Applejack and Rarity walked down the street towards their sisters' clubhouse. Neither of them spoke for a while.
"I really regret making her feel bad like that." Rarity broke the silence. "I really really do."
"We all do, Sugarcube," Applejack reminded her. "We all do."
"I don't want to do this," Rarity continued. "I really don't want to be the one to tell her."
"Rarity, calm down." Applejack spoke sharply. "None of this will help." Rarity sighed.
"I know. Are you sure we shouldn't find her and tell her the truth?"
"Let's just focus on the task at hoof," Applejack answered. Silence reigned again.
When they finally reached the clubhouse, they both stared up at it.
"Girls?" Applejack called up. "Can y'all come down?"
"Sure!" Apple Bloom poked her head out of the clubhouse door. She trotted down, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo behind her. "What's up, sis?"
"Well first, we have to tell you who Mare Do Well is," Rarity cut in. The fillies' eyes rounded in amazement.
"You know who she is?" Sweetie Belle asked in a higher voice than usual. Rarity nodded.
"She was me," Applejack admitted. "And Pinkie Pie, and Twilight, and Fluttershy a bit."
"You're a hero?" Apple Bloom asked excitedly. "Mah sister's a hero!"
"It ain't like that, Apple Bloom. We did it to teach Rainbow Dash a lesson. About humility," Applejack explained.
"Rainbow Dash didn't need a lesson!" Scootaloo exclaimed. "She was the best pony ever!"
"But we made a mistake, going about it like that," Rarity said quickly. "And today, Rainbow Dash, she-"
"She left," Applejack finished. "With us, the Mare Do Well, here in Ponyville, she left to be a hero somewhere else." The Cutie Mark Crusaders stared at her in complete silence.
"I... I... it's not possible," Scootaloo stammered. Applejack and Rarity hugged her.
"We're sorry, Scootaloo. We know how much you adored her."
"I wanted to be her little sister," Scootaloo murmured. "I guess she didn't love me enough... just like me old sister. The one I was born with."
"Don't say that!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed. "She loved you!"
"Yeah, she did," Applejack assured Scootaloo. "It'll be alright."
"Are you gonna go get her back?" Scootaloo asked.
"It was Rainbow's decision," Applejack answered. "We can't interfere with what she wants. Maybe she'll come home."
"I hope she does," Scootaloo said, wiping away a small tear.
"Me too, Sugarcube. Me too."
~
Twilight's stomach was doing somersaults. She had no idea what Princess Celestia thought. It had been a day since Rainbow Dash had left. Now, Spike had told her teacher and mentor, so now she was standing in Canterlot Castle with her remaining friends.
Princess Celestia entered the room, and Twilight immediately bowed. Her friends followed in suit.
"Twilight, Spike told me that Rainbow Dash left Ponyville because she was jealous of 'Mare Do Well. Please, explain."
Twilight swallowed and began to tell the story, her friends chipping in occasionally. When she was finished, Princess Celestia was silent.
"That was not the way to handle the situation, Twilight," she said at last. Twilight's ears dropped.
"I know that now, Princess," she replied.
"Me too," Applejack agreed.
"Me three!" Pinkie exclaimed.
"I feel dreadful," Rarity added.
"I feel awful," Fluttershy murmured. Princess Celestia nodded.
"Princess," Applejack spoke up. "Ah've been sayin' that it ain't our place to stop her from leavin'. Should we have stopped Rainbow?"
"A valid point, Applejack," Princess Celestia admitted. "Yes, you are right. Still, it is unusual for Rainbow Dash to leave her friends, from what I gather from your friendship letters. And Twilight?"
"Yes?" Twilight asked, lifting her head.
"I expect you to explain to Ponyville why Rainbow Dash left. She surely left a big impact in your town."
"I will, Princess," Twilight responded, bowing.
"Good. Now, you may leave," Princess Celestia answered. Fluttershy, Applejack, Rarity, and Pinkie bowed, then left the throne room.
"I wish this never happened," Rarity murmured.
"I know," Pinkie replied, for once walking instead of bouncing.
~
Rainbow Dash flew over the skies of Van Hoover. It had been a week since she had arrived at the city, but she was already known as a hero.
"Good morning Rainbow Dash!" Called a pink Unicorn from down below.
"Hi!" Rainbow waved back. "Just doing my routine flyover!" She suddenly noticed movement out of the corner of her eye.
"Gotta dash!" Rainbow flew quickly to a dark alleyway. Two ponies were standing in the middle.
"Hey you!" Rainbow Dash shouted. "Stop harassing him!" Both stallions turned. The thief widened his eyes.
"Rainbow Dash?" He asked nervously.
"You bet I am!" Rainbow agreed, flying straight up to him. "Now you go report yourself to the police, or I'm gonna know about it!" The stallion nodded, mute with fear, and galloped away to the police station.
"Are you alright?" Rainbow Dash asked the victim. He nodded.
"Thank you, Rainbow Dash!" He exclaimed. "Van Hoover is so lucky to have you!" Rainbow smiled and brushed herself off, for show.
"It was nothing," she replied. "All in a day's work for a hero!" By now a small crowd had formed at the mouth of the alley, cheering Rainbow's name.
"Thanks guys!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, flying up as photographers flashed their cameras. It was different here. There was more publicity, more situations like the one Rainbow had just experienced. There were no robberies like that in Ponyville. But Rainbow didn't mind. She was a hero, and for the time being that was all that mattered.