*tick.. tock.. tick.. tock..*
The repetitive pattern of a wall hung clock rung in Rainbow Dash’s ears as she stood in line at Sugarcube Corner. An unusually busy day was ahead for the bakery as a line up of ponies had formed at the counter and through the door. Rainbow was rapidly tapping a hoof as her position in line slowly crawled forward.
‘I save these ponies’ flanks a million times and I still have to wait in lines?!’
After what seemed like the hundredth order for a lemon meringue cupcake with blueberry icing- ’gross. and oddly specific.’ -Rainbow had finally arrived at the front counter.
“Heya Mrs. C, is Pinkie around here? I got something super important to tell her.” Rainbow Dash asked.
“Oh sorry dearie you just missed her, said she’s got important, umm, “fondue related business” to attend to.” Mrs. Cake regrettably informed.
“Ah darn it, I’m getting real sick of that excuse. Well since I’m here, might as well get myself an angel food cupcake, with strawberry icing of course.” Rainbow requested.
“Of course dearie, coming right up!”
Rainbow stood at the counter, humbly waiting for her order. Waiting. And waiting. And waiting…
’I’m owed some major action after all this waiting or there’s gonna be-
At that moment, Rainbow’s cutie mark glowed, indicating she’s needed immediately at Twilight’s castle.
’No! No! After! I said AFTER the waiting!’
“Uhh heya Mrs. C.. y’know I’m kinda in a rush, all of a sudden, so I’m just wondering how it’s going back there.” Rainbow awkwardly chuckled.
“Just a few more moments, it’s still rising in the oven.”
“Oh. Ok. Yeah cool, cool. No rush.”
’NOT ok. NOT cool. Big BIG rush!’
Rainbow glanced back to her flank, then to the kitchen, to her flank, to the kitchen, flank, kitchen, fla-
“Oh screw it.”
Rainbow Dash bolted out the door and wizzed to Twilight’s castle in record time. Drifting past ponies and perfectly maneuvering between houses before finally flying through the front gates and up to the map room.
“Why hello Rainbow, would’ve been nice to have you here ten minutes ago.” Twilight Sparkle huffed.
“Save me the lecture and let’s just get to whose butt needs kicking.” Rainbow said as she hovered down into her chair.
“Well as you can see we’re all needed in Las Pegasus, so let’s not waste anymore time and get going!” Twilight gave a determined smile as she faced her friends.
“Who-wee! That’s what I like to hear!” Applejack said.
“Race ya there!” Pinkie shouted as she raced out of the room.
“Oh now you’re available!?” Rainbow yelled in frustration, following behind Pinkie.
_______________________________________________
“I uh, I think I found the.. “friendship” problem.” Fluttershy muttered, gesturing to the large building in the middle of the city that was currently crumbling to the ground.
“I swear this map is getting more and more ridiculous with each mission!” Rarity hissed.
“Don’t worry, I’ve got this in the bag.” Rainbow gloated as she flew forward and snatched any ponies at the building’s ground floor. “C’mon get a move on! Get as far away as quickly as possible!”
A carriage suddenly blew by, throwing Rainbow Dash out of focus.
“Hey! I think those are the ponies that did this! Hurry up they’re getting away!” Rainbow called to the rest of the Mane 6.
“Looks like it’s up to me and you Fluttershy!” Pinkie said as grabbed her yellow coated friend.
“Are you sure you don’t wanna take Rari- AHHHHH!!” Fluttershy attempted a protest before Pinkie ran off after the criminal carrying carriage.
Rarity and Twilight were catching the falling debris with their magic, while Applejack was bucking any they missed into a fine dust. Rainbow Dash scanned for anymore civilians in the area before a row of glass panes shattered near the top floor. The building tilted forward before being caught by Twilight and Rarity’s magic, which unfortunately did not take into account anything inside the building as rows of bassinets rolled through the broken window.
“Holy horsefeathers.. are those-“
“RAINBOW DASH CATCH THOSE BABIES!” Twilight manically screamed in horror.
Rainbow immediately took a head count and bolted off into the sky.
“Ok 1.. 2.. got 3.. 4, 5, 6 aaaaaaand… where’s 7? Shoot, shoot, SHOOT WHERE DID 7 GO?!” Rainbow freaked out. She scanned all around her and spotted filly #7 way down below her.
“AHH! OK OK I’M COMING!” Rainbow zoomed directly down like a missile, clutching the fillies in her hooves. Coming ever closer to #7, Rainbow felt the wind wrap around her, a pulse running through her and a charge take over her system. Inching and inching closer, Rainbow finally caught the colt in her hoof and immediately changed her trajectory to shoot straight forward, leaving a loud boom behind her and a rainbow colored path in her wake.
The shockwave of the rainboom soared all through Las Pegasus and to the roads leaving town.
“Wooooaaaah look at that!” A pony pulling a carriage turned to see the sight behind him.
“WHAT ARE YOU DOING THAT PINK FREAK IS RIGHT BEHI-“
The carriage suddenly crashed into a light post, flinging the ponies in it into an oncoming building.
“Hello there..” Fluttershy greeted the newly injured ponies. “You two wouldn’t happen to be having a friendship problem would you?”
“Psh, like I get any “friendship” out of this guy.”
“Hey what’s that supposed t’mean?!”
“Sounds like a yes to me! Now why don’t you two talk to us about it.” Pinkie said as she pulled a notepad out of her mane.
_______________________________________________
“Woooohoooo! Did you see me out there?! I was all like *whish* and then I did a *fwoosh* and then *kaBOOM* and I totally saved the heck out of those babies!” Rainbow celebrated.
“Yes Rainbow, it was very impressive. But we still have a friendship problem to figure out.” Twilight reminded.
“Don’t worry about that, me and Pinkie got it all sorted out.” Fluttershy smiled as she returned to the group.
“Uh huh! Turns out these two rude dudes, Nailer and Lockpick, just would not listen to each other’s ideas, and it was hurting their friendship super duper bad!” Pinkie summarized.
“But we taught them a very valuable lesson.” Fluttershy nodded.
“Always hear out your best friends, and never make them feel like they’re less than nothing!” Pinkie recited.
“And that they’re going to jail, for life.” Fluttershy lowered her head.
“Oh thank heavens, I don’t know how much longer I could’ve stayed in this dreadful town.” Rarity sighed in relief.
“Welp, my butt’s not glowing which means I’m going. I’ve got a cupcake with my name written on it.” Rainbow said to the group.
“See ya Rainb-“ Applejack tried to wave goodbye before Rainbow Dash bolted out of sight.
“I hate when she does that.”
_______________________________________________
“Aaaaaaaand done!” Mrs. Cake announced. “I hope that didn’t take too long for you.”
“Just in time.” Rainbow Dash responded, hoping Mrs. Cake didn’t notice her walking through the front door. Rainbow grabbed the paper bag holding her treat and trotted out the door. Rainbow spread her wings and took off to Cloudsdale looking to finish the day in the comfort of her own cloud. As she set hoof and made her way down the sidewalk, a familiar looking house took her attention.
_______________________________________________
“This isn’t fair!” A rainbow maned filly complained.
“What isn’t fair?” Windy Whistles, the filly’s mother, responded as she washed the dishes.
“This stupid flying test question! ‘How many different wing positions are used in advanced flying.’ what kind of egghead would know that?!” The filly complained further.
“It’s 28.” An older mare replied as they entered the room.
“Thunder Streak you can’t keep giving Rainbow Dash the answers, she needs to learn on her own.” Windy scolded.
“What the difference between her sister telling her this and a teacher telling her this?” Thunder retorted.
Windy Whistles simply rolled her eyes and went back to the dishes in response.
“Well I’m heading out to practice, I’ll be home late. And RD, don’t forget about our training sesh tomorrow.” Thunder Streak called out.
“You got it sis!” Rainbow Dash jumped in her seat excitedly.
“Wait wait wait Thunder before you go.” Bow Hothoof, the father of the house, interjected. “Your mother and I have something to show you.”
Bow pulled a small box out of his shirt pocket and gave it to his eldest daughter. Thunder Streak unfolded the lid and pulled out the contents, revealing a short necklace with the Wonderbolts logo attached to it.
“Oh you guys, this is beautiful!” Thunder expressed her appreciation.
“We are just so super duper proud of you.” Bow teared up. “Oooooooh I told myself I wouldn’t cry!”
“Don’t you start crying cause then I’ll start crying!” Windy told her husband as she also teared up.
“Guys c’mon you’re gonna make us seaponies.” Thunder laughed. “Now suck up those tears so I can hug you.”
The three ponies embraced in warmth, with a smaller fourth one trying to squeeze in.
“Don’t worry we didn’t forget you.” Thunder chuckled as she pulled in Rainbow Dash.
5 HOURS LATER
*knock knock*
Windy Whistles got up from the living room and checked who was at the door. She opened it and found Quick Wit, captain of the Wonderbolts.
“Hello, Mrs. Whistles. I have… unfortunate news, about your daughter.” Quick stuttered, a hint of distress in his voice. He grabbed Windy’s hoof and gave her a familiar necklace.
Rainbow Dash peaked in on the conversation, unknowingly to the two grown ponies. As she heard what the Wonderbolts captain had to say, she felt her whole world shatter. She weakly stumbled to her room and instantly broke down upon closing her door.
_______________________________________________
Rainbow Dash shook her head to rid of the painful memory and turned away from the house. She huffed and continued to walk down the street. Her walk quickly became a gallop and eventually turned into full on flight. She flew straight forward, gaining more and more speed until eventually everything passing by was nothing but blurs of light.
Rainbow screamed to the high heavens in rage as she continued to go faster and faster. She suddenly felt a burst of energy around her as everything in sight began to warp and then fade away before another burst hit her and she found herself encased in an energy field in an empty void, her wings now flapping backwards. Visions of the past 24 hours then passed her by as she continued to fly in reverse. Rainbow skidded to a halt and slowly walked forward, her head poking out of the field and finding herself catching the babies from that morning. Her heart began to race at the sudden realization.
_______________________________________________
“You went back in time?”
“Yes! I’m telling you Twi, I went all the way back to this morning!”
“Ok, let’s just imagine that you can fly through time. Don’t do it. It is way too dangerous and incredibly irresponsible. Trust me, I speak from painful experience when I say it’s nothing but trouble.”
“Ugh, I knew you were gonna say that.”
“Well it goes without saying. I mean, any minuscule change to the past can cause horrific consequences for the future.”
“Yeah yeah I know. The Fluttershy effect or whatever.”
“Butterfly.”
“That’s what I said. Whatever, the point is that I could fix everything!”
“Or destroy it.”
“I could save Luna from becoming Nightmare Moon, I could stop Tirek from ever returning, I could save.. my… my sister..”
“…Look, Rainbow. There are moments in life that will destroy you, that will try to take everything from you. But you can’t let those moments define you, control you.”
“What if they do define me. It made me an element of harmony.”
“It also made you hide who you are.”
“What do you know about who I am.”
“I’m starting to think I know it better than you do.”
“…yeah, ok, fine, I won’t time travel. Happy?”
“As I can be, now why don't you go home and try to get some rest.”
“About that, can I crash here tonight?”
“…fine.”