Rainbow Dash always [verb]s in style

[elementofloyalty]

Okay, ponies, listen up! The name's Rainbow Dash! There's... probably at least one more of me out there, but that doesn't change the facts. Fact number one: I'm Ponyville's weatherpony, and that means I need a roll call from all you pegasi out there! There's a lot of responsibilities you have that you need to be aware of, so listen up! First of all: DO NOT CHANGE THE WEATHER. We are on a schedule here, people. A one-cloud rainstorm, fine. Deciding you want a sunny day when we've got downpour slated, not fine.

Second: Do not harass the flying tortoise. I'm serious. You do not want to mess with that little guy, he'll end you. Oh yeah, that goes for all you OTHER ponies too, if he's near the ground. He may or may not be a trained combat pet at this point. I'm not sure. But even if he's not, still, do not give that guy grief. Attention and respect is cool though.

Third of all, do not just make homes on clouds. Napping is fine, that's practically what they're there for, but they're not homes. Use a sensible house like a normal pony. If you need help constructing a cloud home, I'm sure Twilight has plenty of books in the library that she'd be happy to loan you.

Fourth, if you think you're fast, you're not, and I'm taking all challengers to prove it. [Rainbow winks broadly at the scroll.]

Oh yeah, and uh, if anypony shows up named...

[Rainbow stops, considers, then shakes her head.]

...Nah. Never mind.

Comments

[elementofloyalty]

Hey, I'm not gloomy, this is HOME. I'm just kinda upset for you guys. I know how hard it can be to get stuck away from home.

I'm not sure what's causing this, so I don't know for sure what's happening in other places. When we were dealing with Time Compression, I know Equestria was pretty much stopped compared to where I was, though. I hope it's the same here for you guys.

[tinkertytonk]

Oh, no! Sorry, old girl, I didn't mean you. More a note to self. I'm not used to going without my man Jeeves for any extended period, so it will take some getting used to. If he's not going to be missing me, that's all for the better.

Have you been off into space as well, though? Like Ms. Pie? Or... in Mayfield like Ms. Disciple?

[elementofloyalty]

Yep. Big ship made of meat that sailed through a weird vortex because apparently reality was destroyed.

Which... it clearly wasn't.

[tinkertytonk]

[He's gaping at her now. Meat? Really?]

[His mouth closes and opens several more times before anything sensible to say comes to mind.]

I'm not entirely sure which is more fantastic: This new world or the tales the birds and beazels in it have to tell. Celestia above, Ms. Dash! You're a filly with her wits about her if you're taking up your old job after having gone through all that.

[elementofloyalty]

Actually I... just remembered it. I remembered a lot of different places I've been, when I woke up here again. I think something called Time Compression altered my memories. A lot.

[tinkertytonk]

That sounds frightfully odd. Perhaps it's the same thing to do with why the rest of us were brought here. Time Compressors and Para-whatsits. Still, that seems a lot to take in and still be charging forward full tilt.

I do admire that in a mare. Brave heart!

[elementofloyalty]

Heh. [Rainbow blushes a little from the unsolicited compliment.] Well, the first time it was because of reality itself getting messed up. The second time, I fell into the darkness between worlds. The third time was a magic thing I don't think we ever figured out. So there could be any number of different potential reasons.

[tinkertytonk]

Well, with clever and forthright fillies like you and Mr. Flare Star at the helm, I'm sure we'll muddle through. I'll try to figure out this flying lark in case I'm called upon, in any case. And do a bit of sleuthing where I can to sort out this mysterious mass movement from Earth to Equestria. Well, and many worlds beyond, it seems!

[He offers a friendly salute.]

[elementofloyalty]

Flying's not hard. I can give you some lessons if you want... and don't mind learning from the best.

Definitely good to know in case you're needed, though.

[tinkertytonk]

[He blinks at her for a moment, then positively beams.]

You'd be willing to do that? Well, that's jolly nice of you, Ms. Dash! The best seems just the sort to be learning from! I'd be happy to pop round whenever you might have some free time.

[elementofloyalty]

Sure, I got nothing BUT free time right now. Anytime you want is fine by me.

[tinkertytonk]

Oh! Well, I'm free at the moment, as well. Are you... in the sky somewhere?

[He glances upward as if expecting to spot her.]

[elementofloyalty]

[Rainbow giggles at that.]

Pretty much always! Where're you?

now with the right account even...

[tinkertytonk]

I'm near some sort of schoolhouse, I think. There' are shortish chaps being lectured at inside, anyway.

-->Action it seems

[elementofloyalty]

Oh, the schoolhouse! That's easy enough to find. Sec!

[Rainbow rolls up her scroll -- and a moment later, a blue streak trailing a rainbow wake lances through the sky towards the school!]

[tinkertytonk]

[Bertie gapes as he watches Rainbow race toward him. True to her name, she looks like a fragment of the stuff that had got it into its head to make a runner on whatever pot of gold it was meant to be pointing toward.

[He waves enthusiastically from the ground to catch her attention.]

Ms. Dash, I'm down here!

[elementofloyalty]

[Said rainbow blur drops down to whip tightly around him in a shameless display of showing-off before resolving into the pegasus pony, hovering in midair in front of him.]

Not hard to find at all.

[tinkertytonk]

[Bertie's thoroughly impressed.]

I say! You really are the fastest, Ms. Dash! How do you manage to turn like that?

[elementofloyalty]

Good flying isn't just about speed, it's also agility and guts. You have to be fast enough to push it to the limit, agile enough to avoid the perils along the way, and brave enough to dare it in the first place!

[tinkertytonk]

Agility. Guts. Righto!

[He nods and puts on a Very Determined expression.]

I think I've got the bravery down pat. Nerves crafted of the chilliest of chilled steel. It's more striking out on the right path once I've got into the air. I crashed into a wall the first time I tried going anywhere. Although that did give me opportunity to meet Ms. Trixie... And running into that tree gave me a reason to lob a 'what ho' in Ms. Star's direction.

Well, in any case, as fantastic as the happenings might be when applying the Wooster corpus to any tallish and stationary objects, it does make a stallion feel dashed in a rather literal way.

[elementofloyalty]

Right, so, one of the first lessons of flying is to watch where you're going.

[Rainbow, you HYPOCRITE]

So, why not start out practicing higher? When they say the sky's the limit, they have us pegasi in mind.

[tinkertytonk]

[Faint heart never won open skies, it seems.]

That sounds like a smashing idea.

[He launches off the ground, flapping his wings hard and aiming his hooves upward. He manages a diagonal and has to zig back to avoid clipping the roof of the school house. It's a near thing, though, as his turn is wide. After the close encounter, Bertie finds he's higher than everything else around and flies in a circle, uncertain what he's supposed to do from here. Rainbow Dash and Flare Star had proven hovering was possible, but he's not entirely sure how to stop forward momentum for something like that.]

[elementofloyalty]

[Speaking of 'proving hovering is possible', Rainbow positions herself in the middle of his circle, turning easily as he flies around to shout encouragement.]

Right, you've definitely got it now! Now, start testing yourself! You need to know your limits! Oh, wait, hold on.

[She darts up into the air, then comes back down with a cloud.]

[tinkertytonk]

[He's curious about her cloud, but Flare Star had mentioned resting on them. It's still amazing to see her just grab one, and he can't help grinning.]

Should I try to go faster? I'm not entirely sure how to do much apart from charging forward at the moment.

[elementofloyalty]

Hmm... I'm highly in favor of speed, but maybe you should work on slowing down before you get to speeding up. Otherwise, you tend to get slowed down... violently. By whatever you hit.