“Umm, hmm mmm...?” Scootaloo mumbled into her own arm, which was soaked with drool.
Dash rolled over and off the bed, standing up on her hind legs to open the blinds properly. “I said 'get up', bedhead! It's time for school,” she repeated, flooding the room with sunlight.
“Gah!” Scoot croaked, pulling the blankets over her head. “Are you trying to blind me?!”
Rainbow made her way around to the other side of the bed, carefully avoiding the junk and clothes littering the floor of her untidy bedroom. “No, I'm trying to get your flank moving!” she tapped the bundle of sheets that Scoot had wrapped herself up in. “I've gotta make this bed. Go take off your dirty jammies and brush your teeth.”
“And if I refuseee?” came a muffled, playful voice.
Rainbow Dash grabbed the sheets on the edge of the bed with her teeth and pulled them off, causing Scoot to roll out on to the floor with a thud. “Then that happens!”
“Ow...” Scootaloo complained, standing up as straight as Rainbow Dash and rubbing her leg. “Jerk!” The filly stretched her arms to the heavens and yawned loudly before dropping to all fours.
Dash rolled her eyes and began to make the bed. Scootaloo stayed still and simply watched her, occasionally looking about the bedroom. “Your room is a mess, Rainbow Dash,” she said cheerfully.
“Grown ups are allowed to have untidy rooms,” Rainbow said. “Hurry along, now.”
“You're a grown up? Why didn't anypony tell me? Probably 'cause it ain't true, I bet!” Scoot giggled, smirking.
“You're quite the pain in the butt this morning. Pretty lame, Scoot!” Dash remarked, stretching out a wing to casually flick Scootaloo on her way. “Now come on, Scootaloo. Brush your teeth and stuff, or we're gonna be late. Again. I've already had Cheerilee lecture me on being punctual once before. If it happens again, I'ma be rude and walk away from her. No one wants that!”
“Fiiine,” Scoot sighed, turning away and trotting out of the room at her leisure. “See, I'm going! Walking out and everything.”
Dash shook her head and turned back to the bed she still had to finish making. Fifteen minutes later, she made her way downstairs, buttoning up a shirt and adjusting a tie. Removing the hairbrush she was holding in her mouth, she started brushing out her hair and mane. She stopped at a mirror in the hallway, smirking at her reflection. “Aaawww yeah! Perfection. But I hate having to wear clothes at that stupid job. Ah well, I'm still awesome.”
Reaching the kitchen, Rainbow found Scootaloo leaning against the kitchen counter, munching on a red delicious apple and flipping through one of her colouring books. Dash smiled at her, seeing that Scootaloo had not only packed her own lunch, but Rainbow Dash's as well. Scootaloo might like to get under Dash's skin in the morning, but she could act really mature when she wanted to.
“Impressive,” Rainbow Dash said, coming over to her. “You might just earn your keep around here. Now, lemme see your coat.”
“I don't wear a coat!” Scootaloo said through a mouthful of fruit. “It's not even cold out!”
“C'mon, Scoots, you know what I mean,” Dash sighed at her, eyes rolling.
Scootaloo twirled on her heel with her arms outstretched. “My fur's fine. I look fab, as always,” she said.
“Your mane doesn't. I've gotta brush it out,” Dash said, pulling over a chair and sitting down. “You'll look 'fab' when you look as good as I do!”
“Look good as you do? Wearing that lame, geeky shirt and tie? You look like a bank owner!” Scoot gasped in mock horror, slapping a hoof to her face.
“Hey! You know about the dress code at the weather factory. Now, get over here.” Dash pulled Scoot in front of her and got to work getting the tangles out of her mane.
“Argh! Quit it!” Scoot snarled as she threw the apple core towards the garbage bin, her head jerking back with every stroke through her hair.
“Don't be such a baby, Scootaloo. Not a wimp, are you?” Rainbow asked as she worked.
“I'm not a baby! Or a wimp... It's just... bah! I. Hate. This.” Scoot pouted as Rainbow Dash continued grooming her. “Do you go out of your way to try and pull every hair out?!” She flinched as the bristles caught the hair around her ears.
“Scootaloo, I love when you try to act mad because I know you're completely full of it!” Dash smiled at her, pulling her into a hug once her hair was in a satisfactory condition. “Act as mad as ya want, Dashie knows you better than that!”
Scoot gave her a tight squeeze back. “I'm gonna fool you one of these days, big sister!” Scootaloo grinned, pulling away and looking into Dash's face with adoration.
Rainbow Dash smiled and placed a kiss on her forehead. “No, you won't. Let's go!”
Dash stood up and and put on the beige leather jacket she had hung over one of the chairs to keep her shirt from getting wrinkled from the wind. Scootaloo picked up her school saddle bag while Dash retrieved both lunchboxes. A minute later, they were standing outside the house. The morning was quiet and very warm and there was a feeling of approaching Summer in the air.
“Onward, faithful steed!” Scootaloo said, scrambling up on to Rainbow Dash's shoulders and wrapping her limbs tightly around the back of the mare's neck. “Your master commands it!”
“You can be master when you pay the bills,” Rainbow said, keeping a firm hold on to the lunchboxes as she bent her arms and hindquarters, expanding both of her wings out fully and giving them a powerful flap. “Hold tight!”
She felt Scootaloo's legs and arms tighten and heard an intake of excited breath. It was the same every single time Rainbow prepared to take off; the filly just could not get enough of getting to fly. And every day she got to fly with the fastest in Equestria. Dash could hear a faint buzzing noise, causing her to beam with happiness. She felt wonderful, knowing Scootaloo was flapping her own wings rapidly like a hummingbird's in joy, ready for take off. In an instant, Dash rocked into the sky, going from kneeling almost flat to the ground to being fifty feet in the air and climbing rapidly. Within seconds, they reached 200 feet, Dash's preferred cruising altitude lately.
Ponyville passed beneath them rapidly. Dash felt Scootaloo twisting to look back at the streak of rainbow and fuchsia trailing behind them. Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes against the rush of air and couldn't resist grinning broadly. She was in her element in these moments. The speed, the adrenaline, the WIND IN HER MANE! There was nothing better than flying. It was a gift she was thankful she could share with a wonderful little girl who could not enjoy this feeling on her own.
Below them, the cottages seemed to rush by. The tired looking ponies beginning their mornings glanced up as the pair zoomed overhead, surprised and impressed. A wonderful smell of baking pastries was floating up on the wind to meet them from Sugarcube Corner. The post office came and went like lightning. Dash dropped low enough to circle the town hall once, hearing an excited cheer from Scootaloo.
“Yo!” Dash yelled, slowing down and dropping low to the ground as they passed by the Carousel Boutique. “'Sup, Rare?”
Rarity, who was just leaving her home, looked startled. The unicorn relaxed when she realized who it was. “Ooh, Dash, my dear! What in Equestria are you wearing under that ugly old jacket? Wait! Is that... leather?! Great heavens!”
However, Dash and Scoot were already zipping away. The orange filly barely had time to yell 'See you at school!' to Sweetie Belle, who was standing in the doorway behind Rarity. They touched down outside the school within minutes. Scootaloo slipped down from Dash's shoulders and sighed. She hated whenever they had to land.
“I wish... I could fly on my own...” Scootaloo bemoaned, frowning at the dirt and gravel at her feet. “It isn't fair. I hate having something wrong with me!”
“There's nothing wrong with you, Scootaloo. How often do I gotta tell you that before you believe it? The time just ain't right for you to fly. Who knows, one day you might with all that wing training we do in the basement." Dash ruffled the filly's hair. "Oh, darn it... I just brushed that!” She tried to flatten it with her hooves.
Scoot shook her head in disbelief, trying to pull her head away from Rainbow Dash. “Doctor said it won't ever happen, remember?”
“Pff, what's he know?” Dash asked, noticing Scootaloo's eyes growing wet. “Look, you have the GREATEST FLIER IN THE WORLD as your BIG SISTER!. With me teaching you, you might be a Wonderbolt some day. I definitely will!”
Scoot gave Rainbow Dash a weak smile. “That would be awesome...”
Scootaloo's ears perked up once she seemed to notice Apple Bloom by the school's entrance. Bloom waved and ran down to meet them. Scoot took a deep breath and hurriedly wiped her eyes, turning to smile broadly at the approaching earth filly.
“Hey, Rainbow Dash!” Apple Bloom said, screeching to a halt next to them and turning to the younger of the pair “Scootaloo! I've got this amazing thing to show you and Sweetie Belle! We're gonna get our cutie marks! TODAY!”
“Really?” Scoot asked in surprised, her wings buzzing rapidly again in her excitement.
“Know what we've never done? Magic! I found an old spell book!” Bloom said, a fire in her eyes.
“Uh, I'm pretty sure Sweetie Belle's done magic. She is a unicorn, after all! You two, however... aren't. How you gonna pull off magic?” Rainbow Dash asked bemusedly, handing Scoot her lunchbox.
“It's a secret!” Bloom said happily, leaning close to Dash and continuing in a stage whisper. “Cutie Mark Crusaders only! Y'all and your nerdy shirts are not invited to this club!”
Dash zipped up the jacket a little more, rolling her eyes. “You both are the worst!”
“No, but that is!” Bloom laughed, pointing at Dash's torso. “C'mon, Scoot!”
The fillies giggled together and Apple Bloom ran off. Scootaloo made to follow her, but stopped after a few paces. She ran back to Dash and hugged her tight. Rainbow Dash knew Scootaloo wouldn't let her go without a goodbye hug. She stretched out her wings and wrapped them around Scootaloo for a moment.
“See you later, Sis!” Scoot said, letting go and running towards the school.
“Later, kiddo!” Rainbow called after her, glowing with pride.
Flicking her wings once more, she took off again, shooting straight into the sky, spotting Rarity and Sweetie Belle walking down the road towards the school house. Dash could just make out Sweetie pointing out the streak of colours as she made her ascent.
Her next stop was in Cloudsdale. Leaving Ponyville as nothing but a small mess of toy cottages and trees, Rainbow Dash tore through the sky and clouds. Ever since buying her home, she had to pick up a part time job at the factory that produces precipitation and clouds in order to keep her coin purse full. Otherwise, she was still the main pony for weather maintenance in Ponyville.
She arrived in Cloudsdale after half an hour of flight. She sped through tunnels of cloud and zipped between pillars of stone and moss as she soared in the direction of the factory, enticing cheers from the other pegasai as her rainbow trail stretched behind her. Upon exiting a tunnel, however, she stopped dead. Her mouth fell open in surprise as she beat her wings to stay afloat.
“Hellooo! Rainbow Dash! Hi!” said Pinkie Pie, who was standing atop a pillar with a broad grin on her face.
Dash was quiet with surprise for a moment. “I-wha-wait-what...” she spluttered, her arms held out in front of her, as if to ask 'what gives?'.
“Guess what I just found out! C'mooon, guess! It's fun!” the pink earth pony cheered, bouncing up and down.
“How did you...? Get up...? Cloudsdale...” Dash asked, staring in disbelief.
“How else was I gonna tell you? A-duuuh!” Pinkie smiled, smacking herself in the head and pulling a goofy face.
Dash remained silent a moment, shaking her head back and forth. Although her question wasn't answered, her better judgement prevented her asking again.
Pinkie giggled. “Listen! Listen! Guess what, guess what, guess what, guess whaaat?”
“Okay, okay! What?” Dash asked, folding her arms but still gawking in amazement.
“You know that new stadium they just built in Ponyville?!” Pinkie asked, looking as though she were about to burst. “I heard Soarin is going to be there at the grand opening! You know Soarin, right? That pony you got a crush on, right? The one you said has an awesome butt, right?! I heard it on the radio when I woke up and I was like..." Pinkie continued, giving a huge gasp, "I said to myself, 'I've gotta go tell my bestest friend Rainbow Dash this wonderful, wonderful Wonderbolt news!' So here I am! Telling you! My bestest pal!"
Dash gave a little shriek, her blue cheeks flushing. “Whaaat? Are you serious?! Oh man, that's awesome! I am SO there!”
“The radio said that Soarin is going to preform an airshow before the game starts! There's gonna be try-outs to be his partner! You should try-out at the try-outs to try-out as his partner at the...try-out! I mean, airshow! Then you can tell him he's got an grand posterior in person!” Pinkie squeed. “Try it out!”
Rainbow Dash blushed ever more profusely. “Haha... maybe! Man, I'm psyched. Thanks for telling me, Pinkie Pie! I've gotta get to work now. Uh... how are you getting back to Ponyville? Don't you need to work at Sugarcube Corner this morning?”
Pinkie gave a sharp chuckle. “I'm going to WALK, silly!” she beamed.
Dash stared a moment, before shaking her head again. “Riiight. Well, see ya!”
Rainbow started to fly onward again as Pinkie smiled broadly at her. She kept flying until she reached another tunnel. Before she entered, she glanced back to the pillar Pinkie Pie was standing on. There Pinkie was, still smiling happily and just staring at her.
“Well, that was... strange,” Dash mumbled to herself, flying through the cloud tunnel. “I'm pretty convinced she's insane. Insane, but the best friend ever! Ohmigooosh! I am going to nail those try-outs! Soarin's going to be so impressed!"
Giving a loud and triumphant laugh, Rainbow Dash sped forward towards the factory, leaving a brilliant streak of rainbow behind her. She couldn't believe how good her fortune has been lately. What could possibly bring her down from this high?
The answer? Absolutely nothing, she told herself. Dash was happy as happy could possibly be. As she took her punch card to the clock and inserted it at work, her thoughts drifted back to Scootaloo. It was all for her.
She had a new house and she had Scootaloo with her. Dash's second job kept the cash flowing nicely and she would be meeting Soarin again soon. It would be a perfect opportunity to impress a member of the Wonderbolts. Her favourite one, too!
“Everything's comin' up Rainbow Dash!” she said to no one in particular, strolling off to her locker to deposit the leather jacket and her lunch.
Dash could not have any idea how important hearing Pinkie's news would turn out to be.