A Dash of Rainbow

Rainbow Dash was soaring through the air as easily as a fish swims. She wasn't alone. Below her was a crowd, cheering her on. To either side of her, the Wonderbolts. She lead them as their leader. At least, as much as she could lead when they stopped to gape in awe whenever she pulled off a trick. As she wrapped up the routine, the ponies below were in a fan frenzy.

"I LOVE YOU, RAINBOW DASH!" shouted some ponies below.

"We love you too, Rainbow Dash." Said one of the Wonderbolts.

"I know you all do," Dash responded in the coolest and most awesome way she could. She glided into the sunset as the crowd and the Wonderbolts cheered her name.

"Rainbow Dash! Rainbow Dash! Rainbow Dash! Rainbow Dash!"

And then a meteorite shaped like an apple fell on top of her.

In the real world, Rainbow Dash awoke with a start. The apple used to knock her awake from her cloud perch landed safely in Applejack's grasp. Dash turned around sleepily, "Whaddaya want?"

Applejack rolled her eyes. "Sorry to bust your grumpies, sugarcube. You TOLD me to do this, remember? Time to cook somethin'!"

Dash was no less confused. She thought for a few moments, then looked off to the side and saw a clock. "Omigosh, the speedtask challenge! I completely forgot about it! I can still make up time... Where am I racing to!"

"Look, remember last week when Princess Celestia announced the speedtask challenge? And you signed up not thinkin' it was going to be something OTHER than racin'? Well, it ain't racin'."

"Aww..." Dash slumped, then stood upright again. "So, uh... what IS the challenge?"

Applejack gave a chuckle. "I already told ya. Cookin'. Ya gotta cook somethin' that'll impress the princesses."

"Cook...?" Dash echoed, "I don't know how to cook! Forget it!"

"Thought ya might say that. Don't matter none 'cause either way I'll win for sure!"

Dash flipped over on her cloud. "What does THAT mean?"

"Well, uh, like ya said, ya ain't exactly a gourmet among ponies. No shame in it."

"Not that part. The part about me not being able to win. I wouldn't lose to you in ANYTHING!"

"Shucks, Rainbow Dash. Even the fastest flyin' fish can't beat a hawk to the top of a mountain."

"OH YEAH? Well... wait. Which one am I supposed to be?"

"Let's put it this way, Rainbow Dash. You know my savory apples and onions?"

"Oh... yeah! Those are the best! Wait... THAT'S what you're entering."

"Sure as savory. Still enterin'?"

"You bet! I've got two hours, right?"

"Actually, ya slept through the first twenty minutes. And it's been another ten talkin'."

Dash stood up in shock, wings popped open in preparation to fly. "IGOTTALEARNTOCOOK!" she shouted and flew off. As soon as she was gone, she flew back. "Thanks for waking me up."

"Any time."

Just as quickly, Dash was off again.

"Who do I know that can cook? Come on, Dash... think... Pinkie Pie! No wait... she bakes. Is baking the same thing as cooking?" Dash mumbled as she looked down for anypony who could help her. A multi-colored light-bulb went off in her head. "FLUTTERSHY! She's always making stuff for animals!"

In ten seconds flat, Rainbow Dash arrived at Fluttershy's hut. She knocked quickly and impatiently.

"Oh... in a second..." said Fluttershy from inside. In much more than a second, the door opened revealing the yellow pegasus. "Oh, hello, Rainbow Dash!"

Dash let herself in. "Quick! Fluttershy, I need to know how to cook something! FAST!"

"Um... can this wait? My bird friend here is waiting on his soup... and he's not happy at all about his wing. He's very upset over it. Maybe even mad. Perhaps 'livid' is too strong of a word to use..."

"I don't care about your angry birds! I need to cook something before the hour is up so I can rub it in Applejack's face!"

"You... don't care about... the animals?"

Dash turned around and saw Fluttershy's moistening eyes. "Aw geez..." Dash quickly flew up to Fluttershy and hugged the hurt out of Fluttershy. She did it so quickly and urgently as to not notice the way Fluttershy's wings popped up when it happened. "I didn't mean it. It's okay if you can't help. I'll find somepony else. Thanks anyway!" With that, Dash acted on her surname and was gone in a flash. Everything in the hut shook, including a bottle of seasoning that tipped over, spilling some of its contents into a bowl of soup.

Dash looked at a convenient clock. "Only forty minutes left... and I've spent all of it trying to figure out what I'm going to DO! WHY did I stop to read the Equestria Day-By-Day! There's always Princess Luna somewhere on the front every day anyway..." Fine... onto plan B. Pinkie Pie!

Dash stopped at the sugarcube corner where Pinkie Pie was hanging out the window, perfectly timed to receive Rainbow Dash's arrival. "Hi Dashie!"

"Quickly! Let's cook something together! We can share the rubbing it in Applejack's face fifty-fifty!"

"No can do, Dasheroo! I've already started!"

"Aw man... what are you making?"

"Cupcakes!"

Nearby, a young stallion bearing an hourglass cutie mark shuddered.

"Want to help? I'll make them Rainbow Dash cupcakes!"

"No thanks!" Dash flew away, empty-hooved still.

At half an hour left, Dash was no closer to making something. In fact, she was just flying around out of frustration. She opened her eyes to see bubbles. "AHH WATCH OUT!" Dash now made good on her called-name and crashed into another pegasus.

The other pegasus twirled around and yelped, "My muffins!"

Dash ricocheted and crashed into a cart. She groaned and picked herself out. She looked at what she was buried in. A pile of potatoes. She looked up at the clock. She had been out for 25 minutes. Forlornly, she looked at the potato in her hooves.

Dash walked up to the table where Celestia and Luna stood, plopping her 'entry' onto a plate. Applejack slid her plate right next to it.

"How are you holding up...?" Dash mumbled, "Because I'm a potato."

Applejack grinned.

Time passed and Celestia stood up to announce the winners. "Our second runner-up is the sweetest entry. Everypony give a hoof to Pinkie Pie and her cupcakes!"

Everypony gave a round of clops for Pinkie Pie, who received a bronze medal.

"Our first runner-up got some extra points for delivery. Derpy Hooves and her flat muffins!"

Another round was shared. The gray pony received a medal that wasn't too far off in pigment from her own coat.

"For our winner... It really was no contest. Made with love, dedication, and just a little bit of spice. This year's speedtask winner is..."

Everypony leaned in. Applejack gave Dash a smug look.

"Fluttershy's Dash of Tomato soup!"

"WHAT!" Applejack howled. Her jaw dropped to the floor.

Everypony erupted in cheers as a gold medal was hung around Fluttershy's neck by Princess Luna, who proceeded to give her a hug. Fluttershy's wings popped open again.

"How could I not place!" Applejack wondered.

Celestia looked over. "Your sweet apples and onions are famous all over Ponyville! Of course they're delicious. However... the rules stated that nopony could use any pre-existing recipes. You were disqualified."

"Wh... why did you wait until NOW to tell me this?"

"Dramatic effect."

In the after-party, Dash and Applejack joined the crowd. Now that the pressure was off, they could speak in good spirits.

"I owe it ALL to Rainbow Dash!" Pinkie Pie burst. "Your suggestion to not make Rainbow Dash cupcakes was the best suggestion EVER! I made Rarity cupcakes instead! The higher-ups LOVE Rarity! At least one of them do. I honestly thought that Trixie's Great and Powerful pancakes would have placed, but I guess not!"

Derpy stepped into the conversation. "I should thank you, too! If you didn't crash into me, I wouldn't have dropped my muffins and they wouldn't be flat!"

"Um..." Everypony turned to Fluttershy. "When you left, you got some seasoning in my soup. My bird friend was so happy with it he told me to enter it in the speedtask competition. I'm so happy it won."

"Wait," Dash gasped, "Not only did I place higher than Applejack because she was disqualified, but I helped make the top three meals. I am the greatest chef ever!"

While Dash flipped around with joy, Twilight grinned at the scene. She lifted her quill and parchment.

"Dear Princess Celestia,

Today I learned that just because you're not good at something doesn't mean you can't help others. It's amazing how much you can help your friends accomplish something just being there. Sometimes, the secret ingredient to a good recipe is the company of those you know and love.

Your student,

Twilight Sparkle"

Twilight rolled up the parchment and trotted off to give it to her teacher.