The past two weeks had been a nightmare for Lighting Dust. She couldn’t remember a time when she cried so much, or felt so useless. Not even when her parents kicked her out did she feel this much despair. The entire mansion's staff had fallen into a state of sorrow upon learning that Redstreak’s illness had once again caught up. Not even they knew how serious their master’s condition was after all these years. While he still would have at least a year or two left to live according to his doctor, Lighting Dust bitterly didn’t consider that a good thing.
Redstreak had been the father she never had. It had been thanks to him that she was even alive. He had given Lighting Dust a new life that made a weak and pathetic nopony into a mare that was proud to look into the mirror every day. Lightning Dust turned to every possible pony she could from Spitfire to Princess Luna to see if anything could be done to save him. Sadly, they all said the same thing: “Nothing can be done.” The only thing that kept her sane was her husband and the baby inside of her. She knew her being stressed wasn’t the best of things when you were pregnant, but this was too much.
Finally, his doctor declared Redstreak well enough to talk. With emotionless eyes, Lighting Dust entered her adopted father’s room where he rested in his master sized bed with a IV in his arm. Despite the palish fur and weary looking eyes, he still found strength to smile as Lighting sat down beside him. “Hey, there. Sorry to worry you.”
Lightning didn’t reply.
Stretching his neck, Redstreak groaned, “I really should get a new mattress. Having slept on this one for so long it really does problems to your neck. Especially at my age.” He turned to her and asked, “So, did you find out if its a boy or girl yet? I wanna know what toys I need to start planning to get for the baby’s-”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” asked Lightning Dust, looking into his eyes with her own teary ones. “Why?”
Redstreak sighed and looked away for a bit. His eyes closed as he shook his head for a bit. Finally, he looked back at Lightning Dust and answered, “I didn’t want to worry you.”
“Too late for that,” Lighting Dust spat, glaring at the floor while her hooves shook. “Do you know how scared I was? I kept thinking you were going to die every second you were asleep. All the things I would never get a chance to do with you again if you died. Like fly with you every morning. Talk about sports. Drink wine. Watch the stars. All of it gone.” She stood up, her eyes watering her cheeks as she pounded the bed. “I thought you were never going to see your grandchild! I thought I was going to have to bury you without knowing what to do! I thought... I thought...” she wiped her tears and whimpered, “ I thought I would never get to say goodbye...”
Reaching over, Redstreak wrapped his arms around her and brought her close to his chest where she proceeded to sob all over him. He just held her tight, rubbing her back as she let out the two weeks of grief that plagued her. It was like the first night they met. Where she was the sobbing outcast of a filly on the street, and he was there to comfort her. He didn’t say anything, nor did he move either of them. He just sat there quietly and let her get it out.
Eventually, Lightning Dust managed to gather herself and took a few deep breaths before sitting back down. Redstreak patted her legs before sighing. “You’re right. I should have told you a long time ago. I’m sorry.”
“Dad...”
“No, let me finish,” replied Redstreak, holding his hoof. “Before you came into my life, I didn’t have anypony I called family. Most of my old comrades had already passed on or lost touch with me. I had no immediate family. No wife. No fillies or colts of my own. My servants were the closest thing I had, but I still had a shadow of loneliness around me.” Raising his hoof he booped her on the nose much to her amusement. “Then you came into my life. So broken and hurt. Ready to give up in a world that had treated her with nothing but cruelty. You needed somepony to help you spread your wings out and fly like the mare you were. I did what I could, and you became the amazing daughter I have today. Yet, you also helped me.” He beamed as he slowly rose from his bed and put his forelegs on Lightning’s shoulders. “You gave me the chance to feel what it is like to have a daughter. You brought home a husband who I treat like a son. These past few years, you’ve been my family and I’m glad to know that loving feeling before I passed on. Soon, I’ll be having a grandfoal who I’ll get to spoil. While I am saddened that I will never see them grow up, I feel blessed enough knowing I will meet them at least once.”
Wrapping his arms around her neck, he drew Lighting Dust close to his side as the two nuzzle each other. “You don’t need to worry about me. I’ve had a good life and I’m ready for it to end. I don’t know what comes after, but I know it will be amazing.”
“But... I’ll miss you...” whispered Lightning Dust.
“I’m not going yet. We’ll use the time we have and treasure it. And when I’m gone you’ll remember all our days together whenever you need to. They will keep you going,” answered Redstreak, as he wiped her tears away. “And you will not be alone. You will have your husband, your child, your friends, even Spitfire and Princess Luna will be there for you. You are no longer alone nor unloved, Lighting Dust. You are somebody who loves and is loved in return.”
***
“Midflight was born a few months after. It was the best day of my life seeing her come into this world,” finished Lightning Dust as warm smile graced her lips before frowning. “Dad died a few years after. It was painful, but whenever I think of him I think of what he told me that day. And it makes the pain feel less hurtful.” Turning to a silent Rainbow Dash she shrugged as she finished her drink. “And that’s my story.”
“... wow,” replied Rainbow Dash, nodding her head as she closed her eyes. She was quiet for awhile before sighing. “You’re amazing, Lightning Dust.”
“Please, you’ve done more than I ever will,” replied Lightning, snorting.
“No, I’m serious,” Dash repeated as she put her hoof on Lightning’s shoulder. “You managed to pick yourself out of a dark place. Most ponies I know would have ended it all in your horseshoes. But you stayed strong and you got back on your own four hooves. You manged to make a life out of yourself. Sure, you didn’t become super famous like I did, but you lead a good life. I think that’s amazing and awesome in of itself.”
“W-w-well,” Lightning Dust rubbed her neck while blushing, “I had help. I had Dad, my husband, my friends... and my daughter.”
“Nopony becomes great on their own. Not even me,” replied Dash. “I got five awesome friends back in Ponyville and a team I help lead that I’m proud to fight alongside with. We both came out better then we last met, and I think that’s the best we can hope for.”
The two nodded as Dust looked at the time and gasped, “Oh, wow. We’ve been talking for five hours sharp. We better get to the school to pick up the children.”
“Yeah, good thing opening day is a half day, huh?” replied Dash as he put down her bits on the table before smirking. “Race ya?”
“Need to ask?”
The two zoomed out without anypony even so much noticing.
***
“And first!” shouted Dash landing in the front yard with her head held high. She turned around to Lightning Dust who landed just a few seconds later with a her hoof out. “Still the best!”
“Only because I’ve been retired,” teased Lightning Dust as they bumped hooves. “Still, I’m surprised I kept up with you since you’ve never stopped getting better. You didn’t hold back, did you?”
“Please, as if I’d do that to my wingpony,” replied Dash with a wink as they soon joined the other adults who were gathered in front of the school.
A few minutes later, the doors burst open as fillies and colts flew to their parents with excitement in their eyes. Conversations about their first day at flight school erupted at once as the two mares tried to spot their own children among the crowd. “That’s funny. I don’t see them. Do you?”
“No, I hope everything is okay,” replied Lightning Dust.
“Excuse me?” The two were alerted to a male pegasus with a green shirt and red bowtie. “Would you happen to be Rainbow Dash and Lighting Dust?”
“Yeah, what’s up?” asked Dash, tilting her head.
***
“I can’t believe you got detention on your first day of school!” Lighting Dust replied in disbelief as she and Dash walked with their children who looked more annoyed than anything.
“Yeah, not even I did that on my first day,” seconded Dash sounding both angry and impressed at the same time.
“It’s not our fault the teachers can’t take a joke,” replied Spectrum, rolling his eyes.
“You switched the teacher’s lounge cloud toilets with thunder clouds that shocked anypony that sat down on them! The nurse had three teachers with burned rumps she had to deal with!” scolded Lightning Dust.
“Well, we were bored! We already knew most of the stuff they were teaching. We raced a few times, but we kept ending up in a tie,” replied Midflight, scoffing.
“I still say I won by a nose in our sixth race,” said Spectrum.
“Yeah, right. You’re just upset I managed to catch up to your rainbow tailed butt,” mocked Midflight with a raspberry which earned her a scolding glare from her mother. “Um, sorry?”
Sighing, Lighting Dust rubbed her forehead. “I won’t ground you this time missy because it was your first day, but you will be more respectful tomorrow and not pull this again.”
“I can only promise to avoid the little devil on my shoulder for as long as possible,” answered Midflight with a smile.
“I guess that’s the best I’m going to get,” replied Lightning Dust as she shook her filly’s mane.
“Hey, Mom?” asked Spectrum as he turned to Rainbow Dash. “Do you think this weekend Midflight, and her mom, can join us on our morning flight this weekend? She’s a good flier, but not as good as me of course.”
“Oh what was that?! I am so there so I can show you who's really good,” replied Midflight with a competitive smirk before turning to her mother with pleading eyes. “Can we, Mommy?”
The two former wingponies looked at each other before a smile grew on their lips as the two chuckled.
“Yes.”