"Rainbow Dash?" Granny Smith squinted curiously across the kitchen. "That's yer solution for gettin' all the kiddies excited about this year's Social?"
"Eeyup!" Applejack sat at the littered table. She went over paperwork and schedules for the next day's events. Several candles were already halfway melted. She was bound to have a long night of planning before the long day of managing. "She's agreed to show up for the whole dang thing. Should be a real hoot!"
"What, was Pinkie Pie booked or somethin'?"
"Turns out she was..." Applejack raised an eyebrow, squinting across the kitchen. "Why? What's the matter with Rainbow Dash?"
"That whippersnapper sure lurves to soak up the spotlight, doesn't she?"
"Heh... ponies change, Granny."
"Uh huh..."
Applejack sorted through sheets of paper. "And Rainbow? Well... she's a busier mare than she used to be... considerin' she's picked up on a whole bucketfull of responsibilities."
"It's hard to take the clown out of the jester."
"Are ya still sore about Rainbow prankin' us by paintin' the apples different colors?" Applejack asked. "If ya remember—Pinkie Pie was part of that too."
"Yeah, but she dun have wings to fly away from what she done!"
Applejack shook her eyes, chuckling. "Ohhhhhhhhhh Granny..."
"T'ain't that I dun trust the mare, darlin'," Granny said, stifling a yawn. A nightcap was looming. "Just that ya worked so hard to make the Sisterhooves Social go just right this year. Would be a real shame if some goofball showed up to turn thangs into a farce when ya depended on her."
"Relax, Granny," Applejack said. "I would never have hired her to kick the clouds clear if I thought she was gonna be detrimental-like."
"Uh huh..."
"I mean it!" Applejack smiled. "She's a whole lot more adult than she used to be! Rainbow's gonna be a pure professional. You'll see."
The next day...
"We have ourselves the winners!" Granny Smith hollered from the wooden stage. "Well... If it ain't Applejack and Apple Bloom! Yeeeeha!"
Th-Thwump!
Applejack and Apple Bloom collapsed sweatily from the far end of the finishing line.
"Whewwwwww-doggy!" Apple Bloom squeaked and grinned and panted and grinned. "Another year... another win!" She reached over and hugged her older sister. "Heee-heee! AJ, we did it!"
"Sure did, sugarcube!" Applejack ruffled the filly's mane. Still catching her breath, she grinned at the obstacle course and the remaining ponies scrambling towards the finishing line. "Hah! How do ya like them vittles, Rainbow Dash? Not so easy to brag now—" She froze in mid-speech, blinking.
"Huh?" Apple Bloom's eyes followed Applejack's gaze. "What is it that yer—?" She too froze.
Rainbow Dash was lying belly-first on the open field. While the two sisters and the rest of the Ponyvillean attendees watched, a familiar little orange scamp mounted Rainbow's backside, grasped the adult mare's mane, and buzzed a pair of wings. What proceeded was pure comedy: Rainbow Dash utilized the filly's wing propulsion to hop, wriggle, and propel her body forward at surprisingly breakneck speeds. Within seconds, the two "sisters" were outracing the other mares and making a bee-line towards the finish.
"... ... ..." Apple Bloom's muzzle dropped. "... ... ...looks like Scootaloo riding a limp seal."
"Shhhhh!" Applejack insisted.
"But look at h-how f-funny they look!"
"Their funniness is workin', Apple Bloom. Just watched—"
Sure enough, despite the awkwardness of the pairing's combo move, the two threw themselves across the finishing line, coming in second place. The gathered crowds cheered bombastically.
Applejack bore a freckled smile. From afar, she watched as I leapt onto the ground, danced in a circle, and hugged Rainbow's neck.
“Weeeeeeeeeeee! That... was so... awesome!”
Rainbow Dash stood on buckling legs. Catching her breath, she looked back at me. "It was?”
“I had no idea my wings could do that!” My voice cracked. “We really did it! We finished the race together!”
“Yeah...” Rainbow exhaled. “In second.”
“Pffft!" I rolled my eyes. "Applejack and Apple Bloom win every year!” A slight trace of salt tickled my tongue. “The same ponies who built that last hurdle a bit too high!”
“Uhhhhh...” Rainbow Dash turned to face Applejack, smiling awkwardly.
“I haven't a clue what yer talkin' about,” Applejack trotted over towards us, still catching her own breath. “But that was some fancy teamwork y'all pulled through in the end." She extended a hoof towards us. "Way to go, girls.”
“Heehee...” I jumped up—wings buzzing—and slapped Applejack's hoof. “Best day everrrrr!”
Rainbow Dash chuckled. I then watched as she locked up—eyes wide. Applejack was hugging her.
"That was a darn fine race, sugarcube,” the farm mare said. I saw her leaning back, a look of concern flickering across her freckles. "I gotsta admit, y'all had me a might bit frightened at the end.” She raised an eyebrow. “Ya sure you didn't hurt yerself or nothin'?”
I looked at Rainbow Dash.
“Uhhhh...” Rainbow cleared her throat and put on a brave smile. "Oh, you kn-know me! I bounce b-back and keep right on ticking!” She squirmed in Applejack's embrace. It was an awkward thing. If only...
“Rainbow Dash, the race is over!” I said. “You can fold your wings now.”
“Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...” Rainbow blushed furiously for some reason.