“Okay then, have you got your lunch?” Rainbow asked her daughters.
“Yes,” the three, five year old fillies replied, all of which were growing impatient and just wanted to leave and get to school already.
“Good. Have you got your books?”
“Yes.”
“Good, good. And Dashie, have you got Fluttershy’s jacket thing?”
Dash stared blankly back at her mother.
“Go get it. And hurry.”
Dash nodded before shooting off up the stairs, with her wings making a strong fluttering sound as she flew.
She was back a second later with the cardigan in her mouth.
“Here, I’ll put it in your bag.” Rainbow quickly yet carefully stuffed the clothing into Dash’s bag, putting it on the brink of bursting. “Okay, I think that’s everything. You better get going; you don’t want to be late.”
The fillies ran to the door, with Rainbow following close behind.
“And Dashie, don’t fly off on your own again like yesterday,” she said sternly. “I want you to stick together, and you know full well that your sisters can’t keep up with you.”
Dash sighed behind a cocky grin. “Okay.”
“Good. Now off to school with you lot!” she ushered them out of the door.
Swirl and Shine began walking excitedly, while Dash jumped in the air and hovered after them.
“See ya later, Rainbows. Have a good day at school!” Rainbow shouted after them, waving frantically as she did.
Rainbow watched them leave until she couldn't see them anymore before heading back inside. The door clicked behind her and she sighed. It was an issue now that she let them go to school on their own.
She had nothing to do.
No mothers to talk to. No coffees to be got. Nothing.
“What to do? What to do?” she asked herself as she leant against the door. Although an idea did strike her mind. It was something she hadn't done since she can't remember when. It made her blush.
“Yeah. Why not. Let's knock out a crafty one.”
She wondered upstairs.
The shower was relaxing and very much well needed. She found herself standing under the torrent, letting the water find its own way down her body, dripping from her stomach and down her hooves. It even found its way through her mane, drenching it completely. Perfect for washing, something she didn't do very often due to the laborious nature of the task and the sheer amount of shampoo and conditioner it took. But alas, she had not much else to do today. And it was quite enjoyable.
The towel she wrapped around her head could have dried a small family and it spiralled up rather comically.
However, the morning's activities were just that; the morning's. Not even the whole morning at that. Too early for lunch and for a another cup of coffee. So she just laid back on her bed, staring into the ceiling.
It was completely silent in the house. The dust could be heard settling. She didn't even want to listen to music as this was not her first week like this and she was running out of things to listen to. The violin was tempting, only her wrist felt a little achy and the thought of straining it further put her off.
Her mind swam with nothing to grip her attention, almost a dreamlike state of meditation, just short of nirvana. Swimming with old memories she had forgotten, or at least put to the back of her mind. She wished they had stayed there though as they were often involving Red.
She forced him away, out of her head, by thinking about what she was had been staring at, sort of. The attic.
An overwhelming need to satisfy her nostalgia took control and she went to find the key to the hatch.
It was dusty and smelt of damp loft insulation, but at least the light worked.
Coughing, she landed on the struts and looked around. It was just boxes and a couple bin bags of what was probably thought to be useful later, only it was now later and whatever it was was almost definitely useless.
At random she took a box. It was full of paper and sketchbooks from her childhood, along with her once cherished art set. It was a flood of emotion as she flicked through the pictures she had drawn one by one. She couldn't remember drawing any of them but the feeling of discovering her talent and watching it grow stuck with the images, and she felt like she was a filly again first discovering her love of everything paint. And the stained and well used art box only reminded her of her grandfather, who had bought her it when she was very young...
It was that time of year again. Dreary overcast sky where the wind got under your skin. Fillies and colts didn't go out to play in this weather, but there was one of each excited to stay in.
Rainbow Swirl and Shooting Star, buzzing on sweets and the presents, chests emblazoned with huge, matching badges saying “4 today”. Still, despite the need to run off and play with their new toys they sat patiently on the floor, for their grandparents had arrived.
Sat on the sofa in front of the foals were two elderly ponies, the stallion of noticeably greater age, with a happy yet tired look in their eyes. They had not long been at the party, having enjoyed the walk there, but the children were very excited to see him.
Nana was adored by Rainbow, idolised in every way, from looks and personality, and she aspired to grow up into her. Her coat had faded slightly with age, as had her mane, but she was still a beautiful mare, as were all the Rainbow mares.
Grandpa was older than Nana in appearance mostly, and a little in number. Wrinkles flowed over his face, around his eyes, and showed a life full of stories he had yet to tell, of the good and the bad times in the world.
Rainbow and Star were beyond excited. They hadn't had many birthday's or Hearth's Warming Eves or any other excuse to give presents to children but they already knew that Grandpa gave the best presents. He had a knack for it, for knowing what a pony really wanted or needed. If not already occupied his flank would have a present on it.
“So, have you had a good day you two?” Grandpa asked with a little glee in his voice.
“Yeah!” the twins said back in unison. Rainbow quickly ran off to get her new hairbrush to show off, it was old fashioned and polished to a high shine, and hopped up next to Nana. No invitation or request was needed as Nana instinctively began to brush the little filly's mane, because that's what Rainbow had been secretly wanting ever since she unwrapped the wooden box in which the brush was given.
“Well I hope you're not too tired because we have a little present for you each.”
The children knew this already; the plastic bag had been clocked the minute they had heard the distinctive rustling.
It was odd how he used the same carrier bag for everything, a cheaply made piece of plastic with the faded logo of a supermarket long since bust. There wasn't even a nostalgic connection, but maybe a sense of pride that he managed to keep the same plastic bag for literally decades. Yet, inside this grotty piece of plastic as wrinkled as its owner were two expertly wrapped gifts, using simple brown parcel paper and string tied in a knot, looped through a tag with names written in a beautiful flourish. It was a shame to open such marvellous works of craftsmanship, but the contents were worth it.
“Who wants first?” Grandpa asked the children. Rainbow was in a world in of her own, enjoying the time with Nana as she brushed her mane, something few ponies got the privilege of doing, so Star went first. “Pass me my bag, and be careful,” he insisted upon the last part.
Star did as he was told and gladly. Grandpa took it up on the sofa and removed the two gifts, placing them carefully on the seat between him and his granddaughter. The smaller of the two, odd in shape as it was wider at the bottom and flimsy, had Shooting Star written on the label. “Here, this one's yours.”
Star took it carefully and placed it on the floor before him. With great care and attention he unwrapped it, savouring the satisfaction of the string pulling away firmly yet gently, the tape peeling off the paper smoothly and without marks.
“Keep the tag, sweetie,” Blaze muttered over the living room. It was a habit she had practised since being a filly and kept them in a box in her wardrobe.
Star nodded and placed it on the coffee table. He pulled the paper away and cast it aside. In a small pile were three music books and a box on top, inside which was a shining tin whistle. “Music? And a whistle?” He didn't know what he expected but that wasn't it.
Grandpa nodded. “Every boy should have one. One day you are going to play me a wonderful song on that.”
Star rolled the whistle over in his hooves. It was black and shining, and full of holes. Tentatively, he placed the mouthpiece to his lips and gave a gentle blow. A soft note filled the air. And he repeated it with gusto for several minutes.
Blaze, behind her smile, was in pain. Noise was one of her two pet peeves, and someone had just given her young son a musical instrument. It was a disaster waiting to happen.
Rainbow had put the brush back in its box and swished her mane. It was smooth, knot free and full of volume. “Can I have my present now, Grandpa?”
Grandpa chuckled. “Of course, Rainbow.” He placed the present in front of his granddaughter. It was a big box, almost too big for Rainbow to carry. Hard to the touch and quite heavy. Rainbow's eye lit up because it could only be something amazing. The wrapping came off with considerably less care than her brother, although she kept the tag safe and to the side.
It was a hard wooden box, hinged at its shorter edge, that housed the present inside. “Did you make this, Grandpa?” she asked curiously.
“Sadly not. I tried, believe me, but I am not good at woodwork.”
Rainbow squinted a disbelieving eye at her grandfather. He can do anything, she thought, and so she decided that he did in fact make it. The latch proved fiddly but her fumbling hooves opened it with little effort. The lid lifted and locked into position at a right angle to the base.
Rainbow was stupefied, locked in place with an overwhelming combination of emotions. She wasn't even sure she was breathing. It was full to the brim of paints and brushes and pencils and paper and everything she loved. More than just child's paint that is safe to eat in small quantities, but in metal tubes and little blocks. The brushes weren't plastic but wood with fine bristles and in a range of sizes. She couldn't handle it. Didn't know what to look at or touch first. Her hoof kept darted around, as did her eyes, as she tried to fixate on just one thing. It was unlimited possibilities. It was amazing. It was hers.
“Do you like it?” Grandpa wasn't entirely sure as it had been a full two minutes of silence from the filly, but the little nod with her wide, unblinking eyes staring at the box said she loved it beyond all reason or logic.
“I watch you draw, Rainbow, whenever you're round our house. I keep everything you've ever drawn for me.”
“Really?”
“Yes, of course I do. I love them all so much. They mean so much to me.”
“But there aren't many on the fridge,” she muttered under her breath. It made no sense to her. That's where you put pictures if you keep them.
“I would need a much bigger fridge to put all your pictures up. Those ones are my favourite. I keep the rest in a box in the cupboard. Just like Mummy.”
Rainbow smiled. What she loved more than drawing was other people enjoying her pictures.
“So I want you to draw more. And use paint, because that's your favourite, isn't it?”
Rainbow nodded.
“And one day, you can paint me a masterpiece of me and you, and I'll hang it up above the fireplace.”
Rainbow gasped. To her that was the ultimate honour, even more than the fridge. “Really?”
“Yep. So you better get practising. Now, come over here,” Grandpa requested, and Rainbow did so, so he could show her the box in detail. He told her what all the different paints are, how to use watercolours, how to care for the brushes, how to use the easel and what the palette was for. “And Rainbow, whenever you run out of paint just ask me and I will get you some more.”
Rainbow nodded. “Yes, Grandpa.” She so badly wanted to go paint, but the box was too nice and she didn't want to ruin it. Also there were too many ponies in the room and she felt uncomfortable. So she spent the next while looking at her paints and dreaming up things to paint.
Blaze loved the present. Truly, she did. She also saw the joy her daughter got from letting her creativity flow out of the pencils and brushes she cherished. But mess is the second of her two pet peeves, and some of those paints stained beyond any redemption. She honestly felt queasy with dread, as this first week there will be nothing but noise and mess in her home.
Nana, who had been sitting quietly this whole time, called Star over with a gentle wave of her hoof. “Do you like your whistle?”
Star nodded. “Yes, Nana.”
“I can see that. Pass me those music books and I can help you.”
Star looked shocked and offended. With a darting glance to Grandpa he said, “Really?”
“I know Grandpa's amazing but I'm the musical one,” she said with a laugh in her voice. “I'm quite good at the violin, you know.”
That was all the convincing Star needed. He quickly retrieved the books and hopped up to Nana. He comfortably nestled under her wing and got the first book, conveniently numbered with difficulty. Nana went on to teach him about basic notation, fingering notes, how no one knows where the word fingering came from, and, most importantly, how to play softly.
Blaze looked relieved. Rainbow's reluctance to use the art supplies and Star actually learning to play the whistle calmed her nervous heart.
There was a loud bang in the kitchen followed by the weirdest yelp a stallion could make and never replicate. Thunder came into the living room, covered in various food bits and a vacant expression. “I have no idea how that happened,” he said largely to himself.
“What happened?” asked his loving if not annoyed wife.
“You smell of cake, Daddy,” Rainbow remarked.
Thunder took a moment to actually remember what happened. Everyone was on tenterhooks as he gained some composure. “That cake... exploded.”
No one knew what to say, so they said nothing until they started laughing.
Blaze listened quietly as her son played a little tune he had learnt. It had been a little more than a week since he got it but he was quite proficient already. Hot Cross Buns had been mastered in only a couple days, and now he was confident enough to try the harder tunes.
He finished his rendition of Coming Round the Mountain and placed the whistle on the counter top.
“That was beautiful, Star. You're getting really good at your whistle.” She ruffled his mane affectionately. “How about some lunch?” Star nodded and his mother began to make some sandwiches.
“Mummy! Mummy!” Rainbow said loudly through a mouthful of paper.
Blaze turned around to see her daughter covered head to hoof in flecks of paint, a picture held in her teeth and pride in her eyes and wagging tail.
“Aw,” Blaze swooned. “Did you draw that?”
Rainbow nodded happily. “Yep! With my new paints.”
“Oh really? I thought you were just going to stare at them for longer.”
Rainbow laughed. She was positively giddy. “No, but I made sure not to make it dirty.”
“So you made yourself dirty instead?” Blaze smirked cockily.
“Yes.” She moved closer and lifted the picture to her mother's face, well as close as she could get. “I did this for you, Mummy.” Blaze took it enthusiastically, which wasn't put on like you would do for a child but in fact genuine. Rainbow waited excitedly for judgement. If she was lucky it would be placed on the fridge like the others. “It's of me and you, Mummy!”
Blaze was speechless. It was beautiful, so much so she felt tears in the backs of her eyes. “Sweetie, this is...” She couldn't finish.
“Do you like it, Mummy? Is it going on the fridge? Right at the top?” Rainbow asked patiently.
Blaze wiped her eyes dry. “I love it, Sweetie. Absolutely love it.”
Rainbow beamed brightly. She could see the fridge now, with her picture taken the proud place at the top of the fridge. “Is there room for it?”
“What we're going to do, Rainbow, is leave it on the table so the paint dries, and then tomorrow when it has we're going to the shop and were going to get it framed. It's going somewhere on the mantle piece next to the photos.”
Rainbow's eyes lit up and her jaw dropped. Could she really have done it? Achieved her life goal at such a young age? She screamed a hysterical, happy scream. Her hooves did a merry jig and she ran around the kitchen. Blaze watched and adored her.
They had been six for some time now. The sun was high and strong, scorching the ground with its heat, giving everyone an excuse to go outside and lounge about without feeling bad about it. Star had been playing outside before getting too hot and went to cool off inside. Rainbow hadn't left her room in hours.
The wooden box she cherished beyond anything was no longer gleaming and well maintained but rather stained and covered in old paint after years of extensive use. The paints inside were of many brands, some newer than others, and the brushes were beginning to fray and lose their definition, as all would do despite how well they were cared for. The palette was fairly clean as it had been replaced beyond the count of a young filly.
Her paintings were many in number. Long now since she had moved on from small sheets of paper she was on to large sketchbooks where she could store her drawings more efficiently and the occasional canvas for a treat after saving up all her pocket money. This time she wasn't using either.
She stood back up from her work and stood back. She eyed it up, tilting her head and walking around it so she could see it from all angles and make sure it was the best she could do. It was.
Giddily she bounced around for a bit before bolting downstairs to tell Mummy.
Blaze thought someone was falling down the stairs but that was often the case.
“Mummy! I drew my best ever painting today!”
Blaze smiled at her. “You always say that.”
“But this time I really mean it!”
Blaze sighed with a slight frown at the corners of her mouth. “And you're covered in paint... again.”
“It was worth it.”
“It better be. You know how hard it is to get that paint out. So go on then. Show me.”
“Follow me! It's on the wall in my room.”
“WHAT DID YOU SAY?!” Blaze screeched into the kitchen.
Rainbow froze and shrank. “It's... it's on the wall,” the last words were but a nervous whisper.
“That is not alright, Rainbow,” Blaze scalded. With anger in her hooves she trotted to her daughter and stood over her, imposing her rule on her in her powerful stance. “You do not paint on the walls.”
“I'm sorry, Mummy,” Rainbow squeaked sheepishly.
“You are going to clean it off right now!”
Rainbow didn't answer for a long while. She pulled her mane over her face and hid herself.
“Didn't you hear me? You are going to clean that paint off the wall right now.”
“I don't want to,” Rainbow replied, muffled through the mass of hair in her face.
“Excuse me?!” Blaze was shocked and appalled at her daughter. “Did you talk back at me? Did you disobey me?”
Rainbow didn't answer, only hid behind her mane.
“Get that mane out of your face and look me in the eye!”
Rainbow shook her head.
“Get your mane out of your face or I'll... I'll cut it off!”
Rainbow's face jerked up and she pulled her mane back to safety behind her ears. She saw her mother grab a pair of scissors from a nearby pencil pot and showed off the gleaming twin blades in one hoof, and a damp sponge in the other. Scared tears poured down her cheeks.
“You are going to clean the wall, aren't you?”
Through wails of fear Rainbow took the sponge and ran off upstairs.
Blaze put the scissors back with an air of pride at a job well done. The anger inside soon subsided.
Thunder enjoyed doing the food shop. He insisted he did it himself because his family proved to be a distraction, and he never could say no to the pleading smiles of his children. This way he could get all they needed and enjoy his own company for a bit, as anyone would.
The cart wheels clunked along the pavement, it was an old cart with splinters and rust, as he landed and walked the last little bit. Strangely, the cart was heavier when not in the air. Magic probably, Thunder thought to himself.
“Hello!” he announced in a loud, booming voice through the house as he walked his cart into the kitchen. “Hi darling.” He kissed his wife, to the disgust of his son that was present which only spurred him on to do it a second time.
Star, out of well trained habit, began unloading the shopping. “Did you get any cookies?”
“No, not this time.”
It wasn't a question he expected a positive answer for but he thought what's the harm in asking. He continued to unpack and put away the shopping.
“Where's Rainbow? She usually helps.”
“She was naughty and has to clean the wall,” Blaze stated matter-of-factly and with a hint of pride.
“Yeah,” Star added with excitement. “Mummy shouted at her and everything!”
Thunder shot Blaze a quick glance. “Really?”
Star nodded. “Yeah. Really loudly. It was scary.”
“Well Mummy is a scary mare.”
Blaze may have rolled her eyes but had to smile as well.
“Rainbow was crying and everything.” Star put the last box away and went to flit daintily in garden and feel the sun on his wings.
“You made her cry?” Thunder asked. The thought of any of his family crying made him sad enough to join them.
“I didn't mean to make her cry.”
“But you did mean to shout at her.”
“She painted on the wall and you know that paint doesn't come off.”
“I'll go check on her. Make sure she's okay.” He left the kitchen before adding, “and that she's cleaning the wall.”
Into the filly's bedroom he walked, after knocking of course, and heard a gentle sobbing coming from next to the wall.
“Hey,” he said softly as he approached her. “Are you okay?”
Rainbow sniffed loudly but did nothing else. She sat in shadow, with her head pressing gently into the wall next to her painting.
“I heard Mummy shouted at you.”
Rainbow squeaked.
Thunder sat beside her and squeezed her. “C'mon. Tell me what happened. I won't be mad at you because Mummy has done that enough for both of us.”
Rainbow smiled under her mane. “I drew a picture on the wall and it was really good and I wanted to show Mummy but she shouted at me because I drew it on the wall and she said that if I didn't clean it off right away she will cut my mane off but it already dried and-”
“Whoa whoa whoa. What? Say that again.” Thunder demanded. “Did Mummy say she'll cut your mane off if you didn't do as she said?”
Rainbow nodded.
Thunder felt a fire begin to burn in his stomach, growing bigger and bigger as he thought about what his wife was telling their daughter. “If Mummy thinks you're in trouble she is quite mistaken.”
“What?” Rainbow peered through her mane with a cautious feeling of relief.
“You just wait here. It's Mummy who is in trouble now.” Thunder headed downstairs with a purpose and fire in his step.
Back downstairs Blaze sat on the sofa with a cool drink with a childish straw, it was too hot for anything else. Her husband came into the room with an intense look, unusual for him, as if he had something important to say.
“So, is she cleaning up her mess?” She took a victorious slurp of the drink.
“You threatened to cut off her mane?” he asked simply.
Blaze exhaled through her nose with pride. “Yeah. She was hiding behind it which is very annoying so I just said it and she did what I told her to. Quite clever-.”
“You threatened to cut off her mane?!” Thunder was suddenly angry, his voice raised to just below a shout. It was scary to see such a calm stallion carry such emotion in his voice. “That is not okay, Blaze!”
She could feel a horrible wave of guilt pass over her. “W-w-what?” she whimpered, “since when?”
“Do you even know our daughter?!” Thunder shouted. Blaze tried to look offended. “Do you know what her mane is to her? It's like taking away Star's blanket.”
“No it's not.” She was far too sheepish to believe it.
“Yes it is. Whenever she's upset, scared, angry, uncomfortable what does she do?”
“She hides-”
“She hides in her mane. And then you threatened to cut it off. To cut off her security. You NEVER do that, okay? Never.”
“I'm sorry,” she whispered, tears welling up. It had been so long she had been told off she could no longer handle it.
“You're going to apologise to her right now and tell you are NEVER going to hurt a single hair on her head.”
Blaze hesitated, not wanting to move out of fear of further scalding.
“NOW!”
Blaze moved up the stairs with her husband right behind, making sure she was actually going to do what she was told.
Blaze knocked so gently and pushed the door open barely wide enough to poke her head through.
“Sweetie?” she asked into the room, to which the only reply was a whimper that sounded like it would become a torrent of tears any second now.
“Hey hey now, I'm not here to shout at you.” Blaze stepped into the room, approaching her daughter slowly. “I want to say that what I said before was really bad of me. Daddy shouted at me for it. I want to say I'm sorry.” She sat down beside her daughter and wrapped her wing around her. “I'm so, so sorry, my darling. I should never have got so angry at you like that. And I promise to never cut your mane, no matter what.”
Blaze leant down to kiss her daughter's head, but Rainbow flinched at her touch and pulled her mane tighter around her head.
The rejection was horrible and it made her heart sink and tears fall from down her cheeks. “Now, let's see this best painting ever, shall we?”
She looked at the wall. Her brow furrowed, mostly in shock, as she looked at the simple picture. How her own daughter managed to reproduce from memory a photo realistic painting of a lilac was beyond belief.
“You drew this?” her voice faltered. “Oh sweetie. This is amazing. I-I can't actually believe you managed to paint something this good. It's beyond, well, anything!”
Rainbow moved her mane to one side to poke an eye through to check her mother's reaction. It seemed genuine. “R-really?” she asked hopefully.
Blaze nodded. “I'm not even mad that you painted on the wall. I'm mad at myself for not having faith in you. If you can paint this well you can paint on all the walls.”
“What?” Rainbow's breath quickened.
“I give you, Rainbow, permission to paint on your bedroom wall. Only this wall, and only if they are as good as this.”
Rainbow's heart exploded and her mind raced. She didn't expect this. “Really?!”
“Yes really! And Daddy is here and he can confirm it.”
Thunder nodded to his ecstatic daughter. “Like Mummy said, you just keep to her rules about it and you can paint the walls with your best paintings.”
Rainbow jumped up and screamed in delight. Her hooves were dancing around manically as she saw all she could do to make it the best wall in the world.
Thunder watched, his heart melting, at his precious little girl galloping with excitement around her room. Only he had to stop here when his heart stopped melting and leapt into his throat. He grabbed his daughter and looked her over.
“Oh my god!” he yelled in shock.
“What daddy?”
“Blaze! Quick! Look at our daughter's butt!”
Blaze did so immediately and had much the same reaction.
Rainbow bent her neck to see for herself. On her flank, amidst the specks and mess of paint, was a cloud and a strip of rainbow coloured paint stroked from below it. It was her cutie mark.
It was perfect.
She screamed.
Rainbow looked down to her flank, at the cutie mark that had resided there for 25 years, and smiled. It meant a lot to her as it showed that what she loved doing was what she was here for. Or something less cheesy.
She put the paintings and the paint set back in the box and moved onto the next. She was over the moon to see a familiar face amongst the tat. A small patchwork unicorn with a frayed tail and little mane left
“Doctor Wingless!” Rainbow shouted in glee, so happy to see him again. She took him a hug like she used to, of course she was much bigger than him by now, but she could still feel him and the comfort she had got from the cuddly toy as she wrapped her hooves around his floppy body. He started the pile of stuff she would bring downstairs into the real world.
In another box was a collection of scrap books and journals. All the things she kept as a child, back when she thought it was fun to keep track of such things. Taking one at random she flicked through the pages. The writing was scrawled and barely legible, but she didn't need to read it as the sticker saying how brave she had been was more than enough to remember the doctor's office and how undeserving of the sticker she was.
A small family of four waited inside the doctor’s office. The two parents sat on either side of the two children who occupied a third, central chair. A pair of twins, one colt and one filly, no more than three years old, and both with manes of rainbow.
“How are you feeling, Shoot?” the father asked as he ruffled his son’s mane.
The colt giggled. “Err, I don’t know.”
The mother stroked her daughter’s mane before lifting a strip up, and let it drop again so she could watch it fall down her back. She couldn’t help but think that it would stretch far past her flanks if she straightened it.
“Rainbow, we really should get you mane cut,” Blaze said with a slight pained expression.
Rainbow grabbed her mane and pulled it down the sides of her face, loudly saying, “NO!”
“C’mon, Sweetie, it’s getting ridiculous. I mean, you’re almost more hair than filly. Just a trim, I swear!”
Rainbow began shaking her head in large motion. “Nope, nope, nope, nope, nope, nope, nope-!”
“Hey, Rainbow,” the father interrupted before his daughter hurt her neck. “What about you? How are you feeling?”
“Excited!” Rainbow spoke quickly as she began to bounce in her seat, but she quickly stopped. “Daddy?” she asked with a complete childlike innocence.
“Yeah, Rainbow?”
“What’s an injection?”
Star looked up at his father with big, curious eyes as well.
Thunder pondered with a furrowed brow for just a second before he managed to come up with something, which was made clear by a smirk appearing on his face. He twisted in his seat so he faced his children and brought his face closer to theirs.
“Okay, listen up and I’ll tell you,” he began excitedly and gave his children time to get intrigued, as made apparent by their widening eyes and them leaning forward. “Now then, inside everyone’s bodies are lots and lots of little ponies.”
The children instantly brought their hooves in front of their faces and looked for the ponies with a slight panic in their eyes.
The father chuckled. “You can’t see them though; they’re far too small. And don’t worry, they are very nice and helpful, and they make sure your body is healthy and repair any damages made to it.”
Reassured, the foals looked back to their father.
“The little ponies usually are very kind and friendly, and live in peace and harmony with their surroundings,” he said in a happy tone, but the smile quickly went from his face and was replaced with a look of seriousness and tension. “But that can quickly change when the evil little ponies attack… and war falls upon them.”
The foals’ eye widened further and their jaws hung open. Their hearts began to pound and their wings flared as the tale of the little ponies got more interesting.
“These evil little ponies are often known as ‘Germs’ and will stop at nothing to take over your body, but the good little ponies will never let them. The wars can last days, even weeks, but eventually the Germs will be conquered. But alas, not all that comes from this victory is good, as the war can make your body sick and poorly.”
“So when the Germs attack that’s what makes us sick?” Rainbow asked innocently, hoping to make sure she understood.
The father nodded once. “Exactly, Rainbow.”
“So what’s an injection for then?” Star asked confusedly.
“Well, an injection is a special device that doctors use. It’s used to put other good little ponies inside you.”
“To make my army of ponies bigger?” Rainbow asked, yet she was still completely unsure.
“Not exactly. These new little ponies are put inside you and will train all of the other little ponies how to defeat certain Germs, and so the next time those Germs decide to attack, your little ponies can see them coming a mile off and attack first, making it almost impossible for them to get close and make you sick.”
The father sat back in his chair in a triumphant manner.
The foals looked to each other completely awestruck. “That’s so cool!” they both squeaked together.
The mother tittered and shook her head slightly. “How do you come up with this stuff so quickly? She asked him quietly.
The father looked confused and slightly angry at her. “What do you mean? I learned this stuff at school,” he said with a wink.
The door to the office opened and a friendly, if not tired, looking mare strolled in pushing a small metal trolley. “Good morning,” she chirped. “How are we today.”
“Excited!” the twins exclaimed.
The nurse was taken aback. “Really? That's a bit strange. Anyway, let's get this over with. The quicker the better.” She pushed the trolley over to the family and busied herself filling the two syringes the trolley carried.
“But you're not a doctor.” Star looked at her suspiciously. “Where's the shiny circle and the heart listener?”
The nurse shook her head with a smile. “Don't worry. I'm just as much trained to do this as a doctor.”
“Okay,” Star said sceptically. He didn't trust her.
Rainbow's breath faltered as she saw the long, shining needle pierce the film on the bottle of vaccine. She leant over to her mother and wrapped her hoof around hers. “W-what's that, Mummy?”
“That the syringe,” she said in a soft, caring voice, “It's how they give you an injection.”
“Do they-,” Rainbow gulped, “Do they squirt it on our mouths?” she asked, unsure if she wanted to know in case the alternative was worse.
Mother chuckled. “No, Sweetie. They just give you a quick poke with the pointy end and it's all over in a second, okay?”
Rainbow's heart leapt to her throat. “What?”
“So which one of you is first?” the nurse asked.
“Me!” shouted Star. “My army is going to be so better than yours.”
The nurse was about to question what he meant but thought it better she not. “Well aren't you a brave little boy. Now, give me your hoof.” Star did as he was told and placed his hoof in hers. “Now, this is going to hurt just a little bit, but your a big boy, I'm sure you can handle it.”
It was over in a second. The nurse placed a plaster over the entry point and gave him a sticker congratulating him and a lollipop. Star took a deep breath and wiped his eyes dry. His father gave him a hug. “Well done,” he whispered.
Rainbow saw the whole thing. It filled her with dread. Her grip tightened on her mother. Her breath came in short, jagged bursts.
“It's your turn now, little one.” The nurse knelt close to her, syringe in one hoof while the other asked for Rainbow's. “May I have your hoof?”
Rainbow looked between the hoof she was offered, the nurse's smiling face and the shining, gleaming needle. She screamed.
The sound was harsh and pierced the ears of everyone in the room. The nurse stumbled back and Rainbow saw her chance. She darted from her seat and sped around the room. Mane flowing. Tears streaming. Scream piercing.
Her parents were quick to act. They shot up in pursuit of her, but she was small and nimble and dodged every swipe and every grab at her. The nurse stood back and let them work. She wasn't paid to catch children.
Rainbow made a false move, allowing her mother to grab her around her middle. She did not stop. Her body flailed in her grasp, trying everything she could to break free. “Quickly,” her mother muttered through the struggle. The nurse stopped forward and held Rainbow's back leg, steadying it, and injected the vaccine into her flank. Rainbow didn't stop squirming. Her mother allowed her to go free. She jumped from her, across the bed in to the centre of the room and right into her father's waiting hoofs. He took her in a tight embrace.
“It's okay,” he whispered softly over and over again into her mane. She cried hard, soaking his chest with her tears.
The nurse came to place a plaster over the entry point, but Rainbow flinched and screamed.
“It's okay, Rainbow. It's just a plaster.”
“Would you do it?” The nurse asked. The father obliged and Rainbow allowed him to place the plaster where it needed to go.
“Would you like a lollipop?” the nurse offered. Rainbow looked through a gap in her mane at a jar half full of lollipops. She took a red one. The nurse then offered a sticker. Rainbow was hesitant at first but she took it. It said that she was a brave filly.
“Oh that's nice,” her father told her. He stuck it to her chest. “You keep it there for now and when we get home we can put it in your book. Okay?”
Rainbow nodded.
They left the office, thanking and apologising to the nurse all the while and headed home. Rainbow did not let go of her father for the entire trip.
Rainbow smiled and shook her head to her memory. She had been so childish back then. It was only a needle, she thought, pretending that she wouldn't have the same reaction to this day.
Behind these boxes, which seemed to consist of childhood memorabilia, was a bag. An odd shaped one with a strap to sling over your shoulder. Rainbow recognised it and felt a rush of adrenaline.
Quickly she grabbed it, unzipped it and pulled out the most innapropriate toy she had ever been given; an air rifle.
Her father had got her it when she turned nine, and her mother was unaware of this until that day. Needless to say, she was not happy. But Rainbow was itching to give it a go the moment she laid eyes on it. Her father had set up targets in the garden for her, which she destroyed. A natural, just like her mother, as Thunder had told her that Blaze was the top marksman in the Cloudsdale Police Department, much better than he ever was.
But the garden proved a little dull after a little while, and the rifle spent more and more time sat in Rainbow's room, going unused. Until they went on holiday with it.
The camping holiday was very dull, as most of they all agreed, and they knew they wouldn't be doing it again any time soon. On the second to last day Thunder took Rainbow with him into the woods a little fly away, with the air rifle slung on his back.
Their were small targets everywhere, and Rainbow had a whale of a time picking them out and nailing every one of them. It was exciting and made her hooves tingle every time she pulled the trigger. The satisfaction of seeing the small paper targets shred them to pieces with a well placed pellet.
With targets all gone Rainbow flittered back to the clearing before the forest, where her father was waiting.
“Did you have fun, Rainbow?”
“Yeah!” Rainbow shouted. “It was great. I got all of them. Still got loads of bullets left.”
“That's great. Really glad you had fun.”
“Did you, dad?”
Thunder thought for a second. Did he have fun? He couldn't even hazard a guess. “I think I did? I don't know. This holiday has just sucked the life out of everything.”
Rainbow giggled. “Yeah. It's super boring. We should have gone to a place with a beach. That was awesome last time!”
“I'll keep the in mind. Come on now. Let's get back before your mother worries.”
Rainbow nodded and handed him the rifle to hold; it was far too big for her. She was about to jump on his back for an easy ride but froze by his side, gripping furiously at his wing. A little ways off, close enough to see its yellow eyes and dripping teeth, stood a wolf. Snarling and shaking. It was preparing to fight, trying to scare them off. And it was too close to fly away.
“Rainbow, get back in the bush. Stay out of sight,” Thunder ordered calmly. Rainbow didn't argue and as stealthily as she could she hid in the tall grass.
Thunder, confident that his daughter was safe, made a pass at the wolf. He tried to match it. Threatening it with his own display of agression. Flaring his wings, snorting heavily through his nose, rearing up on his hind legs.
It didn't work. The wolf didn't back down. It attacked. Pouncing on Thunder and pinning him to the ground. He wrestled it as hard as he could, but the wolf was too powerful. He was stuck, trying all his might to fight back but all he could do was try to keep the beast far enough away so it couldn't bite. He could feel its claws digging in and scratching. He couldn't hold out much longer.
Rainbow was paralzyed as she watched her father being beat in a fight for his life. Tears streamed as she knew she couldn't do anything. Or so she thought.
In the scuffle the rifle had been flung to the side. With a determined scowl she wiped her eyes and sped to the rifle while the wolf was too focused on her father. Quickly she shoved a pellet into the barrel and cracked it back.
Carefully she lined up her shot, knowing it was the most important thing she would ever do. With a powerful blast of air, a dart split the air and lodged itself firmly in the wolf's eye.
It staggered back, loosening its grip on her father just enough so he could fight.
Bleeding, Thunder punched the wolf in the jaw, and it stumbled back. Now he had the upper hand. He roared and growled as he hit it again and again, knocking it further back. The wolf tried to get him back but its teeth barely grazed him.
He turned quickly and flew full speed at Rainbow, scooping her up and flying her away to safety. He planted so many kisses in thanks on her face.
They landed back at the camp. Blaze was screaming for and at her husband for getting hurt and for getting her precious daughter in such a dangerous situation. But when Thunder explained how Rainbow saved his life she suddenly felt a little easier about it. Her daughter was getting older, and maybe she could handle herself.
Rainbow placed the rifle back in the bag and shook her head. She was dissapointed in the memory of the wolf, almost as if it was a lot cooler in theory than in application and didn't really need to be told. At least not in such a long winded way, maybe just a paragraph or two just to get the jist across.
“Whatever,” she told herself as she dismissed the memory.
The rifle and a tin of pellets was put with the pile to go downstairs.
“Dash is gonna love it,” Rainbow declared.
The next few boxes seemed oddly recognisable. These were from her uni days, a student of Art at Cloudsdale University.
Eagerly she ripped up the tape and dove inside. There were a few textbooks, bend and ripped, and never opened, along with two folders of notes, an embarrsaingly small amount compared to most students. But she didn't really go to study, more because she had no idea what to do with her life and thought it would be fun, which is was.
She flicked through the notes. So keen, she was, at the beginning, but then it devolved steadily. Towards the end a single sheet of paper covered whole modules, or a couple sentences for a lecture follwed by flattering drawings of the lecturer at the time. One such page had a crude comic drawn which made her laugh. No one else would find it funny, but when she drew it in the lecture she couldn't contain herself, gaining lots of odd looks from students and the lecturer alike. Every time she looked at it she laughed just the same.
Drying her eyes from tears of laughter she pushed this box aside and took the next one. It had more university things inside, only this time things she wanted to see. Old photos, books, knick-knacks, things that triggered all sorts of happy memories and reminded her of so many hangovers. She pulled them out by the hoof load. The only thing left behind was an old plastic bottle that had been converted for use as a bong. She didn't want those memories and left them at a blushing in her cheeks.
Spreading them out over the floor she looked over them, allowing her mind to recall any and all memories the items brought. It was a perfect waste of time. She spent an hour day dreaming over them and loved every second, except the ones when she had seen the old scarf that brought with it memories of the one time she did anything hard and the terrible trip she vowed never to repeat.
Among the photos of good and old friends was one in particular that she fixated on for any time at all. It sent her heart racing in her throat and the memory came flooding back as clear of day. It was of her first time playing with, and meeting, Red...
Sass, the massively obese yet proud of it Pegasus, barged her way through to the backstage doors, passed the bouncers and staff, and straight to a tall red stallion. Rainbow followed, apologising on Sass' behalf.
“You Red?”
Red turned around. “Yeah?”
“I got you a new violin guy.”
Red's eyes sank with relief. “Oh thank you. You're a life saver.”
Sass stepped aside to let Rainbow pass, although she still had to squeeze through the tiny gap she provided. “H-hi,” Rainbow said sheepishly, blushing wild. Her precious violin tucked under her wing, grip tightening with the situation. She hadn't performed in years and was appropriately nervous, also she was presented before this stallion. He was taller than her, which was unusual for a start as no one was taller than her, and the way he looked made her knees weak. His deep red coat that matched his eyes, and his mane swept back passed his ears and just touched his shoulders.
“Hi, I'm Red. Great to meet you.” He waited for her to respond. She didn't. “I'm so glad I found you.”
“Really?” Rainbow blushed harder, her whole face a beacon. Her smile full of girlish glee.
“Yeah. We needed a violinist and then Sass turns up with one in the knick of time.”
“Oh,” Rainbow murmered. She had misunderstood the conotations and felt like a fool.
“What do I call you?”
“Rainbow,” she said confidently, trying to mask the fact she was crushing hard.
“Ha. Our parents aren't very good at names, are they?” he joked. Rainbow disagreed but laughed far too hard anyway.
“Look, I'm sorry we couldn't meet sooner.”
Rainbow's eyes lit up.
“I know it would have been better to get to know the music first but whatever.”
Rainbow's eyes looked away quickly. It was only getting worse, this knot in her stomach.
“Anyway, we're on, like, in a minute. Here's the sheet music. And you're gonna be starting the set. Hope that's okay.”
Rainbow only yelped in response. Starting a set in a strange pub with a strange band with no idea what they even sounded like? This wasn't going to go well.
A stage hoof popped into the area backstage. “We're waiting for you guys. Come on. That last band was shit so you better be the A game like you said.”
“We'll be a sec,” Red said calmly. “Oh yeah. This is the band. That's Rythym on the drums.”
A cool cat of a pony flicked the rim of his hat up as he twizzled the drumstick in his hoof.
“And that's Strumbo on the bass.”
Strumbo looked more like a clown than bassist, and clearly was uncomfortable around girls.
“And I'm lead guitar and singer. Alright, let's get out there.”
The stage was barely big enough to hold them all and the cables were draped dangerously across the sticky floor, running through beer spills.
Rainbow's appearance brought the bar to silence as they watched this mare, full of colour and hotter than the sun walk out. This didn't help her confidence.
Quickly they readied themselves. Rainbow propped the violin under her chin and started playing. It sounded amazing, better than Red would have hoped. The band were so enthralled by her playing they even missed their cue.
Rainbow stopped and looked around. The crowd and band had their jaws agape.
“I thought you were gonna play and not just stare at my butt,” Rainbow joked. The laugh from the crowd was reassuring, they were on her side now. The band shook from their stuper and readied up.
“Sorry,” Red hissed through the corner of his mouth. Although, now she had mentioned, he found himself glancing at her butt. It was a good one.
The set continued and the crowd cheered with them all the way. At the end they received a standing ovation, coupled with cheers and wolf whistle, most of which were for Rainbow. They walked off stage after one encore.
High on the thrill of the crowd Rainbow bounced erratically.
“WHOO!” she screamed, not caring that the whole pub heard. “That was amazing!”
“I know right?!” Red shouted back. “You are so much better than the other guy. Breaking his leg was the best thing to happen to us.”
“Oh yeah he was shit! I improvised most of his music. It just lacked... everything!”
“It was amazing! You were amazing!”
A small moment lingered between them, only a second, but the adrenaline was still making Rainbow not think straight. She leant up and kissed him.
He was as surprised as she was. “Oh, err...”
Rainbow grinned like an idiot. “Sorry. I just um... wanted to.”
“No. No worries. I'm okay with this.” He was trying to be cool about it but the way his voice was breaking gave it away.
“I kinda want to do it again.” Rainbow flashed him a coy smile.
“Oh-” he managed to say before Rainbow was one him again, only she held it for longer this time. He wasn't about to complain.
The rest of the night was spent in the pub. The music played from some guy's record collection mingled through the loud crowds, making everyone just a little too loud. The alcohol flowed unending. Being a musician had its benefits, and Rainbow took full advantage of the discounted rate to get more drunk than she had ever been.
Red stuck by her side, secretly hoping to sneak another kiss in before the end of the night, or more if he was lucky.
Her voice was growing hoarse as she insisted on singing loud enough for everyone to hear but the alcohol meant she didn't stop.
“Red! Sing with me!” she pleaded but he just shook his head and smiled. Not realising he wasn't singing grabbed him, pulled him into her and swayed to the music. It was a proper belter, one that everyone knew the words to and everyone sang along, and Rainbow still determined to prove she was the loudest.
“Hey you!” she shouted at someone with a camera, who they were she didn't know. “Get a picture of us!”
Confused but happy to do so the mare snapped a picture. Rainbow was still mid-song, jumping in the air and looking like she was having a whale of a time. Red looked embarassed but a little in love.
They sang and drank for the rest of the night. Rainbow woke up in his bed. Despite the alcohol she could remember everything, and waking up next to Red was just what she wanted.
She poked him awake so she could stare at him and smile, and make him do the same. He woke up groggy, but the sight of this beautiful mare lying next to him perked him up quickly. He couldn't help but smile with her.
Rainbow stifled a laugh into an odd snort before nuzzling snuggly into his chest. He pulled her in tight and they dozed the morning away, not caring for the lectures they were missing as this was far better.
Rainbow stared at this photo of her drunk off her arse and Red smiling. She hadn't blinked for some time. Her breath came in long, slow drags.
Then it all came out. A horrible, shaking breath that would only lead to tears, of which she caught none.
For the first time since he was gone she allowed herself to feel the one thing she never wanted to; to miss him.
It came in long, loud sobs. Tears dripped down onto the glass into the frame. She couldn't stop staring.
Back then, when they first met, he was the perfect partner. Romantic. Spontaneous. Perfect company on lonely nights. He loved her once, but she realised, after these five years, she still loved him.
She didn't want to but it was something she had denied herself. She loved him and she needed to love him. He was her first kiss, her first love, and she needed him back.
From the box she saw a box labelled “Red”, filled with scraps from their time together. Movie tickets, pressed leaves from walks in the park, the hairbrush he bought her. Things that would mean nothing to anyone else but held with her the love he once gave her.
Shaking, tears drenching her cheeks, she pulled the jacket out of the box. It was his jacket, the one he would wrap her in when she was cold. Beneath the damp she could still smell the cologne he always wore to impress her. She pulled it tight around her and she could feel his hooves holding her tight once again. It only made it worse.
Her mind reeled as she saw everything in him once again. All the romance, the love, the companionship he provided through the good and bad times. It's all she could see, all she wanted to see.
Doubt and regret was all she felt.
She fell to the floor, curled up tight into the jacket, and let herself get lost somewhere dark.
“Mummy!” Dash shouted through the door. “We're back!”
“Yeah!” Swirl shouted too. “And we found Nana on the way!”
Rainbow gasped and perked up at her name. She almost fell down the hatch and into the living room with the speed she was going.
“Mummy?” Shine asked as she watched her mother panting for breath, eyes so bloodshot it must have hurt, and wearing a strange jacket.
“Rainbow, my darling?” Nana asked. She could have sworn she recognised the jacket. “What's wrong?”
Rainbow fell into her Nana and cried again. “I miss him so much, Nana.”
Nana rolled her eyes as she struggled with her granddaughter into a more comfortable position. “I was wondering when this would happen. Let it out.”
Dash looked between the two older ponies a little angrily, she didn't like not knowing something. “What's going on?”
Rainbow didn't answer her. “I love him, Nana. I miss him so much.”
“No you don't,” Nana stated firmly. “You miss feeling that way about somebody, but because he's the only one you have felt that way about. You just miss what he used to be like. But remember, he changed. You need to remember what he did to you.”
“No, Nana. It's not like that. I love him. I need to be with him again.” Her tears got louder again as she fell deeper into her Nana's chest, but she wasn't having any of this.
Nana forced her daughter up and shook her roughly by the shoulders. “Listen. You have to remember what happened, okay? Yes, he used to be alright, but remember what happened. He stopped loving you. You caught him with another mare. He admitted sleeping with countless other mares over your entire relationship. He hit you. He left you. Remember that!”
Rainbow sobbed. “B-but.”
“No. No buts. You know I'm right. You know you don't miss him really. Now buck up!”
Rainbow didn't speak. She knew that this was just a temporary thing, but she needed to feel it.
Nana took her back into her shoulder. “Listen. This is good for you. It should have happened sooner so you didn't bottle it all up. So get it out of your system and remember that you don't need him. That he was a terrible, just awful, person. That he already gave you everything you could ever need.”
Dash poked her mother hard in the flank. “What you crying for?”
Rainbow laughed through her tears. “Come here,” she mumbled as she pulled one of her daughters up and squeezed too hard. The others followed quickly as they could feel their mother needed it.
Rainbow held them tightly while Nana stood to make some tea.
“This coat smells weird,” Swirl moaned.
“And it looks stupid,” Dash added.
Shine didn't say anything as she actually quite like it.
“I know, my little ones, I know. Just like the colt who used to wear it.” She managed a chuckle. “Oh! I found something in the attic you might enjoy.”
The sun was going down and the chill in the air was almost too much to bare. Rainbow, her children and Nana had been taking turns with the air rifle, shooting plates Red stole from the wedding reception at a hotel. Rainbow had always hated them and this was a perfect excuse to break them. And she enjoyed drinking some “grown up drink”, as Swirl called gin and tonic, with Nana, since it had been a while.
Shine had a few turns but decided she liked watching them smash a lot more than shooting them herself. Dash had stormed off and sat grumpily behind Nana as she hadn't hit a single target yet. Swirl was a natural. Each hit made her smile maniacally, which would worry most parents but Rainbow thought it was too cute to put a stop to.
The last of the plates shattered into large shards. Swirl spun around, a grin full of glee and cockiness. “Got anymore?”
Rainbow chuckled queitly before checking the box. “No, sweetie. That was the last one. But there's some big shards you can try tomorrow.”
Swirl let the rifle drop to the ground along with her jaw. “What? Tomorrow?”
“Yes, baby. It's getting late and you still have school tomorrow.”
Swirl, while a little furious, couldn't argue. She stormed heavily to her mother and sat in a huff, only the fact she yawned loudly gave away how tired she was. “Can I try some grown up drink?” she pleaded with large eyes and a sweet smile.
Rainbow shot her a look that said, “Really?”
“Please?” Swirl asked harder, trying to use her adorable charm to sway her mother into giving her another sip.
“You'll get drunk if you have any more,” Rainbow told her firmly, as by now she had had half a glass in sips before Rainbow realised.
“Oh,” Swirl moaned before nestling into a gap she made for herself between her mother and her hoof.
Rainbow looked around with her bloodshot eyes at her children. All three secretly tired, all three absolutley perfect. All thought of Red left her mind and she was happy again.