//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 // Story: My Little Dashie: The Return // by Brony MACH //------------------------------// Rainbow Dash was incredibly tired. Having spent the majority of the previous day in the air, her wings were very sore. Organizing and directing the first of the spring showers had put a lot of stress on her mind, not to mention the truly bizarre event that still left her confounded. She had little time to rest until she got back to her house late in the evening, when she promptly collapsed in her cloud bed. It is said that you can tell a lot about a pony from their dreams. In the case of Rainbow Dash, this was all too true. This pegasus’ dreams were populated by none other than the Wonderbolts, a crowd of adoring fans, and herself of course. Rainbow Dash’s friends were all too familiar with her goal of joining the Equestria-reknowed racing and acrobatics team. She yearned for the opportunity to impress them with her blinding speed and agility. But for now, Rainbow Dash’s vision remained only in her dreams. Flying with the Wonderbolts side by side…. …racing through the air… …dazzling the crowds with their maneuvers… …with the cheers of onlookers… … “…Dashie.” Rainbow Dash’s groaned softly as her imaginary world faded from vision. She hated when such good dreams ended in the morning. On top of that, her headache seemed to be coming back. The pegasus rolled over onto her side, determined to catch a few more winks of sleep before the start of her day. That’s when she noticed something amiss. Her usually plush and soft cloud mattress suddenly felt firm and compact, like the hay beds that her friends slept in. In fact, her cloud blanket had also been replaced by a linen one. It didn't take Rainbow Dash long to figure out that she wasn’t sleeping in her own bed. Perhaps she had actually been too tired to fly all the way back to her house and instead stayed the night with one her friends. Or maybe this was all an elaborate prank played by Twilight Sparkle in retaliation for yesterday’s practical joke. In any case, Rainbow Dash was far too tired to sort things out, and instead continued to partake in one of her most favorite pastimes: sleeping. “Dashie, wake up.” “Zzzzz…huh?” mumbled Rainbow Dash. The voice was coming from directly above her, though very softly and gently. The pegasus rolled back onto her back and slowly opened her eyes. As the light entered her eyes, the discomfort in her head grew quickly. Rainbow Dash winced in pain, but she could make out what appeared to be a head looking down upon her. She could also see two forelegs gently nudging her from the side. However, the significant pain in her head distracted her from making out any other details. “Breakfast is ready. I’ll meet you in the kitchen.” the figure said as the head and legs disappeared from view. Rainbow Dash closed her eyes again and slowly pulled herself up into a sitting position. The air was cold, much colder than she remembered the day before. She could smell the aroma of fried eggs coming from the doorway to her left. Although she was a bit disoriented, her wings felt much better than the day before. Rainbow Dash slowly opened her eyes again, with intent of finding out exactly whose house she had been sleeping in. As she attempted to examine her surroundings, her headache intensified. "Oof!" she whispered to herself, "I better tell Twilight that these headaches are getting worse." Rainbow Dash's vision was still quite hazy, and she could make out few details of her surroundings. In front of her she could see some posters, but the colors were far too blurry to determine their content. To her right was a simple nightstand, and to her left was what appeared to be a chest of drawers. “Where am I? This room doesn’t look like any of my friends' rooms. In fact, I don't remember seeing a room like this anywhere.” she thought to herself. And she was right; the walls looked very bland and boring unlike most of the lively and vibrant houses in Ponyville she had seen. “Whatever pony owns this place must be a real bore,” she thought to herself. Rainbow Dash was beginning to make out more of her surroundings now, although the pain in her head was strong as ever. The more she looked about the room, the surer she felt that the owner was a drag. “Hurry, Dashie! Your food is getting cold!” a voice from down the hall yelled. It was just then that Rainbow Dash realized it was a stallion’s voice. Of the limited number of male ponies in Ponyville, Rainbow Dash knew maybe half a dozen by name. Never did she expect to be inside one of their houses. The half-awake pegasus decided to go along with this turn of events. She wanted to find out who was graceful (or bold) enough to let her stay in his house. She stretched her body and rubbed her eyes, about to hop out of bed and greet her mysterious host. To her delight, her headache also seemed to be going away. "I'm coming!" she shouted. “Rainbow Dashhhhhh!” Another voice from down the hall called her name. But it was not the stallion’s voice. This time, it was more girly and high pitched, much like… “Pinkie Pie??” whispered Rainbow Dash out loud. * * * Rainbow Dash jolted herself awake, eyes wide open. This time, however, she was lying in her cloud bed, covered in her cloud blankets. As she looked around, she was greeted by the familiar setting of her own house. The air felt very warm, and she could smell the aroma of the past rainfall. She sat up quickly, utterly confused by what she just experienced. “It was all a dream,” she thought to herself. “Just a dream…A rather weird dream. It felt so real. Even though I could barely see, it was as if I actually woke up in somepony else's house. I don't think I've ever had a dream like that before...Oh well, there's a first time for everything.” “Dashie! Are you home?” shouted Pinkie’s voice from outside. Rainbow Dash shook herself awake and sprung out of bed. "What does she want this time?" muttered the pegasus to herself as she stretched her wings. With a loud sigh, Rainbow Dash flew to the front of her house. Floating steadily near the cloud fountains was Pinkie’s balloon and its eccentric occupant. The pink earth pony was holding a large megaphone and had an urgent look on her face. “Oh, good morning, Pinkie Pie. What’s up?” asked Rainbow Dash. “Rainbow Dash, you gotta help me! Mr. and Mrs. Cake both got sick and they’re in the hospital and they won’t be able to help me back cupcakes for tomorrow’s party!! I can’t bake 200 cupcakes all by myself. Dashie, I need your help!!!!!” explained Pinkie Pie, forelegs waving frantically. “Woah, you’re asking me to help you bake? Out of all the ponies in Ponyville, you’re asking me?” asked Rainbow Dash. Among her close friends, Rainbow Dash was known for three things: undying loyalty, occasional stubbornness, and complete inability to cook anything. “I know you’re not the best baker in the world, and I know this is really, really, really short notice, but everypony else is busy today. Twilight is working on an important report, Rarity is out shopping for fabrics, Applejack is on a trip to Appleloosa, and Fluttershy is babysitting Pound and Pumpkin. Please Dashie, I really, really, really, really, REALLY need your help!!!” begged Pinkie Pie, who was almost on the verge of tears. "Slow down, Pinkie, you're giving me a headache!" replied Rainbow Dash as she turned away from her friend. Listening to Pinkie Pie jabber on for too long was enough to make anypony's head hurt. The pegasus rubbed her forehead until her mind was clear again. Rainbow Dash sighed audibly. Out of all the activities she planned on doing today, baking was at the bottom of the list but as a good friend, she took it upon herself to assist her other companions whenever they were in need. “Alright, I’ll help you.” said Rainbow Dash with a resigned tone. “But you owe me big for this one.” “YYYYAAAAYYYYY!” shouted Pinkie Pie. “I promise you it won’t take very long, and I bet you’ll have a lot of fun. I’ll see you at Sugarcube Corner!” Pinkie Pie floated away in the direction of her bakery shop, jumping up and down excitedly in her balloon. Rainbow Dash watched the purple aircraft drift away slowly. “Fun, eh? I highly doubt that,” she muttered to herself and headed back into her dwelling to wash up and get ready for the day. As she rinsed her face in a small cloud fountain, thoughts of the dream popped into her head. The more she pondered over the details, the less sure she was that the room existed somewhere in her memories. It was entirely possible that she made up everything in her dream. The stallion was also a point of interest from the dream. The only male ponies that have ever entered her dreams were Soarin and Rapidfire, both of which were Wonderbolts, and both of whom certainly didn't live in houses like the one in her dream. Well, there was little use in making sense of it all. Rainbow Dash had come to realize that dreams come and go just like that. Dreams were just products of her imagination, no matter how strange the result may be. Rainbow Dash walked toward the front if her house and stepped outside. The past day had left an uneasy feeling in her gut, but the confident young pegasus was determined not to let anything dampen her spirit. Today was a new day. * * * Rainbow Dash landed on the porch of Sugarcube Corner, ready to face her ultimate challenge and knocked. She took a step back, picking up sounds of hurried hoofsteps from within the bakery. A few seconds later, the door opened and a very hyper and joyful Pinkie Pie stood in the entryway. “Hey Rainbow Dash! Come on in.” she said, grabbing the pegasus by the neck and dragging her into the building. Soon both of the ponies were standing in the kitchen. The place had been cast into total disarray as a result of Pinkie Pie’s rush to fill her order. Bags of flour were thrown about the floor, some open and others closed. Piles of baking trays stood on the countertop in front of Rainbow Dash amongst other random pots and pans. Several cartons of eggs were haphazardly arranged on one end of the counter, and multiple jugs of milk populated the other end. Basically, it seemed as though Discord had passed through the bakery kitchen. “Alrighty, since you’re a little rusty with your baking skills, I’ll start you off with something easy” said Pinkie Pie. “I need you to make some dough for me." Rainbow Dash gazed around at the scene of total chaos around her. "Ok, seems simple enough. How do you want me to make it?" she asked. "Like this! All you have to do is take a cup of flour…” Pinkie Pie grabbed a measuring cup from the cupboards behind her and placed on the counter. She then measured a cup of flour from the bag and dumped it into a nearby bowl. “…then add 1/5th cup of water…” the pink earth pony then filled the measuring cup from the sink behind her to the appropriate mark, and emptied it into the bowl. “….then you mix it and knead it until it becomes firm. After you’re done, put the dough into that giant mixer in the corner over there, and keep doing it until we use up all the flour.” “Alright, I think I got it,” said Rainbow Dash. “Although...wouldn’t it be quicker to mix up all the flour at once?” “Silly pegasus, that would make the dough uneven! And uneven dough makes odd cupcakes. Can’t have odd cupcakes at a party!” replied Pinkie Pie. Rainbow Dash let out a rather loud groan as she glanced over the piles of flour bags sitting on the floor in front of the counter. As a pegasus born for the excitement of racing and crowds, Rainbow Dash absolutely despised repetitive tasks. “Oh no! I forgot to pick up sugar!” screamed Pinkie Pie. “Rainbow Dash, why don’t you get started on the dough. I’ll be back in a jiffy!” “Wait! Is it okay if I….” Rainbow Dash started to say. It was too late though, as Pinkie Pie was already far out of earshot. Rainbow Dash let out another groan as she started the arduous task of making dough. One cup of flour into the bowl. 1/5th cup of water into the bowl. Mix and knead until firm. Dump into the giant mixer in the corner. One cup of flour. 1/5th cup of water. Mix and knead. Dump into giant mixer. One cup flour. 1/5th cup flour. Mix and knead. Dump into giant mixer. Rinse. Repeat. The laboring pegasus watched the seconds tick away on a nearby wall clock. Dried dough starting caking on her hooves as she made her way through the first bag of flour. Rainbow Dash grumbled as she considered the possibility of being stuck here all day, helping Pinkie Pie bake 200 cupcakes. By the second bag of flour, Rainbow Dash’s brain had shifted into full autopilot. The part of her mind not occupied with the current task began to wander, and the pegasus started daydreaming. She decided not to think about anything in particular, and instead let her mind relax from the stress of the yesterday. Rainbow Dash let all thoughts go for the time being and decided to empty her mind. “Haha! Dashie, I think you’re getting the hang of it!” Rainbow Dash froze mid-step on the way to the giant mixer, paralyzed by shock. She was 100% sure a second ago that she was alone in this kitchen. Rainbow Dash swung around to face the speaker, only to be met with the chaotic sight of the kitchen counter. “Who’s there?” she asked with a tremble in her voice. Her inquiry was met with silence broken by the low humming of the nearby refrigerator. Rainbow Dash stood there for a second, heart pounding in her chest in anticipation. After a couple minutes, nothing happened. Rainbow Dash relaxed herself and resumed her dough making duties. Her mind was probably playing tricks on her again, especially because she was stuck in a bakery on a beautiful Sunday morning making mound after mound after mound of dough. A few minutes later, the repetitiveness of her assigned task had taken over once more. Rainbow Dash began to relax again, and her mind returned to a state of tranquility. At this point, she was 99% sure that she simply imagined the voice out of her boredom. As the seconds ticked by, Rainbow Dash gradually let her mind go blank as the bags of flour were slowly consumed. “Oh, ho, ho, this is going to be a fine birthday cake indeed!” Rainbow Dash instantly spun around to face the source of the voice, only to be greeted by empty space. “Who are you? Show yourself!” she demanded. Like before, the only reply she got was the humming of the bakery refrigerator. That voice! That voice from her dreams was now following her around. Rainbow Dash began sweating nervously, chills running down her spine. At that moment, the front door burst wide open. “I’m back!” yelled Pinkie Pie. Rainbow Dash breathed a sigh of relief and walked back to the counter. Pinkie Pie had several bags of sugar jammed into her saddlebags and piled onto her back. In addition to these supplies, Pinkie Pie had also brought in another guest. The pink earth pony and her companion walked toward the countertop to greet the awaiting pegasus. “Dashie, the sugar’s here, but guess who else is here!” exclaimed Pinkie Pie. Rainbow Dash had to raise her head quite a bit in order to see the small filly behind her friend. “Oh, hi, Applebloom, how’s it going?” asked Rainbow Dash. “It’s going great! I bumped into Pinkie Pie at the store and found out about her little problem. She’s agreed to let me help her finish her giant order! Maybe this time I’ll get my cutie mark!!” said Applebloom excitedly. “That means that you don’t have to make any more boring dough, and you can go have some fun! Although, I don’t understand what could be more fun than making cupcakes,” stated Pinkie Pie. Rainbow Dash’s mind was still frantically processing the odd occurrence just moments ago. “Yeah, I think I’ve done enough baking for today,” she said. “Okie dokie lokie, I’ll see you soon then. You should definitely come to the party tomorrow. It’ll be a blast!” said Pinkie Pie. “Catch you later!” shouted Rainbow Dash on her way out of the bakery. She stood on the porch for a long while, contemplating what she should do next. The events in the bakery left her more perplexed than ever. Muffled sounds of pans clattering and singing emerged from the bakery as Rainbow Dash planned her course of action. Her eyes scanned her surrounding until they stopped at a particular building in the distance. “I wonder if Twilight is home,” Rainbow Dash said to herself. She started off down the street in the direction of the Ponyville library.