While Rarity was enjoying a tearful reunion with her family, Rainbow was dreading what she had to do next. Banking her now-flexible wings, she readjusted her course towards the Weather Control Tower. Slowing down about a half-mile out, she lazily coasted that rest of the way at a speed that would still leave most Pegasi in the dust. Landing lightly on the clouds, she slowly raised her shaking hoof to the door.
Mentally berating herself, “I'm Rainbow Dash! The bravest Pegasus in Equestria!” she clenched the muscles in her hoof, steadying it. Pulling the door open, she was surprised to see nopony there. When she had worked there, no matter how behind they were, there was always at least one Pegasus in the Weather Tower.
“Hello?” She called out, waiting to see if anypony would respond. When nopony did, she began walking towards the back of the tower, headed for the stairs to the top of the tower. Along the way, she noticed a very fine layer of moisture on everything, something that would never have happened when she was the head of the Weather Team. Quickly trotting up the steps, Rainbow paused in front of the door to the office of the Weather Captain before opening it and walking in.
She couldn't see if anypony was in the office, since the chair was facing away from her, towards the window, where Rainbow could clearly see the unnatural cloud formation she had made earlier. Cringing, she cleared her throat.
“Can I help you?” the voice caused Rainbow to freeze. She recognized it from somewhere, and knew that it wasn't a good kind of recognition.
Spinning around, Lightning Dust was surprised to see the 'great' Rainbow Dash standing before her.
“Oh, this is just too good,” Lightning laughed as she threw her hooves up on the desk, “I suppose you want your job back?”
Rainbow was too stunned to respond.
“Silent, huh? Wouldn't matter either way. This is my job now, and you'll never get it back,” a smirk grew on Lightning's face, making her even uglier than she already was, “I can't wait to get you arrested for illegal manipulation of atmospheric water vapor.”
Dash gave her a confused look.
Lightning gestured to the window, or rather, what floated beyond the window, “That. You created an unnatural cloud formation without a permit. I can have you arrested by this time tomorrow if I want.”
As if by some sixth sense, Rainbow detected a challenge in Lightning's voice, “And why haven't you called the police yet? If you really wanted me arrested, you'd have called them already.”
“True,” Lightning responded with a wave of her hoof, “I'm feeling generous today, so I thought I might extend an offer to you.”
“And what would that be?”
“Beg.”
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me. Beg. I want you on your knees, begging me to not report you. If you do a convincing enough job, I might even give you a starting position back on the Weather Team.”
Rainbow Dash snorted as she failed to contain her laughter, “That's just too rich, Lightning. You actually think I'd beg for an uncool Pegasus like you?” she fell onto her back laughing, her saddlebags sliding away.
A vein was starting to pop out on Lightning's forehead as Dash continued to laugh, “ENOUGH! DON'T YOU REALIZE THE SITUATION YOU'RE IN?!”
“Look, little miss 'I'm Better Than You',” Dash said, with a completely straight face, “You think I'd do something like that without a permit? You do realize I've busted friends of mine who did that. So why would I do it, if it would only make me a hypocrite?”
Lightning was flapping her jaw, attempting to say something while Dash walked over to her saddlebags. Rummaging around, she pulled out a sheaf of papers, which she promptly dropped on Lightning's desk.
“Here's my permit, straight from the Cloudsdale Weather Factory itself,” Rainbow said with a smirk.
Lightning began leafing through the permit, stopping when she saw the signature on the back page, “Crystal Dash? How did you get the head of the entire Weather Factory to personally sign this?”
“Are you that stupid?” Dash asked with an incredulous look, “Take a closer look at the name. Notice anything about it?”
“Both your names end in Dash,” Lightning responded with a proud look on her face, moments before it finally hit her, “You're related to the head of the Weather Factory?”
Rainbow nodded, “Despite what everypony believes, I still talk to my dad, even if we don't exactly see eye to eye on my career choice.”
“But how?” Lightning muttered.
“It's simple really. Ever since the Princesses defeated Discord, it was up to us normal ponies, who couldn't make weather on a whim, to create the weather. It was my great great great great great great great great great great grandmother who actually made the first snowflake. Ever since then, members of the Dash Family have constantly been creating new weather patterns. Heck, I created a new weather pattern a few years ago, even when everypony said every possible pattern was already made,” Rainbow finished with a smug grin.
Lightning was even more confused now than she had been before, and was currently rubbing her temples in an attempt to calm her raging headache.
“Don't worry if you feel a little overwhelmed by the sheer awesomeness of my family. It'll pass eventually. Just look at Fluttershy. She used to be super shy around me, but now I'm her best friend.”
Lightning held up one of her hooves, “So you're telling me that your family is in charge of all of the weather in Equestria? And that it's been this way for over 1,000 years now?”
Rainbow nodded, “Yup. And about 500 years ago, Celestia herself blessed my family with her glorious Light for all the hard work we do to keep Equestria beautiful in every season. Ever since, every filly or colt born in the Dash family has been a Spectral. That is, they've had a mane and tail like mine.”
Lightning rubbed the bridge of her nose with her hoof, “Which means, if you really wanted to, you could go to your father, or even Celestia, and get your job back.”
Nodding once again, Rainbow continued, “Yes, I could do that.”
Lightning's face fell.
“But I'm not going to.”
Lightning looked up at Rainbow Dash in surprise, “Why not?”
“Two reasons: One, why would I do something like that, when I can do some honest work and have it back in a couple years? And two, after abandoning the Weather Team for three months, I wouldn't feel right just walking back in as the boss again. So I'll start at the bottom, just like everypony else.”
Well then, Miss Dash. I expect to see you here at 5 a.m. tomorrow morning,” Lightning said, her face serious once again, “Don't be late. You won't get a second chance.”
“Yes Ma'am!” Rainbow exclaimed with a salute, before flying out the door.
Once she was gone, Lightning facehoofed, “I can't believe I just threatened the daughter of the head of the Weather Factory. Am I losing it?”
“If you keep talking to yourself like that, ponies might start thinking you are.”
Lightning jumped at the voice to see Rainbow standing there again.
“Sorry. Forgot my Saddlebags,” she said as she walked over to them and put them on, before walking out the door again.