Chapter 18: Rainbow's Big Test

Rainbow Dash was at early morning soccer practice, and doing pretty good. She kicked the soccer ball, and it flew into the goal. The team cheered.

"Nice job, Rainbow." said Spitfire.

"Yeah, you're a great player." added Misty Fly.

"Thanks guys. You were pretty good too." Rainbow Dash replied.

Then the bell rang, and the students went inside the school.

School went fine, but then after Rainbow finished her history class, the teacher gave her an envelope and told her it was for her parents.

"It says here your grades in this class have been slipping." said Windy Whistles.

"Oh, it's just a couple C's on some tests and quizzes. No big deal." Rainbow assured.

"Apparently this is a big deal, Rainbow. She says that if your grade gets any lower, then you won't be able to play soccer anymore." mentioned Bow Hootfoot.

That got Rainbow's attention.

"Not play soccer anymore? But the team needs me, not to mention I love the sport."

"Well Rainbow to play sports in school, you have to maintain a certain grade point average." Windy reminded.

"So what do I do?" Rainbow wanted to know.

Her parents instructed her to go to her teacher, and find out what she could do to get her grade up.

So the next day, that's what Rainbow Dash did. The history teacher told her that in order to stay on the soccer team she had to score at least a B or higher on the next test. Rainbow Dash quickly told her friends about her situation.

"The solution is simple, Rainbow. You just have to study and do well on the test." Twilight told her.

"Uh, if you hadn't noticed Twilight, I'm not a brainiac like you are. Studying isn't that easy for me."

"Don't worry, Rainbow Dash. We'll help you." Fluttershy told her.

"We'll all lend a hand." Applejack added.

"Yay! We could have a study party!" squealed Pinkie.

"Well technically it's called a study group, darling." Rarity corrected.

"Oh, well I'll still help anyway." Rainbow smiled.

During history class, the teacher explained how they would be having an exam in a couple weeks on the topics they'd been studying. Since the beginning of the month, the class had been learning about the early days of the country, and how the Industrial Revolution changes lives.

"This is perfect Rainbow. Now that you know what the exam will be on, you know what to study." Twilight said.

"Yeah, I just need to know how to get started."

"Don't worry, I know just what to do."

After school, Rainbow went to Twilight's house to study.

"Now I find the best way to study is to use flash cards, take notes, and highlight the important details."

"Okay."

"So here are the notes that I've been taking."

Twilight opened her notebook, and revealed neat, clear, easy to read notes.

"Wow."

"What do your notes look like?"

Rainbow dug through her backpack, and pulled out her notebook. But when she opened it, Twilight was shocked. Her notes were a little choppy, and the papers had a lot of doodles on them.

"Okay, we've got lots of work to do." Twilight sighed.

So together they read through the chapters, and Rainbow tried to take notes, highlight important details, and make flash cards, but it wasn't working that well. Her notes were still choppy, she highlighted everything, and she didn't even make any flash cards.

While Twilight was trying to help her friend, she was starting to get a little frustrated.

At school, Twilight tried to explain the importance of taking proper notes. But Rainbow didn't share her views.

"That may be fine for eggheads like you, Twilight. But we athletes don't have time for that." Rainbow Dash told.

"Note taking is a crucial way to study." Twilight defended.

Rainbow blew a raspberry.

"Yeah right." Fluttershy who was walking by, overheard the argument.

"Ladies." she said quietly.

"I'm trying to help you."

"Well maybe your help is wrong."

"Ladies." Fluttershy said a little louder.

"You're lucky I'm helping you at all."

Rainbow gasped, and the two growled at each other. Fluttershy then squeezed in between them.

"Ladies, please!"

Rainbow Dash and Twilight stopped fighting, and looked sheepish.

"Now is this any way for friends to act towards each other?" she asked.

The two looked at each other, and apologized.

"Sorry, Twilight."

"Me too, Rainbow Dash."

"Now what's all this about?" Fluttershy wanted to know.

"I'm trying to help Rainbow study for the exam, but my methods aren't working." explained Twilight.

"It's just isn't getting through to me." Rainbow replied.

"Well perhaps you need to try another method." Fluttershy suggested.

When school was over, the girls went to the computer lab.

"I find a good way to study for a test is by watching videos." Fluttershy said.

"That could work." Rainbow replied.

They went online, and Fluttershy found some videos about the Industrial Revolution. They watched a couple, but Rainbow found them boring, and her eyes began to droop. The next thing she knew she nodded off.

Twilight and Fluttershy noticed this, and shook her away.

"What, what's going on where am I?" she asked.

"You fell asleep watching the video." Fluttershy informed.

"Sorry, it was sorta boring. I guess videos won't work either."

The girls then left the school, and decided to stop by the Sweet Shoppe.

There, they ordered some shakes which were brought out by Pinkie.

"Hi girls. Why the long faces?"

"We're trying to help Rainbow study for the exam." Twilight explained.

"But our methods aren't working for her." Fluttershy added.

"It's hopeless." sighed Rainbow.

"I"m off the soccer team for sure."

"Don't worry your head off there Rainbow Dash." Pinkie told her.

"You can try my method of studying."

"And what's that?"

"I'll show you tomorrow morning before school."

The following day, the girls met up outside the school.

"So Pinkie what's your method?" Rainbow asked.

"Music." Pinkie said.

She pulled out her boombox, and turned it on. As the boombox started playing an upbeat tune, Pinkie began singing a song about the Industrial Revolution. While it was entertaining to watch, it didn't make much sense to Rainbow.

"So what'd you think, Rainbow Dash?"

"Uh, you're a good singer, Pinkie. But that didn't really make much sense."

"Oh well, I tried."

When school started, the girls kept thinking about what to do.

"Hello, ladies." greeted Rarity, coming up to them.

"Hey, Rarity." replied Rainbow Dash glumly.

"Oh dear, I take it the study methods aren't working."

"How'd you know?" Twilight wanted to know.

"Pinkie Pie texted me. And I came to offer help."

"Anything." Rainbow pleaded.

"During lunch I'll show you."

At lunch time, the girls sat together.

"So Rarity, what's your method?" Rainbow Dash wanted to know.

Rarity pulled out some papers from her backpack, and put them on the table. The girls were confused, they were just pictures of people from that time period.

"What are these, Rarity?" asked Fluttershy.

"These are pictures of people from the Industrial Revolution in authentic outfits. Fashion styles may have changed, but trends didn't. You see I memorize what happened in different times using what styles changed along with them." Rarity explained.

Rainbow just looked at her with a deadpan look.

"Rarity, fashion isn't gonna help me pass this exam."

Then she looked at Applejack.

"Applejack, please tell me you have a study method."

"Uh, sorry, Rainbow. But I find the best way to study is to just read." Applejack confessed.

Rainbow Dash was so frustrated, so just lost it.

"This is hopeless! None of these methods are going to work, and I'm gonna fail this exam. And I'm gonna have to give up what I love."

She then got up from the table, and left the cafeteria.

She wound up in the girls' bathroom, and locked herself in a stall. As she sat on a toilet feeling depressed, she heard footsteps coming in.

"Rainbow Dash, we know you're in here." said Twilight.

"We just want to make sure you're okay." Pinkie told.

Rainbow Dash then opened the stall, and stepped out of it.

"We're sorry, Rainbow." Fluttershy replied.

"Yeah, we didn't mean to get your brain all fried." Applejack added.

"We were only trying to help." Rarity admitted.

"It's okay, guys. I know you were only trying to help. It's my own fault for being to stupid."

She went over to the sink, put her hands on the sides, and held her head down.

"That's not true, Rainbow." Twilight comforted.

"There's still time before the exam. You still have a chance." encouraged Rarity.

"But how am I supposed to pass an exam I can't study for?"

Before anyone could say anything, the bell rang, meaning that lunch was over.

When school was over, Rarity decided to drive all the girls home. As the girls rode, Rainbow just looked out the window.

"You okay, Rainbow?" asked Fluttershy.

"Yeah, I'm fine." she replied.

Once they got to Rainbow Dash's house, she got out.

"Thanks for taking me home, Rarity."

"It's not a problem, darling."

"Oh, and by the way be careful when taking the others home."

"Why?"

"Because there's some road work that's gonna be going on."

Everyone looked confused. Then Rainbow started explaining.

"You see, as were driving here I noticed that there were some people with yellow vests and orange hard hats were in a cafe, and then I noticed how some guys were putting up some signs, and lastly I noticed down a road, a tree a had fallen over."

Everyone was surprised at hearing that. Back on the road, everyone kept thinking about what Rainbow Dash had said.

"That was pretty impressive Rainbow took in all those details." said Pinkie.

Just then, Twilight got an idea.

"Girls, I think I know how we can help Rainbow Dash study."

And she told the girls her plan.

On Saturday, Rainbow Dash was trying to read her books. But she just wasn't getting it. Just then, there was a knock at her door.

"Come in."

Her mom opened the door.

"Rainbow Dash, your friend Twilight is here." Windy Whistles said.

"(Sighs), Mom could you tell her I'm really not in the mood to see anybody?"

"She insists she sees you."

Rainbow sighed again, and went downstairs. By the front door, Twilight was waiting there.

"Hey, Rainbow how's it going?"

"I'd be better if I could actually get what I'm studying."

"Well I came by to see if you wanted to go for a ride?"

"I don't know..."

"Come on, it'll help clear your head."

"You should go, sweetheart." encouraged Bow Hotfoot.

Windy nodded in agreement.

"Okay, let's go."

And the two left the house. Night Light was waiting for the girls in his car, and they got into the back, and rode off.

As they rode down the street, Rainbow Dash just gazed out the window.

"So Rainbow, how's it going?" Twilight asked, trying to make conversation.

"Fine, except I'm gonna have to give up one of my most favorite things."

"Oh. So have you seen anything good on TV lately?"

"Not really."

"Did you hear that Pinkie caught Mr. Cranky Doodle and Miss Matilda flirting in the hallway?"

That made Rainbow snicker.

"And to think that guy always lectures us students about pdas."

After a while, they came back to Rainbow's house, and the girls got out of the car.

"Well I feel slightly better." Rainbow said.

"So, did you learn anything?" Twilight wanted to know.

"Well I learned that the Industrial Revolution started here in the late 19th century."

Rainbow then realized what she said.

"And?"

"And it brought advances in things like steam, electricity, and cars."

"And?"

"And that it brought many new inventions like the cotton gin, the steam engine, and modern lighting!"

Rainbow Dash couldn't believe it. She knew the stuff she'd been trying to learn and study.

"I know it all. But how?" she wanted to know.

"I noticed the other day on how when you were riding in Rarity's car, you took in all the surroundings. So we all decided it would be a great way for you to study." Twilight explained.

Rainbow Dash remembered that while she was looking at the road, she saw her friends holding signs with history notes written on them.

"So do you think you get it now?"

"You know, I think I do."

On the day of the exam, Rainbow sat at her desk ready to do it. The teacher handed out the papers, and when Rainbow saw it she started to get a little nervous. But she looked up at some of her friends who were in the class.

Pinkie Pie gave her a thumb's up, Twilight gave her the okay sign, and Rarity smiled. That gave Rainbow Dash some confidence, and she started working.

A few days later, it was time to get the exam back. The teacher handed the papers back to all the students except Rainbow. That made her nervous, had she failed it? When class was over, the teacher called her to her desk.

"Yes, ma'am?" Rainbow Dash asked.

The teacher smiled, and gave her her test. And to Rainbow Dash's surprise she'd gotten an A+, she scored even past the passing grade!

"Congratulations."

"Thank you, ma'am."

She then happily ran out of the classroom, and showed her friends the test. They were all so happy for her, and they shared a big group hug.

That's chapter 18, plz review