Little Fragments

by Skijarama


Orphan Rainbow: Adoption

One day before the start Of Little Glimpses.


    It had been maybe half an hour since Celestia and Rainbow Dash made it back to the orphanage, and the two had been seated privately in a spacious and warmly lit room for most of that duration. There were soft, cushiony chairs against set against the walls, and a circular wooden table sat in the center of the room. There were a few miscellaneous documents stacked off to one side, though neither pony was paying them any attention.

    They had more or less been silent the entire time. For the first ten or so minutes, that quiet had occasionally been disrupted by Rainbow Dash sniffing or taking shaky breaths. But those, too, eventually faded away. Now, the only noise was the almost inaudible rumble of the high-altitude winds outside, and the rhythmic ticking of a clock on the wall.

    The two sat on opposite ends of the table from one another. Celestia sat upright and attentive with a gentle, patient expression on her face. She watched Rainbow the whole time but made no attempts to go to her or begin a conversation. She was letting her begin when she was ready.

Rainbow, meanwhile, had her head turned down to stare at her hooves and the floor beneath her chair. She had spared Celestia one or two glances every so often but had always gone right back to staring into the floor.

    Finally, Rainbow lifted her head and looked up at Celestia with an unreadable look on her face. “...So… if you don’t mind me asking…” she began slowly, her voice hoarse from her earlier crying. She straightened her posture somewhat and met Celestia’s gaze. “Why are you so interested in me? What do you want?”

    Celestia offered a kind smile. “I will be blunt with you; I came here, Rainbow Dash, in the hopes of adopting you,” she said simply.

    Rainbow’s eyes widened. “You… you what, now?” she asked in surprise, sitting more upright and eyeing Celestia like she had just grown a set of six new heads. Then she frowned and snorted in irritation. “Okay, I’ve heard rumors that you had a playful side to you, but I am seriously not in the mood for jokes!” she snapped, her voice gaining a bitter edge.

    Celestia’s own smile vanished, quickly being replaced by a more sympathetic expression. “I am not joking with you. I am being wholly and completely honest. I came here because I want to adopt you.”

    Rainbow blinked, stunned. She then shook her head and leaned back in her seat. “Okay, say I buy that for one minute. Why?” she leveled a hard, skeptical look at Celestia. “Why me? Why not somepony in Canterlot?”

    Celestia’s expression softened, a few memories playing out before her mind’s eye. “Because I see so much potential in you, Rainbow Dash. After all, there hasn’t been a single pony, especially a foal, who could pull off a sonic rainboom in hundreds of years.”

    Rainbow unconsciously puffed up a little at the mentioning of her crowning achievement. “Heh, yeah… I did do that, didn’t I?” she asked quietly, her eyes glazing over as memories of better times filled her mind.

    Celestia nodded. “Indeed you did. For somepony your age, it is an unprecedented and remarkable achievement, something straight out of legend. Considering you are still just a little filly, imagine what else you might be able to achieve with some guidance?”

    Rainbow’s smile disappeared, and her face tensed. Her ears fell flat, and a hollow look slipped into her eyes. “Right… guidance…” she mumbled quietly, looking down again.

    Celestia looked down as well, then stood up to make her way around the table. Once she was by Rainbow’s side, she rested a hoof on the filly’s shoulder, drawing her attention. She sighed softly and spoke in a gentle, soothing voice. “I know this must be hard for you. You have my deepest condolences for your loss, Rainbow. Believe me… I know how you feel.”

    Rainbow’s hollow look suddenly shifted to an agitated scowl, and she shoved Celestia’s hoof off of her shoulder. “Like Tartarus you do!” she snapped, hopping down from her chair. She turned her back on the princess and stormed a few paces away. “Don’t tell me you’re sorry for my loss, don’t tell me it’ll get better! Everypony keeps saying it, and I’m sick of it! I don’t even care if they’re right or not, I just want to stop hearing it! It’s getting real old!”

    Celestia flinched back from the outburst, then sighed. She looked down and to one side, her expression becoming strained as a memory replayed itself in her mind. Celestia looked down at her hooves, closed her eyes, and spoke. “Very well, I won’t say it again.”

    “Good.”

    There was a silence between the two. After a time, Celestia lifted her eyes to stare into the back of Rainbow’s head. “At any rate, Rainbow… what do you say to my proposal?” she asked gingerly, taking a few, hesitant steps forward.

    Rainbow glanced back at Celestia over her shoulder. “You mean about you adopting me?” she asked, earning a nod from Celestia. “No, thanks. I’m not gonna let anypony replace my parents.”

    Celestia tilted her head, looking confused. “I... never planned to replace them, Rainbow. I know all too well that nothing can fill a hole left behind by lost loved ones, and I am not so bold as to think I would be an exception.”

    “Then why are you trying to adopt me?” Rainbow demanded, spinning around to glare up at Celestia. “That’d make you my mom, wouldn’t it?”

    “Legally, yes, but I am not Windy Whistles. I’m not trying to replace her or Bow Hothoof…” Celestia countered before sitting down on her haunches. “But I am trying to make sure that a little filly who lost everything through no fault of her own has somewhere she can be safe. A place where she can learn about the world, and grow into a fine mare that her parents would be proud of, if only they could see her.”

    Rainbow looked down at the floor, her ears drooping. “If you wanna adopt me so bad, why don’t you just order it or something? You’re the princess. Nopony can say no to you,” she mumbled in resignation.

    Celestia frowned and put a hoof on Rainbow’s back. “You can,” she said simply, drawing a confused glance from the filly. “I am not a dictator, Rainbow. And I will not treat you as if you were an idiot. You are your own pony, and I will not take that free will away from you. I am offering to adopt you, and it is entirely up to you if you accept or not.”

    Rainbow just stared at her for a little bit, then looked down at the floor again.

    Celestia continued. “Take some time and think it over. I’m not in any rush, and you are free to say no. But…” she craned her neck down, catching Rainbow’s eye. “I ask that you give it some very serious thought. This means a great deal to me, and I know how much you hate it here...”

    Rainbow hesitated, then gave another nod. “Fine… I’ll think about it…” she mumbled before shrugging off Celestia’s hoof. She dragged herself over to one of the chairs, then hopped up into it and sat down. She closed her eyes and fell into thought.

    Celestia watched Rainbow for a few moments. She gave a soft smile, and then silently excused herself from the room.


    Rainbow Dash wasn’t entirely sure how long she sat there, considering the alicorn’s proposal. The clock on the wall was the only sound that reached her ears, but even that was lost amidst the tumult of her thoughts. She hadn’t thought this long and hard about one thing in a long time, at least not with the purpose of making such an important decision.

She almost felt guilty to admit it, especially to herself, but the offer was tempting. For one thing, she knew that she would probably never get a chance like this again. Prospective parents come and go, but Rainbow didn’t know any of them. For all she knew, they could be woefully inexperienced, or unfit to raise a foal, or they could even be bad ponies and covering it with a friendly smile.

Celestia was different, in the sense that she had been Equestria’s benevolent ruler for well over a thousand years. She had a reputation of being kind, gentle, and understanding. Of course, there was also a lot of fear of her as well, though Rainbow didn’t know why. Probably had something to do with her being so mind-numbingly powerful.

There was also the fact that Celestia was the ruling princess of Equestria. If Rainbow went with her, she would probably have a roof over her head, great food to eat, a comfy bed, and maybe even servants to boss around.

Of course, that last point put a sickening feeling in Rainbow’s gut and brought up her largest concern. If she went through with this, if she was adopted by Celestia, then she would be a princess, wouldn’t she? She’d suddenly hold a rank and position that had never interested her. She didn’t want to rule, she wanted to fly!

Not to mention she’d probably have to leave Cloudsdale. There was no way Celestia would start living in this city. Canterlot was her seat of power, where she lived. If Rainbow was adopted by her, then that is where she would have to live. Which meant that she would have to abandon all of her friends. Fluttershy and her family, especially.

Rainbow looked down and, for the first time in a long while, sighed. There were so many pros and cons that she could see, and the longer she thought about it, the harder it became to be sure of herself. She let out a quiet growl of frustration when she finally realized that, even after all of this time of deliberation and self-reflection, she had no idea if this was what she really wanted.

She glanced up at the clock and spent a minute or two piecing together the time. Dinner would be in about an hour, and most of the foals would either be in playrooms or in their dorms. Rainbow’s face scrunched with indecision, and then she hopped down from her chair and made her way for the door.

She needed a second opinion.


    The dorm room was pretty full when Rainbow finally stepped inside. If she had to guess, about half of the fillies in her age group were in there, chatting in their own little circles, while a couple were taking naps or reading borrowed storybooks. While they were all pegasi, they ran the gamut of colors. A few gave her curious glances as she entered and then went back to their discussions.

    “Didn’t you run away?” one filly asked in a raspy and grating voice, the one that Butter had called ‘Sandpaper.’ Rainbow shot her a sideways glance with narrowed eyes, briefly studying her appearance.

    Sandpaper was slightly taller than Rainbow but wasn’t exactly in great physical shape. Her coat was a dull dark brown, her mane and tail were a dusty, muted blonde, and her eyes were a strikingly vibrant dark blue. On her flank was a cutie mark depicting a sheet of sandpaper that was partially wrapped behind a smooth wooden chess piece, framing it. She was resting on her side on her bunk, giving Rainbow an inquisitive look.

    “Mind your own,” was Rainbow’s simple response before she scanned the room for one filly in particular. She spotted her near the far end of the room, talking with a few other fillies in a small semi-circle with her back to Rainbow. She looked to be having fun with the chat, but at one point her head turned, and Rainbow saw the unquestionably distracted look in her eyes.

    Rainbow started forwards and cleared her throat once she was behind the group. Butter spun around to look at her, and her eyes widened. “Wha- Rainbow?!” she squeaked, surprised, before standing up. “I thought you were in trouble or something! Everypony said you had run off, and then that Princess Celestia herself brought you back!”

    Rainbow shook her head. “No, not being punished. Though, if they find out I left the room without asking, I probably will be…” she grimaced, looking down at the floor.

    “Left the room…?” Butter asked, tilting her head in confusion.

    “Butter, look,” Rainbow said suddenly, lifting her eyes to meet Butter’s gaze. “I need to ask you something. I need a second opinion, and… well…” she looked away, looking visibly sheepish. “I don’t wanna ask any grown-ups. I know what they’ll all say. I need to hear it from somepony like me, and you’re the only one who keeps trying to help.”

    Butter’s eyes widened. She looked back at her friends as if for aid, then at Rainbow, seemingly dumbstruck. She shook herself, then nodded. “U-uh, sure. What is it?”

    Rainbow looked down at the floor again. “So… um… Princess Celestia is here, and, well…” she scuffed the floor with her hoof. “She’s… after me.

    The whole room steadily went quiet as all of the fillies began to take note of Rainbow Dash interacting with one of them on her own. Their conversations died, and they listened with rapt attention as she explained her situation to Butter, outlining her feelings and how conflicted she felt. Finally, when it had all been said, the room was utterly silent.

    “So, I just… I don’t wanna turn my back on Windy Whistles. You know, my real mom,” Rainbow began to finish off her story, her ears drooping at the memory of her dead parent. “She, um… s-she brought me into the world. She raised me, and even if I thought she and dad were really embarrassing sometimes, I… w-well, they were my parents, and I cared about them a lot. I don’t wanna betray their memory, or the time they put into raising me. I don’t wanna just trade one family for another. That’s not fair on them, and it makes me feel like I’m not being loyal or something.

    “So that’s what I want your opinion on, Butter. I feel like I know you better than all of the other fillies here. If nothing else, I know you wanna help me, so…” Rainbow sighed, sat on her haunches and looked down. “There it is…”

    Butter just sat there, staring at Rainbow Dash with wide, unblinking eyes for several moments. The silence was almost tangible like it was suffocating, and Rainbow was beginning to visibly wilt under it. Finally, though, Butter found her faculties, and a warm smile spread on her face. “Well, uh… I think you should go with her,” she finally suggested in a quiet voice.

    Rainbow looked up into Butter’s eyes again with a raised eyebrow. “Okay, but, how come?”

    Butter just continued to smile. “Well, you’re talking so much about loyalty to your parents, and it just got me thinking about mine, and how they left me here. They knew they couldn’t take care of me themselves, and decided it would be best for me if they let me go. Even though it hurt us all, they willingly gave me up because they knew I would have a better life with somepony else.

    “So, I guess I’m just curious… what would Bow and Windy want?” She finally asked her question.

The room was already completely silent, yet somehow it felt even more so when those words fled her lips. Rainbow was taken aback, and her mind started reeling. Her eyes began to shift rapidly as a veritable tsunami of thoughts and ideas raced through her mind.

“Well, uh… They… would want me to be happy, obviously. They’d want me to never give up, to keep trying, and to take pride in even the tiniest accomplishments. They’d want me to be safe and loved, and successful…” she muttered out, her eyes going wide.

Butter nodded. “Uh-huh! So, if you’re worried about betraying their memory, or like you’re being disloyal…” she leaned forward and gave a big, encouraging grin. “Then do what they would want you to do. Let Princess Celestia adopt you. If nothing else, you’d be safe and successful. And if the princess came all this way just for you, then I bet you’ll be happy and loved, too.

“So, if nothing else, do it for them. They’d want you to be taken care of, and I don’t think you’ll find a better opportunity.”

Rainbow sat still for several seconds, her mind going into overdrive. She then looked up at Butter and gave her a small smile. It was the first time she’d given a genuine smile to any of the other fillies, and the sight took Butter and her friends off guard.

“Thanks, Butter… I appreciate it,” Rainbow said softly before standing up and turning around. “I think I’ve made up my mind… I’m gonna go, now.”

With that, she began to walk for the door on the other side of the room. Butter watched her go for a little bit, eyes wide. Then, just as Rainbow was grabbing the handle, she stood up and sprinted over. “W-wait!”

Rainbow paused and looked back at her, confused. “Hm?”

“Can I go with you?” Butter asked, sliding to a stop at Rainbow’s side and taking a breath. “I just… I wanna see.”

Rainbow watched Butter for a few moments, then gave a small shrug. “Sure, if that’s what you wanna do. You’ll have to ask Dreamer, though.”

“I will.”

Together, the two stepped out of the room. When the door closed, everything was plunged into a deep and stunned silence.


    The sky was steadily starting to turn a faint shade of yellow as the sun began its long journey for the horizon. Celestia barely even noticed as she set it into motion, her horn glowing softly with golden light. She was currently standing out in front of the orphanage near the carriage she had arrived in, eyes turned up to the sky.

Her guards had been dismissed to a go and grab some food and rest up for a little while when she came back out. She had left them sitting for far longer than originally planned, and this trip was looking like it may take a little bit longer than originally planned.

    Finally, the sound of the orphanage door swinging open reached her ears. Celestia released her magic, letting the sun’s momentum carry it the rest of the way. Satisfied that it would be fine without her for now, she slowly turned around and caught sight of Rainbow Dash exiting the building, followed closely by Sky Dreamer. There was another filly with a very yellow color palette, but she stayed on the front porch and watched them from the steps.

    “The little one’s come to a decision,” Dreamer beamed with a cheerful smile once they were in earshot. She reached down and lightly nudged Rainbow forward. “Go on, Dashie.”

    “Don’t call me that,” Rainbow bit back, though there wasn’t much intensity to her voice. More than anything else, she just sounded tired. She huffed, then came to a stop in front of Celestia. She looked up at her with a still skeptical expression for several moments before finally speaking. “If you adopt me, will that mean I’ll be a princess?”

    Celestia nodded without hesitation. “Yes, there sadly is not much I could do about that. You would be a part of the royal family. There would be a few expectations. But…” she lowered herself onto her belly to look directly into Rainbow’s eyes. She gave a kind smile. “I did my research on you before I came here, Rainbow. You don’t want to be a princess, do you?”

    Rainbow shook her head. “No, I don’t. I want to fly and be an athlete. I can’t do that if I’m sitting on some throne and giving decrees all day,” she said plainly before looking down. “But I hate it here, and… I think you were being honest with me when you said you weren’t trying to replace my mom. And…” she paused and looked back at the other filly. “And… my real mom and dad would want me to be safe and happy. So, I’ll let you adopt me on two conditions.”

    Celestia leaned back, caught off guard by this turn of events. She recovered quickly and gave a small nod. “Very well, I am listening. What are your conditions?”

    Rainbow stood upright and spoke with more strength than before. “First, I don’t want to put up with anything to do with being a princess. Keep all of that stuff away from me and just let me be me, alright?”

    Celestia gave a slow, thoughtful nod, her brow furrowing. “You won’t have any royal responsibilities at first, save for perhaps appearing alongside me at events from time to time, but…” she smiled. “I can only stop so much, but I promise, I will do everything in my power to make sure your status does not hinder your personal goals and pursuits.”

    Rainbow visibly relaxed at that, giving a nod. “Okay… I’m trusting you to keep your word on that.”

    “I will do my best. And the second condition?” Celestia pressed, making Rainbow fidget in place.

    “My second condition, uh…” she paused, suddenly looking a little timid. “Well… we’re gonna be in Canterlot, aren’t we?”

    “Yes, we will,” Celestia answered slowly. “I know you have friends here, and I am sorry that my offer means having to pull you away from them. But, if it makes you feel any better, you are more than welcome to write them letters, and visitation can also be arranged when circumstances permit it.”

    Rainbow breathed out a small sigh of relief. “Okay... Well, I’m still gonna be leaving my best friend, Fluttershy, behind. So…” she shook herself and met Celestia’s gaze. “I wanna spend the night with her before we do this thing. I…” she looked down, looking timid again. “I wanna say goodbye to her.”

    Celestia watched Rainbow for a few moments then smiled warm and wide. “So long as it is okay with her and her family, then I see no reason to say no to this request.”

    Rainbow stood there and stiffly nodded her head. After a moment, she lifted her eyes, just barely peeking out from behind her messy and unkempt mane. There were a lot of things shimmering in those deep pink orbs. Resignation, grief, anxiety… but more than that, there was hope and acceptance. “Alright… then… I guess that’s that.”

    Celestia gave a slow nod, then looked past Rainbow at Sky Dreamer, who had a joyful, albeit subdued, grin on her face. “Sky Dreamer, I will be escorting Rainbow to her friend’s house. Then I will be coming back here and we can go through whatever processes remain.”

    Dreamer gave a big smile and a respectful bow of her head. “Of course, Celestia. I’ll be here.”

    Celestia then stood up and turned slightly, gesturing for Rainbow to step in front of her. “Please, lead the way.”

    Rainbow let out a breath and stepped past the gates of the orphanage. She paused briefly and glanced back over her shoulder, locking eyes with the yellow filly on the steps. The two looked at each other for a moment, before Rainbow gave her a small smile and a nod.

    The filly, in turn, smiled back and began to wave. She kept it up as Rainbow and Celestia took to the air, and did not stop until they disappeared into the cityscape beyond the orphanage.


Eight years later, two nights before the 1000th Summer Sun Celebration...

    The sun had set on the capital city of Canterlot a short while ago, and Rainbow Dash found the darkness of the night to be far more unsettling than usual. Several torches were lit in sconces along the walls, filling the hallways with dancing orange light and the sound of crackling flames. She glanced to her side as she walked, catching sight of the full moon outside, and the Mare in The Moon staring back at her.

A chill ran up her spine. Rainbow and Twilight would be leaving for Ponyville tomorrow morning. Twilight had been given the assignment of overseeing the preparations for the upcoming Summer Sun Celebration, while Rainbow would be in charge of clearing the skies so everypony could see the sunrise.

Of course, there was also the unwritten, and far more serious duty, of keeping Twilight safe when Nightmare Moon emerged. Rainbow cringed at that thought and tore her eyes away from the moon. She then shook her head and scolded herself mentally. “Focus, Rainbow! You’re not here to worry about ancient alicorns!”  

She soon came to her destination and turned to her left. There was an ornate double-door there, made of fine wood and decorated with motifs of the sun and moon. It was guarded by two members of the royal guard, one on each side. They nodded at her as she passed, but otherwise did not react to her.

She walked right by her own bedroom and soon found herself staring down the ornate doors that lead to Celestia’s personal bedroom. Her face twisted into an uncertain grimace, and she looked down at the floor. She shook herself and took a deep breath, getting her thoughts together.

She then lifted her hoof and gave a gentle knock. After a moment of silence, she pushed the door open, revealing Celestia’s room. It was a spacious affair, colored with deep golds and rich purples, along with a black and white checkered floor. A fireplace burned in one corner, casting a warm and inviting orange glow across it all.

Celestia herself was laying on a cushion in front of the fireplace. All of her regalias had been taken off for the night, leaving her in a casual and relaxed state that very few ponies ever got to see her in. She looked over at Rainbow and gave her a small smile. “Rainbow Dash, hello,” she greeted softly as the pegasus stepped in.

“Hey,” Rainbow replied before closing the door behind her. She shifted on her hooves, then started to move for the pillow directly next to Celestia’s. “Can we talk?”

“Of course, Rainbow. What is it?” Celestia asked and nodded while extending a wing. She smiled and beckoned for Rainbow to get comfortable under it, and she did not refuse.

Rainbow settled down on her belly by Celestia’s side and felt the wing drape itself over her. Feeling the large appendage that had been used to shield her and serve as a blanket for her many times in the past made her concerns wash away. Combined with the warmth of the fireplace, she let out a sigh and visibly relaxed.

The two were quiet for a short time, just enjoying the moment. Rainbow was here for a reason, though, and cleared her throat. “I, uh… I wanna apologize to you,” she finally admitted, looking down at her hooves.

Celestia tilted her head. “Apologize? How come?”

Rainbow shifted uneasily. “Well… ever since Twilight’s coma, I’ve been pretty cold to you,” she admitted, no small amount of shame in her voice. “Short-tempered, accusatory, blunt, sarcastic. And not in a good way.”

Celestia looked away and gave a small sigh. “You have every reason to be upset with me,” she stated with some regret. After a few seconds, she then returned her gaze to Rainbow and offered her a small smile. “But you don’t have much longer to wait before you get your answers. You have been incredibly patient with me, and I am so proud of you for that.”

Rainbow hummed before lowering her head and resting her chin on her hooves. “Maybe I’ve been patient, and maybe I had a good reason to be upset, but that’s not an excuse for acting the way I have. Plus, Nightmare Moon’s coming back tomorrow night.”

Celestia’s eyes widened slightly in realization. “Rainbow… are you-”

“No!” Rainbow denied the assertion before she even heard it. “I am not scared! Nuh uh, nope!”

Celestia gave her a flat look. “Rainbow.”

Rainbow sighed, her resolve melting away under that knowing look. “...Okay, fine. You never tell anyone I said this, but I am a little scared.”

“Of what?”

Rainbow looked away. “That… things might end badly. That I might not get a chance to make up for how I’ve been.”

Celestia was still for a moment and then pulled Rainbow closer with her wing. “Rainbow Dash, again, you don’t have to apologize to me for this. But I appreciate it all the same,” she murmured in a hushed voice while giving Rainbow a loving nuzzle.

Rainbow hesitated, then returned the gesture. Once she pulled back, she gave Celestia another look. “There’s uh… one more thing I kinda wanna bring up with you before Twilight and I go tomorrow,” she said, her expression and voice becoming bashful.

Celestia raised an eyebrow, curious. “Go on,” she encouraged with a soft squeeze of her wing.

Rainbow swallowed her pride and spoke. “I… um… Thank you. Thank you for adopting me and taking care of me. I…” she looked away again, a red tint appearing on her cheeks. “I really, uh… I appreciate it. I think I’d have ended up a whole lot worse if you hadn’t come around when you did. Heck, who knows where I’d be? I was about ready to run off and join a circus or something...”

Celestia’s expression became one of shock. She stared at her daughter for several seconds, and Rainbow continued.

“So, thank you. Thank you for being my mom. If something goes wrong with Nightmare Moon, I…” she met Celestia’s eyes and smiled. “I just want you to know that I am really happy I went with you.”

Celestia just stared at Rainbow, dumbstruck. Her expression then melted into one of unquestionable motherly love. She pulled Rainbow even closer against her side and gave her one more nuzzle. “You are so, so welcome. And thank you for agreeing to let me adopt you in the first place. Having you as my daughter has been a challenge and a joy in so many new and wonderful ways… It is, has been, and always will be, my honor.”

Finally, Rainbow unfolded her own wing and did her best to reciprocate the side hug. The size difference made it a bit of a challenge, but she managed. Once she was comfortable again, she gave a quiet chuckle. “Heh… it’s almost like we’re saying goodbye or something.”

Celestia tittered softly under her breath, then shook her head. “No… not goodbye,” she denied before giving Rainbow a meaningful and knowing smile. One of unbounded confidence and pride. “Because I know that everything is going to be alright.”

Rainbow put on a cocky grin and gave a sharp nod. “Heh, darn straight! If Nightmare tries messing with Twilight, she won’t know what hit her! I’ll keep Twilight safe, I promise.”

Celestia smiled at her even wider. “I know you will... my little filly...”

Rainbow snuggled up to Celestia little bit at that, and the two fell into a serene and companionable silence. They didn’t need to say anything else just then. At that moment, in that place, a mother and daughter were perfectly content to just be in the other’s presence, enjoying the warmth of the fire and the calm of the night.

Time began to pass, the flames watching over them all the way. Celestia felt herself starting to doze off when a sound hit her ears. It was Rainbow Dash… snoring. Celestia shifted and looked down to see that Rainbow had fallen into a peaceful sleep against her side, her mouth hanging open just a little bit.

Celestia giggled quietly under her breath and then set about lifting the sleeping mare onto her back. Moving slowly so as to not disturb her, Celestia left her own room and took Rainbow across the hall to hers. The door swung open with a gentle golden glow and a quiet creak.

With slow and deliberate movements, without using magic, Celestia pulled back the sheets on Rainbow’s bed, then set her down under them. Celestia stood there by Rainbow’s bedside for several minutes, each one feeling like an eternity just watching her adopted daughter sleep. She then looked out the window at the moon.

The Mare in The Moon glared silently at her, and Celestia smiled back. “Luna… it’s almost time for you to come home, little sister…” she whispered before her gaze returned to Rainbow Dash.

“Home to me… and to my daughter.”

In her sleep, Rainbow Dash smiled.