“If you ask me, Rainbow, darling...” Rarity walked up from a trough, wiping her face clean with a wet towel. “...green is rather striking on you.” She smiled in the warm glow of the country sunset. “Normally, I don't care much for the color, but it brings out one of your mane's best highlights.”
Listening to Rarity's words, Rainbow glanced down at the green ribbon hanging from her shoulder. “Ehhh... yeah. Sure thing, Rarity.” Rainbow glanced aside, sighing out her nostrils. “But no matter which way you shake it, there's really no way to make 'Third Place' feel any snazzier.”
“Awwww, cheer up, sugarcube!” Applejack said, leaning against a fencepost on the edge of the farm. In the distance, dozens of ponies wandered lazily towards downtown Ponyville. Fillies bounced happily beside their older siblings while the citizens chatted festively in the remaining glow of the afternoon. “You did mighty fine, if I do say so myself! Especially for hoppin' into the competitions so late as ya did!”
“Indeed!” Rarity nodded. “At least you got a ribbon!” She folded the towel with her telekinesis. “All I earned for myself was a thick coat of mud.” She shuddered from head to tail.
“Look, this isn't exactly the first time I've won a mere consolation prize,” Rainbow Dash muttered. “That isn't the half of it. I just...” She grumbled indecipherably, kicking at a swath of grass below her hooves. “I just wish I had pulled through better. Y'know...” She grunted out the side of her muzzle. “For Scootaloo.”
“Are ya kiddin' me?” Applejack tilted her hat forward. “You have any idea just how plum happy you've made that filly?”
Rainbow squinted at the other mares. “Is it... really that obvious to everypony?”
“Mmmmm...” Rarity smirked. “I can't speak for Applejack here. But Sweetie Belle is quite the chatterbox, especially when she arrives at the Carousel Boutique from school.” She trotted closer to Rainbow Dash, leaning in. “Her spry friend absolutely worships you, and she won't stop boasting of your feats whenever she's around Sweetie and Apple Bloom.”
“Heheh... Yeah, well...” Rainbow Dash ran a hoof through her mane. “I guess I don't make it easy for her to hate me.” She winked awkwardly.
“Don't be too worried,” Rarity said, waving her hoof. “It's most certainly a phase. She'll grow out of it eventually.”
Rainbow Dash blinked. “Oh?” Her ears folded. “Oh.”
“Idol worship is not uncommon for foals her age, especially if their daily life is somewhat... er... 'lacking' in certain areas...”
“Hmmmm...” Rainbow sat back on her haunches, sighing out her nostrils.
Applejack raised an eyebrow. “Somethin' wrong, sugarcube?”
“Oh dear...” Rarity brought a hoof to her muzzle. “I-I most certainly didn't mean to sour your spirits—”
“Nothing sour. Believe me. It's just...” Rainbow winced slightly. “Today, I suddenly became so friggin' concerned about her feelings. I even totally blew it like a lame-o out there in the field, and she totally saw past it—the little squirt was so excited. And, you know what? You're right. She's a kid. She'll outgrow whatever this thing is and it'll be all for the better. That said... eh...” Her wings drooped.
“Yes, darling?”
“It's strange, really, and kind of frightening.” Rainbow gulped. “For once... for one single-moment in my life, I knew that... that...” She fidgeted, turning her head slightly away from Applejack. “...th-that one pony in this world absolutely and unconditionally lo—”
“Applejack! Rainbow! Rarity!” Fluttershy dashed up, breathless. She was followed swiftly by a big red mountain of muscle with hooves. “Big Macintosh and I have something that we have to show you!”
“Hmmm?” Rarity glanced over.
“What is it, sugarcube?”
Rainbow gulped, her pupils shrinking to pinpricks. “Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh—”
Fluttershy looked at Big Macintosh. She smiled. He smiled. They both turned towards the others.
“Fl-Fluttershy...?” Rainbow flinched.
“Look!” Fluttershy pivoted sideways, brandishing her mane. Tiny silver things were crawling up and down her long pink locks. “Pill bugs! Can you believe it?!” She squealed inwardly. “Big Mac and I found them beneath the stands! They must have been frightened out of hiding when the ponies setting up the Social dug into the earth!”
“Eeeeyup!”
Rainbow leaned back, exhaling wildly.
“Look at them! Awwwwwww!” Fluttershy's cheeks reddened. “They're sooooo cute! And so rare these days, too!”
“Ennngh...” Rarity leaned back, flinching. “That's... th-that's quite nice, dear.” She gulped. “Do keep them at a distance, though...”
“Oooh! I wonder if they'll lay eggs in my mane!”
“Grhbllghh!” Green-faced, Rarity slapped a hoof over her bulging cheeks and fled back towards the trough.
“Huh?” Fluttershy glanced up, blinking in concern. “Anypony know what's wrong with Rarity?”
“Eeenope.”
“Heheheh...” Applejack smiled. “So glad you could hang around all day, Fluttershy. Yer like a lil' sister to all of us in spirit.” She turned back towards Rainbow Dash. “Ahem. Rainbow?”
“Uhhhh...” Rainbow jerked towards her. “...huh?”
“You were sayin' something?” Applejack gazed curiously. “Just a moment ago?”
“Uhhhhhhhhhh...” Rainbow gulped. “I was... j-just saying... that... that...”
“Rainbow! There you are!” I scampered over with Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle not far behind. “Look at my ribbon!” I brandished the green thing. “Doesn't it look shinier than Apple Bloom's?!”
“Ain't no difference!” Apple Bloom pouted. “My ribbon's blue! Blue for first place!”
“Yeah, but ours are shinier!” I stuck my tongue out. “Besides, we earned them!”
“What?! Half of that goes to me, ya fuzzy headed pheasant!”
“Oh puh-leease! Pfft! You weren't even trying until Applejack became your sister again!”
“Was too!”
“Was not!”
“Was too!”
“Apple Bloom!” Applejack frowned. “Where're yer manners?” She leaned in and harshly whispered. “We never call other ponies 'fuzzy-headed!' Ya hear?!”
“But she started it!”
“And... uh... I-I know how to end it!” Rainbow Dash slid over and swept me towards her with strong wing-feathers. “I'm going to... uh... fly this delinquet home!” She turned towards me with a faux scowl. “What have I told you about boasting, 'little sister?'”
“Uhm...” I blinked crookedly. “Nothing?”
“Right! So, let's fly!” She tossed me onto her back and spread her wings. “And hold your ribbon up high!” She smirked. “We'll use it as a beacon to reflect the moonlight... 'cuz of how friggin' shiny it is.”
“Hah! You bet, Rainbow Dash!” I cheered.
“Hey!” Apple Bloom barked, but it was too late. We were soaring off into the crimson sky. “Darn it! T'ain't fair!” She turned towards Applejack, growling. “Are ya just gonna let 'em get away with that, AJ?”
“Hate to break it to ya, AB, but they done flown the coop!” Applejack said, trying in vain to stifle a guffaw.
“Heeheehee!” Sweetie Belle giggled. She turned and smiled at Rarity. “Hey there, sis!” She squinted. “Why's the horse trough green?”
“Rrrrrgh!” Apple Bloom angrily stomped away while Big Macintosh and Fluttershy chuckled.