> The Incredibly Cool Godmother of Dinky Doo
>  by Trinary
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> The Incredibly Cool Godmother of Dinky Doo
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


The Incredibly Cool Godmother of Dinky Doo


Everything always came if not easily, then naturally, to me. Learning to fly, getting my cutie mark…I didn’t have to think about doing them. I just did them, and awesomely at that, and they just—happened. I guess I thought that everything important would work the same way. That I just needed to do whatever it was I needed to do and everything else would fall into place. I mean, you don’t THINK about every individual time you beat your wings right? If you concentrated on that, you’d never get anywhere. That isn’t to say that I don’t work hard. Regardless of what SOME ponies *coughApplejackcough* think, it takes hard work, practice, perseverance and learning to create a new move, perfect it, and incorporate it into my routine. Awesomeness isn’t easy--I just make it look that way.

Twilight Sparkle is as smart a pony as they come, I’d never say anything else. She’s really cool. But she needs to learn that not everything comes from books, y’know? Instincts trumps booksmarts every time. Plus, no book could teach you how to be awesome. That was all-natural.

“Dare! To keep all of yooour dreams aliiiiive--it's time to take a stand!” I was in the zone! I was clearing the clouds that morning. Yeah, any pegasi could clear the clouds, but who else could do it with style, to say nothing of speed? I zoomed and banked, left and right, cutting through them like a hot knife through butter. It was the start of the weekend, the sky was blue and the weather was beautiful. Or it would be in a matter of seconds—thanks to yours truly!

I banged my head as I engaged in a little air guitar. Yeah, I’m so cool I don’t even need instruments. “You can win, if you dare! Aw yeah!” I pumped my hoof up to the sound of the roaring crowd I knew would be roaring if it was there. “AAAAAHHHH—Thank you, thank you!” I bowed to the non-existent audience. “That’s right—tell me who’s the best!”
   
“Rainbow Dash!” My wings almost froze up in a sudden start as a real pony answered. I turned around and there was Ditzy Doo, cheerfully waving. “Hi, Rainbow Dash!”
   
“Aheh heh…hey, Ditzy.” I rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly, feeling the heat rushing to my cheeks despite stern instructions otherwise. Blushing was so not cool. “What’s, uh, up?”
   
“We are!” The bubbly pony smiled happily at me. Got me there. “Can I ask you a favor?”
   
“Er, sure.” I agreed, shoving the awkwardness firmly behind me where it belonged. “What do you need?”
   
Ditzy turned around, showing off her saddlebags, marked with the logo of the Ponyville post office. “I have to make an express delivery to Hoofington. Can you watch Dinky for the day?”
   
“Huh?” I blinked, “What about Sparkler?” Don’t get me wrong, Dinky is seriously cute (not a word I thought I’d use that often) and a lot of fun to be with, but I was seriously looking forward to my midday nap on my favorite cloud. Today was way too nice to spend it indoors.
   
“Oh she’s in Canterlot with my parents. They’re taking her to look at magic schools.” Ditzy’s lower lip jutted out. Uh-oh. This never boded well for me. “I know this is last minute, but I really need to make this delivery and Dinky loves having you foalsit.” She clasped her hooves together, leaning forward so that her muzzle was inches away from mine. “Pleeeeease?”
   
I groaned. There was no refusing Ditzy’s golden puppy-dog eyes, which somehow looked even more endearing despite--or maybe because--they didn’t face the same direction. “Sure, no problem,” I sighed. Oh well. Gotta earn my godmom keep, right? The next thing I knew, Ditzy had her forelegs around me and hugging me tightly enough to force the air out of my lungs. “GAK!”

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” she gushed. “She’s waiting for you at my house, Carrot Top is watching her for me while I get you. I owe you one, Rainbow!”
   
As athletic as I was, even I had to work at it to pry the glomp-happy pegasus off me. “It’s…no problem, Ditzy!” I grunted. “Would it be okay if I took her out with me while I go visit my friends? We had made plans and…”
   
Ditzy beamed. “That sounds perfect! Of course!” She looked at the sun. “Time I got going. Thanks again for helping me.” She flapped her wings as she started her long trek to Hoofington.

One problem though. “Ditzy, Hoofington is THAT way.” I pointed in the exact opposite direction of where she’d been heading.

“Oops. My bad!” She giggled as she changed course. I shook my head. That’s our Derpy.

I turned around to start heading to her place when she called me again. “Oh, Rainbow Dash? One more thing.” I turned back to face her. Ditzy mimed playing a guitar with her hooves, then pumped a hoof in the air. “That’s how you do it! Rock on!” She giggled, turning with away with a wave.

“…dangit Derpy…” I grumbled as I flew away, my cheeks heated. So uncool.   

Naturally, I arrived at Ditzy’s house in no time at all. I knocked a hoof against the door. “Hello? Carrot Top? Dinky? It’s me.” Listening carefully, I heard the sound of somepony running to the door: THUDATHUDATHUMP!

The door swung open. Dinky squealed as she leapt at me, hooves outstretched. Even I wasn’t fast enough to get out of the way of that. The little cannonball of a filly tackled me the ground. So I laid there on my back, holding the lavender-gray filly that had ran into me like an oncoming train and smiled warily as she sat on me. “Hey, Dinky.”

“Hiya, Rainbow Dash!” Dinky chirped, giggling as she got comfortable on my stomach. “Mommy’s going to be at work, so we can play together all day!”

Curse Dinky for being so cute. Seriously, how could I possibly get mad at that? I sat up as much as I could without dislodging my passenger. “Sounds like a plan.”

Standing in the doorway, Carrot Top looked down and smiled. “Would you like to come in, or are you comfortable there?” Smartflank.

I ignored her and turned to my godfilly. “How about it, Dinky?”

Dinky rubbed her chin, putting on her best thinking face. “I dunno … can I get ice cream?”

Extortionist. I chuckled. “Heh, all right kiddo. Matter of fact, how about we go to Sugarcube Corner?”

The little pony let out a loud gasp. “Really? Yaay!” She hopped off of my stomach and started bouncing around in a circle. “Can we get strawberry ice cream? With whipped cream? And chocolate syrup? And sprinkles? Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go!”

“There’s a sight I thought I’d never see,” Carrot Top quipped as I got to my hooves. “Somepony asking you to hurry up.”

I decided to be the mature one and settled for rolling my eyes at her as I shook the dust from my coat. Totally a coincidence that I shook myself off right next to her. Totally. “Yeah, yeah … so, you good? I think I’ve got her from here.”

Carrot Top glared, brushing herself off. She shook her head. “I’ll be fine. If you need anything, I’ll be in the market. Have fun Dinky, be good!”

“I will!” She promised as she started nudging me towards Sugarcube Corner.

“That goes for you too, Rainbow.” Carrot teased as she walked off.

I snorted. Everypony’s a comedian. “Okay, c’mon kiddo,” I reached out with my wing. “Up you go…”

“Yay! Pegy-back ride!” Dinky grinned as she started to climb up. She was having some trouble, so I had to use my wing to give her a boost. Soon the little unicorn was sitting comfortably on my back. It felt … kinda nice, truth be told. Don’t go telling anypony I said that, though.

I turned my head back to look at my little passenger. “Ready for a ride?” I grinned.

Dinky nodded eagerly. “Yeah!”

This kid might have been a unicorn, but she had the spirit of a pegasus. I smirked. “Then let’s go!” Dinky squealed in delight as I took off. When we reached treetop level, I turned my head to check on her. “You hanging on tight, Dinks?”

“Ya huh!” Her eyes were gleaming as her mane was whipping behind her.

What did I say? Spirit of a pegasus. “Then let’s kiss the sky!” I whooped as I took her up, higher and higher into the wild blue yonder. Dinky buried her face into my mane, trying to shield her eyes from the wind. Truth be told, the distance from Ditzy’s house to Sugarcube Corner was shorter than the distance we had flown upwards. I just wanted to give my godfilly her daily dose of awesomeness. “Take a look, kiddo!

The little filly peered over at the town below. “Whoaaa…” her eyes widened impressively. “This is so cool!” She squeaked, her voice breaking in excitement. “You’re the bestest!”

“You aren’t too bad yourself, kiddo.” I grinned back. “Now, let’s go get some ice cream!” I angled my wings down as we lowered into a descending spiral around Sugarcube Corner.

Dinky cheered as we zoomed in on the target. Just as we were near ground level, I glided in through the front door and came to a perfect stop right in front of the counter. Mr. Cake blinked in surprise. “Hey,” I greeted him casually, as if we had just walked in through the door like a normal, non-awesome pony.

Mr. Cake coughed, shaking off his surprise. “Why, er, hello Rainbow Dash. May I help you?”

“Nah, but maybe you can help us.” I grinned at Mr. Cake’s confused look, turning sideways a bit so he could see my passenger.

“Hi Mr. Cake!” Dinky waved adorably.

The lanky yellow stallion smiled as he waved back. “Well hello Dinky. What brings you here?”

“Rainbow Dash took me flying and we went so high, but now we get to have ice cream!” She giggled. “And I wanna have strawberry ice cream with lotsa whipped cream and chocolate syrup and sprinkles! Can you make the sprinkles be lotsa colors so they’re like a rainbow, like Rainbow Dash?” She paused to take a breath before adding. “Pretty please?”

A fond smile crossed Mr. Cake’s face. She had that effect on everypony. “Of course we can.” He looked to me. “And for you?”

“I’ll have a vanilla shake.” I pulled out some bits and dropped them onto the counter. “Thanks.”

I let Dinky down from my back as we walked over to a table. We had barely sat down when a familiar pink face appeared, carrying our order.

“Hi Rainbow Dash!” Pinkie Pie popped up, balancing a tray on her head. “Hi Dinky! Oooh, I like your name because it sounds like Pinkie! Pinkie, Dinky! Dinky, Pinkie!” She giggled as she set our orders on the table. That was Pinkie Pie for you. She was a great fillyfriend but … if anypony ever gives her coffee, I swear somepony is going to die.

Dinky giggled too. “You’re funny!” Understatement of the year, Dinks.

“Of course! I have to be!” Pinkie grinned. “If I’m not funny, then you wouldn’t be smiling! If you weren’t smiling—then that’d be just awful!”

That made Dinky think as she reached for her spoon. “Then, smiling must make you happy. And you bein’ happy makes other ponies happy! And when ponies are happy, they smile and that makes you happy more and--wow!” Dinky rubbed her head. I can relate. Talking to Pinkie Pie usually makes me want to do the same. “It’s like a big circle!”

“You got it! Hee, you’re a regular old thinky, Dinky!” Pinkie winked. “Thinky Dinky and a winky Pinkie!” She grinned as Dinky started to dig into her ice cream, the corners of her mouth liberally smeared with whipped cream and ice cream. I almost choked on my milkshake from sheer adorableness. It can be fatal. “Whoops! I guess somepony’s gonna need a bath later!” Pinkie grinned as she pounded me on the back. “Remember to take your bath so you won’t be a stinky Dinky, but if you stay in too long you’ll be a wrinkly, shrinky Dinky!”

I coughed, hiding a smile behind my hoof as I recovered. The two giggly ponies were so alike you’d think they were sisters. Just then, Pinkie pulled something out from behind her back: a muffin. Dinky’s eyes lit up. “Banana nut! My favorite! Thank you Miss Pinkie!” She grabbed the offered treat greedily and started tearing into it. I half expected her to make nomming noises as she ate.

“You’re welcome, Dinky!” Pinkie smiled at me. “No charge!”

“Thanks, Pinkie.” I took a sip of her shake. “That’s pretty cool of you.”

Pinkie just waved her hoof dismissively. “Pfff, nah it’s nothing! I mean, it’s just the sort of thing you do—ya gotta make sure she’s happy! I never start my morning without making Pound and Pumpkin Cake smile!”

Dinky grinned. “They’re really cute! Can I see?”

“Sure! They’re taking a nap upstairs, so ya gotta be quiet. Remember what I taughtcha about being sneaky?”

Dinky nodded solemnly. “Be vewy qwiet, like a wascilly wabbit.” She hopped down from her seat and scampered upstairs. By this point I didn’t even ask.

When she was gone, Pinkie looked at me. “You’re sooooo lucky Ditzy made you Dinky’s godmom! I wish I had a godfilly,” she pouted for a moment before brightening. “Hey, Mr. and Mrs. Cake never named a godparent for their foals! Maybe I’ll end up being their godmom and then you and I can have a special godmom party!” She gasped. “And if I’m their godmom, that means I can do magic like a unicorn and grant them wishes! Ohmygosh, being a godmom would be the greatest thing ever! I need to go talk to them right now!” Pinkie zoomed off into the back room before I had a chance to respond.

So random. I took a sip of my shake as I tried replaying what Pinkie said at something approaching normal speed. Pinkie was so excited about the idea of being a godmom … but there really wasn’t that much to it. Was there? I came to Dinky’s birthdays, dropped in occasionally and watched her when Ditzy asked, did fun cool stuff, but the way Pinkie was going on she acted like being a godmother was ‘the greatest thing ever.’ Don’t get me wrong, it was cool. I loved Dinky and Sparkler, but … well, there wasn’t much to this whole godmothering business.

Was there?

Was there something more I was supposed to be doing? Pinkie saw the Cake twins every day—I didn’t even do that—and Pinkie wasn’t even their godparent.

I pushed aside my milkshake. Suddenly I wasn’t all that hungry.

Dinky came back down a minute later. In between great messy mouthfuls of ice cream, she talked my ear off about how cute the Cake twins were. “…and then Pumpkin was drooling all over this rubber chicken!” she giggled. “And then Pound yawned and rolled over and he punched the chicken, so Pumpkin started to drool over his hoof! It was gross!” she proclaimed importantly. “But kinda cute, in a gross kinda way.” She paused after taking another spoonful of ice cream. “Was I like that as a baby?”

“Hm?” I had to shake my head to clear out some of the cobwebs. “You? Well, maybe a little,” I admitted. Babies were eating, drooling, crying, pooping machines. There wasn’t much point in denying it. But Dinky pouted so I had to say something else. “That doesn’t mean you weren’t the cutest little muffin ever.” I added, which had the benefit of being completely true. Dinky had been the cutest eating, drooling, crying, pooping machine ever.

That made Dinky beam proudly as she finished her snack, her mouth still ringed by whipped cream smears. “Okay.” She hopped down onto the floor and waved at Mr. Cake. “Buh-bye Mr. Cake! Thank you!”

“You’re welcome, Dinky.” He chuckled, waving back at her. Her adorableness combined with my awesomeness, we could rule the world! Mwahaha!

…dangit, I have got to stop hanging around Pinkie Pie so much.

I waved too, thanking him as we walked outside. I would’ve carried Dinky again so we could fly, but after her ice cream and muffin, the little filly was so excited that she was hopping all over the place. Getting her to sit still would’ve been impossible.

So we walked along, Dinky hopping about as she talked about the goings on of her friends at recess. She was just telling me about the latest time Pip had done something and Alula had called him a dummy, when Dinky stopped and pointed at something. “Oh look! It’s Miss Fluttershy!”

I looked up and sure enough, there was Fluttershy, escorting a line of ducklings through town like a mama duck. Classic Fluttershy. “Hey Fluttershy!” I waved.

She gave a little start, but relaxed when she saw it was me. “Oh, hello Rainbow Dash. Hello Dinky!”

“Hi!” Dinky ran over. “Watcha doin’?” She leaned over, trying to look behind Fluttershy at her feathered friends. Well, her other feathered friends.

Fluttershy smiled, stepping aside to let Dinky have a better view. “Oh, Mrs. Duck wasn’t feeling well, so I’m taking her little babies over to my house until she feels better.” She lowered her voice and whispered. “They need to take some medicine my friend Zecora made so they don’t get sick too.”

Dinky gasped, trembling slightly. “Are ya gonna hafta give them a shot?! I don’t like shots! They’re scary!”

“I know.” Fluttershy gave a little shiver of her own. I repressed the urge to do the same. Not that I was afraid of needles or anything. Nothing scared me! Buuut there was something unsettling about sitting still and letting something hurt you deliberately, especially when it was supposed to be for your own good. I mean I could take a hit or a crash and get up and walk away like it was nothing. With doctors…that was something else. Not that I was ever gonna admit that.

But Fluttershy gave Dinky a gentle wing hug. “They scare me too, but I have to make sure my little animal friends stay healthy, and sometimes that means doing things that are scary.”

Dinky tilted her head. “How come?”

“Because taking care of animals is my job, just like it’s your mother and Rainbow Dash’s job to take care of you.” Fluttershy smiled supportively. “Sometimes they make you do things you don’t want to, don’t they?” She waited for Dinky to nod. “They do that because they have to do what’s best for you, right Rainbow Dash?”

“Y-yeah ... totally.” I winced. Taking Dinky to doctor’s appointments and stuff was Ditzy’s department. When I took care of Dinky she just did the fun, cool stuff: giving Dinky extra cookies, roughhousing with her. Sometimes I made lunch and one time I tried to give Dinky a bath ... we ended up flooding the bathroom, and now Ditzy didn’t ask anymore. But I never really thought about all that health-stuff. Should I have made Dinky eat spinach instead of getting her ice cream? Did she have any allergies? I didn’t think so, but now I wasn’t so sure. Had she been vaccinated? What was her blood-type? Did her family have a history of any illnesses? Shouldn’t I know this stuff? I shook my head. Come on, quit being uncool. Just because I don’t know all this stuff off the top of my head doesn’t mean that I’m a horrible godmom or anything.

I blinked. Where had that thought come from? Of course I wasn’t horrible, I was a great godmom! 

Right?

Dinky went over and sat down in front of the baby ducks, giggling as she let them crawl over her. I felt the uncool stirrings of worry start to grow in my stomach. What if those ducklings were carrying diseases and stuff? “Come on Dinky, we can’t keep Fluttershy busy.”

“Well, I don’t mi—” Fluttershy was interrupted by the sudden appearance of my hoof in her mouth. I’ve had lots of practice with Pinkie.

“Oh we totally understand, you have places to go, things to do…” I assured her. “We’ve got lots of places to go.”

Dinky pouted, hugging a duckling. “Aww, but the duckies are so cute!”

“Tell you what, we’ll swing by the library later and I’m sure you can find a story about ducks!” I insisted, reaching out and gently pulling Dinky away from the ducks. “You can play with them after Fluttershy gives them their medicine, right?” I looked at Fluttershy.

Fluttershy blinked. “Yes, of cour—”

“Great, we’ll see you later Fluttershy. Say bye, Dinky!” I quickly shepherded Dinky away with my wings, giving Fluttershy a quick wave.

“Bye Miss Fluttershy! Bye duckies!” Dinky waved after she got in one last hug before I led her away. “So what’re we gonna do next, Rainbow Dash?”

I swallowed, realizing my throat was feeling pretty dry and parched. That probably influenced my decision. “How about we swing by Sweet Apple Acres? I’ll bet Applejack will have some apple juice for a certain filly.”

Grinning happily, Dinky clambered up on my back again and we started trotting off to Sweet Apple Acres. I don’t know why, but for some reason I didn’t want to fly carrying Dinky right then.

We were on the outskirts of town when we came across a familiar sight: a pegasus carrying a filly on her back. “Cloud Kicker? Alula?” I blinked as I waved with a wing at the sisters. Trotting alongside them was a piebald colt with a familiar accent.

“Rainbow?” Cloud Kicker returned, just as surprised to find us there. “Dinky?”

Ecstatic, Dinky stood up on my back and waved. “’lula! Pippy!” She grinned as she jumped down.

“Dinky!” Alula returned, doing the same with Cloud Kicker. The two fillies ran at each other, colliding in an adorable hug. Pipsqueak, thinking they were playing around, ran at them and leaped on top of the fillies, turning the hug into a three-way wrestling match.

“Hey CK,” I nodded as she approached her, giving her a wing-five. “What’s up?”

“Not much,” She answered, returning it. “I was actually looking for Derpy. My mom dropped Alula off with me and I figured the fillies would like to hang out. We ran into Pipsqueak along the way. Didn’t know you had her.”

I jerked my hoof behind me, pointing out of town. “Ditzy went to Hoofington for a delivery, she won’t be back until late. I’ve got Dinky for the day.”

Cloud Kicker quirked her brow. “I see ... wanna join forces?” She smirked as if she was planning a major campaign. “You take Alula and Pip for a bite while I get their stuff over to Derpy’s. I’ll house sit until you get back for dinner. Then we’ll commence a raid on her icebox and pig out on pizza.”

“Ditzy’s emptied everypony else’s fridge often enough.” I agreed ruefully. Once we shook on it, I turned back to the kids. “All right, listen up!” The foals stopped struggling and came to attention. Alula threw me a salute because I was that awesome. Pip and Dinky copied her. “Right, so here’s the scoop: Cloud Kicker is going to leave you all with me while she watches Ditzy’s house. We’re going to work together to keep an eye on you tiny trio of terrors tonight.” I blinked. Darn Pinkie Pie, she’s got me doing it now. “In the meantime, we’re going to Sweet Apple Acres!” That got them all cheering as I dramatically pointed in the direction of the farm, the wind blowing through my mane and the sun at my back. “Chaaaarge!”

With a fierce roar--well, sorta--the kids started stampeding down the beaten path to AJ’s farm, kicking up dust as they ran. That gave me an idea: and my ideas are awesome. I flew after them, keeping a steady pace over head.

When the farm was in sight, I flew up ahead. I found Applejack, and to my surprise, Rarity sitting at a table just outside the barn having some tea or something totally lame. This was gonna be good. Two ponies for the price of one. Just as the dust the kids were kicking up came into view, I took a deep breath and shouted “STAMPEDE!”

The reactions were instantaneous and, frankly, hilarious: as soon as they saw the oncoming dust cloud Rarity shrieked and flung her teacup upwards, dousing Applejack. AJ, dripping with tea, bolted straight up and knocked the table over. That got Rarity covered with crumbs, tea and jam and stuff. Hey, if they weren’t going to share then they got what they deserve!

AJ got her hooves caught up with the table and she faceplanted, her hat falling and covering her face. She hastily pushed it up on her head only to see and hear the oncoming stampede rushing towards them. “Oh mah stars…” She covered her face with her hooves.

And then, just like that, it was over. “Hiya Miss Applejack, hi Miss Rarity!” Dinky bounded over, Alula and Pipsqueak on her heels. “Can we have some apple juice?”

I just about died laughing.

Rarity and AJ glared at me, but that just made it even funnier. I had to land just so I wouldn’t accidentally drop out of the sky. By the time I had myself—mostly—under control, they had cleaned themselves up a bit and righted their table back up.

Applejack did her best not to show the fillies that I had gotten under her coat. “Well, hey there li’l filly.” The farmpony grinned, tipping her hat slightly back. “Apple Bloom an’ her friends are having one of their Crusader meetings out back and they’ve got plenty of juice. I’m sure they’d let you and your friends join ‘em.”

“Wow, cool! Thank you!” Dinky chirped. “C’mon guys!” The three foals stampeded past, kicking up more dirt and dust.

Rarity held up a hoofkerchief to her face to shield herself from the worst of it. “Always in such a hurry.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.” I grinned. “So what’re you up to AJ?”

“Well, we were having ourselves a nice li’l lunch, leastaways until you showed up.“ She glowered meaningfully at me. “Before that, Ah was taking Apple Bloom through the orchard, pointing out all the little tasks that need to be done that’re gonna be her job one day. Then her friends came by and, well, you can guess the rest.”

I nodded faintly, not really listening. Was that something I should be thinking about: helping Dinky find a career? She was way too young for that! But, AJ was doing it for Apple Bloom…hrm. Maybe I should start by helping Dinky get her cutie mark? I tried that once with Apple Bloom and that didn’t turn out so well…her karate was still good, though.

Fortunately, Applejack nudged me before that train of thought could fully pull out of the station. “So ye’re wranglin’ the whole herd today?”

I shrugged, grateful for the interruption. “Eh, you know how it is. Ditzy asked me to watch Dinky, and you know foals--they multiply like parasprites.”

“The appetite’s about the same,” AJ agreed wryly. “Gotta admit, that Dinky sure is a cute critter.” Couldn’t argue with that. Even ponies with fillies of their own admitted that Dinky was cute. If there was an Element of Cuteness, Dinky would have it.

Rarity nodded. “She is a darling. I only hope that as her godmother you teach her proper manners and maturity.” Oh gag me. Seriously? I wasn’t even allowed to goof off with my godkid? What a rip!

Applejack snorted. “Ah think yer mistakin’ RD for somepony else.” I glowered at her. Hey, I always do my job! Not my fault I’m so awesome that I can start later and finish earlier than everypony else. She was just jealous. So nyah. “Anyways as long as she teaches Dinky to work hard and be responsible, Rainbow’s doing a good job.”

“R-right.” I smiled weakly. Great, even MORE things I was supposed to be doing.

“Ah mean, it’s gotta be hard for Rainbow seein’ how she’s usually so gosh-durn lazy. Er, no offense sugarcube. I just mean, if you’da told me when Ah first met you that you’d be some filly’s godmomma ... well, Ah’d would’ve thought you been drinking too much hard cider.” The farmpony chuckled to herself. Rarity glared at her friend until the message sunk in. AJ coughed awkwardly. “But that was before! Now that Ah’ve gotten to know you better and see how you act with Dinky … well, Ditzy Doo wouldn’t just let anypony take care of her little girl, right?”

My smile grew more forced. “Yeah. Thanks, AJ.”

Thanks a lot.

After that we shot the breeze for a little, not talking about anything that important. Rarity was going on about some new fashion line she had in the works and Applejack was talking my ear off about the *yawn* importance of getting the right fertilizer mixture for new apple trees.

Riveting.

Applejack was, thankfully, interrupted when she spotted something. She looked behind me raising a hoof to block the sun from her eyes. “Ain’t that Cloud Kicker heading this way?”

I took a look for myself. Sure enough, it was CK. Wonder what she wanted. “Yeah, that’s CK all right.”

“Great,” Applejack grumbled. “A better go hide mah brother down in the cellar and make sure there ain’t any hay for her t’go rollin’ in.”

“Oh come now, Applejack.” Rarity chided her gently. “No need to be rude.”

“What’s up?” I asked as Kicker came in for a landing. “Thought you were gonna stay at Derpy’s house.”

She smiled sheepishly at me. “Yeah, well, I remembered that we forgot one tiny little detail. Could I borrow Pipsqueak for a moment?”

“Sure, I think he’s around here somewhere.” I looked around. “He and the girls went to play with the Crusaders. I’m sure they’re just...”

“AAAAHHH!” A panicked high-pitched yell cut me off. “I don’t wanna be exterminated!” I recognized that accent. It was Pipsqueak. He ran up to us and tackled me, clinging to my coat like he was Opal. “Save me!”

“Woah there sugarcube!” Applejack wrapped her hooves around him and gently pried him off, setting him down on the ground. “Save you from what?”

Pip raised a shaky hoof at something behind us. “THEM!”

We turned to see Dinky, Alula, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle armed with various odds and ends as make-shift armor and weaponry. “Cutie Mark Crusader Cootie Exterminators!”

Dinky, who was wearing a cardboard box, pointed a hoof at him. “Cooties must be ex-ter-min-ated!” she sounded out the hard word bit by bit.

Oh Celestia, that was too priceless. Cloud Kicker snorted and shook her head. Applejack wasn’t as amused. “You girls weren’t gonna really hurt the little fella, were you?” She frowned at them.

Her little sister hastily shook her head. “‘F course not, Applejack! We just wanted to make sure he didn’t have any cooties before we let him into the clubhouse!”

“Don’t you have your Rainbow Dash Fan Club meetings in your clubhouse?” Applejack asked Scootaloo. “Ain’t Snips and Snails are part o’ that?” Scootaloo nodded. “Then why the hay would you need to de-cootie-fy Pip when y’all have already had colts in your clubhouse? For pony’s sake, they’re ain’t no such thing as cooties anyhow!”

“Really?” Alula tilted her head. “But Cloudy said that colts can give you icky things, that’s why she gave Sparkler condos! Dinky heard her!”

Oh ... oh Celestia! I fell on my back and cracked up. The look on Kicker’s face, I didn’t think she could turn that red. And the way Rarity and Applejack were looking at her, you’d think she had just tripped their grannies. I’m gonna treasure that look FOREVER!

I faintly heard one of the fillies comment that ‘grown-ups are weird’ and that just set me off more. Cloud Kicker stammered and eventually regained the ability to speak. “Er, um, Pip! I need to take you home for a minute!”

Poking his head out from behind Applejack, Pip didn’t look like he was about to object. “O-okay, but why?”

“We forgot to ask your parents if it’s okay for you to be part of our sleepover at the Doo house,” she explained. “So I’m going to take you home so you can ask for permission.”

Sweetie Belle gave a little gasp. “You’re all having a sleepover?” She looked to Alula and Dinky. “That’s so great! I wish we could go too! You’re really fun!”

“Hey, yeah!” Scootaloo jumped up, her wings buzzing in excitement. “We should totally join you!”

I winced. Looking after three kids was going to be hard enough, even with CK’s help, but six? I heard about what happened with Kicker and Blossomforth when they looked after the girls, and there were only five of them! “I don’t know, I mean I’m sure Applejack and Rarity...”

“Ah think it’s a great idea!” AJ cut me off, grinning in a way I had come to fear. “It’s great that you girls have made more friends your own age. Ah think a slumber party would be loads of fun for y’all. Don’t you think so, Rarity?”

“Oh indeed!” Rarity’s eyes lit-up as she caught on. This was their payback for the stampede prank. “You girls should get your things together and spend the entire night with Rainbow Dash!”

Oh horseapples. “Um, listen girls I--”

“Can we please come over, Rainbow Dash?” Scootaloo asked, zipping up to me. “It’d be so incredibly cool if we could hang out...with you.” I winced. In all the worrying about Dinky I had almost totally forgot about my number one fan, Scootaloo. I really needed to spend more time with her. But could I do that without neglecting Dinky? I didn’t get a chance to think it over since Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom flanked Scootaloo and--no, not the puppyface, not the puppyface--dangit!

“Fine...” I sighed. Even I knew there was no way out of this one.

The fillies cheered and hugged each other as I shot a look at Rarity and Applejack, who were looking way too smug. Jerks.

Cloud Kicker leaned down. “C’mon Pip, I’ve got to take you to your house. Alula, you can come too, make sure I didn’t forget anything of yours.”

“Okay, Cloudy.” Alula walked over and made a point of getting on her sister’s back before Pip did.

“Sweetie Belle, come with me. We must make sure you’re well packed and prepared for your little slumber party!” Rarity giggled as she led her sister away. “Oh, you’re going to have such fun! You can do each other’s hooves and have makeovers and...” she went on.

Applejack chuckled as she led Apple Bloom and Scootaloo back to the farmhouse. “Git along you two. I’ll make sure you kids have some snacks for the tonight.” She stopped to throw me the evilest smirk I’ve ever seen. “We’ll see you later, Rainbow.”

My friends are evil masterminds.

That just left Dinky. She discarded her box armor and looked up at me. “What do we do now?”

I had to think about that. “Well, how about we swing by the library? I was planning to pick up the newest Daring Do book.”

Dinky giggled. “Heheheee, Daring Do. That sounds like me--Dinky Doo!”

“Heh, yeah it does,” I reached over and gave her mane a good tussling, ignoring Dinky’s feeble protests. “You been out on any jungle adventures and not tell me?”

“Well, sometimes I go into Miss Carrot Top’s garden. Does that count?” She asked innocently.

I felt my heart melt in a gooey, uncool mess. But it felt good. “Urm, close enough,” I conceded. “Come on kiddo, let’s go.”

We arrived at the library without further incident, which was a relief. I didn’t want Dinky catching a plague or something. I was about to knock on the door when I got a great idea that would help me keep my mind off things. “Hey Dinky, wanna help me with a prank?”

“Yeah!” She grinned, hopping in excitement. “What do I do, what do I do?”

“Just wait right here.” I knocked on the door and pressed my face against it, shouting loudly. “Twilight, help! Discord’s back and he turned me into Dinky!”

“WHAT?!” came Twi’s loud panicked shriek. I winked at my little co-conspirator and flew up into the branches. We both had to suppress our laughter as we heard Twilight running and stumbling down the stairs. A moment later I heard the sound of panting as Twilight threw the door open and looked down, her mane a mess.

Dinky waved at her. I had to put a hoof up to my mouth to make it seem like her voice was coming from the tiny unicorn. “Help! Look what Discord did to me!” Dinky mouthed silently, going along with the illusion. I think Twilight was too panicked to notice that her lips didn’t synch with my voice.

Twilight began hyperventilating. “Ohnoohnoohno!” She desperately danced up and down on her hooves. “Spike! SPIIIIIIIIIKE! Take a letter! We need to contact the Princess! And keep Pinkie away from the chocolate rain!”

Her worried ranting sent me and Dinky over the edge as we burst out laughing. “Gotcha!” I grinned as I stuck my head out of the branches. “You should see the look on your face!”

“We scared you, we scared you!” Dinky hopped around Twilight, giggling at the stunned unicorn. I had taught her well.

Twilight ground her teeth. “Rainbow Daaaash…” she glowered at me, not realizing that only made it more hilarious. “That wasn’t funny!”

“Sure it was!” I argued, clutching my stomach.

“Ugh!” Twilight stomped her hoof. “It’s bad enough you pull these practical jokes yourself, but now you’re dragging Dinky into this?”

Dinky lowered her ears. “I’m sorry Miss Twilight. We didn’t scare you too bad, did we?” Her lower lip jutted out. “I-if you want, you can borrow Favorite so you don’t have any nightmares.”

Before she could help herself, Twilight let out a squee combined with a d’aww. I’m just glad I had more self-restraint or Twi would never have let me hear the end of it. “Oh, it’s okay Dinky.” She assured her in a gentle, soothing tone. “It was kinda funny,” she rubbed the little filly’s mane, delighted when she smiled up at her. “Why don’t you two come in?”

“Thank you Miss Twilight.” Dinky reached up and wrapped her hooves around Twilight’s neck in a tight hug.

With a wide smile stretching from ear to ear, Twilight stood aside to let Dinky and me in. I was starting to consider taking Dinky on as a permanent pranking partner. With her around, who could possibly get mad?

“Hey Dinky, how about if you pick out some books for tonight?” I suggested. “I’ll read them to you before bed.” Dinky grinned and dashed to the shelves, hopping up and down for a better look at them.

Twilight smiled approvingly. “Aww, that’s really sweet of you, Rainbow.” 

“Heh, it’s no big deal…” Darnit, was I blushing again? Grah. I rubbed my forelegs together, trying not to let her see the heat on my face.

“Just think, a little while back and you would have said that reading was just for ‘egg-heads,’” Twilight smirked, gently teasing. “I’m glad that you’ve gotten interested in reading. I’m sure Dinky appreciates it.”

“Yeah, well, she’s cool.” I grinned.

“With you as her godmother, how couldn’t she be?” Twilight drawled with a slight roll of her eyes. “I assume you’re here for the newest Daring Do?” She waited for me to nod before wandering over to the shelf. “Hm, let me see … I don’t know if I still have it.” Her voice was coy. “I might have given it out to one of my other friends—one who doesn’t try to scare me with stories that a powerful spirit of chaos and disharmony has broken free and is now terrorizing Ponyville.”

I rolled my eyes. “Oh come on Twilight….”

“Hmm, what was that?” Twilight swished her tail. “I can’t hear youuuu… I guess Discord filled my ears with cotton candy clouds.” 

“Hngh, fiiiine….” I groaned. “I’m sorry I said Discord was free and I won’t use him in a prank again. Happy?”

Twilight turned around and nodded, a pleased look on her face. “Very.” She floated over the newest Daring Do book to her. “Here you go.”

“Thanks,” I grabbed it and tucked it under my wing. “How was it?”

“I didn’t actually get a chance to read it yet,” Twilight admitted. “I got a letter from my big brother.”

Keeping a stray eye on Dinky, I nodded vaguely. “Yeah? How’re he doing? We ever gonna meet him or is just somepony you made up?”

“Yes, Rainbow. I made up the existence of my older brother as part of an elaborate prank on you.” Twilight deadpanned. “Anyway, he’s doing great and…”

“Miss Twilight?” The two mares turned around to see Dinky looking up at them.

Twilight smiled, leaning down. “Yes, Dinky?”

“Um, is it true that you’re one of Rainbow Dash’s best friends?”

The purple unicorn blushed. “Yes, yes I am!”

“Wow!” Dinky gaped at her. “That must mean you’re really, really cool!”

Twilight blinked. “ ... Thanks?” she replied, confused.

“Rainbow Dash says you’re almost as cool as she is. Almost.” Dinky nodded. “So that’s really super cool!”

Twilight glared at me. I felt it best to look somewhere else, giving an innocent whistle of innocence. “Thank you Dinky. That’s ... very kind.”

The filly beamed happily and trotted back to the books. I chuckled weakly. “Heh, foals ... they say the darndest things?”

“Ah huh,” Twilight’s skepticism was obvious. Still, it had been intended as a compliment, so she decided to let it go. “It’s really great that you’re taking the time to read to Dinky,” she said again. “It must be nice, having a little pony to help mold and shape. To teach her all there is to know about the world, see her grow wise and smart and help her with her studies.” An eager squee escaped from Twilight. “I just hope when Shining Armor gets married and has a baby that he thinks of me when deciding a godmother. What an honor it’d be!” Her eyes gleamed. “After all, I’ve had plenty of experience raising Spike! Perhaps I should draw up a list of my credentials…”
   
Oh come on! I was supposed to teach Dinky too? I’m no egghead. The only thing I know really well was flying and being awesome, and Dinky was a unicorn! I felt my eyes threatening to cross as I lightly tapped my head, trying to remember if Dinky was having any trouble in school. She mentioned not liking fractions and division but she could still manage to do it. Dinky talked about stuff that happened at school, but mostly playground and lunchroom stuff. 

She only mentioned actually schoolwork when she did really good or when it was really hard. Should I ask more? Should I offer to tutor Dinky? But I dropped out of flight school; isn’t that setting a bad example? Did it matter that it happened before Dinky was born? 

Grah! I thought I had this godparent thing down, but it turns out I didn’t know anything about anything!

Twilight noticed Dinky trying to tug a book off the shelf with her magic. “I’m really grateful Ditzy Doo asked me to tutor Dinky with her magic.” Her eyes lit up. “I’ve always wanted to be a tutor, and this is great practice for me when Shining Armor has a foal of his own! Oooh! How wonderful!”

I frowned. Here Twilight was saying that a godmother was supposed to teach their godkid and then she was beaming over how she was teaching Dinky ... and not me.

It wasn’t fair! If Dinky was my godchild, then I should be the one able to help her ... but I couldn’t. Not with how to use her magic. This sucks. I felt thoroughly depressed.

Twilight, too busy watching Dinky’s efforts at magic, didn’t notice. “So, you’re watching Dinky for the day?”

I gave myself a little shake. No use letting Twilight see how lame and un-awesome I was feeling. I nodded, putting up a nonchalant, easy-going facade. “Yeah, Ditzy’s got to do a run to Hoofington so me and the kiddo are hanging out. We came from Sweet Apple Acres and before that, Sugarcube Corner.” I sighed. “I got roped into looking out for every foal in town.”

“Really?” Twilight looked at me skeptically. “Every foal?”

“Well, almost. Dinky, Alula, Pipsqueak and the Cutie Mark Crusaders.”  

Twilight winced sympathetically. “Yikes. All by yourself? Want me to help?”

I thought it over. “Well, Cloud Kicker is going to be staying to help so--”

“Cloud Kicker?” Twilight bit her lip. “Oh my! Just remembered, I have to reorganize my, uh, bookshelf!” Her horn lit up as all the books on a shelf behind her floated off and fell to the floor. “See? I’ll be at it all night! A heh.”

Geeze Twilight. Subtle.

She coughed. “Well, um, I imagine you’ll have a fun time with all those fillies who consider you to be cool, radical and awesome.”

“That’s awesome, cool and radical.” I corrected her. For an egghead she sure didn’t know much about the way things worked. But I decided not to hold it against her. “Yeah, Scootaloo’s probably gonna try to get them to join my fan...” I trailed off. “Say, um, Twilight?”

“Yes, Rainbow?”

I coughed. “Erm, just because I’m Dinky’s godmom, that doesn’t mean I’m neglecting her if I spend time with Scootaloo or something? I mean, Dinky’s awesome but sometimes I feel like I’m forgetting about Scootaloo and--” I started to add.

“Of course!” Twilight smiled encouragingly. “Just because you’re Dinky’s godparent doesn’t meant that you have to spend time with only her.” 

I suppressed the desire to sigh. That was a relief. I didn’t want to neglect Dinks or the Squirt. It was a good thing I could spend time with both of them without being a bad godmom. It was also a Twilight knew so much about, well, everything. Thinking of spending time with the kid, I thought back to what Pinkie said. I guess spending time wasn’t the end-all, be-all of godmothering. That made me relax a bit. It also made me wonder if Pinkie had talked the Cakes into submission yet about making her their foals’ godparent.

Twilight tilted her head. “What? What’s so funny?”

Huh, must’ve let what I was thinking show. “Nothing. Pinkie Pie just went a little nuts over Dinky.”

“A lot of ponies do that over little ponies,” Twilight agreed with a smile. “And Pinkie Pie is…” she paused as she looked for the right word.

“Random?” I offered.

“…easily excitable,” Twilight said at last.

Couldn’t really argue with that. “Yeah, she’s probably badgering Mr. and Mrs. Cake to name her the twins’ godmother right now.”

“Hmm.” Twilight put on her thinking face. “That’s a big responsibility, but I guess she’s up to it.”

“Y-yeah, er, how do you mean?” I asked, my heart sinking.

“Well, a godparent is chosen to take part in a foal’s upbringing and development. It’s not uncommon for a godparent to take over parenting duties should something happen to the birth parents. It’s a big job.”

“O-oh. Er, of course it is! I knew that.” I answered quickly. I would be Dinky and Sparkler’s mom if something happened to Ditzy? She vaguely recalled Ditzy mentioning something to that effect when she asked her to be their godmom, but I never really thought about it before. Ditzy was a single parent, if anything happened to her … then I would be responsible for Dinky. Looking around, I saw her sitting blissfully unaware as she poured over a brightly-colored book about ducks.

I suddenly felt faint, like I had flown up too high, too fast and there wasn’t enough air. Just a moment ago I’d been sweating about helping Dinky with her homework and now I was thinking of what would happen if I was in charge of Dinky full-time! I mean, Ditzy’s pretty accident prone: setting things on fire, electrocuting herself with lightning, breaking things with her bubble butt ... it was a miracle something hadn’t happened to her sooner!

I-I can’t be a mom! I don’t know anything about raising kids! I’ll have to give up my house, Dinky can’t walk on clouds! And what about if the Wonderbolts ask me to join them? Can I bring a kid along? What if I can’t, I-I’d either have to give up my dream ... or Dinky! W-what if I need to get married in order to help raise Dinky? What if Pinkie wants kids of our own and doesn’t want to raise somepony elses’? What if Dinky’s allergic to Tank? OH SWEET CELESTIA ON HER THRONE, I CAN’T HANDLE THIS!!!

I was feeling so tense, so wound up that I almost—almost—screamed when I heard the sound of something falling with a ‘thump.’ Twilight whirled around and gasped as she saw a book had fallen off the shelf. I was just grateful for the distraction. They way Twilight was reacting you’d think it was her kid or something that had just…fallen…

That’s when I noticed Dinky clinging to the bookcase, about halfway up the wall. She squirmed as she climbed her way up, reaching for something to grasp. Her hoof came down on the top of a book which she used to haul herself up to the next shelf—until the book came loose. Dinky let out a sudden shriek as she fell from the bookcase.
 
Oh my gosh! I was up and moving even before Dinky’s hoof cleared the shelf. Somehow, the other side of the room never seemed further away than it did right then. It might as well have been on the other side of Equestria!  

I stretched out my hooves just in time for Dinky to fall into them. I hugged her close as I flared my wings out and came to a stop. “Are you okay?!” I looked her over. Oh please let her be okay, oh please oh please--

“Whoa!” Dinky looked up at me. “Rainbow Dash that was ‘mazing!” She squirmed in my grip until she was facing Twilight. “Didja see that? I was all 'Whoa!' an' she was all 'WHOA!' an' we were all 'whoooaa....'”

Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh… My stomach felt like it had just attempted a Sonic Rainboom without the rest of me. Dinky had almost fallen. She had almost ... my eyes darted around as I looked for other potential dangers. They were everywhere! Tables with sharp corners! A creepy-looking owl that was probably diseased or something! A tree full of paper and a fire-breathing dragon in the kitchen! I had to get her out of here!

It was only then I noticed that Twilight had been calling me, from the way she sounded it wasn’t the first time. “Are you okay?” She asked, tilting her head at me. “You look a bit out of it.”

“I--I’m fine!” I blurted out. “It, um, it’s just getting late and I should be taking Dinky home.” I gathered up a few books for Dinky and leaned down to let her climb on my back. “Thanks for the books, Twi.”

Twilight looked at me oddly. “You’re welcome. If you want to talk, I’m always--”

“I’m fine.” I insisted. I might suck as a godmom but that’s no reason to go around advertising it. I thought about asking her for advice, but decided not to. What if Twilight told Ditzy that I was asking for help and Ditzy decided that I was a bad godmother? “C’mon Dinks, say good-bye.”

Dinky waved. “Bye-bye Miss Twilight! Thank you!” I trotted for the door and back outside. She eagerly started recounting her climb up the bookshelf. I listened to Dinky with only half an ear. Right now I just wanted to bring her home and finally get a moment’s peace from today’s chaos. Then I remembered that Cloud Kicker was going to be there. With Alula. And Pipsqueak. And the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

I’m doomed.

For once I wasn’t in a hurry to arrive at my destination. When we finally did make it back to Dinky’s house, I wasn’t exactly thrilled. I knocked on the door and pushed it open. “We’re back!” I looked around. Cloud Kicker hadn’t done a half-bad job setting up Derpy’s place for a double-triple sleep-over: I saw popcorn, pizza and juice for the kids to snack on and Battle Clouds and Lunar for them to play.

Alula and Scootaloo were in the middle of a game when they looked up. “Hey Dinky!” Alula waved. “Wanna play? I’m just about to finish beating Scootaloo!”

“In your dreams, maybe!” Scoots shot back, full of spunk. It was scary how much she was like me. Did my moms have another kid and just not tell me? Awesomom could be forgetful … I shook the thought off and looked for the rest of the herd.

Apple Bloom and Pipsqueak were passionately debating about fruits. Huh. Didn’t think the colt was a farming-type.

“I’m telling you, oranges are what cure scurvy, not apples!” Pip insisted.

“Apples ‘re good for anything!” Apple Bloom pronounced.

“They’re not good in ice cream! Strawberries and cherries and bananas and stuff, but who ever heard of apples and ice cream?”

Apple Bloom had to think for a moment. “Well, ice cream on a slice of apple pie is really good! So that counts!”

“Princess Celestia likes bananas.” Sweetie Belle chimed in, derailing the argument as both foals looked at her strangely. She scuffed a hoof on the floor, looking down. “That’s what I heard…”

Pipsqueak rolled his eyes, and apparently noticed me and Dinky. “Hey, Dinky’s back!” He got up and ran over to her. “Your house is really neat!”

Dinky beamed. “Thanks!”

Pip darted away to the snack table, only to come back with a cookie wrapped in a napkin. “Here! I saved one for you,” he added shyly. I think I could actually taste the sweetness in the back of my throat.

“Thanks!” Dinky repeated as she eagerly reached for the cookie. She paused, looking up at me. “Um, Rainbow Dash? Is Applejack right when she said they’re no such things as cooties? Cuz I don’t wanna get any…”

“It’s fine.” I assured her. Who was I to stand between a filly and her baked goodness? Before I could think of anything else to say, Dinky immediately tore into her cookie. She didn’t eat it, she inhaled it.

Cloud Kicker gave a little snort, drawing my attention to her presence. “’bout time you two got here … and I see somepony didn’t waste anytime diving into the snacks,” She chuckled. “Aww, he saved her a cookie. No colt ever saved a cookie for me when I was a filly.” She pouted.

I flicked her with my wing. “That’s because when you were a filly you had the world’s biggest stick up your plot.”

“So nice of you to notice,” CK returned dryly, flicking her tail. She kept her words ambiguous (Ha! I do know big words, eat it AJ!) so I couldn’t be sure if she was referring to me noticing her stick or her plot. Kicker liked making conversations confusing and awkward. Normally I would’ve just blasted her with my clever retorts but I wasn’t in the mood.

Besides, just then Dinky tapped my leg. “Can I have a drink?”

I nodded, walking over to the table. “Sure Dinks. Milk or juice?”

“Do we have chocolate milk?” She asked hopefully, her face the very picture of sweetness. 

I couldn’t say no. “Sure.” I poured her a cup and then joined CK in parking our plots on the couch and helping ourselves to some slices of pizza. The filles (and Pipsqueak) sat on the floor and shared a plate of cookies. I squirmed slightly as Dinky told them of my admittedly dramatic rescue. I really didn’t need to have her parade in front of Cloud Kicker of what a feather-up I was. She knew that already.

Scootaloo hung on Dinky’s every word. “Aww, yeah Rainbow Dash is awesome! Hey, you’re all members of the fan club, right?” She looked around. Dinky and Alula nodded. Pipsqueak, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle all found something very interesting about the walls or the floor. “Aww, c’mon you guys, why not?”

“Well…” Apple Bloom idly traced her hoof on the floor. “Rainbow Dash is real cool and all, but she likes to compete against mah sister. Ah don’t want to hafta root against Applejack!”

Sweetie Belle nodded. “I don’t want Rarity to be jealous because I joined the Rainbow Dash Fan Club instead of the Rarity Fan Club.”

Wait, there’s a Rarity fan club?

A second later, Scootaloo looked at Sweetie. “Wait, there’s a Rarity fan club?”

…Seriously, SCARY.

“Well, no,” Sweetie Belle admitted. “I think that’s kinda the problem,” she rubbed her chin. “Hey, if I started one, would you—”

“No.”

“Awww….”

Pipsqueak put in his two bits. “I didn’t really know about it before, but I’d like to join.” He paused. “I think there should be a Princess Luna fan club, though.”

“Princess Luna is really cool.” Scootaloo admitted. “Remember how much fun Nightmare Night was?” I snorted, idly rubbing the spot where Luna zapped me with lightning. “But Rainbow Dash is the best!” she added.

“You know it!” Alula beamed. “That’s why me and Dinky joined!”

“She’s my godmom!” Dinky announced importantly. I bit down on the inside of my mouth. Could I never get away from that for two seconds?

Scootaloo grumbled, crossing her hooves across her chest. “Lucky. I wish Rainbow Dash was my godmother.”

Okay, now I officially felt even worse. I didn’t think it was possible, but there it was. Thank you so feathering much, world. I’m glad I talked to Twilight. I definitely needed to spend more time with Scoots--once I got this godparenting thing with Dinky down.

“Rainbow Dash is watching me while my mommy’s at work,” Dinky announced precociously, sipping her milk with both hooves.

Scootaloo’s wings buzzed excitedly. “That’s so cool!”

“Ya-huh. My mom’s the bestest worker ever!” Dinky agreed proudly.

“Not that--Rainbow Dash!”

Dinky blinked in sudden realization. “Oh yeaaaah. She’s cool too! Almost as cool as Mommy!”

CK snickered. I just shrugged. Despite what you might think, I wasn’t about to argue or hold it against a filly for thinking her mom was the coolest pony in the world. Heck, Ditzy was cool … in her own very Derpy-ish way.

The face Scootaloo made would later be placed in the dictionary next to the world ‘gobsmacked.’ Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle giggled at her expression. “Hey!” Scoots protested.

“Rainbow Dash is really cool,” Alula agreed. “Cloudy went to flight camp with her and she has all these really amazing stories about the stuff she did--like pranks and races and stuff!” I stuck out my tongue at Kicker at that.

“Is that why you joined the Rainbow Dash Fan Club?” Scootaloo asked.

Alula nodded. “Yeah, Cloudy told me about it and it sounded cool.” Dinky nodded. It occurred to me that I had some really awesome friends who would encourage their little sister or daughter to join a club all about me, especially since they knew me in some of my less awesome moments.

Scootaloo grinned hopefully. “Wanna tell us some of those stories at the next club meeting?”

“Sure!” The two pegasi high-hooved. “I could also show you guys some Krav Pega.” Alula showed off a few punches and kicks for good measure. “I’m gonna learn how to be a great ninja like Gale the Great!”

“Who's Gale the Great?” Apple Bloom asked.

“She's this really awesome ancestor of mine who was totally the best ninja EVER!” Alula answered excitedly.

Sweetie Belle’s eyes widened. “Wow ... I thought your family was all soldiers and stuff.”

“Ninjas can be soldiers too!” Alula grinned. “Sneaky ninja soldiers.”

“Ninja-soldiers are cool.” Pip allowed. “Pirate-sailors are cooler though.”

Alula made a face. “I don't see why you'd need pirates on ships when we can just fly.” She buzzed her tiny wings for emphasis.

“Cuz stuff's too heavy for pegasi to fly everywhere,” he reasoned. “They'd drop stuff. Like Missus Doo does sometimes.”

Dinky pouted. “Mommy tries her hardest!” Her ears twitched as everypony looked at her. “But yeah, she does drop stuff. Sometimes.”

“Yeah, I guess that makes sense. Booty is heavy.” Alula paused. “That's what pirates get, right? Booty?”

“Yeah! Arrrr!” Pip growled. “Booty and plunder!”

“And then ninja's sneak in and steal it all!” Scootaloo pumped her hoof, getting excited at the prospect.

“Nuh-uh!” Apple Bloom shook her head. “Pirates would totally out steal the ninjas!”

“Ninja's are way sneakier than pirates!” Alula argued, standing supportively next to Scootaloo.

“Pirates would totally beat up the ninjas!” Pip replied, joining Apple Bloom.

Alula snorted. “They'd have to find them first!”

“They'd just look for the dorky-looking ponies in black.” Pip rolled his eyes. “Not that hard.”

“Real ninjas don't wear black all the time, only fake ninjas in bad comic books,” she reminded him.

“But that's what Miss Twilight and her friends wore when they snuck into Canterlot,” Pip pointed out.

“But they're not ninjas.” Alula rolled her eyes. “Duh.”

I was grateful they hadn’t asked me. While I had worn a wickedly cool black ninja suit that time I sneaked back into the hospital--which was not dorky or from a bad comic book, thank you--it was true that pirates were cool too. Especially air pirates. Those rocked.

While their friends continued the eternal debate, Sweetie Belle joined Dinky in sharing a slice of pizza as they turned their heads from side to side as they argued, as if they were watching a tennis match.

Sweetie Belle gasped as an idea occurred to her. “Hey, none of you have your cutie marks yet! Would you like to be Cutie Mark Crusaders?”

That suggestion brought the ninja-pirate debate to a standstill.

“We never had a colt become a Crusader before.” Apple Bloom objected, looking at Pipsqueak.

“That doesn’t mean we can’t have one now though!” Sweetie pointed out excitedly. “Applejack said there were no such things as cooties, and Scootaloo has Snips and Snails in her Rainbow Dash fan club!” She stressed.
 
“What’s wrong with Snips and Snails?” Pip wondered. The fillies collectively shot him their best ‘are you kidding?’ look. Frankly, I didn’t blame them. I mean, not to speak ill of any of kids or anything, but how can the same colts who joined my fan club and can clearly recognize my awesomeness also like Trixie? Seriously, what the hay? I just don’t get it.
 
Apparently, neither did Pip. “They’re really fun! One time, they took me, Chowder, Featherweight and Rumble down to the lake and we had this really cool frog hunt and--”

“Eeewww!” Sweetie shrieked. “You actually touched frogs?”
 
Pipsqueak smiled, nodding. “We musta caught like a hundred of them!”
 
“Gross!” Sweetie whined, dancing up and down where she stood.

“Dummy cootie-colt.” Alula stuck out her tongue at him. “Ya gotta de-cootie-fy him before you can make him a Crusader.”
 
Scootaloo and Apple Bloom looked at each other and shrugged. I don’t think they found frogs as gross as Sweetie Belle did, but were probably thinking it was better to be safe than sorry.
 
Apple Bloom scratched her head. “How do you git rid of cooties, anyway?”

“I heard Miss Cloud Kicker tell Sparky to use a condo so she didn’t get any icky-things from her coltfriend Ratchet.” Dinky made a face.

Cloud Kicker grumbled something around a mouthful of pizza as I shot her my best ‘what-the-hay-were-you-thinking?’ look. I guess there is such a thing as karma, since I’ve been on the receiving end of those looks waaay too often. Price of awesomeness, I guess.
 
Unlike me, CK didn’t have a hoof to stand on and she knew it. She shrugged. Whatever. If Dinky asked Ditzy about condos and cooties, I was totally blaming Kicker. Hey, I may be the most awesomely loyal pony ever, but I wasn’t gonna take the rap for (sort of) corrupting Ditzy’s little muffin. I’d rather face Discord again.

By the time I turned back to the kids they had apparently decided to take Pip’s temperature to see if he had any cooties. Their thermometer was a candy cane. You really can’t make stuff like this up.
 
Pip was looking pretty nervous as the girls sat around, watching him to see if there was any sign of the dreaded cooties. I guess Dinky saw it too because she got up and announced, “I’m gonna be right back! I gotta get Favorite so it can help Pip be brave and stuff!” She ran down the hall to grab her safety blanket from her room. She came back a moment later, her blanket clutched securely in her mouth. But as she started to run, one of her hooves got caught up in the dragging blanket and she tripped, tumbling over.
 
“DINKY!” I flew over from the couch so fast that I ended up knocking it, and Cloud Kicker, over. “Ohmygosh, are you okay?” I hate to say it but I was just the tiniest-tinyest bit nervous. But just a little. “Kicker! Get Life Flight!”
 
A Dinky-shaped lump under the blanket moved around until she crawled out from underneath it, clutching her left front leg to her chest. “Owie,” she sniffled. “I scraped my knee…”
 
“Let me see…” I reached out my hoof so I could check for myself, hoping that it was just my hoof that was shaking and not my entire body. Have you ever had a moment when you felt all the blood leave your face? Yeah, unpleasant isn’t it? You feel faint, dizzy and nauseous. Given the way things had gone today I half-expected to see not just blood, but twisted muscles, broken bones and—
 
--some broken skin that couldn’t even be seen thanks to her coat. I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding.
 
Cloud Kicker, who I guess had gotten up and fixed the couch while I was busy with Dinky, walked over and slapped my shoulder. “Heh, she’s fine, it’s just a scratch. She’s a tough filly, right Dinky?”
 
Dinky nodded, still clutching her leg. “Yeah, course I am … uh, but can I have band-aid anyway please? Mommy got the special ones with the Wonderbolts on ‘em!”

“Sure, just give me a second.” I zoomed over to the bathroom and got them and was back in less than four seconds. Kicker gave me a questioning look as I hesitantly put on the band aid, my hooves shaking ever so slightly.

“You okay?” She asked. “Something wrong?”

“N-no, it has I just--just being on the safe side. Heheh. You know me, better safe than sorry!” I smiled at Cloud Kicker.  

“Riiight...” Somehow, I don’t think she bought it. Kicker knelt down to looked at Dinky. “C'mon, Little Muffin--it's just a scratch. You've had worse, haven't you?”

“A-huh!” Dinky nodded. “The doctors give me shots that hurt waaay more,” she pouted. “Mommy says doctors are 'sposed to make you feel better, but they hurt more than anything else in the world!”

“She’s fine.” CK chuckled as she nudged Dinky forward. “Go on, get back to your game.”

Dinky beamed. “‘kay!” She ran over to her friends. “Okay, I got Favorite.” She draped it across Pip’s shoulders. “So now we can cure Pip’s cooties so he can be a Cutie Mark Crusader!”

“But how do we cure cooties?” Alula looked at Pip suspiciously. “My mom makes me hot soup when my throat hurts. Maybe we’re supposed to make him take a bath in hot soup?”

I snorted, trying to cover a laugh. So now they were thinking of cooking Pipsqueak in a pot of soup. Why was one of Pinkie’s songs suddenly running through my mind?

They seemed to be mulling over the idea when CK remembered that getting a colt cooked on her watch probably would be a bad thing. “Come on you girls, quit worrying about cooties. I’m sure Favorite gets rid of cooties on its own.” She shot her most winning smile. “Now who wants to play a round of Lunar?”

“Oooh me!” “I do!” “I love Lunar!” “I call Clan Doo!” “I wanna be Clan Kicker!” “But you’re not a Kicker, I am!” The foals began to bicker good-naturedly as they set up the board.

Lunar? That game with all those little pieces? What if she accidentally swallowed one? I gulped, imagining the feeling of pointy plastic pieces in my throat. Didn’t the game encourage schemes of strategy and betrayal? What if it made Dinky want to take over the worl--okay, even I knew I was taking that one too far.

Cloud Kicker gave me a questioning look. “You mind telling me where that little panic attack came from? I haven't seen you go mother hen like that since Dinky was still a baby-bump.”

“Who’s panicking? I'm not panicking, you're panicking!” I blurted out in one breath.

“Seriously Rainbow, what're you freaking out about all of the sudden?” Cloud Kicker demanded, pressing her face close to mine.

“Nuttin'--just, you know … being responsible,” I answered casually. Kicker reached out her wing and pressed it against my forehead, checking my temperature. Then rechecked it. And re-rechecked it. “Knock that off!”

Kicker backed off. “Just trying to figure out what happened to you. I think that's the first time I've heard you say ‘responsible’ in the right context.”

“Just--shut up, okay?” I paused as I watched Dinky focus on her game pieces with her magic. “Careful Dinky!”

“I am!” She said, her cheeks bulging out as she wobbly floated the piece over on the board.

I didn’t notice I was biting down on my lip until I tasted blood. “D-don't strain yourself!” My voice caught.

“I'm not!” Dinky exhaled as wiped her forehead.

“.... oh. My. Celestia,” CK breathed. “You've gone maternal. What the hay happ--did Pinkie knock you up or something?” She sounded legitimately worried as she dragged me into the kitchen.

“What?” Dangit, my voice broke into a squeak. I’d be really happy if it stopped doing that. “I’m not acting odd at all!” I looked from side to side for anypony to support and back me up (there weren’t any) or for potential avenues of retreat (ditto).

Cloud Kicker gave me a disbelieving look. She knew me too well. I hate it when that happens. “Rainbow Dash, either you start answering or I start tickling you until you do.” She leaned forward. “You know I’d do it, too.”

I did. Ugh. Since I wasn’t too keen on the idea of letting Cloud Kicker run her hooves all over me (especially considering what happened last time), I decided to just tell her.

Starting…now.

…Now.

…okay, why wasn’t my mouth listening to instructions from my brain? Probably because they weren’t used to being on a speaking basis, I thought. Okay, I just burned myself there, what the hay? This godmom thing really had me frazzled.

I guess Cloud Kicker realized this was hard and gave me some time to sort myself out.

“Kicker, I ... ” I bit my lip. Why was asking this so hard? I guess because if I said what I was feeling then it’d become…real. Like, it wasn’t just some flight of fancy but a real live … thing. But this had been eating at me all day from the inside out and it sucked. I just wanted it to stop! “What’re godmoms supposed to do?”

She blinked. “You ... don't know?”

“I thought I did,” I sighed. “Now I'm not sure.” I studied my hooves, suddenly finding them really interesting. It was better than seeing whatever look I knew would be on Kicker’s face. Disbelief, anger, disgust, scorn…

Her wing gently wrapped itself around my shoulders. I stiffened a little, but sighed. As much as I hate being all touchy-feely, having somepony wrap their wing around you is really comforting to pegasi--including me. “Why?” She asked evenly.

I sighed again. I’d been doing a lot of that today. “I--well, I went around to my friends and they talked about all the things godmoms are supposed to do and... ”

“And each of them said stuff that you don't do, huh?”

Sometimes even I forgot how sharp CK could be. She buried it all under her jokes and lust for life--among other things. “Yeah,” I confirmed. “Pinkie Pie talked about how she makes the Cake Twins smile, first thing, everyday. Fluttershy said that godmoms keep their kids safe and healthy, AJ said that it was important to teach her responsibility and stuff and Rarity said godmoms taught their kids to be mature and proper and--”

“And I'm gonna guess Duchess said something about education.” Cloud Kicker interrupted, having gotten the picture. She put on a show of tapping her hoof against her chin and hmming to herself. “Sounds like they don't exactly agree with each other either, do they?”

I nodded. “I guess not…”

“Maybe everypony has their own ideas about what a godmom does?” She suggested.

“But Twilight said that--that if something ever happened to Ditzy ...” I trailed off, letting Cloud Kicker connect the dots.

She got it right away. “Oh. Yeah, that’s part of it.”

I was really wishing she would’ve told me something else. “I … oh, horseapples!” I blurted out, throwing my hooves in the air.

“Rainbow, relax. Nothing's gonna happen to Derpy. I mean, she’s practically indestructible! And even if, Celestia forbid, something did happen you’d be okay because you’ve got great and, frankly sexy--” she tossed her mane, “--friends to help you out.” She nudged me with her elbow. “C’mon Rainbow, you're awesome. How could you forget that?”

“Awesome isn’t good enough!” I practically shouted, almost forgetting about the presence of the kids in the other room. “I, I have to be the best there is for Dinky, and Sparkler and Ditzy! And I’m not! You know me CK, it’s only a matter of time before I screw things up like I always do and I--I can't afford to mess this up. I can't screw up with Dinky. I just CAN'T!” I panted. “If I do then Ditzy’ll take Dinky and Sparkler away from me and that can’t happen! She can’t take Dinky away! She’s the closest thing to a foal I’m ever going to—” My eyes popped open. The words just came out without me even thinking about them.

I didn’t think about it much, what Cloud Kicker had done to me … down there. The doctors had pretty much told me that it’d be a really bad idea for me to get pregnant, assuming that I even could. I know I’m the not the kind of pony that dreams about her wedding or getting pregnant or any of that stuff but--I hate that the choice was taken away from me, you know? And yeah, watching Ditzy give birth definitely turned me off to it but … there were times when I remembered pressing my hoof against Ditzy’s belly and feeling Dinky press back that--well, it really got to me. It was just so awesome and--I don’t even have the words to describe how amazing it was. It was magical. And then I would remember that I would never feel what Ditzy was feeling and … it would hurt. A lot. Maybe that’s why I care so much about being Dinky’s godmom. Maybe even why Ditzy chose me instead of somepony like Fluttershy or Cloud Kicker.

I shook my head to clear the cobwebs. I noticed the guilty flinch on Kicker’s face and tried to not go there. “I--I just don’t wanna mess this up.” I finished lamely.

Kicker took a deep breath then met my gaze evenly. “And you won't.”

She spoke so confidently that I had to know what she knew that I didn’t. “H-how can you know?”

“Rainbow Dash, you are an excellent godmother and Dinky loves you to bits,” she said firmly. Celestia, was she ever stubborn. “That's just how it is. Now put an end to this maudlin melodrama and go back to being the awesome pony I know you are.”

I took a deep breath and slowly let it out. To my horror, it came out as a sniffle. Cloud Kicker blinked. “Hey ... c'mere.” She opened her forelegs and before I could think about it, I was holding onto her like a fledgling afraid of falling. I let out a shuddering breath as I felt CK gently stroke my mane. “It's okay, Rainbow. You’ll be fine. Know why?” I shook my head. “Because I believe in you. Maybe you should believe in you, too.” She gently nuzzled the top of my head and gave it a kiss.

She held me for a couple of minutes before I gently started pushing for some more space. I felt … better. Not great, but better. At least, I didn’t feel like I was in the middle of a high-speed slalom and about to careen into a mountain.

Kicker gave me my space, but kept a wing draped across my back. “Feeling better?”

“Yeah,” I nodded. “… Thanks.”

“Anytime.” She bit her lip. “You know about Alula being a member of your Fan Club?” I nodded again, not seeing the relevance. “'Lula thinks the world of you.” She nudged me. “You know me, I’m not about to go inflating your massive ego more than it already is. But here’s the truth: I encouraged Alula to join your Fan Club because, while you may not be perfect—heck you’re competitive, loud, hot-headed, brash, arrogant—“

Wow. Great pep talk Kicker.

“BUT…you’re a better role model for her than me.” CK admitted. My surprise must have shown because she kept going. “I mean, you think I want ‘Lula growing up like me? I'd rather not see my little sis throw her whole life off-track and make up for it by banging anything with a pulse.”

“Alula should want to be like you.” I argued. “Not, ya know, the banging everything that moves…” Equestria couldn’t survive two of them. “But you're a good pony, with a strong sense of commitment and duty and stuff. That's pretty awesome too.”

“And I wanna teach her that too, but she's my sister,” Kicker said as if that explained it all. She must’ve realized that it didn’t. “She's always gonna see ... well, the whole me. The good and bad, even if I try to hide it. You ... you can be something more than just a pony to her. Y'know, something larger than life. You never have to make her eat her alfalfa or wash her hooves before dinner or do her homework. You embody the extraordinary. Me and Derpy and the kids’ parents can sweat the day to day stuff, and I’m not trying to say that it isn’t important. But the world is a lot brighter because of its rainbows.”

Now I was really confused. “But … I thought I was supposed to do the day-to-day stuff. I mean, that’s what godmoms do, right? Be moms for when the real moms aren’t there? You can’t think that I’d make a good mom!”

Cloud Kicker grunted. “Look, if you want me to tell you that you’d make a good parent on your own merits … okay, you wouldn’t. Not now anyway. But that’s not what you’re supposed to do. You aren’t meant to be a back-up mom or a replacement for Derpy, or me, or Scoot’s parents, or--whoever. You work with us. We’re a team, you don’t have to do everything yourself. Let us handle the homework and eating veggies and doctor’s appointments and school and stuff. You can handle everything else.”

“Like what?”

“Like making them believe in themselves. Like making them realize that the impossible can become possible. As much as they need parents to set rules and boundaries to keep them safe, they need to see a pony that transcends all limits. Hopes, dreams, boundless ambition and drive, incredible courage and loyalty … that’s what you embody to them.” Kicker looked at me.

“I’ve seen what you do for the foals of this town. You’re the super awesomazing-radicool pony that inspires them. The world sees you as this brave, fearless, and completely awesome heroine. Yeah, you've got some faults and flaws, not to mention that sensitive side you try to hide, but those are your private face. 'Lula doesn't see that one, just your public face. She believes in the Legend of Rainbow Dash. And even if you're not perfect, I think that's something worth believing in.”

She paused, I guess waiting to see what I was gonna say. I couldn’t think of anything, so Kicker pursued her lips and went on. “Derpy obviously feels the same, otherwise she’d never let you near Dinky. You know how protective she is of Dinky and Sparkler. Would she let anypony close to her kids unless they were on the up and up?” She gave me a look that practically dared me to argue the point. Of course, I didn’t because I couldn’t. “Would she cut anypony slack or hold her tongue if somepony was falling down on the job for them? You know she wouldn’t.” 

I had to nod. If you messed with her girls, Ditzy would go momma ursa on your rump. CK nodded back at me. “You see? You're not just a godmom, or a family friend. Derpy loves you. Like, sister-like, or something like that. She adores you, including what you do for her daughters.”

“But I'm not smart or mature or safe or ... or any of the other stuff that my friends are.” I protested. “How can I be a good godmom then?”

“You're there for Dinky when she needs you, aren't you?”

“Not for the important stuff. I can't help her with her magic or her school work ... I don't take her to doctor's appointments and I don't see her every day and ... ”

“You were there for her when Derpy came to you, pregnant and without a home.” Kicker cut me off. “You were there when Dinky was born. You were there for her every time Equestria was in trouble and needed safeguarding. My parents weren’t always around for me either, and yeah, it sucked when they were on deployment. But that didn’t mean that they still weren’t there for me, you know?”

“That’s not the same.” I insisted. “I--I hate it when there's something I can't do for Dinky or Sparkler. It's like losing, and you know I hate losing. Only it's worse when it's about the girls.”

Cloud Kicker got quiet for a moment. I briefly wondered if that meant she’d given up. Then she decided to fight dirty. “Dinky, could you come here for a sec?”

That’s just not fair. “CK, c’mon—“

“Trust me on this, Rainbow.”

Dinky trotted in, wearing what could only be described as an adinkable smile on her face. “Yeah?”

“I was wondering,” Kicker asked her with fake curiosity. “Is Rainbow Dash a good godmom?”

The way Dinky’s eyes lit up would’ve warmed the heart of a windigo. “She's the coolest godmom in the history of godmoms!” she proclaimed as she wandered over to give me a hug.

Oh Celestia. Resolve … weakening. Must not cry. Must not cry. Must not … something hot and stingy scored down my cheek. Damn it! I held Dinky in a hug as tight as any I’d ever given. I never wanted to let go of her.

“…’M sorry.” I murmured, my voice hitching against my will.

Dinky looked up, completely lost. “Huh?”

“I'm sorry if I don't ... I'm sorry if I'm not around often enough ... if I don't do all the stuff I should be doing ... like helping you with homework or taking you to the doctor or ... y'know. Stuff.”

“Why would you take me to the doctor? Doctors are dumb, and they gimme shots and stuff.” Dinky stuck out her tongue and I couldn’t help but crack a grin. “And Sparky helps with homework.”

“But shouldn't I help you with that sort of stuff?”

This time Dinky blew a raspberry. “You're way too cool to help me with stupid stuff like that!” 

“I …" Okay, how can I respond to that? “You really think I'm a good godmother?”

“You're the bestest godmother ever!” She tried to convey her sincerity me squeezing my as hard as she could.

“But ... why?”

“'Cause you're MY godmommy!” Dinky announced, as if that explained everything. And I guess it did, to her.

“Very humble assessment, Dinks,” CK commented. I barely heard her. Dinky’s hug imperceptibly changed from one of her happy hugs to one of her patented ‘get-better hugs.’ Don’t ask how I can tell the difference. You just … do.

Dinky laid ear ears back. “Why're you sad? Did I do something wrong?”

Oh Celestia. No. I had to nip this in the bud! “No!” I almost shouted, making sure there was no doubt on this. “No, you absolutely didn't!” I returned her hug. “I--I did.”

“Nuh-uh!” she protested, shaking her head. “Noyadidn't!”

“M-maybe ... maybe somepony else should be your godmom.” I suggested gently.

“NO!” She hugged me tighter than ever. “I don’t want somepony else, I want you! I love you, Rainbow Dash!”

Boom. It’s a good thing I was already sitting down because that nearly bowled me over. Those three simple words that had more of a punch to them than a Sonic Rainboom.

I love you.

Cloud Kicker slipped away to watch the other foals, giving me and Dinky a moment alone. I was grateful for that. I don’t know how long Dinky and I just sat there, hugging each other. I sniffed gently as Dinky happily cuddled against me. “...my godfilly...” I breathed gently. I quickly looked around to make sure Kicker and the kids weren’t around before I rubbed my nose against Dinky’s muzzle before quickly breaking away.

Dinky giggled. “You're silly.”

I cracked a smile. “Am not. You're silly.”

“Nuh-uh.”

“Yu-huh. Totally are.”

“Nuh-uh!”  Dinky proclaimed. “You're the silliest silly that ever sillied!”

I kissed her cheek. “Whatever you say.”

She gave me a happy giggle as she cuddled me. “I love you, Rainbow Dash.”

“...love you too, Dinky. SO much.” I hugged her back.

Best! Godfilly! Ever! 


THE END