“Rainbow Dash was back here again this mornin’. AJ says she ain’t never seen her wake up this early this often for as long as she’s known her.” Applebloom commented as she and Peppermill made their way into Ponyville. The colt gave a sigh and shook his head.
“I’m beginning to think…I should just give in…and see what she wants. It must…be important if she…has been coming this often.”
“You know wut AJ would say ifin she heard you say that.”
“Yes, yes…she has already…told me that Dash…has to get herself out of…the hole she has…dug for herself. But she must have…a good reason for…needing my…specific help that badly.”
“Yeah, maybe…” sniffed the filly. “But then again ya ain’t exactly been the best of company lately…”
“I thought I had…already explained myself about…that.”
“Peppermill, ya ain’t stuck-up or full of yerself and you know it. And ah reckon you’ve been an Apple long enough fer us to work the fancy right out of ya.”
“And yet when…I asked you to give me…your honest opinion about that song…I played for you…you didn’t exact mince your words.”
“What the hay has got you so hung up about music anyways?”
“It’s not so much music…as it is musicians…” Applebloom frowned at this puzzling remark, and was about to pry further when the two foals spotted a familiar figure standing in the middle of the path. Neither of them had ever seen such a tired look on Rainbow Dash’s face before, and they remained silent but wary as they continued to advance forward until they were only a few feet in front of her.
“Applebloom, I need to talk to your brother right now.” Rainbow’s exhausted rasp made both young ponies wince, as did the deep circles around her eyes. Clearly this was a mare at her wits end, and Peppermill realized that he only had one option available.
“Bloom?” was all Peppermill had to say. Applebloom didn’t say a word, but simply nodded and continued on her way.
“Rainbow, you…look awful.” said Peppermill after a few minutes of silence.
“I don’t want to hear it kid. I haven’t slept in three days and I am in as bad of a mood as you are.”
“I’m not…in that bad of…a mood anymore. I…was just a little…angry with the guys…”
“Friend trouble? Boy, I know what that is like.” sighed Rainbow, rubbing her eyes with her forehooves. “I guess you could say that is the reason why I am so desperate right now…”
“What exactly…is going on Dash?” Having finally put the mare on the spot, she suddenly went quiet. It took a tremendous effort of will to admit her mistake, but she realized she had no choice. If she was going to get Peppermill on board with her plan she needed his full support, and that would require the honest truth.
“I might have promised a friend of mine, not from here in town mind you, that I could make her an awesome meal…”
“Well, what is…stopping you? I’ve shown you…enough that you…should be able to…do a decent enough job…on your own.”
“That isn’t it. I mean, she’s cool enough that she’d be okay with anything I could try to make. But she’s bringing a friend.”
“A friend…”
“Yeah, and if this is who I think it is I would have to really step up my game to impress her. She is like Rarity-level classy…”
“Oh my…” Peppermill was beginning to understand the severity of the situation Rainbow had gotten herself into. He knew as well as any pony that Dash’s sizable yet fragile ego meant she hated looking like a fool for even a single second. Even if she never saw this friend of a friend ever again, the pain of her bruised dignity would linger long afterwards.
“Dash you know…I would love to…help you. Can I assume…this meal is supposed to happen…really soon?”
“Three days…” sighed the mare, beginning to see a light at the end of the tunnel.
“That’s it? Pshh…” snorted the colt with a wave and a grin. “I thought…you were going to…make this hard. I can…whip up a high end meal…that would impress a princess…with time to spare…”
“Yeah, about that…”
“You mean…there is more?”
“Vinyl and this friend of hers are city ponies. I kind of promised something a bit more…what is the word, rustic?”
“Rustic?” Peppermill was so focused on that term he completely overlooked the name that Dash had dropped.
“You know, country cooking…home cooking, whatever you call it. And I might have promised to do it on an actual farm.”
“You want…to hold this dinner at…Sweet Apple Acres.” chuckled the colt, the other horseshoe dropping.
“Yeah, I figured having a real country meal in a real country setting would knock their horseshoes off. I was hoping you could convince Applejack to go along with this. I would talk to her myself, but I’ve been so busy trying to get you on board with my plan that I haven’t had time.”
“Hmmm…”
“Kid, AJ would go along with anything you asked her to do. We both know that.”
“Dash…you also know she…would go to any lengths…to help one of…her best friends…”
“Sure she would…right until she finds out we both got together despite all her efforts to keep us separated for the last few days. AJ doesn’t like stuff happening she isn’t aware of. I bet we will both be in the doghouse assuming she even goes along with this.”
“She’ll go along with it alright! I reckon I’ll put in a good word fer ya!” this shout came from Applebloom, who was only a few feet behind the other two ponies.
“Have I ever…told you how much…of a snoop you are Bloom?” remarked Peppermill with a small laugh.
“Ah reckon ah have heard ya mention that from tahm to tahm…” The banter between the two young ponies proved to be what Rainbow needed. The tension in her wings and withers loosened and she let loose a laugh.
“Thanks you two, I owe you both big.”
“You don’t owe us…anything Dash. But now…I have to go and…start coming up with a dinner…plan.” Already growing excited over the possibilities and the challenge itself, Peppermill turned on his heel and made his way back to Sweet Apple Acres. As he did this, Applebloom sidled up beside Rainbow with an excited expression.
“Did ah hear you right back there Dash? You did mention Vinyl, as in Vinyl Scratch right?”
“Yeah”
“So wut yer sayin’ is Vinyl Scratch is commin’ to our house fer dinner!”
“That’s the plan…”
“Yeehaw! This is gonna be so cool!” squealed the filly, bouncing up and down jubilantly.
“Cooler than cool!” crowed Rainbow Dash, unable to resist the urge to bounce around herself, the tremendous weight of her potential humiliation lifted from her
“DJ P0N3 is coming to Sweet Apple Acres!”