, that's what Rainbow was right now.
But why would Scoots want to paint herself like me? I mean, who wouldn't wanna be the most awesomest pony in Equestria, but still. Why paint herself?
Rainbow was about to get her answer. The cyan mare left her perch flying down towards her fan/sister/friend. Scootaloo didn't notice Rainbow's descent as she was too busy painting her feathers cyan. Rainbow took the opportunity to softly land behind Scoots.
"Hey, Scoots." Rainbow stated calmly.
Despite that, Scootloo still jumped out of fright turning quickly to face Rainbow.
"H-Hey, Rainbow! What're you doing here?" Scoots replied shakily.
"I was just flying by and thought I'd stop by to check on my sis."
"That's cool!" Scootaloo nervously giggled.
"Soooo, what's with all the paint?"
"Oh it's um, it's nothing really, just felt like grabbing some paint ya know?"
"Uh huh, so that's why you're painted like me?"
"Um, w-w-well, you see...I er..."
Rainbow took a step closer to her. "Scoots, what's going on? Why are you painting yourself to look like me?"
Scootaloo eyes moved around wildly her mind lost in a civil war. Rainbow waited patiently until Scootaloo finally sighed and closed her eyes.
"It's just, you're my idol, Rainbow. You're so awesome and cool and amazing and cool and, and...and I'm not. I'm just plain old Scootaloo. So, I thought if I looked like you, I could be awesome and cool and amazing just like you!" Scootaloo sighed, her eyes heavy with gloom. "That's why I have this paint. I just wanted to be like you."
Rainbow didn't speak immediately. She knew Scoots looked up to her, but she didn't know she wanted to be just like her down to the littlest detail.
"Scoots, look." Rainbow extended a wing out to the filly drawing her close. "I know you want to be like me I mean who wouldn't, but I want you to be Scootaloo. Not Rainbow Dash. I want you to be awesome and cool the way Scootloo is awesome and cool, not the way Rainbow is. Be Scootaloo. Do things Scoots would do, be cool in the only way Scoots can be cool!"
"But you're-"
"Ah ah ah! Don't be Rainbow, be Scootaloo."
"How am I gonna do that?" Scootaloo asked.
"I dunno, you tell me. You're Scoots. What would Scoots do?"
Scootaloo stared up at Rainbow for a minute or two, taking what her idol said and running it through her mind a second time. After what seemed like forever, Scootaloo nodded her head in understanding, then embraced her big sister. Rainbow hugged her back, a soft smile working it's way onto her face.
"She'd earn her cutie mark and be the best flier in the world." Scootaloo mumbled through the cyan coat.
"You're darn right she would!" Rainbow replied with a big grin on her face. "Now let's get that paint off of ya, it's starting to weird me out."
"Oh, well in that case maybe I should keep it!" Scootaloo pushed away from Rainbow with a smirk.
"Go ahead. I think there's a storm scheduled for tomorrow. We'll just play in the rain." Rainbow replied with an identical smirk.
"You wish! You'll never get this paint off!"
"Oh yeah? Watch me."
Scootaloo laughed taking off down the hill towards Ponyville. Rainbow watched her run for a moment sneaking a glance at the paint cans and brush lying in the grass. She smiled, then crouched down to the ground launching herself up into the air. She savored the feeling of the wind in her mane watching the sky go from yellow to golden. She scanned the ground for the half orange filly spotting her just outside the edge of town.
She scrunched up, then snapped her body forward propelling her towards Scootaloo and home, leaving the paint brush in her wake.