//------------------------------// // 4. Meaningful Gifts // Story: My Little Dashie: Unbreakable Bonds // by mcb893 //------------------------------// "So what is this play about?" Rainbow asked as her friends entered the theater. "Don't know. It's supposed to be really good though." Twilight replied. "According to the brochure, it's abfamily struggle between a family and a bunch of monsters made of darkness. It has action, suspense and plenty of fighting scenes. Sounds like something you would be interested in." Rarity said as she levitated the brochure in front of her. Sounds pretty good. I just hope the ponies who run the theater use magic to enhance the play." Rainbow said as she took her seat. "Oh, they do, Pinkie and I asked." Fluttershy said quietly. Rainbow nodded and took a look at the brochure. The play would start in a few minutes. "I'm gonna go get some popcorn. What about you girls? Want anything?" Pinkie asked. Rainbow shook her head and turned her attention to the stage. The theater got darker as a pony came out and began to introduce the plot of the play. Rainbow looked at the brochure again. "Havin' second thoughts Dash?" AJ asked from her left. Rainbow shook her head. "No, I'm just not interested in the intro." AJ rolled her eyes and turned her head back to the stage. "The creatures decimated the land, and the pony council decided that action needed to be taken." The narrator said. Rainbow looked up as Pinkie returned with three bags of popcorn. "I thought you were just getting a little popcorn?" Rainbow said with a raised eyebrow. " "For six ponies this a little silly! You didn't think I was only get one bag for all of us did you?" Pinkie replied in a whisper. RD chuckled and returned her attention to the stage. "This is the story of one family of the resistance, and their struggle to fight these monsters..." RD smiled. Things were about to get awesome. ... I slowly ate my salad. I wasn't in the mood for meat. That story was awful. All of them were, actually. That kind of thinking didn't belong in the MLP universe. Especially Cupcakes, I had a nightmare I was restrained to planks and had to watch Pinkie kill Dashie. But this... This was an abomination. The very idea if those ponies being... I can't even say it. Such cruel treatment. Honestly, sometimes I think people just write that stuff because they hate the girls. Why did the so called "lovers" of the show depict so many horrible things? I'm so glad Dashie never had to see those stories. Dashie... Why were so many bad things being said about her? My phone rang and I picked up. "Hello?" I asked. "Daniel, are you free Saturday?" It was my boss. I knew where this was going. I sighed and said; "Yes sir." "Good, I need an extra worker on that day, I know that's your relaxation day but..." "Don't worry about it sir. I'll be there." "Thank you Daniel. See you Saturday morning. Good afternoon." I hung up my phone and rested my head in my hand. I couldn't handle all of this crap alone. But I was forced to. I want Dashie back. But I can't have that either. Or a freaking person who cares about me either. What's the point of me living if I can't even enjoy my life? I threw my silverware across the room in anger, followed by my plate. I brought both my hands to my face and cried. Sometimes I just wanna end it, but I won't. For Dashie's sake. It's all I have left to live for anyway... ... "Father, I'm sorry but... I couldn't stop the monsters, I am so sorry..." The daughter said. "I don't care about that..." The dad said as he wrapped his forelegs around her. "I'm just glad you're ok. I could never live with myself if you got hurt." Rainbow casually got up and left, sadness in her eyes. Her dad had said that to her that one day she came home. Here she was, having fun, not caring about any troubles, and he was fighting depression. How was that fair? She exited the theater and sat on a patch of flowers. She cried softly. "I'm sorry I'm not there for you dad..." She whispered as a tear fell down her cheek. "Dash, you okay?" She heard from behind. She turned to see her friends coming toward her. Pinkie was still eating popcorn, but the others had all turned their attention to her. Rainbow hung her head. "That last scene... It reminded me of him... A long time ago... When he said that exact same thing to me..." She said with a shaky voice. Rarity came over and placed her head to RD's neck. "I'm sorry Rainbow, it was not my intention to..." She began to say, but RD cut her off. "I know it wasn't. I just miss him so much... I just wish I had more than memories to remember him by..." Rarity pulled away and looked to the others. They stared at each other for a while, and nodded. "Come on Rainbow we're going to the library." RD rose her head and nodded as she wiped a tear from her face. Pinkie extended a bag of popcorn and smiled. Dash returned it and took the bag. Munching on the popcorn, she took to the sky with Fluttershy. ... I checked my watch one last time. 10:13. I slowly took it off and placed it by my nightstand. I read Dashie's note again, just to calm me down before heading to sleep. I thought about what her and the others were up to, but there was no way I could tell for sure. "Good night Dashie." I said to the picture. Honestly, I think I'm going crazy at times, and at others I know it's how I keep myself from going crazy. I slowly let my mind wander as I closed my eyes and relaxed my muscles. Maybe the sleep I wanted would bring back happy memories of times long ago, when Dashie was a little filly and could barely speak. She was so adorable then, and over the years it had transformed to beauty. I love her so much... I'm glad I can see her in my dreams. ... RD entered the library with her friends slightly ahead. Twilight turned to them and said; "You guys stay here, I'll be back in a minute." With that she walked up some stairs and vanished. AJ looked over to Rainbow and saw her hang her head. "Ya had another dream bout him didn't you?" She asked. Rainbow sighed and nodded. Fluttershy placed her head to her neck as Pinkie wrapped a foreleg around her. "Is he very bad?" Fluttershy asked. RD closed her eyes to prevent tears and nodded. "Is he hurt?" AJ asked. Rainbow looked up to her farmer of a friend. "In a way... He has depression." Rarity gasped quietly and brought her hoof to her mouth. " "Oh my..." She said. RD hung her head again as the four other ponies embraced her in a group hug. RD returned the gesture. Twilight came back down stairs with a brown cardboard box levitating thanks to her magic. The others noticed and released Rainbow. "We were going to save this for the sleepover, but it's pretty obvious you need it now." Twilight said as she placed the box at RD's hooves. Rainbow inspected it closely. "What is it?" She asked. " "Just open it." Sighing, Rainbow took the lid of the box and tossed it aside. Instantly her mouth was agape, and her eyes wide. Inside the box was her dad's NASCAR baseball cap. "His hat... He said he was gonna give it to me when I turned 21..." "Well you are 21 years old today." Twilight said with a smile. Rainbow let tears of joy run down her face as she picked it up. "But... How?" She asked. Twilight walked closer to her as she explained. "Back when we got the report from the royal guard, he told us that your dad had asked that these be given to you on your birthday." "These?" Rainbow asked as she put on the hat. "There's a note at the bottom of the box. We wanted you to be the first to read it, so would mind reading it aloud?" Pinkie stated. RD nodded as she grabbed a slip of folded paper from the box. She quickly unraveled it and began to read. "Dear Rainbow Dash, I don't know when you'll read this, but to be honest, I don't care. All that matters is that you are. Let me start by saying I love you, and I am so proud of you. I know what you've done for your friends thanks to the show here. I couldn't be more proud. You're the most loyal, kind, and amazing daughter a father could ask for. There isn't a day I go without thinking about you. And although fate has destined us to be apart physically, you will always be with me in my heart. I will NEVER stop loving you. Never forget that. I'll be rooting for you in everything you do. With Love, Dad" Rainbow smiled and fought to hold back her tears. The others had tears in their eyes as well, and began another group hug. "Thank you so much you guys..." RD said while sniffing. "This really is the best birthday ever."