"Wait a minute— since when is Countess Coloratura in Ponyville?"
It had been weeks since the five friends (Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity) had been together as a group, the last time being at Twilight's coronation. They had gotten caught up in their own lives and endeavors, and could never find a time that worked for everyone.
Well, it was more accurate to say a time that worked for Rainbow Dash. The rest of the ponies had continued to see each other often, but Rainbow Dash had claimed to be 'too busy being awesome' to ever come into Ponyville. Though suspicious, none of them thought twice about it. As a fully fledged member of the Wonderbolts, it made sense for Rainbow to be busy.
But it wasn't the truth. In reality, Rainbow Dash had purposefully been avoiding Ponyville. Of all her friends (besides Twilight), she had been the one most anxious about this new chapter in their lives. Would her friends still be close, despite leading such vastly different lives?
It was a question Rainbow Dash was too scared to answer. So, she had simply avoided Ponyville, deciding no answer was better than facing the possibility of an answer she didn't like.
It was only after much nagging from Pinkie Pie that Rainbow Dash finally relented. She agreed to meet for a simple brunch with her friend group at Sugarcube Corner. But when she arrived, she had immediately noticed a certain Stetson-wearing pony was absent. In asking about Applejack's whereabouts, Rainbow Dash wished she hadn't asked at all. Because now she knew.
Rara was back in Ponyville.
Rarity looked at Rainbow Dash perturbed. "Rara— as she prefers to be called now— arrived to town yesterday. She is yet to be physically prepared for some complex choreography she is to perform at her next concert. Unfortunately, her trainer is injured, leaving Rara with nopony else to help her. So, she has asked Applejack to train her. In exchange, Rara promised Applejack some (and I quote) 'good, old-fashioned earth pony fun.'"
Rarity made a face. "I can only imagine what that means."
Applejack and Rara had met at some summer camp so, most likely, their version of fun entailed the type of outdoor activities Applejack loved and Rarity hated.
Rainbow Dash was lost in her own thoughts. Having skipped Coloratura's concert the last time she was in Ponyville, Rainbow only remembered her as some stuck-up celebrity. She couldn't imagine what type of 'fun' a pop star like Coloratura could offer anypony, let alone one as sporty and competitive as Applejack.
Remembering the concert resurfaced other feelings against Coloratura. While Rainbow Dash had shared her entire life story with Applejack, from anecdotes about flight camp to competitions her parents enlisted her in, Applejack was never one to talk about herself. But Rainbow Dash never thought twice about AJ's lack of communication. She had known from others that AJ competed in rodeos since fillyhood, and had assumed that was the extent of Applejack's childhood experience.
But Rainbow Dash had been wrong. When Coloratura came to Ponyville, Rainbow Dash learned that Applejack had had more of a colorful youth than she let on. Who knew Applejack went to summer camps as a filly?
Certainly not Rainbow Dash.
For some reason, the casual omission had annoyed Rainbow. She had always been open with Applejack; in fact, besides Fluttershy, Applejack knew more about Rainbow Dash's past than any other pony. Learning that the reverse wasn't true had bothered Rainbow Dash, enough so that she skipped Coloratura's concert. She didn't want to be around the mare who served as a reminder that Applejack had memories she never bothered to share with Rainbow.
And now, Applejack was going to make some more memories with Coloratura.
But why? Rainbow asked herself. Why would she choose to hang out with some boring, stuck-up pony over me? Does she not even care that I haven't been around?
Rainbow Dash felt a sudden pain in her heart.
No; that just can't be true.
Pushing aside her feelings of neglect, Rainbow Dash projected her anger onto another aspect of Rarity's comment.
"'Earth pony fun?' What does that mean?" Rainbow Dash huffed. "AJ has plenty of fun with non-earth ponies. I mean, look at us! AJ and I always have a good time," she narrowed her eyes and crossed her hooves. "And I'm not an earth pony."
Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie exchanged uneasy looks. They didn't think AJ's absence would be a big deal. In fact, they had encouraged Applejack to miss brunch, citing that Rainbow Dash would understand. After all, Applejack hadn't seen Rara for much longer than she hadn't see Rainbow Dash. And, Rainbow could see Applejack any day, whereas Rara was only in town for a little while.
These were all points that flashed through Rarity's mind, but she suspected none of them would make a difference to Rainbow Dash.
So, with all the patience she could muster, Rarity spoke again.
"Rainbow Dash, it was a comment made in jest. Rara meant it as a humorous way to convey that she plans to have fun with Applejack during her visit, not just spend all their time training. They must have all sorts of little sayings like that between them." Rarity gave Dash a look. "Now darling, is that really what's bothering you?"
Rainbow's nostrils flared, ignoring Rarity's question.
"Well, I bet that whatever they're doing is at least twenty percent less fun than if AJ had come to brunch with me. I mean, us," Rainbow corrected. "Come to brunch with us."
Rainbow Dash's wings unconsciously began to flap, lifting her from the booth. The cupcake she had been eating sat completely forgotten on the table.
Rainbow Dash declared, "I'm gonna go to Sweet Apple Acres and check out all this earth pony fun Applejack is having. And I can bet you girls right now that it won't be even close to the fun AJ and I have on a daily basis."
"You mean 'had.' Had on a daily basis," Rarity corrected with a raised eyebrow. "It's hard to have fun with a pony when you haven't seen them in weeks."
Rainbow Dash glared at Rarity, crossing her hooves. That was a low blow, but a fair one.
"Rainbow Dash, why don't you sit down and finish your breakfast?" Fluttershy suggested, looking up anxiously at her friend. "Applejack is so happy to be with Rara again. You wouldn't want to interrupt that, right? It could make them both unhappy."
Huh, Rainbow Dash mused. Making Coloratura unhappy sounds kind of nice.
"Great idea, Fluttershy," Rainbow beamed. "I'll go over and interrupt whatever they're doing. AJ will be super grateful I saved her from whatever boring stuff Rara has her doing. And then, she'll want to have some real fun." Rainbow Dash puffed her chest. "And that's where I come in!"
Rainbow Dash saluted in goodbye to her friends. "I'll see you mares later!"
And in a streak of rainbow, Rainbow Dash flew out the door towards her destination.
"WAIT!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, though Rainbow Dash was long gone. "WHAT ABOUT YOUR CUPCAKE?"
Pinkie Pie gave a sad pout in the direction of RD's half-eaten meal. She knew Rainbow wanted to crash Rara's visit, but she could at least do it on a full stomach.
Meanwhile, Fluttershy and Rarity exchanged worried looks.
"We should go after her," Fluttershy suggested quietly.
"Agreed," Rarity glowered, getting out of her seat. Why is it always Rainbow Dash? She mentally grumbled.
"Come on girls! If we hurry, we can get there before she does something she'll regret."