> Big Sister Rainbow
>  by Nova Force
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Daydreaming In Class
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	“Alright my little ponies!” Cheerilee began at her students, “Remember that this weekend is the annual Sisterhooves Social sponsored by the Apple Family!”

Sitting at their desks in the front were the three Cutie Mark Crusaders: Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo. “I can’t wait for this year’s social! Last year was so fun!” Apple Bloom said to Sweetie Belle.

“Yeah, but this year will be even better because Rarity and I are gonna win the competition.” Sweetie Belle said.

Cheerilee went on with her announcement before school was over for the day. “Remember everypony, the Sisterhooves Social is meant to celebrate the wonders of sisterhood. For some of you Fillies who don’t have a sister, it’s perfectly acceptable for you to bring a friend along who acts like a sister.”

Scootaloo whispered to her friends, “Guys, I’m thinking about asking Rainbow Dash to come with me to the social.”

Sweetie Belle whispered back, “That would be fun for you two.”

“Are you kidding? It would be way more than ‘fun’! Rainbow Dash is the coolest pony ever! She’s not afraid of anypony. I’m going to ask her later this afternoon when we all meet up at Apple Bloom’s farm.”

Apple Bloom leaned into the conversation, “Yeah, my sister and her friends will be there to enjoy some new cider that ole Granny’s worked up with Big Mac. I’m pretty sure Raindow Dash would love to go with you.”

Cheerilee noticed the Cutie Mark Crusaders were off in the own world. She decided to cut in and bring them back to Equestria. “Girls, please stay focused. I’m about to give you homework from our lesson today about honeytrees.”

Despite hearing Cheerilee speak words, Scootaloo was not listening to a single thing she was saying. The thought of spending time with Rainbow Dash was enough to block out her surroundings. Scootaloo has looked up to Rainbow Dash for as long as she can remember. Never having a sister herself, Scootaloo would sometimes be envious toward Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle since they both had older sisters – both whom were close friends with Rainbow Dash.

Last year Scootaloo did not participate at the Sisterhooves Social because she didn’t think to ask anypony, let alone Rainbow Dash, to go with her. She didn’t even know that was allowed. Now that ponies were allowed to ask sister-like friends to the social, Scootaloo couldn’t contain herself at the prospect of having Rainbow Dash act as her sister, even for just one day.

Even though Cheerilee’s explanation for the honeytree assignment was well under way, Scootaloo simply looked out the window, up into the clouds, thinking about her favorite Pegasus. She closed her eyes and smiled in excitement. I can’t wait to see Rainbow Dash! 

> The Best Flight Camp Instructor
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	High above Equestria was the cloud city where the Pegasus ponies dwelt, Cloudsdale. Many of the Pegasi were working hard to create the upcoming weather for Ponyville, while others were helping with the orientation of the new Pegasi for the summer flight camp. Always living with the spirit of an athlete, Rainbow Dash volunteered to help with the camp in hopes to inspire would-be future Wonderbolts.

“Alright everypony, stand back!” Rainbow Dash cleared the flight-deck area filled with young Pegasi, who were utterly rapt with attention over their instructor. These ponies had heard that the year before Rainbow Dash had made a Sonic Rainboom – for the second time. Many in the crowd hoped that she would create one again. In their eyes, Rainbow Dash was proof that the impossible could be possible.

“Watch carefully! Here…we…go!” With a mighty kick from her hind legs, Rainbow Dash rocketed from where she was standing and made a double-helix trail of a rainbow. The young Pegasi’s eyes tried to keep up with her speed. 

Not too far away from the flight-deck was the Snowflake factory, where Fluttershy had volunteered to spend her day. She had finished her work for the day and decided to check on Rainbow Dash. Upon seeing a blazing rainbow trail above a crowd of giddy Pegasi made Fluttershy smile. “Oh Rainbow Dash, you certainly know how to make a pony’s day,” she said to herself. After watching several loops and other aerial demonstrations, Fluttershy saw Rainbow Dash return down to the crowd of young Pegasi.

“Wow! You were amazing!” one filly said.

“I hope I can fly as well as you someday!” said another colt.

Rainbow Dash was never one to refuse a compliment. “Thank you, thank you. It takes a lot of practice everypony! The important thing to remember is focusing on where you’re going instead of how fast you’re flying. If you think too much about speed, you might wind up smashing into a tree.” Rainbow Dash recalled an incident from her youth where she did, in fact, focus too much on speed and not where she was going; thus, earning her the nickname Rainbow Crash from her Pegasi peers. Years later she when she performed her second Sonic Rainboom she put the naysayers in their place.

One of the officials for the summer flight camp flew over to the students. “New Pegasi please follow me for a tour of the other flight deck facilities. Single-file line please!” All the young Pegasi lined up and waved goodbye to their favorite teacher. As the students were walking away, Fluttershy joined up with Rainbow Dash.

“You sure are popular with the new students,” she said.

“Eeyup! Always a good time hanging out with little squirts. I just love their energy!” said Rainbow Dash.

“Well let’s hurry up and get ready to meet everyone at Sweet Apple Acres. I can’t wait to try out Granny Smith’s new apple cider!” Fluttershy leapt into the air with a smile upon finishing her sentence.

“Oh yeah, that’s right! I can’t wait to try it out. If it’s anything like their regular cider, it’s going to be awesooome.” Rainbow Dash joined Fluttershy in the air.

The two ponies flew their way to the front gates of Cloudsdale and set off to Sweet Apple Acres. All their friends waited for them, and one young Cutie Mark Crusader in particular was brimming with excitement for their arrival.

> Asking Her Hero
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	“C’mon everypony! We gotta git these grapes crushed for the Sisterhooves Social this weekend!” Applejack said. “I appreciate y’all comin’ to help. This year we expect a big turnout on accounta last year being a big success!” 

Sweet Apple Acres was where Applejack and Apple Bloom called home. They worked hard with their older brother, Big McIntosh, to maintain the farm and grow crops. Since the Sisterhooves Social was a large event, however, they asked their friends to come and help. Thanks to the magic of friendship, their friends always came through. 

Applejack watched as Pinkie Pie and Rarity came back from the forest collecting grapes in a large bucket. Normally she would help her friends, but she had already collected a bucket of grapes by herself and was taking a breather.

“How much longer until we get some of Granny Smith’s new cider?!” Pinkie Pie said as she and Rarity finished carrying a large bucket of grapes to the barn.

“Yes, how much longer indeed? I simply cannot wait to have a taste of this new cider!” Rarity said.

Twilight Sparkle emerged from the barn with Big Mac. “I’m not trying to be pushy AJ, but we have been working pretty hard all afternoon. Do you think it would be possible for you to check with Granny Smith to see if we can have some of her cider?” The other ponies gathered around Twilight as she made the request.

Applejack could see that her friends had worked up quite the sweat – even Rarity! She turned to her brother, “Whad’ya think Big Mac? Should we ask Granny for some cider?”

Without hesitation, Big Mac spoke for everypony when he said, “Eeyup.”

“Did I hear somepony say ‘cider’?” Just then, Granny Smith, along with the three Cutie Mark Crusaders, came over to the barn carrying with them several pitchers filled with the new golden cider. “I reckon you ponies deserve to have some of this here new cider of mine. Well, drink up! It’s the least I can do for you after all the helpin’ you’ve done today.” Granny Smith began pouring glasses for each pony.

“Wowie! This new cider is super yummy!” Pinkie Pie had no trouble finishing her glass.

“Goodness gracious! This new cider is simply divine! Oh, thank you Granny Smith,” Rarity said.

“You’ve really outdone yourself this time Granny Smith,” Twilight said.

“Well gosh, after all the work y’all did today, you earned it.” Granny Smith began pouring glasses of the new cider for the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

“Thanks a lot Granny Smith!” Apple Bloom, Sweetie Bell, and Scootaloo said in unison.

While drinking their glasses, Scootaloo went up to Twilight. “How much longer until Rainbow Dash gets here? I have something to ask her.”

Twilight looked down at Scootaloo. “I’m not exactly sure. We told them to be here today in the afternoon. She and Fluttershy should be returning from Cloudsdale any time now.”

All of the ponies quickly filled up on the new cider. Fortunately, they were able to save a pitcher with enough for Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash. Applejack and Big Mac were closing up the barn as the rest of the ponies followed Granny back to her house for some relaxation. Every couple of minutes Scootaloo could not help but look up and scan the sky for any incoming pegasi-shaped figures. She had always been excited to see Rainbow Dash whenever possible, but this time was different. Spending time with Rainbow Dash was one thing, but Scootaloo was essentially going to ask if she would be her sister for a weekend. Even thinking about asking made Scootaloo’s heart skip a beat. 

A few moments later Applejack and Big Mac returned from the barn and joined the others back at Granny’s house. Rarity and Sweetie Belle were sitting with Granny on the porch, while Twilight acted as the “adult supervision” for Pinkie Pie who was playing with Apple Bloom and Scootaloo.

“Hoo-ie! Nothing like a hard day of work!” Applejack said with a smile.

“Eeyup!” Big Mac held his head high.  

On the porch Sweetie Belle looked over at Granny Smith. “Say Granny, any chance we could have that remaining cider?”

Rarity’s face flushed with embarrassment. “Sweetie Belle, please! Don’t be so selfish. That cider is for Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash when they get here.”

“But they’re not here! And they didn’t even help out around here!” Sweetie Belle looked at her sister sternly.

All Granny Smith could do was laugh. “Now now, my little pony, just cuz they didn’t help out around the farm doesn’t mean they didn’t bust their tails up at Cloudsdale. I know those ponies well enough to know they put their hearts into their work as much as we do.”

“Yeah, I suppose you’re right.” Sweetie Belle continued to looking longingly at the pitcher of the remaining cider.

As the other ponies continued to play in front of the porch, Scootaloo noticed how much Apple Bloom truly loved Applejack and Big McIntosh. Sure, Apple Bloom laughed whenever she played with her and Sweetie Belle, but Scootaloo could see that only Apple Bloom’s family could connect with her and bring out certain untapped feelings of happiness. Scootaloo could see the same thing with Sweetie Belle and Rarity. Those two in particular had reached a special connection after last year’s Sisterhooves Social – a feeling of connectedness that Scootaloo had always hoped to experience someday.

Pinkie Pie looked up at the sky and started jumping. “Hey! Look! Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy are coming!”

Scootaloo immediately snapped her head up and searched the sky. Lo and behold, coming in with that unmistakable rainbow color palette was Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy was flying by her side. The two were having a conversation that was out of earshot, but they quickly broke from it to wave at their friends. Granny Smith already began pouring each of them a glass of cider. Scootaloo noticed an acceleration in her heartbeat as Rainbow Dash came closer. By the time they touched down, she started getting knots in her stomach.

“Hey guys, sorry we’re late,” said Rainbow Dash.

“Aw, that’s alright. Here! You two have yourselves some cider,” said Granny Smith as she handed the pegasi the two glasses of cider.

“Oh thank you so very much,” said Fluttershy.

“Oh boy! I’ve been looking forward to this all day!” Rainbow Dash wasted no time taking in her glass of cider.

As the afternoon settled into the evening, Scootaloo was having a terrible time finding the right moment to ask Rainbow Dash if she would be her big sister for the weekend. Whenever Scootaloo looked over at Rainbow Dash she was always surrounded by her friends. Currently she was in the kitchen watching Pinkie Pie bake a cake. The little pegasus grew frustrated. Jeez, I wish everypony would just leave so I could ask her in private. I don’t get to see Rainbow Dash very much, so I got to make this moment count! If only we could be alone for a sec…

Since both Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom knew that Scootaloo wanted to ask Rainbow Dash to the Sisterhooves Social, they were close enough to her to know when something was bothering her. Now was one of those times. Putting two and two together, they realized she wanted a just a few moments alone with her role-model. The two Cutie Mark Crusaders walked over to their respective big sisters and whispered to them what they knew about Scootaloo’s plan. After hearing their story, both Applejack and Rarity ever so subtly began weaning their friends away from Rainbow Dash. Twilight and Fluttershy got the hint and walked outside over to Granny Smith, who was helping Big Mac start a campfire. All that remained was getting rid of Pinkie Pie.

“Aaaaaand now we add the icing!” Pinkie Pie began frantically squeezing out tubes of multi-colored icing. Rainbow Dash watched her friend with a mixed-sense of fascination and bewilderment.

Scootaloo entered the kitchen. Pinkie Pie took no notice, but Rainbow Dash welcomed the company, as she suddenly realized she was now all alone with Pinkie. “Hey squirt!”

The knots in Scootaloo’s stomach increasingly grew tighter. “Uh, hey Rainbow Dash! It’s great to see you.” Rainbow Dash smiled in return, which helped put Scootaloo’s nerves more at ease. Right now, her task was to distract Pinkie long enough for her to leave. “Say Pinkie Pie, Granny Smith and Big Mac are working on a campfire… you think maybe you could go get us some marshmallows for us to roast?”

Hearing the word “marshmallow” was enough for Pinkie to stop dead in her tracks putting icing on the cake. She jumped into the air. “Did somepony say marshmallows? And a campfire?! Say no more!” With that, she sprinted out of the kitchen past Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash causing them both to spin in their place. 

When they regained their equilibrium, Scootaloo was finally alone with Rainbow Dash. This was her moment.

“Um, Rainbow Dash, may I ask you something?” Scootaloo said as she lost the feeling in her hooves.

“Sure, squirt! You can ask me anything!” Rainbow Dash leaned in closer to Scootaloo to hear what she had to say.

> Wonderbolts Take Notice
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Everypony was gathered around the campfire Big Mac and Granny Smith had set up outside. Twilight and her friends enjoyed the various ways one could roast a marshmallow as demonstrated by Pinkie Pie, who had appeared out of nowhere with an enormous bag filled with the best marshmallows from Sugarcube Corner. In all her years of living on the farm, Granny Smith was mightily impressed with Pinkie’s innovative roasting techniques. At the moment, Pinkie was showing her friends an unusual, deer-antler shaped stick she used to hold her marshmallows.

“See? You have to hold it over the fire like this…” Pinkie was dangling the stick directly above the fire while standing on one hoof.

“I swear child,” Granny began, “You never cease to amaze me.”

“Thanks, Granny! Trust me, holding the marshmallows like this is the best way to get the outside crunchy but keep the inside gooey.” Pinkie was now rotating her body, instead of the stick, in a circle to make sure the fire roasted the marshmallow equally.

As the others marveled at Pinkie’s innovative roasting, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Bell couldn’t help but wonder how the situation was with Scootaloo. Together they walked away from the campfire so they could speak privately.

Sweetie Belle turned to Apple Bloom, “How do you think it’s going with Scootaloo?”

“I’m not sure. I really hope Rainbow Dash says ‘yes’,” Apple Bloom said.

“She’s just got to! It would mean so much to her. And who knows? Since Scootaloo looks up to Rainbow Dash so much, maybe spending time with her at the Sisterhooves Social will help her get her Cutie Mark,” Sweetie Belle said as she enjoyed the thought of seeing Scootaloo earning her Cutie Mark. 

“I don’t know about that. You didn’t get yours when you and Rarity played in the competition together.”

“That’s because I didn’t know it was her until after it was over! The whole time I thought I was playing with Applejack. If I had known Rarity was with me instead, I could have looked forward to the weekend so much more because I would have known I was with my own sister.”

Just then, Applejack and Rarity snuck up on their little sisters. “What’er you little ones doing over here? Pinkie’s whipped up these great marshmallows,” Applejack said.

“Oh, we didn’t want to break Pinkie’s concentration, so we came over here to talk. We’re getting anxious about Scootaloo asking Rainbow Dash to the Social,” Sweetie Belle said.

“I’m sure she will accept,” Rarity said. “Rainbow Dash has always loved playing games and winning.”

Apple Bloom looked up at Applejack, “Yeah, but has Rainbow Dash ever said anything to you all about wanting a sister?”

Rarity and Applejack both looked at each other for an answer. After a few moments, both of them had to admit that they never heard her once say anything of the sort. “To be honest, no, not ever,” Applejack said.

“Then what’s Scootaloo going to do if she says ‘no’?” Sweetie Belle said.

“Even though she hasn’t said anything to us about having a sister, that doesn’t mean she’s never wondered what it must be like to have one. Surely she has seen how much Applejack and I love the two of you. I still remain confident that Raindow Dash will gladly receive the invitation. After all, Scootaloo is a perfectly wonderful little pony. Maybe she can show Rainbow Dash what it means…” Rarity looked directly at Sweetie Belle and smiled, “…to have a sister.”

“Rarity’s right,” Applejack said looking at Apple Bloom, “Rainbow Dash likes to talk tough and be all independent, but she’s also a very loyal friend. She possesses the Harmony Element of Loyalty for Celestia’s sake! She’s friends with Scootaloo, and I know she doesn’t let her friends down.”

“Gosh I hope you’re right…” Apple Bloom said lowering her head.

Suddenly, a voice from nearby called out to all the pony sisters. “Hey you guys! Are you gonna have some of these delicious, roasted marshmallows or what? Don’t tell me I have to eat them all!” Pinkie Pie called out as she was now holding two deer-antler shaped sticks with marshmallows attached. The other ponies were stuffing their faces – apparently Pinkie’s marshmallows really were all she cracked them up to be.

“Alright, we’re coming!” Applejack said back to Pinkie. She turned back to face Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom. “Listen you two, don’t worry about little ole Scootaloo. We already know Rainbow Dash has taken a liking to her, so she’ll be fine.”

They began walking back to the fire. Rarity and Applejack were in front, while their little sisters brought up the rear. Sweetie Belle whispered to Apple Bloom, “I sure hope your sister’s right about Rainbow Dash.”





Back inside Granny Smith’s kitchen, Rainbow Dash was listening to Scootaloo talk about how awesome Cheerilee’s lesson on honeytrees was in school. On some level, Rainbow Dash couldn’t help but get the feeling that Scootaloo was stalling.

“I mean, honeytrees really are something. I had no idea that you could eat their leaves during springtime when they’re freshly grown. How cool is that? Isn’t nature rad? I’m going to see if maybe we can get a garden going exclusively for honeytrees right here in Ponyville! I know they’re hard to grow, but we can do it if we work together,” Scootaloo said. 

Even though she had rehearsed this scenario in hear head countless times, Scootaloo got too wrapped up in the moment trying to force the situation. This wasn’t natural; it was contrived. She worried that Rainbow Dash would notice and think she was crazy.

Before she could say anything more, Rainbow Dash interrupted saying, “Yeah, honeytrees are cool, but weren’t you going to ask me something?”

Scootaloo looked into Rainbow Dash’s eyes. She knew this was the moment. Without thinking about it anymore, Scootaloo began to ask her question. “Yeah, sorry. Here’s what I wanted to know. This weekend is the Sisterhooves Social. You know, the thing were a bunch of sisters get together and play games? I’ve always heard Apple Bloom talk about how much fun she has with Applejack, and last year Sweetie Belle did it with Rarity. It seems like a lot of fun. Well, Cheerilee said this year they’re allowing fillies who don’t have a sister to participate if they have a friend who is close enough to being a sister and… uh, I was thinking if you don’t have any plans…” There was a pause. Scootaloo took a gulp. “Will you be my sister for the Sisterhooves Social?”

There was another pause. Scootaloo had the feeling that all time suddenly stood still in Equestria. The request was out there. Nothing could take it back.

Rainbow Dash tilted her head to the side and just looked at Scootaloo. She wasn’t expecting that. After another pause she straightened up her head and smiled. “Why of course I’ll be your sister! That sounds like fun!”

Scootaloo’s mind exploded. She said yes! Rainbow Dash said yes! I’m going to have a sister! Rainbow Dash is going to be my sister! Her heart started pumping wildly as the adrenaline began flowing through her body. She jumped into the air and threw her arms around Rainbow Dash. “Awesome! Thank you so much! This is going to be great!”

Rainbow Dash laughed and returned the hug. “Yeah, it’ll be awesome for sure. We just got to make sure we win this thing, alright?”

Scootaloo let go of her new “sister” and looked up at her. “Oh, you bet. We’re going to smoke the competition.”

“That’s what I like to hear!” Rainbow Dash began to walk with Scootaloo out of the kitchen and headed towards the campfire outside. “Now whad’ya say we celebrate and tell the others about this, eh sister?”

Hearing Rainbow Dash refer to her as “sister” erased all the negative feelings Scootaloo had ever experienced in her life. She was now in a state of pure joy. “Sounds good to me, sister!”





For the rest of the evening all of the ponies enjoyed Pinkie Pie’s marshmallows and the news of Rainbow Dash agreeing to be Scootaloo’s sister for the weekend. Miles away back in Cloudsdale, two Wonderbolts were walking along one of the flight-deck training areas.

“What’s on your mind, Soarin’?” Spitfire said.

The athletic colt looked up into the sky. “I was thinking… You know that one Pegasus with the rainbow mane who helps out with the summer flight camp?”

“The one who saved us last year at The Best Young Flyer’s Competition? Yeah, she’s cool. Why?”

“I saw her earlier today perform a double helix for the new pegasi students. She’s a real good flyer. I was thinking about asking her to come practice flying with us this weekend.”

“That sounds like a great idea. We could use some more ponies who can keep up with us during training,” Spitfire then puffed up and spoke with exaggerated authority, “As captain of the Wonderbolts, you have my permission.”

Soarin’ laughed. “Thanks captain, I’ll ask her the next time I see her.”

> Knowing How It Feels
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Although Scootaloo was never known for having a negative attitude, everypony noticed quite the positive surge in her attitude in the days that followed after Rainbow Dash agreed to be her sister. Where she would laugh normally at a joke, she now laughed harder. Even Cheerilee noticed Scootaloo participating more in class instead of gazing out the window and looking into the sky. Of course, this change in attitude was welcomed by all. Some had even suggested her newfound positivity rivaled that of Pinkie Pie’s.

Twilight Sparkle thought she could boost Scootaloo’s spirits even further by helping her discover her Cutie Mark. The Sisterhooves Social was two days away, so Twilight invited the Cutie Mark Crusaders over to her library after school. She and Spike had received a new volume of the Encyclopedia Equestriannica, so she thought they all could do some research. Any way that she could help was worth a try.

Not one to stand idly by, knowing that research was in order, Twilight had already begun looking into the encyclopedias. She was sitting at a table in the center of her library. Without breaking her concentration, she called out to Spike. “Spike, is the lemonade ready? The girls will get here any moment.”

“Coming!” Spike entered the room carrying a large tray of lemonade glasses. He walked over and laid the tray on the table. “Here you go, Twilight. You really think you can find something that will help Scootaloo get her Cutie Mark?”

Twilight still did not break her eyes away from the encyclopedia, “I’m not positive, but there’s only one way to find out. I know how much this weekend will mean to Scootaloo. Just think how happy she’ll be if we succeed!”

Moments later, there was a knock at the door. Spike made his way across the room to answer it; Twilight remained glued to the books. All Spike did was twist the knob before Scootaloo forced her way in, nearly knocking him off his feet. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle entered soon afterward.

Scootaloo came right up next to Twilight and began to hop in place. “Hey Twilight! Have you found anything? Huh? Didja?”

“Not yet. But those books at the edge of the table haven’t been checked yet. You all can start looking through those.” Twilight’s pupils were darting back-and-forth as she scanned each page.

“Yippee! Let’s hit the books girls!” Scootaloo said as she jumped over the table and began searching through one of the encyclopedias.

Never had either Sweetie Belle or Apple Bloom heard Scootaloo say “Yippee,” at the prospect of reading an encyclopedia. Considering how it was for helping to get her Cutie Mark, however, they understood her excitement. After all, they wanted their Cutie Marks too, so they completely empathized. After taking their respective glasses of lemonade, they soon joined Twilight and Scootaloo and began going through the other encyclopedias. They also had reasoned that perhaps they might find useful information along the way regarding their own Cutie Marks.





Before long, the sun had already set, and the moon had risen. Their prospects of finding anything insightful looked bleaker by the moment. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle already had called it quits hours earlier; they went to help Spike make some more lemonade. Twilight proved herself to be the stalwart researcher; over the course of the day, she barely budged from her spot. Scootaloo was also still researching, but her excitement of having Rainbow Dash as her sister was the only reason her stamina had carried her this far.

Without notice, Scootaloo abruptly closed the encyclopedia she had. “You know what? It doesn't matter if I get my Cutie Mark before this weekend,” she said.

At long last, Twilight’s concentration was broken by Scootaloo’s surprising claim. For almost as long as Twilight has known her, Scootaloo’s main focus in life was to earn her Cutie Mark. Hearing her say it “ doesn't matter” was quite the shock. Twilight looked up and stared at Scootaloo. “What do you mean? I thought you've always dreamed of getting your Cutie Mark,” she said.

Scootaloo backed away from the table and began walking toward one of the windows in Twilight’s library. “I still do. Honestly, I do,” she said. When she reached the window she looked out into the sky. “It’s just that I know I won’t need it for this weekend. I already have everything I need. I have the coolest, most awesome Pegasus sister ever – Rainbow Dash!”

Twilight walked over to the window to join Scootaloo. “I’m glad to hear that you’re so confident.” Twilight paused before she asked her next question. “If you don’t mind me asking, what is it about Rainbow Dash that makes you look up to her so much?”

Scootaloo smiled at the question. “I can’t explain it. I've just always thought she was amazing.”

Twilight smiled in return. “Yes, she is. But I feel like there’s more to it than that.” Scootaloo didn't say anything, but judging by the look on her face Twilight suspected that she might be correct. She investigated further. “Does it have something to do with not having a sister?”

Scootaloo’s expression dropped. She turned away from the window and slowly began walking back toward the center table with the encyclopedias. Twilight didn't sense any anger from Scootaloo, but she felt more of a depressed spirit. Fearing that she might have went too far, she tried to back track, “I mean, I don’t have a sister either. So I know how it feels.”

When Scootaloo turned around to face her, Twilight could see that she didn't look overly upset – but something was clearly on her mind. She just waited for her to say something.

After a few moments, Scootaloo opened up: “I’m not sure you do know how it feels. I know you don’t have a sister, but I don’t think you know what it’s like to have your favorite pony agree to be your sister. See, I always see Apple Bloom and Applejack laugh together at things that I can’t appreciate because I’m not a part of their family. It doesn't matter how close I am with Apple Bloom – I won’t be able to understand their inside jokes. The same thing goes for Sweetie Belle and Rarity. Even when they argue, they always make up afterward. And whenever they do, I can see that they've become closer as sisters. That’s something I've always wanted, that closeness. And I know Rainbow Dash doesn't have a sister either. Since her and I are both Pegasus ponies, I thought we might be able to share that together.”

Twilight was slightly immobilized by Scootaloo’s candor. For such a young pony, she seemed to have an acute sense of self-awareness.

Scootaloo continued: “She’s fearless. She’s loyal. She’s fun to be around! She’s everything a pony could want in a sister. I admire her so much for who she is. And now, just for a weekend, I get to be the luckiest pony in all of Equestria because I’ll have Rainbow Dash as my sister. For once I’ll be able to know what it’s like to feel that closeness.”

Twilight had not realized it until Scootaloo finished talking, but tears were streaming down her own face. Hearing Scootaloo speak so glowingly of Rainbow Dash reminded her of the days when she and Shining Armor grew up together. Even though she didn't have a sister, Twilight knew what looking up to an older sibling felt like. Twilight cleared her throat before she could finally say, “Scootaloo, I know you and Rainbow Dash are going to be great this weekend.”

The positive feeling that had fueled Scootaloo for the week returned. Her eyes widened the more she thought about the upcoming Sisterhooves Social. She looked up at Twilight and said, “It’s going to be the best weekend ever!”

> The Wonderbolt Invitation
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	The same day Twilight invited Scootaloo and the others over to her library, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were helping at the Cloudsdale summer flight camp. Once again a crowd of young Pegasi gathered around one of the flight decks, and they were completely captivated by Rainbow Dash’s flying. As she zipped and zoomed through the sky, Fluttershy had the task of remaining on the ground to make sure the Pegasi paid attention to the flying demonstration. Fortunately for her, Rainbow Dash’s gift for flight made the job simple; not a single Pegasi could resist watching in awe.

The Pegasi noticed that Rainbow Dash had suddenly stopped flying and hovered midair. Almost as fast as she took off, Rainbow Dash hurdled herself down toward the ground. She showed no signs of slowing down the closer she got. From the looks of it, Rainbow Dash was going to crash right into the students! Many of the Pegasi braced for impact expecting the worst, but it never came. Instead of witnessing a flying demonstration gone badly, the Pegasi looked up to see their instructor in perfect condition.

With her eyes closed and a grin on her face, Rainbow Dash was able to halt and hover delicately mere inches off the ground. The Pegasi erupted into applause as Rainbow Dash finally touched the ground.

Fluttershy did not share in the applause. I hate it when she does moves like that. So dangerous. She could clearly see, however, that she was the only pony who held this opinion.

After a healthy round of applause, Rainbow Dash addressed her students. “Aaand that concludes today’s lesson! Tomorrow, I want everypony to be able to complete their individual routines. So practice, practice, practice! Any questions?”

One Pegasus shot her hoof into the air. “Are you going to teach us how to do a Sonic Rainboom?”

Another Pegasus jumped above the crowd. “Yeah! And can we practice with the Wonderbolts?”

Rainbow Dash started to laugh. “Whoa, whoa! Slow down guys. We need a lot more practice if we’re to do either of those things. One step at a time! What’s important for you is to complete your routines.”  Rainbow Dash scanned the crowd once over. “Well, if nopony has any more questions, then please follow Fluttershy as she’ll take you all to the Cloudsdale Cafeteria for lunch!”

“Follow me, everypony.” Fluttershy led the crowd over to the cafeteria, leaving Rainbow Dash alone on the flight deck.

Seizing the moment alone, Rainbow Dash rocketed back up into the air. She took the free time to practice her own flying technique. Before long, she began thinking of the young Pegasus who asked her about performing a Sonic Rainboom – it suddenly occurred to her that she had not made one in a while. Gosh, it has been some time since I last pulled one off. No biggie. I’ve done it before multiple times, so I got nothing to prove. Still, I don’t want to disappoint the students…

Suddenly a voice from below called out to her. “Hey there!”

Rainbow Dash stopped midflight. I recognize that voice. It can’t be! She turned to see where the shout came from and, sure enough, there was the Wonderbolt stallion, Soarin’.

“Can you come down here? I’d like to ask you something!” he said.

Ohmygosh, ohmygosh, ohmygosh! Rainbow Dash’s mind raced so hard she could hardly fly straight. She began her descent down to the flight deck. Ohmygosh, ohmygosh, ohmygosh!

When she touched down she made every effort to control her excitement. Unfortunately, when she tried to speak, she let out a squeak, “Hi!” Rainbow Dash had spent time with them before, but there was something about the Wonderbolts – Soarin’ especially – that kindled a giddy sensation for her.

“Those were some nice moves you did for the students just now,” he said.

“You… were… watching?” Rainbow Dash could not believe her ears. I’m so glad I didn’t know that he was! I don’t think I could’ve done half of what I did knowing he was watching.

“Yeah, you’re pretty good!” Soarin’ reared onto his hind legs to emphasize his sincerity. Before Rainbow Dash could say another word, Soarin’ continued. “Hey, listen, the other Wonderbolts and I were wondering what you’re doing this weekend.”

Rainbow Dash’s mind went blank. “Who…me?”

“Yes, you! We’ve seen you around Cloudsdale helping out with the flight camp. You definitely are a natural flyer. Not every Pegasus pony can fly like you. Some Pegasi don’t care much for flying at all.”

Rainbow Dash quickly thought of Fluttershy.

“But the good news is that you do. It shows,” he said. “And the truth is it’s getting harder for us Wonderbolts to train because there are so few ponies who can keep pace with us. We’re looking for somepony who can offer us a new style, and you’ve absolutely got style.”

Unbeknownst to her, Rainbow Dash’s cheeks were now flushed red. Is this really happening?

Up until this point, Soarin’ was speaking quite professionally as a spokespony for the Wonderbolts. Now, though, Rainbow Dash noticed the formality drop in his tone when he said, “Besides, I think it would be great if you came. You seem really cool.”

Without even thinking, Rainbow Dash blurted out, “You got it!”

Soarin’s expression lit up. “Awesome! That’s great to hear.” Seeing the genuine happiness from Soarin’ made Rainbow Dash’s heart melt. Gosh he’s cute when he smiles!

“Well then, Ms. Rainbow Dash,” Soarin’ began. Hearing him refer to her as “Miss” sent a jolt throughout her body. He went on, “I guess I’ll see you this weekend. Meet me here on this flight deck after lunch. Then we’ll fly over to where the other Wonderbolts and I train.”

“Sounds great!” she said. This is going to be the best weekend ever!

The professionalism returned to Soarin’s tone. “Alright then! Well, I hate to cut it short, but I got to go tell Spitfire and the others. They’re going to love flying with you this weekend. Talk to you soon, Rainbow Dash.” Before taking flight, Soarin’ shot her a quick wink which made her heart skip a beat.

Just then Soarin’ exploded into the air leaving behind him a trail of smoke and lightning – a Wonderbolt trademark. Mere moments ago Rainbow Dash was concluding a flying demonstration for her students. Now she had accepted an invitation to train privately with the best flyers in Equestria! The adrenaline was coursing through her veins. Ohmygosh, ohmygosh, ohmygosh!

In the midst of all the excitement, Rainbow Dash did not notice Fluttershy return from escorting the Pegasi to the cafeteria. Fluttershy looked up into the sky eyeing the dissolving trail of smoke and lightning. She could clearly see Rainbow Dash’s state of elation. “What happened here? Did you get to talk with a Wonderbolt?” she said.

“Fluttershy, you will not believe what just happened!” Rainbow Dash was jumping in place. “Soarin’ saw me earlier teaching the Pegasi some moves, and he was so impressed that he invited me to train with him and the other Wonderbolts this weekend! He even said I had style! Gah!”

Fluttershy did a double take. “Wait, he invited you to train for this weekend?”

Rainbow Dash was still jumping, “That’s right! He wants me to meet him here so then we can fly together to the super-top-secret area where the Wonderbolts train. I wonder if I should bring anything. No, probably not. Gosh, I need to practice real hard between now and then if I’m going to impress Soarin’ and the others. I’ll have to…”

Fluttershy had to interrupt. “Rainbow Dash, what about Scootaloo and the Sisterhooves Social?”

In an instant, the immense flow of energy and excitement Rainbow Dash was building up vanished. She stopped jumping. Her eyes widened with every second of realization that passed and her mouth dropped open in the incredibility of it all. It was as if she had fallen from Cloudsdale with no wings or parachute and crash landed into the ground below.

Her shocked expression told Fluttershy everything, but she refused to believe it. “Oh no, please don’t tell me you forgot. Rainbow, please don’t tell me that you did. Did you?” In the pit of her stomach, Fluttershy knew Rainbow Dash did indeed forget.

“Fluttershy…” Rainbow Dash could barely find her voice, “w-what am I going to do?”

> The Tiny Hill Outside Ponyville
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Tomorrow is the Sisterhooves Social! I’m so excited! Rainbow Dash is so cool. We’re going to be the best. I can’t wait! I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep tonight. What pony could? Certainly not one who has the most awesome big sister ever. Who knows? Maybe we’ll have so much fun that she’ll ask me to be her real sister. Is that even allowed?

Scootaloo pranced through the streets of Ponyville. She smiled and waved at strangers. Even though tomorrow was the big day, she was particularly excited because that morning she received a message from Rainbow Dash asking to meet with her this afternoon on the tiny hill outside of Ponyville. Wild horses could not stop Scootaloo from meeting with Rainbow Dash, at any time or any place. Maybe she wants to get together and practice for some of the events! For all Scootaloo cared, Rainbow Dash could have asked if she wanted to come with her to watch paint dry.

While prancing along, Scootaloo happened to come across the Carousel Boutique. This looks like a good place to kill some time. Maybe Sweetie Belle is home. She walked up to the door and gave a knock. After a few moments there was a crash noise from inside. A pair of two arguing voices could then be heard. Thinking that now might not be the best time, Scootaloo began to slowly walk away. Without getting too far, Sweetie Belle opened the door.

“Hiya Scootaloo, what brings you by?” she asked.

Scootaloo turned around and saw that Sweetie Belle looked a bit ruffled, as if she had something to do with the crash noise from moments ago. “Oh, I was just seeing if I can hang out with you for a bit until I go meet with Rainbow Dash.”

“You’re meeting with Rainbow Dash today? What for? Are you two going to practice for tomorrow?”

“I guess so, but who cares? What matters is that she wants to see me.”

There was another crash noise from inside. This time, however, because Sweetie Belle had the front door open, the noise was much louder. Following the crash was a scream. Together, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle ran inside to see what happened. The front lobby of the Carousel Boutique was intact, but they could see a door in the back that was left ajar. Dust clouds were airing out through the door, as if they were the result of a giant impact of some kind.

“Rarity! Are you alright?” Sweetie Belle called out to her sister.

The back door swung open, letting out even more clouds of dust. A coughing Rarity emerged from the billowing haze.

“My dear little sister, why in the world did you abandon me? These old boxes of dresses weigh a ton, and I can’t possibly move them all by myself.” Rarity’s mane was completely disheveled.

Scootaloo’s senses were heightened when Rarity used the words “My dear little sister.” That’s going to be me tomorrow!

“I’m sorry, sis,” Sweetie Belle began, “I heard the door knock and wanted to see who it was.”

“Yes, well, try not to answer the door when you’re supposed to be helping me clear out the storage closet.” Using her horn, Rarity lifted a pair of washcloths from the kitchen sink and summoned them to her. Each cloth began wiping the grime smudges from her body. As she performed her magic, Sweetie Belle ran over to a dresser and grabbed a hairbrush out from one of the drawers. She trotted over and jumped onto Rarity’s back.

"I’ll make it up to you Rarity. Let me fix your mane and make it more beautiful than before,” Sweetie Belle said as she began to brush her big sister’s unruly mane.

“Normally I would never let anypony touch my mane, but if there was one whom I could trust with its perfection, it’s you little sister.” 

Scootaloo stood there and witnessed how Rarity and Sweetie Belle worked together to make Rarity clean. Just look how easy it is for them. Just one more day!

Moments later after Rarity’s state of beauty was restored, she looked at Scootaloo. “Dear Scootaloo, since you’re here, would you mind helping Sweetie Belle and I clear out the storage closet?”

Scootaloo nodded. “Sure! I got some time to kill. But I can’t stay too long – Rainbow Dash wants to see me!”

“Fear not, my little pony! The three of us working together will have the closet cleaned out in no time.” Rarity struck a powerful pose.

“Yeah don’t worry, we know how much you want to see Rainbow Dash,” Sweetie Belle said.

Scootaloo jumped into the air “Well then, let’s get started!”





Located on a tiny hill, just outside of Ponyville, Rainbow Dash paced back and forth. “How am I going to do this? How am I going to break it to her? She should be here any minute now.”

The night before, after she had accepted Soarin’s invitation to practice with him and the other Wonderbolts, Rainbow Dash could not sleep. Everything happened so fast. One minute she was finishing up a flying lesson for the summer flight camp, the next she was breaking commitments to Scootaloo. There has to be a way to do both. Unfortunately, no matter how fast Rainbow Dash thought herself to be, even she could not be in two places at once.

Fluttershy had not been any help either. Her advice to Rainbow Dash was to ask Soarin’ if they could practice together some other time. But she didn’t understand because she’s not into flying: a pony can’t just ask a Wonderbolt to accommodate his or her own schedule. The Wonderbolts are the most prestigious flyers in Equestria – it’s a rare enough opportunity to just to speak to one, let alone being invited to train with them. The Sisterhooves Social was an annual event anyway, so she would tell Scootaloo that they could go together next year. In Rainbow Dash’s head the idea was perfect.

Now all she had to do was tell Scootaloo. She’s a cool little squirt. I’m sure she’ll understand.

Suddenly she stopped pacing and turned around because she heard a call: “Rainbow Dash!”  Trotting toward her with a cheerful expression was Scootaloo. The closer she came, the worse Rainbow Dash felt. Gosh, she looks so happy. When Scootaloo reached her, words failed to come out of her mouth.

“I’m here, big sister, just like you asked. What did you want to see me for? Do you want to practice for tomorrow? I don’t think we need to because everypony knows you’re the fastest pony there is, but if you think we should then I’m game!” Scootaloo sat herself on the ground in front of Rainbow Dash like a puppy waiting for what to do next.

Sweat starting running down Rainbow Dash’s forehead. She was caught off guard by the eagerness in Scootaloo’s eyes. This weekend meant more to her than Rainbow Dash realized. Still, an opportunity to train with the Wonderbolts is not an annual occurrence. The only way to tell her is to tell her.

“Listen squirt,” Rainbow Dash began. “There’s something I got to tell you.”

“You can tell me anything!” Scootaloo smiled.

Rainbow Dash took a deep breath. “Well, I’m really sorry, but it looks like I won’t be able to join you at the Sisterhooves Social. One of the Wonderbolts asked me to train with them tomorrow and it’s such a rare opportunity to be asked such a thing. But don’t worry; we can go together next year. I promise! You understand, don’t you?”

Scootaloo did not say anything. Her smile had disappeared. Inside, her mind and body began experiencing a stinging sensation that grew worse with each passing moment. It was the only sensation in Equestria that could erase all the high-on-life feelings Scootaloo had been experiencing that week – rejection.

Not ever wanting to look weak in front of Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo fought off the lump that was rapidly forming in her throat. “Yeah, sure, I understand. Don’t worry about it. We can do it next year.”

Rainbow Dash could not help but sense Scootaloo’s disappointment. “Hey, I know you were looking forward to this weekend, but trust me. I’ll make it up to you.”

Scootaloo could not speak. The lump in her throat was so large that she feared speaking would divert the energy needed to hold her composure. All she did was nod her head in false agreement. 

Rainbow Dash nodded in return. “Cool! Well, I got to get going. They need me back at Cloudsdale for the flight camp. I’ll see you soon. Later!” 

With that, Rainbow Dash backed up, and within seconds she was airborne. Scootaloo watched as Rainbow Dash flew farther and farther away until she was out of sight. Now Scootaloo was alone on the tiny hill. She looked around and could see that nopony was anywhere nearby.

Good. She didn’t want anypony to see what was about to happen. After trying so hard to keep herself together, Scootaloo allowed the lump in her throat to be released. Her eyes instantly watered up, and she began to cry.

> Tear Drops On Her Back
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	“A job well done today, little sister,” Rarity said as she stretched out her hooves in all directions before lying on her sofa. With her eyes closed, Rarity tossed and turned before finally settling on a position comfortable enough for her.

Before getting too relaxed, Rarity’s eyes shot open upon feeling a sudden impact at the end of the sofa by her hind legs. Never one to be aware of her older sister’s desire for personal space, Sweetie Belle hopped up on the sofa and plopped right next to her side. “Yes, I agree!” Sweetie Belle nestled herself into a comfortable groove before closing her own eyes, all the while being completely oblivious to how much annoyance she caused.

Too tired to protest, Rarity adjusted herself again to make room for them both. Memories of last year’s Sisterhooves Social were always quick to pop into her head whenever she began thinking too much about herself. Such self-centered thinking once drove Sweetie Belle to renounce her as a sister! The mere thought of repeating that experience spooked Rarity from ever getting too carried away with her own desires.

A voice unexpectedly broke the calm silence that the two Unicorns were sharing. “Um, hello? Is anypony home?” Fluttershy said as she crept into the room.

The sofa-groove that Sweetie Belle made broke once Rarity got up to greet her friend. “Fluttershy! Yes, we’re here. Sorry for not being more attentive to the door. Sweetie Belle and I have been busting our tails all day cleaning out our storage closet, and we’re simply exhausted. Would you like something to drink?”

“Oh, no thank you. I’m fine. Actually, I didn’t come by myself.” Fluttershy turned to reveal Twilight Sparkle with Apple Bloom riding on her back.

“Mind if we join you?” Twilight said.

“Not at all!” Rarity looked almost offended by the question. 

Apple Bloom peered over Twilight’s head so she could make herself visible to Sweetie Belle, who remained on the sofa. “Hey Sweetie Belle! We’re here!”

Abandoning the idea of recreating her perfect sofa groove, Sweetie Belle finally hopped off the cushions and trotted over to the others. “What brings you ponies by?”

“Well,” Twilight lowered her head allowing Apple Bloom to hop off, “we came by because we’re looking for Scootaloo. Have you seen her?

“Why, yes, actually. She was here a little bit ago,” Rarity said.

“She was here? Where’d she go?” Apple Bloom said.

“She left to go to that little hill just outside Ponyville to meet with Rainbow Dash. Probably to talk about their big day tomorrow,” Sweetie Belle said.

A look of alarm washed over all the search party. They exchanged concerned looks with each other before Fluttershy spoke first, “We’re probably too late.”

Always one to detest being left out of the circle, Rarity stepped forward. “Late for what? What’s the matter?”

Expressions of pain began showing on Apple Bloom and Fluttershy. Neither pony could break the news. Twilight wore a disappointed look, but she was able to find her voice. “Well, Fluttershy found out that Rainbow Dash won’t be able to join Scootaloo tomorrow for the Sisterhooves Social. It turns out one of the Wonderbolts saw what a terrific flyer she is and invited her to practice with them on the same day,” she said.

“What?!” Rarity and Sweetie Belle said in unison.

For a moment, no pony spoke. It was just too strange to process. Behavior like this was not at all typical of Rainbow Dash. Aside from occasional ego trip, her loyalty was her defining quality as a friend. Twilight would never forget when she first came to Ponyville and witnessed Rainbow Dash’s fidelity. The so-called “Shadowbolts” offered her a position as their captain, but in order to join she had to abandon her friends. Without hesitation, she refused to do so. I’d never leave my friends hanging. Twilight carried those words close to her heart as she and Rainbow Dash became closer friends. Reasonable ponies would agree that emergencies would justify not participating in the Sisterhooves Social, but did training with a Wonderbolt count as one?

The answer was no, and everypony knew it.

The front door to the Carousel Boutique burst open with Twilight jumping forward. “C’mon girls, we need to find Scootaloo!” With that, the search party headed toward the tiny hill.





Here I am. Alone. Sister-less. Tears continued streaking down Scootaloo’s face. Was it something I said? Or did? Is this my fault? What could I have done differently? 

Hours had gone by since Rainbow Dash left Scootaloo on the hill. There she remained even as the night sky enveloped her in darkness. Only the lights from the stars above provided any sort of glow for her to see. I’ve been sister-less my whole entire life. Why does it suddenly hurt so much more now?

A nasty little voice in her head answered: Because “she” turned you down.

This kind of rejection was unlike any Scootaloo had faced before. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle had rejected invitations to play with her in the past, but their refusals never resulted in anything more than her getting bummed out.  Now she entered into a realm of pain that she could never have imagined for herself. She was so close to having the best flyer in Equestria as her sister.

Scootaloo sat on that thought: The best flyer in Equestria…

Maybe that’s it. I can’t fly. She much rather spend time with ponies who can fly. Wonderbolts no less! That makes sense. Why would the coolest Pegasus ever want to enter a contest with a no-fly loser like me? How in Celestia’s name am I supposed to compete with a Wonderbolt? No wonder she ditched me.

Despite the on-again, off-again flow of crying since Rainbow Dash left, Scootaloo now began to cry real hard. Her newfound hatred for herself over not being able to fly pushed her into a state of pure suffering. Without consciously doing so, Scootaloo curled up into a ball on the grass where she continued to weep.

“Scootaloo!”

Though her eyes were blurred by the stream of tears, she could see a group of ponies approaching. They didn’t look like they were walking either; they were running. Soon she could see what colors they were: one purple, two bright yellow ones, and two white ones. A few seconds later, there was no mistaking who these ponies were. 

Twilight, Fluttershy, Rarity, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle came charging up the hill. Together they formed a circle around Scootaloo, who remained in a balled position.

“I’m so glad we found you! Are you alright?” Twilight said.

She gave no answer. Instead, Scootaloo raised her head and looked up toward the sky. The moonlight reflected onto her tears making them visible to the others. Even though they expected her to be sad, actually seeing Scootaloo in pain caused everypony to take a step back. Here was a young filly, who throughout the week had carried with her a winning attitude, who was now a shadow of her former self.

Twilight continued to engage. “Scootaloo, we know what happened. We know what Rainbow Dash did. Please, come with us back to my library. You can ride on my back.”

Under normal circumstances Scootaloo would have no problem climbing aboard, but she felt too drained emotionally and physically to even move properly. Her movement was so slow that her head wobbled once she sat up. The sudden head rush made her feel dizzy, so she allowed herself to fall back onto the ground. Twilight looked at Fluttershy and Rarity and motioned them to help. Together they lifted Scootaloo off the ground and positioned her onto Twilight’s back. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle could hardly recognize their friend during the process. Never had they ever seen her so saddened.

As they journeyed back to the library, Twilight could feel an unusual heaviness to Scootaloo. Each of the Cutie Mark Crusaders roughly weighed the same, but now Scootaloo was pure deadweight. To think that Rainbow Dash of all ponies was responsible for this was incomprehensible. Twilight occasionally looked back to see Scootaloo’s condition. Her eyes were closed, but tears were still silently running down her face. 

Twilight’s frustration grew with every tear drop she felt on her back. Rainbow Dash. You’ve got to answer for this.

> The Night Before
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	There simply was no position that was comfortable. She tried her left side, but it was just as uncomfortable as her right. All the tossing and turning tangled up her mane, making it that much more difficult to be at ease and doze off before the big day tomorrow. Eventually she settled on her backside, which became the winner for the least comfortable position. Soon Rainbow Dash found herself in a starring contest with the ceiling. No way was she going to lose this one. Unfortunately for her, the ceiling showed off its infinite stamina and remained unblinking. When her eyes dried out, she shut them tightly and rubbed her hooves in her face. This looked to be one of those long nights. Even though tomorrow promised to be an especially rare and lucky day for any Pegasus, something was causing great unrest within Rainbow Dash.

I made the right choice, right? I mean, I promised her that we could go next year. Plus, it’s not like we don’t see each other every so often. If she knew how awesome the Wonderbolts are, she’d understand. Yeah. That’s it. And besides! Think how impressed she’ll be after I receive my Wonderbolt training. Yeah. This is for her, not me. I’m doing her a favor. After Soarin’ and I practice tomorrow, she’ll think I’m so awesome that she’ll tell me that she wanted me to go all along. Eeyup, she’s a good kid.

The thought of Soarin’ slowed the momentum of Rainbow Dash’s thoughts. Seeing the two of them flying through clouds in her mind’s eye brought a much-needed sense of calm. Soarin’ and Rainbow Dash have crossed paths with each other in the past at functions like the Grand Galloping Gala or the Best Young Flyer competition, but never had they spent time together out of their own volition. Receiving a face-to-face invitation from Soarin’ to train with him and his team certainly was not commonplace. How’s a pony supposed to say “no” to that? Or, in Rainbow Dash’s case, to him?

Tomorrow will be awesome. Soarin’ and Me. Together. Practicing our flight routines. Nothing can go wrong. Although I hope he doesn’t want to see a Sonic Rainboom. I can’t just do those whenever I want. It’s more than just going very fast. There needs to be a reason for me to do one beyond others wanting to see it. Shoot, I want to see it all the time! But I can’t say “no” either. He’ll think I’m lame. Unacceptable. I just got to think of an excuse why I can’t do one.

Rainbow Dash’s thoughts came to a halt. Think of an excuse. She seemed to be thinking of a lot about excuses lately. The image in her mind’s eye of flying with Soarin’ through the clouds morphed into the last image she had of Scootaloo. Even though she tried her best to avoid witnessing the look of disappointment, Rainbow Dash did see little Scootaloo’s eyes begin to water up before she flew away from the little hill outside of Ponyville. The journey back to Cloudsdale after that exchange was heavier than usual. She began battling with her guilt from the moment she lifted off the ground. Since then, it festered within her like a disease. Now she was alone in bed unable to do anything else but wrestle with the decision she made.

Like a kneejerk reaction, Rainbow Dash lifted her bed sheets over her face. Just keep thinking about Soarin’. Tomorrow will be awesome. We’re going to fly and everything will be great. The Wonderbolts will love me. You told her that we would go next year. You’re going to be a better flyer next year too, so she’ll appreciate that. This is what’s best for both of us. Yeah.

Her guilt never fully subsided, but Rainbow Dash was able to create enough false justification to enable her to fall asleep. 





The others went home. Scootaloo had fallen asleep on her couch. None of this mattered. Twilight was not quitting. She knew it was somewhere in the Encyclopedia Equestriannica. She remembered highlighting it. This might come in handy one day. The problem for Twilight, of course, was filtering through her massive amount of highlights. Pinkie Pie once joked that many of her textbooks suffered from so much highlighting that they could be confused for coloring books. Twilight didn’t laugh then, and she certainly wasn’t laughing now.

“It’s got to be in here somewhere…” Twilight said. 

Spike groggily sauntered into Twilight’s study. “Now here’s a familiar scene,” he said. If Spike had a bit for every time he saw Twilight buried in her books late at night, his wealth would put other dragons’ treasure lairs to shame. As he moved closer to Twilight, he passed the sleeping body of Scootaloo on the couch. Poor girl. For as much as she endured today emotionally, she did seem rather peaceful while she slept.

“Twilight, what is it exactly that you’re looking for?” he said pulling up a stool to sit next to her.

As per usual, Twilight’s laser-like focus did not break from her reading. Although she kept going through the text, she was able to answer her assistant. “I’m looking for a certain spell that I know will help resolve this situation between Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash. I stumbled across it earlier when we were researching information about Scootaloo’s cutie mark. Had I known at the time what Rainbow Dash was going to do, I would have ripped the page out of the book and put it up on the refrigerator.”

Despite how tired he was, Spike could not believe what he heard. Twilight would have ripped a page out of her Encyclopedia Equestriannica? The situation was apparently more serious than he realized. In times like this, Spike knew he was lucky to be with Twilight. She originally came to Ponyville to learn about the magic of friendship, but now the tables were turning. She was becoming the one who shared its magic with her friends. Such a fact was a testament to her resolve as Celestia’s student. Twilight and Scootaloo never even had that close of a friendship, yet here was Twilight determined to make things right. 

Spike looked over at Scootaloo on the couch. Her little orange belly slowly rose and fell with every breath she took. She was sound asleep indeed. Spike turned back to Twilight, whose pupils were darting back-and-forth on each page. Spike wanted to be supportive, but he also wanted to clear up a few things.

“Hey Twilight, I’m curious about something,” he said.

“About what?” she said, eyes still on the page.

“Why are you bothering to go through all this trouble? You don’t have a stake in any of this. You’re not participating in the Sisterhooves Social. So what if Rainbow Dash spends the day with the Wonderbolts instead of Scootaloo? I know Scootaloo looks up to her and everything, but can’t they hangout some other time together?”

Twilight stopped reading. She turned and looked straight into Spike’s eyes. Her brow furrowed as she glared into his now cowering figure. He was not expecting such a sharp reaction, considering nothing he had said up to this point elicited anything of the sort.

Feeling like he needed to do a little backpedaling, he said, “I’m sorry, Twilight. I just don’t like seeing you work this hard at night. You need rest.”

Twilight’s expression relaxed upon hearing Spike’s concern. She smiled at him and turned away to resume her reading. “No, Spike, I’m sorry. Here, let me try and explain. See, my mission since I came to Ponyville has been to learn about friendship. Of all the friends I’ve made here, Scootaloo is the one I know the least. She and I had a conversation earlier this week where she opened up to me about how much she admires Rainbow Dash. So far I’ve only encountered lessons concerning friendship. But now if I’m to help Scootaloo, I need to take it a step further. I have to learn about sisterhood. More importantly, I need to teach sisterhood to Rainbow Dash.”

Spike scratched his head in confusion. “But, Twilight, you don’t have a sister. How are going to do that?” 

“Wait!” Suddenly Twilight’s eyes widened. A grand smile appeared on her face. She began pounding her right hoof on the spot of the page where she last read. “Spike, I found it! This is just what I need to help Scootaloo!”

> The Sisterhooves Social
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Hello everypony! And welcome to the Sisterhooves Social!” Granny Smith said to a large audience of ponies while standing on top of an apple crate.

Sweet Apple Acres had been transformed once again into an obstacle course for ponies to compete. Every year that the Apple family sponsored the Sisterhooves Social, both the participation rate and the audience turnout grew. This year drew the largest crowd yet, mostly because of the change in rules where young fillies with no sisters, but who had friends close enough to be sisters, were allowed to enter. Long lines of ponies formed in front of the registration table by the barn. The ponies who already registered gathered in front of the stage where Granny was making her opening remarks. Moments ago, however, Granny knelt down on her crate to ask Big Mac if he would fetch for her an additional booster box. Judging by the size of this year’s crowd, she needed the extra height to address all the ponies in attendance. 

“Golly gosh! Just look at all the ponies competing this year!” Apple Bloom said. She and Applejack were wandering just outside the herd of ponies who were focused on Granny.

“I’m so glad we live on the farm. Otherwise we’d have to wait in those lines,” Applejack said.

“I didn’t even know this many ponies lived in Ponyville. Or that they all wanted to compete in the Sisterhooves Social,” Apple Bloom said.

“I guess we got our work cut out for us, don’t we little sis?”

Before Apple Bloom could reply, her eyes had been scanning the area taking in the scope of this year’s attendance. When she turned away from the crowd, she recognized two familiar faces. “Hey, look over there!” She trotted over to Sweetie Bell and Rarity, both of whom were resting underneath the shade of a nearby tree. “Looks like you two don’t need to stretch or warm up, do you?” Apple Bloom said.

“Hardly!” Rarity said while lying on her back with her eyes closed. “Don’t you remember that Sweetie Belle and I won second place last year?”

Applejack struggled to see that as any sort of reasonable justification. “Sure we do, but how does that allow you two to not warm up this year?”

Sweetie Belle, also lying on her back, answered for her big sister. “Rarity thinks that if we save our energy, we’ll have enough to see us through to the end of the competition.”

Applejack knew when it came to fashion design, Rarity was queen. When it came to athletics, however, she was a work-in-progress. Applejack had hoped Rarity’s runner-up performance at last year’s competition marked a turning point. Maybe instead of staying inside and designing dresses all day, she would come outside and get her hooves dirty for a change. Alas, old habits are hard to break, and seeing Rarity relaxing under the tree’s shade just made Applejack’s eyes roll. She may not enjoy this outdoors stuff very much, but at least she knows how much it means to Sweetie Belle.

Without warning, a little familiar voice popped up from behind.

“Hey, why’re you ponies standing around here?” Standing behind them was Scootaloo.

The group hadn’t noticed her presence. Applejack and Apple Bloom turned around while Rarity and Sweetie Belle looked onward. None had expected to see Scootaloo at today’s event, considering all she had been through with Rainbow Dash. Yet despite how dispirited she was on the tiny hill, she seemed okay.

“Hey Scootaloo, um, how are you feeling?” Apple Bloom said.

“Yeah, how are you holding up? After we brought you to Twilight’s house we all went home. We wanted to stay, but Twilight insisted we get some rest because she was planning on doing an all-nighter looking up some spell. That’s girl’s always studying something,” Applejack said. 

“Oh, I’m fine. Really. No biggie. Yeah, Twilight was really cool letting me stay with her. Spike even made breakfast for me this morning.”

“What a sweetheart!” Rarity said, catching the others by surprise.

Applejack cocked an eyebrow. Seeing Scootaloo weep on Twilight’s back last night was something she would never forget. To hear her describe herself as “fine” not even twenty-four hours later was highly suspicious. Applejack leaned closer to her. “You sure you’re okay?”

“Absolutely, no need to worry about me.”

Apple Bloom stepped forward. “Where’s Twilight? I thought she would be here with you.”

“She left after breakfast. She said she needed to go see Fluttershy, but she didn’t say why or what for.” Scootaloo could see that everypony was still looking at her with unease. She tried again to reassure them that she was alright. “Listen, I really do appreciate your concern, but I’m a lot better now. The support you’ve given me means a lot, and I want to be here today to support you.”

Rarity stood up. “My dear Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and I will make sure to do our very best and win first place for your sake!” Rarity said.

Scootaloo awkwardly smiled at Rarity’s words. “Thanks, Rarity.”

“Hey, look, the registration has been cut off. It looks like they aren’t accepting anymore competitors,” Apple Bloom said. Sure enough, the ponies once waiting in line were now walking over to hear Granny’s closing statement. Other ponies who had already registered were waiting by the start line.

“Well, I guess we better get over there and warm up,” Applejack finished her sentence by shooting Rarity an emphatic stare.

Almost as if she was bored, Rarity slowly strutted forth and yawned. “Yes, yes, alright. Let us do this. Come Sweetie Belle, it is time to show everypony who the best sisters are in Ponyville!”

Sweetie Belle looked to Scootaloo. “What are you going to do?”

“Oh, I’ll find a place to sit and watch you compete. I’ll try and get as close as I can,” Scootaloo said.

“Alright, well we can hang out later when this is all over!” Sweetie Belle said. She, along with Rarity, Applejack, and Apple Bloom, began walking over to the starting line.

“That sounds great!” Scootaloo said in return. She stood in place as she watched the two pairs of sisters walk away.

This morning Scootaloo actually did want to be supportive of her friends and their older sisters, but seeing how excited they became as they got ready to compete only reminded her of how she was denied that same excitement and closeness. Scootaloo noticed herself beginning to fight a familiar heaviness in her throat. No. Not here. Not now. She didn’t want to get emotional here in front of everypony. To distract herself, she made her way to the bleachers. Luckily for her, she found one remaining spot near the front.

Over on the track’s starting line, Granny Smith was sitting on top of her apple crate and booster box. Big Mac stood next to her with a giant checkered-flag in his mouth. Granny spoke into her megaphone. “All ponies ready? On your mark…”

Scootaloo searched the starting line for her friends. She didn’t have to look for long because even at a sporting event, Rarity found a way to stand out from all the rest. While the others were sinking their hooves into the soil getting ready to launch into the race, Rarity stood perfectly still and calm. No pony could have guessed that she was last year’s runner-up.

“Get set…” Granny said.

Even though the contestants were locked in place ready to kick from their hind legs, Scootaloo saw Applejack and Apple Bloom give each other a quick high-five. Most incredibly, she found herself getting jealous of that. I could have high-fived Rainbow Dash today.

“…GO!” Granny yelled with so much force that she fell from her booster box. Big Mac waved the flag downward, but caught Granny before she hit the ground.

Soon Scootaloo could barely hear herself think. Everypony in the bleachers began cheering for their best friends. The ponies competing created so much noise from the sheer amount of galloping on the track. Such commotion would have overwhelmed some fillies as young as Scootaloo, but she felt nothing of the sort. On the contrary, although she was surrounded by ponies and had friends nearby, she felt completely alone.

Worse yet, the lump in her throat returned. Only this time, it wasn’t going to go away. 

> Wonderbolt Training
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Jeez, how in the world do these ponies do it?

Rainbow Dash thought she knew what it meant to train hard. She wasn’t even close. The Wonderbolts knew how to play, and they played rough. Cloudsdale had a special flight deck for training restricted to all Pegasi except the Wonderbolts. Rainbow Dash had always wanted to see where they practiced for as long as she could remember. Now, after years of curiosity, she was finally going to get a chance to experience for herself where her heroes perfected their magic.

At first, everything looked fairly similar to the other flight decks, except there were very few places to sit. Soarin’ mentioned the lack of seating was meant to discourage curious Pegasi from sneaking in to watch. Cloudsale security was also tighter at the Wonderbolt’s flight deck with at least one guard present whenever they trained. Security has never been much of an issue at Cloudsdale, but the Wonderbolts requested some safeguard to prevent Pegasi from peering into their practice. If everypony knew their routines before they performed, it would take the “wonder” out of their name. Luckily for Rainbow Dash, Soarin’ told the guard about her coming to practice with them today. 

As she was watching Soarin’ leaving trails of smoke and lightning behind him in the air, Rainbow Dash stood on a ramp watching in awe. The Wonderbolts captain, Spitfire, took notice of her locked eyes and trotted up to her.

“So what do you think so far of how we practice?” Spitfire said.

Rainbow Dash’s eyes were zigzagging along with Soarin’s flying pattern. “It’s awesome! You all are the best for a reason, and now I can see why.” 

Spitfire grinned at Rainbow Dash’s kind words. “Hey, everypony’s got to start somewhere. We were beginners once. I can remember waking up early every morning when I was a filly and I knew I had to practice, practice, and practice.”

“Yeah, but it’s worth it, right?” Her eyes were still glued to Soarin’. 

“Oh, absolutely. There’s nothing I would rather be doing. But it can be hard at times. Our training schedule doesn’t allow us very much time to hang out with friends. I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I’ve had to break commitments to my friends due to my being a Wonderbolt. In fact, I’ve even lost some friends over the years. A few of them were very close, even like sisters.”

The momentum of Rainbow Dash’s enjoyment was halted by Spitfire’s words. Her eyes finally stopped following Soarin’. She didn’t know if this was a cruel joke or wild coincidence. What Spitfire was saying sounded eerily familiar. This has got to be some kind of bad joke. “Wow,” was all Rainbow Dash could muster to say.

Spitfire noticed Rainbow Dash’s eyes fell away from her airborne colleague. “But I was wondering something. Do you think it would be possible for you to show us a Sonic Rainboom?”

Uh oh. Rainbow Dash knew that this was going to be brought up sooner or later. “Well, I’m really sorry, but it’s not that easy. I can’t just do one whenever I want.”

“Why not?” Spitfire did not even attempt to conceal her disappointment.

Rainbow Dash offered the captain an encouraging smile. “Every time I’ve been able to perform one, I felt like I had a purpose. It’s more than just flying really fast. Believe me, if I could, I’d be doing them every day.”

Spitfire’s face went sour. “Are you sure?”

“Positive.” Rainbow Dash tried to think of how she could convey her genuine regret because, deep down, she realized that, once again, she was letting down another pony. 

She didn’t have time to think for very long because at that moment, Soarin’ made his finishing move and landed on the ground. The impact of his landing caused his scent to waft over to where Rainbow Dash was standing. Most ponies would have considered the odor of a sweaty Wonderbolt unpleasant, but anypony who’s ever had a crush before knows that when you like somepony, you savor every moment inhaling the aroma he or she leaves behind. Rainbow Dash forced herself to take slow, deep breaths. Now there’s a pony who knows how to fly. 

Of all that could have happened at that moment, Rainbow Dash heard a voice that she never thought would reach her ears at Cloudsdale, let alone the Wonderbolt’s restricted flight deck.

“Rainbow Dash!” It was Twilight.

“Wha-huh? Twilight? What are you doing here? How did you get past security?” Rainbow Dash and the Wonderbolts shot looks of bewilderment at each other.

Twilight acted as if she didn’t hear the question. “Rainbow, listen to me. I have to show you something very important.”

“Can it wait? I’m kind of busy here.” Rainbow Dash lowered her head in mild embarrassment.

“No, it can’t. This is about Scootaloo.” The resolve in Twilight’s voice was unwavering.

“What? Excuse me, but how is that any of your business?”

Twilight did not answer. Instead, her horn began glowing purple and her pupils faded away. Without warning, two beams of light shot from Twilight’s eyes and locked with Rainbow Dash’s. Soon the environment around Rainbow Dash disappeared. The Wonderbolt flight deck morphed into Twilight’s library. Twilight herself vanished and was replaced by the image of Scootaloo, who was speaking to her about something.

“I’m not sure you do know how it feels. I know you don’t have a sister, but I don’t think you know what it’s like to have your favorite pony agree to be your sister.”

Rainbow Dash stood silently. She realized that she couldn’t move or say anything. All she could do was look down at Scootaloo who continued talking about how Applejack and Apple Bloom share family inside jokes, and how Rarity and Sweetie Belle get closer after every argument.

“…Rainbow Dash doesn’t have a sister either. Since her and I are both Pegasus ponies, I thought we might be able to share that together,” Scootaloo said.

Rainbow Dash noticed something peculiar about Scootaloo’s eyes. When she focused in on them she was shocked to see not her reflection, but Twilight’s. Great Celestia… Twilight is sharing her thoughts with me. 

“She’s fearless. She’s loyal. She’s fun to be around! She’s everything a pony could want in a sister. I admire her so much for who she is. And now, just for a weekend, I get to be the luckiest pony in all of Equestria because I’ll have Rainbow Dash as my sister.”

The words sank heavily into Rainbow Dash’s heart. I had no idea she felt this way.

Suddenly, Twilight’s library faded away into blackness. For a moment Rainbow Dash was alone, but soon she found herself outside in the dark of night walking toward Ponyville. She didn’t remember walking this particular trail recently, so it had to be another one of Twilight’s memories. There was an odd weight on her back. Before she knew it, her head involuntarily turned to her back and she saw what the weight was: an exhausted looking Scootaloo who had tears streaming down her face.

It was this image that seared into Rainbow Dash’s mind. Her gut began writhing in agony upon seeing Scootaloo in such pain. I’m sorry! It’s all my fault! 

Once again the environment around her dissolved into blackness. Soon Rainbow Dash found herself back at the Wonderbolt flight deck. The beams of light that connected Rainbow Dash’s and Twilight’s eyes died away, and Twilight’s pupils were restored. All of the Wonderbolts were circled around the two ponies, stupefied by the magic they had witnessed.  

Twilight came face-to-face with Rainbow Dash and spoke. “Rainbow, I wanted you to experience firsthoof how much this weekend was going to mean to Scootaloo. Earlier you asked me how this was my business. Well, it became my business when Scootaloo opened up to me about how much she was looking forward to having you as a big sister. It became my business when I carried Scootaloo crying from the tiny hill outside of Ponyville all the way to my house after you left her there. It became my business when Scootaloo slept over on my couch while I stayed up all night searching for this spell.”

Tears were welling up in Rainbow Dash’s eyes. “Twilight, I- I had no idea. I’m so sorry.”

Twilight’s face hardened. “You carry the element of harmony that represents loyalty. You’ve taught me so much about friendship that it’s hard to believe you could do something like this. And for what? A flying lesson?”

Rainbow Dash’s tone went defiant, “This isn’t just a ‘flying lesson’. Every Pegasus looks up the Wonderbolts. These ponies are the best flyers in Equestria!”

Twilight snapped back. “Rainbow, you are the best flyer in Equestria.”

Under normal circumstances Rainbow Dash would have been flattered by such a lofty compliment. Instead, however, she was blindsided by it. “What?”

“You’re the best flyer in Equestria. Fluttershy’s told me all kinds of stories about how much the young Pegasi just love you at summer flight camp. You’re the only pony I know who can do a Sonic Rainboom. Not even the Wonderbolts can do that. And you say every Pegasus looks up to them. Well, I know one little Pegasus doesn’t,” Twilight paused. “She looks up to you.”

Rainbow Dash did not say anything. She just looked back at Twilight. So many thoughts were swirling around in her head. For a while she had suspected that Scootaloo thought she was cool, but only the same way the young Pegasi at summer flight camp did. Never did Rainbow Dash imagine that anypony would harbor a burning desire to have her as a big sister.

She then looked over at the Wonderbolts, who were still at a loss for words. Soarin’s head tilted back and forth as he tried to process everything. Spitfire was staring at Twilight, apparently mesmerized by the display of magic she had performed. Something Spitfire had said earlier suddenly echoed in Rainbow Dash’s thoughts: I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I’ve had to break commitments to my friends. Then the image of Scootaloo crying on Twilight’s back flashed in her mind.

Enough. The tears in Rainbow Dash’s eyes began drying away as she flexed her wings and clenched her jaw. “I’m going to make this right,” Rainbow Dash said, almost as if to herself.

“Wait, what did you say?” Twilight said.

“I said I’m going to make this right!” With that, Rainbow Dash kicked hard off the flight deck board and was airborne. The force from her liftoff knocked everypony off their hooves. By the time they stood back up, Rainbow Dash was already hurdling herself back down toward Ponyville. As Celestia as my witness, I’m going to make this right!

> The Award Ceremony
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	“We did it, little sister! We did it!” Rarity said.

Everypony who gathered for the Sisterhooves Social cheered wildly as Rarity and Sweetie Belle crossed the finish line. The situation looked bleak in the beginning when they both tripped into the mud pit. Thankfully, the two of them made outstanding gains during the egg-balancing portion of the race. When a pony needed to be precise with handling and control, no pony compared to Rarity. Years of meticulous dressmaking paid off for her big time. Through their mud-filled ears, she and Sweetie Belle heard the crowd of ponies pounding their hooves into the ground and bleachers cheering for their victory.

Applejack and Apple Bloom trotted up from behind. They had come in second place. In her wildest dreams, Applejack never thought she would be second to Rarity in any sporting event. “Wow. I guess ya’ll didn’t need to warm up after all,” she said.

Rarity held her head high. “Why thank you, Applejack. I’m glad you’re being such a good sport.”

Apple Bloom leaned in to her big sister. “Applejack, next year how about you and I relax under a tree before the race?”

“After what just happened, I guess we could give it a try next time.” 

During the competition, the four fillies were so focused on winning that none of them noticed the overflow in the bleachers. The turnout had reached staggering proportions. The only other time Sweet Apple Acres ever enjoyed this kind of mass occupation was during cider season when seemingly everypony in Equestria lined up for some of Granny’s famous cider. 

The audience of ponies filtered out of the stands and bled onto the competition field. Many ponies went to congratulate their friends who competed. Out of the crowd emerged a little orange Pegasus. “You two were awesome! Way to go!” Scootaloo said.

Something wasn’t right. The girls didn’t doubt Scootaloo’s sincerity, but something was off about her countenance. A closer look at her eyes revealed that they were inflamed.

No pony wanted to draw any attention to that. The four of them didn’t even think Scootaloo was going to make in through the competition. In fact, seeing Scootaloo in front of them at that moment was one of the biggest displays of loyalty from a friend. Everypony would have totally understood her not wanting to be there. Why would she? The Sisterhooves Social was arguably the largest celebration of sisterhood in Ponyville. If anything, the whole competition should be a painful reminder to Scootaloo of what she lacks in her life. To top it all off, she was even going to participate this weekend with the one pony she had always wanted to be her big sister! Yet, here she was, alone, determined to show her support.

One by one, each of the girls walked up to Scootaloo and gave her a big hug.

Rarity went first. “We’re very glad you came, sweetheart.”

Applejack then moved in for an embrace. “Yes, it means a heck of lot to us.”

“We can still hang out later today if you want,” Sweetie Belle said.

“Yeah, I’m definitely in the mood for some hangin’ out,” Apple Bloom said.

“Thanks you guys. You’re the best friends a pony could ask for,” Scootaloo said. “But you all should get going. I believe they have some awards to give out.”

“Okay, but afterward we should go to Donut Joe’s and celebrate,” Sweetie Belle said.

“Yeah! That sounds nice.” Scootaloo smiled, which was a more than welcome sight for them to see. 

The five ponies began walking over to the winner’s platform where Granny Smith waited to bestow upon Rarity and Sweetie Belle their first-place medals. As they walked through the crowd, several ponies approached them to offer congratulations.

“A job well done, girls!” Mr. & Mrs. Cake said. They had with them two strollers carrying little Pound and Pumpkin Cake. Both were wide-eyed at everything around them.

“You two were awesome!” Bon Bon said. She and some of her girlfriends were thrilled to see Rarity take home the gold.

Even some of the construction ponies took time off to attend the event. “Nice moves on the field, Rarity!” Jack Hammer said. 

“Thank you all, thank you!” Rarity had no trouble accepting everypony’s praise.

One more special pony appeared from the crowd. “You girls did well playing your game. For the rest of the day, I hope you enjoy your fame,” Zecora said.

“Thanks Zecora! Glad you came from the Everfree Forest to be here!” Sweetie Belle said.

Just when they thought they had seen everypony imaginable, another surprise guest came forth.  “As the Mayor of Ponyville, I would like to say congratulations to you both. The Sisterhooves Social has become such an important event to Ponyville, we are proud to be here to show our support of you.” Mayor Mare said.

Applejack turned to the three Cutie Mark Crusaders. “Golly gosh, is it just me or does it feel like even more ponies showed up while the contest was going on? I can’t believe even the Mayor is here today! I never imagined the Sisterhooves Social would come this far along.”

Each of the girls, including Scootaloo, shook hooves with the Mayor. After their encounter with her, they finally reached Granny Smith and Big Mac at the winner’s platform. Rarity and Sweetie Belle gave quick hugs to Applejack, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo before they began ascending to the top of the platform. 

Along the way up the stairs Rarity turned to her sister. “Sweetie Belle, I just wanted to say something. I’m really happy for us today. I’ve learned so much since last year when we did this. Since then I’ve tried never to take for granted that you’re my sister. Sure, we may clash horns here and there, but at the end of the day I always count you in my blessings,” she said.

Sweetie Belle didn’t say anything. Instead, she jumped up to give her big sister a hug. When she let go, they continued to the top where Big Mac stood ready with the medals to give them.

Scootaloo, Applejack, and Apple Bloom watched as their friends stood on the platform. Even though she was bummed not taking home the gold this year, Applejack was proud to see Rarity come so far. Good going Rarity. You’ve done right by your sister.

Apple Bloom waved as she watched Sweetie Belle accept her medal. Those two should be proud today.

When Rarity received her medal, she and Sweetie Belle embraced each other once again and everypony in the audience erupted in applause. Scootaloo joined in the celebration, but she could not help but envision her and Rainbow Dash up on the winner’s platform instead. 

Just then, Scootaloo noticed something in the air behind them. Whatever it was, it was approaching in fast. Slowly more and more ponies began to notice the incoming object and started pointing to it. Rarity and Sweetie Belle turned to see what everypony was looking at.

“What do you think that is?” Apple Bloom asked.

Applejack made her eyes squint before she figured it out. “Don’t tell me that’s who I think it is…” 

Scootaloo was trying to make sense of what everypony was seeing. Her stomach immediately sank when she noticed the rainbow trail tracing through the sky. What’s going on? Is she really coming?

There was no mistaking that it was a Pegasus, but none of the ponies could hear what she was shouting.

“Wait everypony! Waaait!” Rainbow Dash said. 

> Big Sister Rainbow
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	“Dear, what’s going on? Who is that?” Mrs. Cake said.

“I can’t see very well, but it’s definitely a Pegasus.” Mr. Cake said.

The focus bestowed upon Rarity and Sweetie Belle winning first place had been entirely redirected to the sky above. No pony could make out what was happening. Those close to her, however, knew that it was Rainbow Dash since there was only one pony around who was capable of leaving behind a rainbow trail in her wake.

Seeing the rainbow trail made Scootaloo’s heart-rate accelerate. A burst of questions flooded her mind, yet all she could do was join the crowd of ponies in staring straight up into the air. Rainbow Dash, is that really you?

After the long trip from Cloudsdale, Rainbow Dash at last stopped high above the site of the award ceremony. She hung in the air briefly, flapping her wings trying to get into focus. I’m going to make this right. With that final thought, she released herself and began freefalling. 

At first she seemed to allow gravity to do the work for her, but soon she positioned her wings to help spear herself toward the ground. I just need to get into the right position. She fought through the rush of air piercing into her face. Nothing was going to impede her from what she needed to do.

As she came closer to the ground, she began to recognize ponies in the crowd below. There were some ponies she didn’t know, but she could identify several familiar faces: Cheerilee, Mayor Mare, Bon Bon, and Mr. & Mrs. Cake – all of whom were all staring up at her in bewilderment.

Where is she?

Rainbow Dash’s eyes darted in every direction. She spotted Granny Smith and Big Mac with other members of the Apple family. 

Please, let me find you.

Time was running out. She knew she couldn’t keep at this speed much longer. In a few seconds, she would have to call this quits. 

I can’t do this if I get too close! She’s got to be here somewhere! 

Just then, she saw Rarity and Applejack standing with Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom by the winner’s platform. And finally, she saw the one little pony who mattered most.

I found you!!

With no warning, a force of energy shattered in the air releasing all the colors of the rainbow. The outbreak of light blinded the ponies on the ground. For a moment no pony could see anything. Gradually the initial brightness began dying away, and it became safe for the ponies to look up. There was no mistaking what happened. A Sonic Rainboom had just been performed in front of their very eyes. However, everypony noticed that this Sonic Rainboom was different. Normally, it is in the shape of a circle and ripples throughout the sky. This one was certainly rippling, but it didn’t look like a circle at all. Everypony gazed up at the sky and marveled at what they were seeing.

A heart.

Somehow, Rainbow Dash was able to angle her flying in a way that outlined a heart-shaped Sonic Rainboom. Such a spectacle had never been seen before in all of Equestria. Not even Celestia herself could claim to have witnessed one before. With the size and scope of this particular Sonic Rainboom, it was bound shine through all the way to Canterlot and even Cloudsdale.

When Rainbow Dash landed, her hooves dug into the ground. She looked up and took a deep breath. “I want everypony to know that that was for my little sister, Scootaloo!”

There was a mixture of confusion and awe in the audience. Most of them were still gaping at the sky, but some watched Rainbow Dash because they were curious to see who had accomplished such an amazing spectacle. However, she didn’t appear to be in any mood for congratulations. Instead, she ran through the crowd of ponies as if she was looking for something. Upon seeing Scootaloo, she charged at her with open hooves. Before she even had time to react, Scootaloo was snatched up into Rainbow Dash’s arms.

She held Scootaloo tightly. “I’m so sorry, Scootaloo. I was wrong to leave you to go do my own thing. I had no idea how much this weekend meant to you,” She loosened her grip so she could look Scootaloo in the eyes, “Can you ever forgive me?”

Scootaloo could see tears forming in Rainbow Dash’s eyes. Here she was. The Pegasus she looked up to and admired above all others. “Rainbow Dash,” she began, “I love you!”

Rainbow Dash brought her in for another hug. She whispered to her, “And I love you, little sister.”

Every ounce of sorrow Scootaloo carried with her on that day was immediately vanquished. Being in Rainbow Dash’s arms in that moment brought forth indescribable joy. Nothing else mattered because, right then and there, Scootaloo’s search for sisterhood had come to an end. 

When they released each other, Scootaloo looked up and took in what she was seeing. The giant rainbow heart surged across the sky as an announcement of Rainbow Dash’s love for her. No Sisterhooves Social medal or trophy could compare to such a prodigious display of love. Scootaloo turned to her hero. “What made you change your mind?”

Rainbow Dash jumped. “It was Twilight! I was training with the Wonderbolts until she showed up and helped me realize what I had done.”

“Did I hear somepony say my name?”

The crowd of ponies was still in wonderment over the Sonic Rainboom. Everypony stood still unable to tear their eyes away. One pony, however, was casually trotting her way through the rabble. Twilight Sparkle wore a big grin on her face as she looked up at the sky. Unlike the other ponies there, she knew what the significance of this particular Sonic Rainboom was. In addition to healing the bond between Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo, Twilight knew that it validated all of her late-night studying throughout the past week. 

“Twilight!” Scootaloo ran up and threw her hooves around her. “Thank you so much for what you did for me. I don’t know what to say.”

“There’s no need to thank me, Scootaloo. My time here in Ponyville has taught me many things about friendship. Rainbow Dash in particular has taught me so much about loyalty. You can consider this my way of saying ‘thanks’ to her.”

Rainbow Dash flew over and also gave Twilight a hug. “You really are a true friend, Twilight.” She gave and extra squeeze before letting go. “But what happened back at Cloudsdale?”

Twilight began to giggle. “Well, after you left, I was alone with the Wonderbolts. They were pretty confused as to what had happened. So instead of trying to explain the situation to them, I used the same thoughts-sharing spell I had done on you on them. They were pretty understanding of everything. Spitfire especially symphonized with you. She told me all this stuff about the responsibilities of being a Wonderbolt and how she missed out on having friends.”

A heavy expression came over Rainbow Dash’s face. “Yeah, I don’t think I’ll ever forget her telling me that.”

“There’s one more thing,” Twilight began, “Soarin’ wanted me to tell you that you and Scootaloo are welcome to train with him at the Wonderbolt’s flight deck whenever possible.”

Both Rainbow Dash’s and Scootaloo’s eyes widened. “Really?!”

Twilight nodded. “Yes, really. He was moved by how much Rainbow Dash wanted to train with him and the other Wonderbolts, and yet she was able to put aside everything she wanted in order to make right by Scootaloo. He told me that that’s the kind of loyalty the Wonderbolts look for whenever they add a new member to their team.”

Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo spoke in unison. “Ohmygosh, ohmygosh, ohmygosh!”

Twilight glanced up again to scan the sky. “If I’m correct, then judging by the looks of things, your Sonic Rainboom should be reaching Cloudsdale right about now. I’m sure the Wonderbolts and all the other Pegasi there will get a big kick out of it!”

Rainbow Dash looked over to Scootaloo and smiled. “They can think whatever they want about it. There’s only one pony I had in mind when I made it.”

Scootaloo blushed. Then, from behind, she heard another familiar voice.

“Simply marvelous, Rainbow Dash!” Rarity said gawking upward at the sky. She, along with Sweetie Belle, Applejack, and Apple Bloom, had waited to hear Twilight’s explanation before moving in to congratulate Rainbow Dash. They, too, knew how much this weekend meant to Scootaloo.

“Yee-haw! Way to go sugarcube! You’ve done and stolen the show!” Applejack said.

“Yeah! That Sonic Rainboom is so cool!” Sweetie Belle said.

“I don’t think I’ve seen anything near as awesome!” Apple Bloom said.

Scootaloo definitely heard her friends, but it didn’t matter to her how kind their words were. All that mattered was how her hero just declared to everypony that she was her sister. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that she no longer had to daydream about what sisterhood was like. She could now look forward to every inside joke, every argument, and every day that would nurture their connection with each other.

Rainbow Dash lowered herself to the ground. “Hop aboard, sis.”

Scootaloo jumped onto her back. “Where are we going?”

“You and I are long overdue for some quality sister-time. Let’s go for a ride. Hang on!”

With a mighty kick off the ground, Scootaloo held tightly onto Rainbow Dash. In mere moments they were already soaring well above their friends below. As they sailed through the skies of Equestria, the heart-shaped Sonic Rainboom continued to stream across the land. Scootaloo couldn’t believe that such a spectacle was made especially for her. She leaned into Rainbow Dash’s ear. “Say, how in the world were you able to make that?” 

Rainbow Dash winked. “That’s a secret. Let’s just call it your ‘Big Sister Rainbow’.”

> Epilogue: Dear Princess Celestia
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Princess Celestia,

Instead of learning about the magic of friendship, I learned about the magic of sisterhood.

I assure you that this wasn’t easy for me. To be honest, I never really thought about having a sister before, even though I’m the only one of my friends besides Fluttershy who doesn’t have a sibling. This hasn’t bothered me, though, because that’s just the way it’s always been. My guess is that I’ve always spent my free time daydreaming about being a Wonderbolt. This past weekend, however, I got the opportunity to think differently.

While we don’t share the same parents, I’m happy to tell you that Scootaloo is my new little sister! Apparently, the little squirt has looked up to me for some time now. We’ve always been friends, but I took her friendship for granted. For whatever reason, I just couldn’t see how much she thought of me a sister. I was very flattered, for sure, but I was also nervous. Sisterhood is something I have no experience in whatsoever. Being a loyal friend is one thing, but the kind of connection sisters have goes deeper than that.

This leads me to a confession I have to make. Scootaloo actually invited me to be her big sister for this year’s Sisterhooves Social. I told her “yes,” but as soon as an invitation to train with the Wonderbolts came my way, I accepted that one too! I later canceled on Scootaloo and instead went with the Wonderbolts. Deep down I felt guilty about my decision, but it wasn’t until Twilight showed me what I had done when I realized just how badly I messed up. I must say, I really have a true friend in Twilight. Without her, I probably would have forever damaged my relationship with Scootaloo, if not ended it altogether. I feel so lucky and grateful that she is even giving me a second chance.

Perhaps most importantly, I now understand that we are all searching for a feeling of connectedness. Everypony wants to feel like he or she belongs to something. I abandoned Scootaloo and the Sisterhooves Social because I was searching for that connectedness with the Wonderbolts. I looked up to them the same way Scootaloo did to me. So many of the actions we take in life represent our pursuit of this bond with each other. If we can be aware of our need for closeness, we can save ourselves a lot of heartache because sometimes the things that we think will bring us that sense of belonging can actually leave us penniless, isolated, and unhappy.

From now on, I will go forward each day understanding the importance of closeness. Whether it’s helping out at summer flight camp, enjoying Granny Smith’s cider with my friends, or spending sister-time with Scootaloo, I will be aware and thankful for the bonds I have.

I’d love to write more, but I have to get going. Today I’m giving Scootaloo her first flying lesson!

Respectfully yours,

Rainbow Dash