Many of the ponies had broken their fast in the cool shade by the creek, before scattering to their daily activities. Rainbow Dash leaned against an apple tree, savoring the sounds of the morning. she heard somebody say. A peek around the tree trunk revealed it to be Wysteria. She was rubbing her head with a fore hoof and scowling at an apple. Wysteria stood and looked up at the tree angrily. Stop that! It hurts, you know.

You can't blame the tree for that, Rainbow commented lazily. It's gotta drop those apples sometime, you know, and your head is as good a place as any. Wysteria frowned, but sat back onto her haunches.

It's the best place! declared the tree. Except for this one, it amended, and sent an apple down onto Rainbow's head.

Both ponies ran out from under the tree, as Minty poked her head out of the leaves. Minty, how on earth did you get up there! Ponies can't fly, you know!

Minty's only response was a giggle as she tumbled out of the tree and into the creek. It was funny, though. But didn't you know, that ponies can fly... they just use... skyhooks! Wysteria was unperturbed, and continued to scold Minty futilely. The perpetrator only continued in her tale. And the butterflies hang you on the skyhooks by your hair, so you have to tie your braids extra tight! Rainbow, usually patient with Minty, suddenly desired to be alone. A butterfly (obviously one who had helped Minty up the tree, however likely that might be) flitted by, and Rainbow decided to follow.

The butterfly was headed towards the rainbow, Dash's favorite place to play. She had tried to teach the other ponies the art of running up and down the colored bands, but none but Pinkie Pie had shown much interest. Even then, it was difficult, and the danger of falling had discouraged even her. Except for the occasional experiment, Rainbow Dash had the rainbow largely to herself. And, it seemed, the wayward butterfly. She couldn't remember seeing a butterfly so pretty in the valley, and as it drifted into the sky, her curiosity bore her up the rainbow.

Rainbow placed one foot onto the base, testing the rainbow's strength. The beams of light were brilliant, but one could easily see to the other side. As her hoof touched, the beams parted and flowed around her, as if she had interrupted the flow of a stream. She could feel a light resistance, but of course it would not bear her weight. When she withdrew her hoof, a colorful dew remained. It had the consistency of honey, and where it touched the grass, flowers bloomed within seconds. She took another look up at the butterfly. It had drifted upwards, and seemed to be playing near the top of the arc. That seemed to have decided the matter. With one mighty leap, Rainbow Dash had mounted the beam and was running into the sky.

The trick to riding rainbows, she had discovered, was to keep moving. The magical beam would not hold any weight for long, and if one stayed in one place, they would quickly sink and then fall through. A still hoof would meet the ground within seconds, which was perhaps why the other ponies were reluctant to join her. Rainbow Dash found it exhilarating, and could be found high atop a rainbow's arc on any day with a bit of sunshine. Which was, of course, nearly all of them. Rainbow could dance up and down the beams with practiced ease. It wasn't long before she had reached the top, where she cantered back and forth, casting her eyes into the air. She was totally unprepared for what she saw, however.

The butterfly was still reeling through the sky. It was what was next to it that was the problem. A pale pink pony with a mixture of purple, green, and blue hair was hovering just above her. Hovering. Ponies didn't do that, Rainbow thought to herself. the strange pony shouted. At that moment, Rainbow felt a familiar sinking sensation.

In her panic, Rainbow Dash had stopped moving.

She was falling.

she shouted desperately. The flying pony dove in an instant, wrapping her legs around Rainbow's torso and grabbing her mane in her teeth. Rainbow could feel how hard the stranger's wings were beating, and her fall had been stopped. She had only fallen a few feet, such that her body was in the rainbow's beam.

I can't hold you for long, the stranger whispered through clenched teeth. Rainbow scrambled upwards and managed to find purchase with her delicate hooves, pulling herself back onto the beam. Oddly, there seemed to be more resistance than usual on the rainbow, and she had no trouble pulling herself up. The flying pony let go, and settled herself onto the arc in front of Rainbow Dash. They both settled into the pattern of lifting their feet and jumping, such that they looked more like puppies playing than ponies faced with a life-threatening fall. The newcomer folded her wings, and Rainbow noticed that her symbol consisted of tiny propeller beanies, and her eyes seemed to be made of bright jewels.

Thatwasclosewasntit? Whatsyourname? The pony seemed to be speaking in a strange language, or else far too quickly to understand.

What? I can't understand you, said Rainbow. She made sure to keep moving this time.

The stranger seemed to be thinking. Then, she carefully maneuvered herself to Rainbow's side so that they were touching. Is this better?

answered the blue pony. She tried moving in place so that she didn't lose contact with the newcomer, since it seemed to enable the stranger to communicate with her. The rainbow had regained the more solid consistency that it had when she had tried to get up, and as such it wasn't hard to pace on the spot. Who are you? What are you?

I'm Whizzer, I already told you that. Whizzer looked at Rainbow incredulously. I'm a pegasus. Haven't you ever seen one before?

Rainbow Dash supposed that that meant that she was a flying pony, as much good as that did her. I'm Rainbow Dash, and no, I haven't. All of our ponies stay on the ground.

Except you. I've never seen an earth pony on a rainbow, either. I guess that makes us even. Whizzer was smiling broadly, in a disarming sort of way, and Rainbow couldn't help but smile herself.

Thanks for saving me. Say, want to get down from here so we can talk? I can introduce you to the others and we can have lunch... Out of the corner of her eye, Rainbow caught sight of the butterfly from earlier. She couldn't quite place it, but it seemed as if something were wrong with it.

Whizzer seemed concerned. No, I can't leave the rainbow. There's something you should know. She paced on the spot for a few seconds, seemingly nervous, before finishing. You see, I'm from the past.