When Cue was better, she went back to her normal routine, her Mom said that she didn't have to switch hours if she didn't want to. She made an agreement that if Cue could at least talk her boss into lessening her hours that she would at least get off of her back about it. Cue would talk to her boss later that afternoon about it because her boss, Ms Lightning Strike, wasn't present in the morning she depended on the supervisors to handle the early morning shifts because she was unpleasant in the early morning hours to the point where she could fire the entire patrol. So, as a result, she was persuaded to come to supervise the afternoon patrol.
After her morning patrol and a couple hours of sleep, she flew next to her friends to the restaurant and got some lunch and while there, she told them her plan of how she was somehow going to get her Mom on the Wonderbolts team.
"But...don't you have to get through the academy..." said Dandelion.
"Yes, and my Mom's already been through it, according to my Aunt Twilight and that was a few months before I came along," said Cue before she took a bite of her oat burger.
"But how in the hay are you going to pull this off?" asked Autumn.
"I have no idea," Cue stated truthfully.
'Why didn't I think this through?' she asked herself.
"You know, the Wonderbolts are here in Ponyville on tour..." said Dandelion.
"Why didn't you say so in the first place Dandie?" asked Autumn.
"You guys didn't ask."
That was Dandelion, with her lovable sarcasm and being the friend that always kept you on your hooves.
"Well, anyways...rumor has it that they're gonna be at this party at the townhouse tonight."
Cue then had a plan, "Perfect! I'll just go to this party and talk to Commander Spitfire about letting my Mom on the team."
"Just one problem...the party starts at, like, 11! There's no way you're Mom is gonna let you out that late with YOUR schedule," Dandelion stated.
Cue considered this and came up with a different plan, one in which involved doing something she hadn't done since she attempted to fly without her mother's supervision, she would have to disobey her Mom.
"Maybe I could sneak out, talk to Spitfire and be back before my Mom even notices I'm gone."
Autumn choked on his Daisy Sandwich and Dandelion hit him on the back to help get it out, once it was, Dandelion spoke, "PLEASE tell me you're joking!"
"What? It's a good plan."
"Except that you're Mom could have a nightmare and notice that you don't come to help her."
"I'm praying that she doesn't, or at least is keeping her promise by at least talking to somepony and they're stopping altogether."
Autumn then spoke while trying to catch his breath, "But...still...if your...Mom...finds out..."
"What my Mom doesn't know won't kill her, but you won't...you know..."
They thought long and hard, either way they would risk losing their friendship with Cue. But, who should they be more wary of? Rainbow who could up and tell Cue not to see them anymore? Or Cue herself who would tell them she never wanted to see them again.
When they didn't respond, Cue got nervous, "Guys...please?"
Dandelion sighed, "We won't tell...we promise."
Autumn didn't respond until Dandelion hit him in the chest, he said while his ribs were in pain "Yeah, you got it."
Cue knew she was treading into dangerous territory and she was both scared and excited at the same time. Scared that she might get caught and excited that her Mom's lifelong goal might be fulfilled.
The rest of the day went on as usual, she talked to her boss about lowering her hours and she said yes.
"I was going to talk to you about that today actually but you seem to be ahead of the curb...as always!"
"Though...why did you want to talk to me about it today?"
"Well, I heard that you got sick and I felt that I was using you for my own selfish agenda and I felt guilty. You have school and family and friends as well. And it just didn't feel right to me for taking that from you."
"Ms. Lightning Strike, you were in the right. You have a business to run. it was my fault for not coming to you when I felt exhausted."
Ms. Lightning Strike just stared at her, "You just might be the new Element of Generosity...."
Cue blushed.
"Well, you're new schedule begins on Monday, do you mind?"
"Not at all!"
"Well, you're only going to be working in the mornings which is only going to be your regular morning hours. And you now have no afternoon hours so you can have some 'you' time."
"That's perfect! And something both me and my Mom can agree on."
"Alright, just do this shift like normal and we'll see you on Monday."
"Thank you Ms. Lightning Strike."
"It's no problem at all Cumulus."
Cue nodded and left to work her shift.
When she got home, she didn't immediately pass out on the couch, instead she passed by her Mom who was getting her dinner set.
"Lightning Strike take it easy on you today?" she asked.
Cue cringed for a second then turned to her Mom, "Yeah, she felt that she wore me out enough."
"Well it's good that you talked to her about it. So, what are your new hours?"
"I have the morning shift like usual, then in the afternoon, I'm all yours."
"Good! You want dinner?"
Cue was trying to get upstairs to wait for her Mom to go to sleep. "No thanks, I'm not hungry."
In truth, she was starving, but she honestly wanted to get upstairs.
"Are you sure? It's pancakes and hash browns, your favorite."
Cue's mouth began to water but she composed herself, "No thanks...I'm good."
"O-kay...heading for bed?"
"Yeah, I'm too tuckered out to think of food."
"Alright well...'night Cue."
"'Night."
Once she was in her room, she closed her door with a sigh of relief. She was stunned at how hard it was to get past her Mom. She then laid in her bed waiting for her Mom to do the same, which she always did a half hour after Cue. After Rainbow was in bed, she was asleep within 5 minutes, Cue knew this by the sound of her snoring.
She then quietly got out of bed, opened her window and flew out. She then closed it, making sure she kept it unlocked for when she came back. After that, she took off towards Ponyville, following the sound of the pounding bass and the techno voice singing:
Try not to turn around, they may just be there,
If you try to run away, you better be scared mare,
Think you can solve your problem by closing your eyes?
you been deceived filly, there's just nothing but lies!
Once Cue was in front of the townhouse, she gulped, hoping her efforts would get her mother on the team. She then went in after taking a deep breath.