The next morning wasn’t coming quick enough for Rainbow Dash. She lied awake on her cloud made bed. Her body jittering with excitement and impatience. The pegasus tossed and turned but nothing helped. She even tried racing through the night to tire herself out, but the excitement of the next day was too strong.
The night was warm. Rainbow Dash turned on her back, as she flew over Ponyville, and gazed upon the millions of twinkling stars in the sky. For a moment Rainbow Dash imagined herself flying up into space and visiting one of those stars. She recalled having a dream similar to that thought.
Dashie’s daze was broken by a familiar high pitch voice. “Hey, Rainbow Dash!”
Rainbow Dashed turned back over and looked down at the ground at her best friend, Pinkie Pie. The pink earth pony was waving her front hooves franticly in the air.
“Rainbow Dash, down here.” Pinkie yelled loudly into the night. The windows from the houses surrounding Pinkie Pie lit up and ponies began shouting out at her.
“Hey, be quiet out there!”
“We’re trying to sleep!”
“Some of us have work in the morning!”
Rainbow Dash flew down and landed in front of Pinkie Pie. “Pinkie Pie, what are you doing up?” The rainbow maned pegasus whispered.
“Well I tried to sleep but I couldn’t because I’m soooooooooo excited and…” Rainbow Dash shoved her hoof into Pinkie’s mouth.
“Shhhhhhh!” Rainbow Dash said to her pink friend.
“Sorry.” Pinkie said in a loud whisper. The sound of crying babies and yelling ponies filled the air. “Anyway, I just couldn’t sleep. I’ve tried everything, tossing, turning, pacing, warm milk, jumping, walking, galloping, singing…”
“Ok, ok, I get it.” Rainbow Dash said in annoyance. “Yeah, I can’t sleep either. I’m just excited to sleep, and there’s nothing to do at night to help pass the time.”
“You should come back to Sugarcube Corner with me. There should be all sorts of things to do. We could make cupcakes, tell scary stories, make cupcakes, jump up and down on the beds, did I mention we could make cupcakes?”
“Well, I don’t have anything better do, so sure.” Rainbow Dash whispered.
Pinkie Pie jumped into the air and shouted, “YAAAAAAAAAAAY!” Once again Rainbow Dash stuffed her hoof into Pinkie’s mouth and shushed her. At that the two friends walked down the road to Sugarcube Corner.
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For the rest of the night Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash baked cupcakes, told scary stories, and even jumped up and down on the Mr. and Mrs. Cake’s beds. Before they knew it, it was sunrise. Rainbow looked out the window and saw the sun coming over the line of houses. “Oh my gosh, I totally forgot.” She said as she jumped in the air in worry.
Before Pinkie Pie could ask Rainbow Dash what she had forgotten, Rainbow dashed out of the bakery and into the sky. The party pony shrugged and headed up stairs to grab her suitcase.
Waiting up in her room was her pet alligator, Gummy. He gave the usual blank, emotionless stare. “Hey Gummy, you ready to go to the beach?” Gummy jumped and used his toothless mouth to latch onto Pinkie’s cotton candy-like hair. Pinkie Pie giggled.
Over on her bed was her light pink suitcase, filled with everything she will need at the beach. She picked it up with her mouth and went back downstairs. She locked up the bakery, as she left it, and then hurried to the Ponyville Train Station. Most of her friends were there waiting on the platform, with their luggage by their sides. Rarity was wearing a yellow sunhat and pinkish-purplish shades. Rainbow Dash wasn’t there, she was probably still trying to get…that thing she forgot.
“Hey guys.” Pinkie Pie said with a smile so large her friends began wondering how her jaw hasn’t broke yet.
“Hello, Pinkie.” Twilight said in response. She noticed Gummy latched onto her head like some kind of lamprey. “Umm Pinkie, you’re bringing Gummy?”
“Yeah,” Pinkie Pie burst out in a loud and joyful tone. “Gummy just loves the beach and I couldn’t just leave him home alone while I’m going somewhere super-duper-fun like the beach.”
“Oh, I do hope mother rabbit and her babies are ok.” Fluttershy said, her voice was low and nearly unheard.
“You worry too much darling.” Rarity said. “I’m sure they’re fine.”
“Here it comes, here it comes.” Pinkie Pie said with excitement, jumping up and down like a foal who ate way to much sugar.
“Where in the hay is Rainbow Dash?” Applejack asked.
“I thought she’d been the first to get here.” Spike said.
“She said she’s forgotten something.” Pinkie Pie informed her friends.
The train came to a halt at the station and all the doors opened automatically, releasing a rush of cool air. All the stallions and mares, waiting on the platform, stepped onto the train with their luggage either in their mouths or if they were unicorns, the luggage was levitating by their side.
“Oh, I hope she makes it.” Fluttershy said in worry.
“Come on everypony, we better get on the train.” Twilight said, stepping onto the train with her luggage floating by her side. Rarity, Fluttershy, Applejack, and Spike followed behind her. Pinkie Pie was looking in the sky, hoping to see a stream of rainbow come heading her way. She turned and stepped onto the train.
The interior of the train was nice. The carpet floor was red with gold spiral designs, the seats were blood red, and each window had light blue curtains. Pinkie Pie found an empty row and sat there and gazed out the window. Every minute that passed by Pinkie Pie grew more and more worried about Rainbow Dash.
“ALL ABOARD!” The conductor called out from the station platform. Pinkie Pie and the rest of her friends groaned and then the train began to move.
She didn’t make it
The pink pony closed her eyes in sadness, but then there was a tap on her window. She jumped from being surprised. She looked through the window and saw, flying right outside it, Rainbow Dash. In Dashie’s mouth was a brown suitcase. She tapped on the window again and then yelled something that couldn’t be made out.
“Stop the rain?” Pinkie said questionably. “It’s not raining, silly.” The pink earth pony smiled.
“stppppp thhh trnnnnnn!” Rainbow Dash said.
“You want to play a game?”
Rainbow Dash brought a hoof to her face and flew over the train to the other side. “Rainbow Dash?!” Twilight said loudly. The rest of her friends all looked out of the window. Rainbow Dash repeated what she was trying to say to Pinkie. “I think she wants us to stop the train.” The purple unicorn said. The rainbow maned pegasus nodded with a small smile on her face. “Hold on Rainbow, I’m on it.” Twilight got out of her seat and made her way to front of the train.
The train was gaining speed. When she got to the conductor’s car the conductor turned looking surprised. “Miss, I’m going to have to ask you to go back to your seat.” He said.
“One of my friends was late and is now flying next to your train. You have to stop the train.” Twilight said.
“I’m sorry lil filly, but I can’t do that. We are on a tight schedule and I don’t have time to stop the train to let somepony on just because she’s late.”
“But…”
“No, buts. Now if you can be so kind and go back to your seat.”
Twilight gave the conductor an angry look and turned and left the conductor’s car. Her friends gave her a confused look. Twilight walked back to the window and yelled out to Rainbow Dash. “You have to find another way on, try the caboose. There’s usually a small deck in the back.”
Rainbow Dash nodded and flew away. The five ponies waited for a good five minutes before the door on the back of their car opened. The ponies turned and saw, standing there, Rainbow Dash with the suitcase in her mouth.
“Rainbow Dash!” the five said together with excitement.
Rainbow carefully placed her luggage on the red carpet. “Hey guys.” She said with a smile. Pinkie Pie pounced at the late pegasus, knocking her to the ground.
“Oh, Rainbow Dash I thought you weren’t going to make it.” Pinkie Pie spoke quickly with joy. “I thought you were going to have to fly all the to Silverwing Beach and I was so, so, so worried and…”
“Um, Pinkie.” Rainbow Dash interrupted.
“Yes Dashie.” Pinkie said.
“As much as I like to listen to you rant about my lateness, could you please get off of me. You’re crushing my ribcage.”
“Oh, sorry.” Pinkie Pie got off of Rainbow Dash and the pegasus got up off the floor.
“Glad you made.” Twilight said to her friend.
“Yeah Rainbow Dash, if you didn’t go how would we be able to check in and get the key to our beach house?” Spike hypothetically asked. All of a sudden it went pitch black and Fluttershy let out a shriek of terror.
“Who turned out the lights?” The yellow pegasus screamed. Everything lit up again, Fluttershy was no where to be seen.
“Fluttershy?!” Applejack called out. Fluttershy poked her head out from behind one of the seats, she panted heavily and was shaking in fear.
“Wha…What was that?” Fluttershy said in a low tone.
“Fluttershy, ain’t nothin to worry about. It was probably just a tunnel.” Applejack said as she went over to help Fluttershy out from behind the seat.
“Oh, ok.” Fluttershy said.
“So, how far away is this Silverwing Beach anyway?” Twilight asked Rainbow Dash.
“Yes Rainbow Dash, how far is this place? I want to be able to collect some seashells before sunset.” Rarity said in a very sophisticated manner.
“Rarity, I didn’t know you collect Seashell.” Twilight said.
“I don’t, but seashells would look just fabulous on my dresses.”
“The point in going to the beach was to get away from work, not to do more.” Rainbow Dash said in annoyance.
“I know, but how often do I get a chance to use something other than jewels to sequence my creations?” Rarity said, looking as if she were picturing the dresses in her head.
“Whatever, it’s your vacation.” Rainbow said. “And to answer you question Twilight, I don’t know how far it is, but I did read that it’s just outside Canterlot, so maybe about a few hours.”
Applejack’s suitcase tipped over and for some reason made a grunting sound. Everypony looked at it for a second and then looked away.
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Hours past before the train began to slow down. “We’re here, we’re here, we’re here.” The hyper pink pony said. The seven friends looked out their windows and saw the ocean. It stretched on, what looked like, forever.
“Wow!” They all said together in an impressed chorus. The six ponies and Spike could see about six boats in the water. All the boats looked to be fishing boats. Eventually the train came to a complete stop and the friends gathered up their luggage and stepped off the train. The station looked like a fancier version of the one in Ponyville.
Above the door to the interior of the station was a sign that read, “Ticket and Information Booth”.
“Come on everypony,” Twilight said to her friends. “lets go find out where we rent the beach house.” The seven friends moved into the building, carrying their heavy luggage.
“Sweet Celestia, I don’t remember packing such a heavy load.” Applejack said as she carried the heavy suitcase on her back. Her back ached and sweat ran down her face.
Inside the building there were about a dozen ponies. Some were in line to buy tickets and some were by the information booth.
“Wait here while I go get directions.” Twilight said. She dropped her suitcase onto the ground and walked over to the information booth. Applejack bucked her luggage off her back, sending it flying into the air and crashing to the ground. Many of the other ponies in the station stared at her as she panted like some kind of dog. She didn’t really care, she was just glad to be able to give her back a break from the darn case.
The line to the information booth wasn’t long at all, in fact it only took a minute or two. The stallion behind the booth was a quite old looking, but not Granny Smith old. He was a pegasus pony and his mane was short and white.
“Hello miss, how may I help you?” The stallion said.
“Yes you can.” Twilight said politely. “My friends and I are renting a beach house for the weekend and we were wondering where we would go to check in.”
“Oh, what you want to do is take a right onto Horseshoe Road and just keep going till you come across a building with a big yellow sign saying ‘Rent a Beach House’.”
“Thank you.” Twilight said nodding her head.
“Anything else I can do for you?” the stallion politely asked.
“No thank you sir.” Twilight walked back to her friends.
“So, did you get directions?” Rainbow Dash asked, looking anxious.
“Yes, we just need to go down Horseshoe Road and keep going until we see a building with a yellow sign.” Twilight spoke.
“Well, what are we waiting for?” Rainbow Dash said, picking up her suitcase with her mouth and then dashed, in air, out of the station.
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The seven followed the directions given to Twilight by the old stallion, and with in half an hour found the building with the yellow sign. Rainbow Dash pushed open the door and a bell rung.
“Good day,” Said a young stallion behind the counter at the other end of the room. “Are you here to rent a beach house?”
“Yeah,” Rainbow said. She dashed up to the counter.
“Name, please” The stallion said.
Rainbow Dashed leaned over and quietly said, “Summer Breeze”.
“Ah, Ms. Breeze. I’ve been expecting you, here’s your house key.” The stallion grabbed a key from under the desk and gave it to Rainbow Dash. “The house is just across the street and if there’s anything I can do you, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
The seven made their way out of the building. Rainbow’s friends looked confused.
“Summer Breeze?” Rarity said to Rainbow Dash.
“Oh, yeah…umm…you see that’s my pen name.” Rainbow Dash said.
“Pen name?!” Twilight said confusedly.
“Look, there’s our house.” The rainbow maned pegasus said, pointing to the extremely large beach house across the road. It was about three stories tall and the closer the friends got to it the louder the sounds of waves crashing became. The friends then forgot about Rainbow Dash’s suspiciousness and gazed in awe at their weekend home.