When Fluttershy and Twilight arrived at Sweet Apple Acres, they found Apple Jack sitting outside the barn sipping apple cider with Pinky Pie. It looked as if Apple Jack was telling Pinkie a story, as her hooves were flailing animatedly, and as they got closer, they caught the tail end of it.
"And then he bets me that he could buck apples faster than anypony else around. I told him he was right outa' his mind and challenged him to a straight-up contest. We set up a course and took off into the trees. We were just about to start our buckin' when suddenly it just started pourin' rain. We decided to put if off 'til later, but I think we both know who'll win, don't we Pinkie?" Apple Jack's hooves settled onto the armrests of her chair. She looked up and spotted Twilight and Fluttershy approaching her.
"Well howdy there. I didn't see y'all come up. I was just tellin' Pinkie about a bet I made with some pony who thinks he's better'n' me. How can I help y'all?" Apple Jack smiled and Twilight and Fluttershy came to a halt in front of her. Pinkie Pie, who had been strangely quiet this whole time, jumped out of her chair and hugged them.
"Hey guys! I was about to go swimming in the pond and I was inviting Apple Jack to come, but since you're here, you should come too! That'd be so awesome, I'm so glad you guys showed up!" said Pinkie as she trotted circles around the two ponies.
"Oh, no thank you Pinkie, I…" Pinkie Pie continued to trot around them, chatting about how much fun it would be if they all went to the pond together. Fluttershy tried again, "No, Pinkie, um, excuse me, I just wanted…"
"Pinkie!" said Twilight loudly. Pinkie stopped mid-trot and sat.
"Sorry, Twilight," she said.
"It's okay, just be quiet for a minute. We have a potentially serious problem here."
"Um, Pinkie, I've already asked you, but we came to ask Apple Jack something," said Fluttershy, content that she'd finally been able to get in a word.
"Ask me what Fluttershy?" asked Apple Jack. Fluttershy told Apple Jack what she had told Twilight.
"Sorry Fluttershy, I haven't seen Rainbow Dash today either. I could come and help you look if you wanted, though. I've been so busy on the farm lately and I could use a break. That's what I was doing when Pinkie came along."
"Oh, oh, can I come, can I come?" asked Pinkie Pie, jumping excitedly.
"Of course you can, Pinkie," said Twilight.
"Hurray!" shouted Pinkie Pie.
"If you want to, I don't want to make you do anything you wouldn't want to," said Fluttershy.
"Don't worry Fluttershy, it'll be fun," said Apple Jack.
"Well… okay then," said Fluttershy, smiling thankfully and ducking her head.
"Since it's the four of us, we should go find Rarity and ask her if she wants to come too. It would be the first time we all get to really hang out since I became a Princess. Minus Rainbow Dash of course," suggested Twilight. The others nodded in agreement.
"Hold up a sec, I have to tell Apple Bloom that I'll be out for the day. She needs to be reminded to do her chores," Apple Jack trotted away.
Twilight sat on her haunches and looked at Fluttershy. "Any idea where to start looking?"
Fluttershy shook her head. "I checked Rainbow's usual spots already. I don't know where else she'd be."
Apple Jack came around a tree in front of them, slightly out of breath. "All done," she said.
The ponies all began walking back into town. Twilight was grateful that she could have an excuse to walk instead of fly.
Pinkie Pie was still jumping excitedly ahead of the group, blathering on about how they could go on an adventure to find Rainbow Dash, and how excited she was about everything.
"Have you checked all her favourite spots, Fluttershy? Sometimes Rainbow Dash falls asleep in the strangest of places," asked Apple Jack.
"I checked by the pond, and the clouds, and all of the trees I've ever found her sleeping in; she's not in any of them," Fluttershy reiterated. She looked worried.
"Don't worry, Fluttershy; I'm sure she just found some new place to snooze. She's bound to show up sooner or later," assured Twilight.
Soon, the ponies found themselves in front of Rarity's dress shop. Pinkie Pie ran to the door and knocked on it with her hoof.
"Rarity! Come out and open the door!" she shouted.
"Oh I'm coming, I'm coming, settle down," came a shout from inside. The door swung open and the ponies all rushed inside at once, squishing through the door.
"Well come in then, I guess," said Rarity as she moved out of the way. She led them into a room with fabric lining the walls and floor. There were model ponies half-dressed wandering around talking with one another. They all seemed to be uninterested in what Rarity was trying to put on them.
"I have been trying to use real ponies for fitting my dresses and it is simply not working," whined Rarity. "They won't stand still for even one moment and they cry out when I accidently poke them with sewing needles. This is just not going the way I planned." Rarity's exhausted look turned from the models to the four ponies standing in front of her. Her eyes became wide.
"I could use you four! Of course I can, why didn't I think of this before? Come, come." Before any of the ponies could say anything in protest, they were ushered into the center of the room. Rarity began taking the dresses off her model ponies and putting them on her new ones.
"Rarity, this is not why we are here. Can we talk to you for a minute?" asked Twilight as Rarity was shoving a blue sparkly dress over her head.
"Mhmm, yes just what I thought. If I just loosen the collar a bit, it would be perfect," said Rarity to herself, ignoring Twilight.
"Rarity," said Twilight, trying again. "We need your help. We can't find Rainbow Dash. Nopony has seen her all day and we were about to all go out to look for her, would you like to come?"
"I'd be happy to, Twilight, I just have to finish this dress, then sew something together and cover that dress with sparkles an-" started Rarity.
"We have to go now, Rarity," interjected Apple Jack.
"Well alright then," sighed Rarity. She took the dresses off the four ponies and placed them carefully on the floor.
"Everypony else, please leave, now," said Rarity, motioning to the door. The model ponies grumbled and began to file out. The shop quieted with their departure.
"Okay, I'm ready, where to first?" asked Rarity.
"I was thinking of checking her house again," said Fluttershy. "Maybe I missed her while I was there."
"Sounds good, let's go," said Twilight