A Nightmarish Double Date

by Jondor

Chapter 1

“You’re doing great, Squirt!” Rainbow Dash turned her head to call over her shoulder, the wind whipping through her mane. Her wings lazily beat against the air, setting quite a leisurely pace for the young daredevil.

Behind her, Scootaloo grinned wide and flapped her wings harder, putting on a bit more speed to catch up. “Thanks, Rainbow Dash! I’m really starting to get the hang of this!” Her small wings continued to buzz enthusiastically. Overall, it was not a fast pace, more akin to a brisk jog rather than a sprint to an earth-bound pony, but enough to challenge Scootaloo to improve herself.

Instead of their usual route, criss-crossing and looping the empty meadow where Rainbow kept her cloudominium, the two pegasi took a straight flight across Ponyville proper, from Scootaloo’s house to Sweet Apple Acres. Three months ago, such a trip would have been risky, and Rainbow would have needed to be on her guard to prevent any accidents. However, after twice weekly flight lessons, Scootaloo was more than up to the challenge of a flight across the town.

Both ponies reveled in their time together. Some of Scootaloo’s preconceptions about her idol had been shattered, and her outright adoration had dimmed somewhat, but she had settled happily into a more usual little sister role instead of being a star-struck groupie. Rainbow had adored having her vanity tickled by such a devoted admirer at first, but as time went on, she found that simply being a big sister had other, and better, perks.

Her entire awakening began with Tank; before gaining a pet, she’d never known what was missing. Taking care of the tortoise and being included in the pet playdates had strengthened her bond with her friends, and given her an extra sense of responsibility. She’d even bonded with Rarity more than they ever had before when Tank and Opalescence had hit it off. Despite their new-found bonds, and a deeper understanding between her and her friends, Rainbow still felt a bit of a rift.

That finally changed after the camping trip to Winsome Falls. Her new bond with Scootaloo was rewarding; not only for her bond with the filly herself, but also for bringing her relationship with her friends to another level. All of them, even Pinkie with the Cakes’ twins and Fluttershy with her animals, had had someone to help care for.

Hanging out with Scootaloo, teaching her to fly, and being a role model, eventually brought her the same sort of feeling as hanging out with Tank. She felt closer to filly she could call her sister, and she felt closer to her friends. Rainbow was slow to admit to such a sappy feeling, but her heart soared as high as she could fly as her sense of responsibility grew in step with her bonds of friendship.

The only slight pang of disappointment she felt after gaining a nominal little sister, came from Rarity. She’d grown closer to all the others, even Apple Bloom, Spike, and Sweetie Belle, but Rarity stayed a bit distant by comparison. Rainbow chalked it up to Rarity’s tendency to be less than enthusiastic about the numerous ways her younger sister found to get into trouble. She hoped, in the back of her mind, to help change that for both of their sakes.

As the two pegasi began their descent toward Sweet Apple Acres, Rainbow turned her head again to speak to the filly following her. “Okay, Scoots! Landing time! Rule one: make sure avoid the trees! It’s a lot trickier landing in them than on the gr—” Her lecture was cut off in a rustle of leaves and a crack of wood.

“Rainbow Dash! You okay?!”

A few moments later, her eyes opened to see Scootaloo calling her name and running frantically around the trunk of the tree she’d crashed in. She groaned a bit, as her eyes rolled around in her skull. “Rule two:” she slurred, “make sure you watch where you’re going, so you don’t crash.”

Rainbow shook her head a couple times and rolled off the branch she was unceremoniously straddling. She gave a couple quick flaps of her wings to come to rest gently on the ground next to her young friend and ruffled the filly’s messy mane with a hoof. “Nice landing, Squirt. I’m proud of you.”

Scootaloo just grinned. “Thanks, Dash!”

Rainbow’s hoof gave three sharp raps on the front door before she called in through the open window. “AJ! You home?”

“In the kitchen! Come on back, Dash!”

As they walked through the hallway toward the farmhouse kitchen, the smell of sweet treats filled their nostrils. Rainbow’s mouth began to water, and from the expression on Scootaloo’s muzzle, hers was as well.

“Hey there, Dash, Scootaloo.” Applejack greeted them warmly as they entered the kitchen, quickly returning to the bubbling pot on the stove. The sweet scent of the boiling syrup rose into the air as she gently stirred, wooden spoon clutched in her teeth. Satisfied with her progress, she lifted her head and smiled, wrapping her long, blond tail around the striped purple and pink tail of the pony working at her side as she turned off the gas burner.

“Hello, Rainbow. Hi, Scootaloo.” Twilight flashed them a smile of her own and turned back to the counter. Her horn lit up with the purple glow of her magic aura, telekinetically rolling something soft and orange into a long, thin, snake-like shape. Sitting alongside her work surface were two more snakes, identical in all but color: one white, the other yellow.

“Whatcha making?” Rainbow stood on the tips of her hooves to look over their shoulders, while Scootaloo buzzed her wings and hopped on Rainbow’s back for a better view.

Applejack gripped the handle of the pot in her mouth, pouring the syrupy mass out on a mat to cool. When the pot emptied, she moved over behind Twilight to help guide her through the next stage of the process. “Take a gander, y’all.”

Under Applejack’s coaching, Twilight lined up the three different colored candy snakes and trimmed the ends so they were the same length. Her magical aura enveloped then the entire mass, first pressing the whole length into a wedge shape, and finally slicing the long wedge into individual pieces.

As Twilight began to separate them, Applejack held one up. “Homemade candy corn.” She grinned and popped the candy in her mouth, chewing it happily.

Both Rainbow and Scootaloo stuck out their tongues and groaned. “You actually like candy corn, AJ? Gross.”

Their reluctance was met with a hearty chuckle. “Twi said the same thing at first.” Applejack smiled, cocking an eyebrow at the two pegasi while Twilight gave her an affectionate nuzzle. “But this ain’t that factory made junk that comes out of Manehattan. This here is made outta real food. Catch!” Applejack picked up two pieces and tossed them straight at both Rainbow’s and Scootaloo’s muzzles. Instinctively, they both snapped them out of the air and chewed.

“Hey, that’s good!” Rainbow’s eyes widened as she swallowed.

“Yeah, can I have some more?” Scootaloo put on her best grin.

Applejack scooped a couple dozen pieces into a small bag and hoofed them to Scootaloo. “Apple Bloom’s finished up her chores already. I think she an’ Sweetie Belle are waitin’ fer ya in the clubhouse. You be good an’ share, alright?”

“Thanks, Applejack!” Scootaloo ginned and buzzed her wings, fluttering at shoulder height for a moment before landing and zooming out of the house with her prize.

Rainbow simply smiled after Scootaloo as she ran off to play. However, her look of joy was interrupted by a cough and a look of embarrassment when she noticed both Twilight and Applejack watching her with doe eyes.

“Yer enjoyin’ bein’ a big sister, I take it?” Applejack gave her a knowing grin, as she hoofed over some of the candy corn scraps.

“Huh? Yeah, it’s cool.” Rainbow waved a hoof dismissively, but the corners of her mouth still turned up in a grin. “It’s pretty fun to teach her how to fly and stuff. She really looks up to me. Plus it’s nice to be able to hang out with you guys and Apple Bloom and Spike.”

“I betcha like being able ta take her home ta her mom at the end of the day, though.” The smug grin still firmly planted on Applejack’s muzzle.

“Ha ha,” Rainbow deadpanned. “You and Twi are the patient ones. I don’t know how you handle having a kid around all the time.” She shrugged. “I’m working on it. Scoots has slept over a couple times. It’s a good thing I have a cloud home, though, otherwise I’d probably have to deal with all three of them for the night.” Rainbow shuddered.

Applejack chuckled. “Yep, if there were a cutie mark fer mischief, I bet those three woulda earned one by now.”

“Are you still coming on Nightmare Night with us?” Twilight piped up. “We’ll have all three of them and Spike, but it won’t be so bad with three of us to look after them.”

Rainbow’s eyes brightened up immediately. “Of course I’m coming! You think I’d miss Nightmare Night?” Rainbow’s wings flared and her eyes lit up. “It’s only my favorite holiday of all time! Of course, I usually get so worked up about pranking that I haven’t played any of the games in forever.” She grinned sheepishly.

Applejack chuckled and nuzzled Twilight. “Looks like it’ll just be you and me looking after four foals and a dragon.”

“Well, I think we can handle them.” Twilight grinned and nuzzled back.

Rainbow stuck out her tongue at both of them. “Wait, isn’t Rarity coming?”

“She’s still balking.” Applejack huffed. “Sweetie Belle’s pretty torn up about it according ta Apple Bloom.”

“Aww man, I thought somepony would have convinced her by now. Seriously, I think I hang out with Scoots more than Rarity does with Sweetie Belle.” Rainbow’s tone was casual, but her grin was gone and her wings drooped and folded against her barrel as she dug at the wooden slats with a forehoof.

“Applejack and I were hoping that you might have an idea on that front.” Twilight admitted, her head cocked toward Applejack’s, brushing their ears together. “Though I can kind of understand; she took on too many costume orders again this year.”

“Again? I can’t believe she always does that to herself.” Rainbow frowned, staring at the wall, her eyes going out of focus as the gears turned inside her head.

As she stood, stock still and thinking, first the front door, then the kitchen door banged open, accompanied by the light galloping of three sets of small hooves.

“Hey, Sis?! Can we have some more candy corn?!” Apple Bloom’s smile would have given Pinkie a run for her money.

“Y’all have had enough sweets already, but if ya want a snack, I’ll make ya some apple slices instead.” Applejack turned to reach into the root cellar, letting her tail trace along Twilight’s back and wing.

“What’s wrong with Rainbow Dash?” Scootaloo plopped herself down on her haunches in front of her mentor, and waved a hoof in front of her blank stare.

“We asked her if she had any ideas about convincing Rarity to come with us for Nightmare Night. She’s still—”

“I got it!” Rainbow burst out, cutting Twilight off. Her wings shot back up and her mouth broke out in a wide grin. She blinked, looking around at the three young ponies staring at her for a moment. After a pause, she singled out Sweetie Belle, whose eyes were wide with curiosity. “Stay here for a bit. I’ve got a plan, but I gotta go check on something first.”

Sweetie Belle gave a squeal as Rainbow zoomed off, the still open doors slamming shut in the wake of her slipstream, cutting off the rainbow trail she left behind in her haste.

Applejack set down the basketful of apples she’d retrieved, her eyes fixing on the kitchen door. “She’s got it bad, ain’t she?”

“Wings up, bad.” Twilight grinned as Applejack started cutting up the apples. Suddenly, her eyes sparkled as an idea formed. “Hey, do you think Rainbow has a costume picked out yet? I have the perfect idea for four costumes, if Rarity comes with us.”

“Oh, yeah? She’ll probably just drag something outta her closet at the last minute, so I wouldn’t fret.” Applejack nodded sagely. “I was just gonna get out the ol’ scarecrow costume myself, ain’t used it fer a couple years, but if y’all got a better idea, I’m all ears”

“That’s a lucky guess, but it’ll need a little adjustment.” Twilight giggled a bit as she whispered her idea into Applejack’s ear.

Applejack’s eyes widened a bit and she grinned broadly. “I like that. I bet Dash won’t even suspect. Do ya think Rarity’ll notice?”

Twilight grinned back. “Maybe. Who knows, it might even help.”

As Applejack served sliced apples to three fillies who had been engrossed in their own conversation, Rainbow Dash barged back in the kitchen at full tilt, her face alight and her wings at full mast.

“Rainbow Dash’s awesome ‘get Rarity to come out on Nightmare Night’ plan is a go!” she proudly declared, grabbing an apple slice and downing it in one gulp. “Here’s how it’s gonna go down...”

“Pleeeeeeeease, Rarity?”

Rarity cringed. Sweetie Belle’s vocal range had been steadily increasing on the high end ever since the stylized heart and treble clef had appeared on her flank. It wouldn’t be long before she would be breaking wine glasses at fifteen paces.

“Sweetie, dear, you know I’d love to go with you, but I have dozens of costume orders to fill. I just don’t know if I can get them all done in time.” Another bolt of cloth floated across the room and wrapped itself around an empty dress form.

Rarity felt her resolve cracking under the force of Sweetie’s industrial strength puppy dog eyes, turning her head away under the pretense of pinning the material in place for her current creation. It didn’t help; she could still feel her sister’s tearful doe eyes boring into the back of her head.

Before she could attempt to fight back against her sister’s adorable argument, the door of the Carousel Boutique banged open, and Rainbow Dash spilled inside. Rarity smiled for a moment, noticing that Sweetie’s attention had turned.

Then, her eyes alit on the mess. Rainbow Dash had come to rest, all four legs in the air, against a trunk full of horn-made jewelry Rarity had placed near her workstation for easy access. Small piles of loose feathers stretched from the open door all the way to Rainbow Dash’s side.

“May I help you, Rainbow Dash?” Rarity asked shortly, her right eye twitching.

Rainbow regained her hooves and shook out her wings before folding them carefully, still standing in a pile of feathers. “Just came to ask a question.” She grinned brightly, as if her method of entry was a completely normal occurrence. “You’re coming with us for Nightmare Night, right?”

Rarity gritted her teeth. “Not likely, darling.” The last word sounded quite forced. “As I was just explaining to Sweetie Belle, I have several dozen costume orders to fill between now and Nightmare Night. By the time I finish them all, I highly doubt I shall have the energy for a walk around town, much less a walk even as far as my own bedroom.”

Rainbow just stared at her incredulously. “Come on, Rares. You’re always skipping out on Nightmare Night. You gotta get out and live a little.” Rainbow’s words were punctuated by Sweetie Belle’s vigorously nodding head.

“Like scooting around the sky on a storm cloud and zapping unsuspecting foals?” Rarity returned flatly.

“Yeah. I mean, no. I mean, I’m trying to do the big sister thing right. You should be out there with the rest of us.” Rainbow stammered. “Twi’s taking Spike, AJ’s bringing Apple Bloom, I’m bringing Scoots.” She scooped Sweetie Belle up with a wing and held her in front of Rarity’s face. “You don’t want Sweetie to be left out, do you? How can you say no to this face?” Sweetie put on her best adorable look.

Rarity sighed. “You know I would if I could, but I am not lying about my workload, see for yourself.” She swept a hoof in the direction of her drafting table. A half dozen designs were laid out, and another stack of drawings indicated almost two dozen more.

“What if I can get Fluttershy to help?” Rainbow asked, grinning almost too broadly. Sweetie echoed her facial expression.

Rarity’s next protest died in her throat. She hadn’t expected Rainbow Dash, of all ponies, to come up with a sensible and workable plan. “I… Perhaps… Oh, very well. If Fluttershy is willing to help, yes. Perhaps I will have time to finish and design a costume for myself. Then, I shall be able to join you this year.”

“Awesome!” Rainbow jumped on the spot and did a small victory loop in the air. “Oh! Twilight said she had an idea for costumes for all four of us if you were coming along too. I’ll tell her to drop by, okay?”

“Very well, Rainbow Dash. I suppose that does save me the trouble of designing from scratch.”

Sweetie rushed forward and hugged her sister. “Thanks, Rarity! I’m going to go tell Scoots and Apple Bloom!” The door slammed again as Sweetie rushed outside. Rarity couldn’t help but smile.

“I’ll go talk to ‘Shy.” Rainbow said, as she flew over toward the door. “I promise it’ll be lots of fun!”

“Mmm, yes. I’m sure it will be, darling.” Rarity’s horn lit up and several bolts of fabric sped across the room to her workbench. “I suppose I had better get to work as well. Even with Fluttershy’s help, we shall have to work fast.”

Rarity begin her work in earnest as Rainbow Dash flew out the door and around the building, towards a nearby bush, which Sweetie Belle had plopped down in front of. The bush in question immediately sprouted two filly heads.

“How’d it go?” the bush’s orange coated, magenta maned head inquired.

“Awesomely.” Rainbow grinned, polishing a hoof against her chest. “Told ya it would work with Rainbow Dash on the case.”

“I’ve never been able to get Rarity to come with me for Nightmare Night before. This is going to be so much fun!” Sweetie squealed in excitement, causing the other three ponies to flinch and cover their ears.

“We sure are happy fer ya, but y’all gotta watch that voice when ya ain’t singin’, Sweetie.” Apple Bloom shook her head to clear her ears. “So, now we go help Fluttershy so she can go help Rarity?”

“You got it, sprout! Let’s go!” Rainbow spread her wings while the fillies donned their helmets and got situated in their wagon. Rainbow and Scootaloo took off at their respective top speeds, Scootaloo towing the other two fillies as usual. Big grins were plastered on all three young faces.

Sweetie Belle’s smile was the widest of all three fillies, and if she could have seen, was matched in equal measure by Rainbow Dash.

Comments

[Blue_Paladin42]

More s pending.
Next Chapter!

[nemryn]

“What if I can get Fluttershy to help?” Rainbow asked, grinning almost too broadly.

Nope, Fluttershy's going to be busy smoochin' Pinkie.

[avidreader07]

A few moments later, her eyes opened to see Scootaloo calling her name and running frantically around the trunk of the tree she’d crashed in. She groaned a bit, as her eyes rolled around in her skull. “Rule two:” she slurred, “make sure you watch where you’re going, so you don’t crash.”

Okay, this sent my brain on a slightly strange tangent. First thought, ''Watch out for that tree!'' And from George of the Jungle, I went to Loony Tunes, with, ''I will hug him and squeeze him and love him and name him George.''