A grey pegasus mare with a black mane that was trying hard not to turn grey with age flew alongside her husband, a rainbow maned stallion with a proud purple coat. Both were powerfully built from their respective careers in the skies. On the stallion's back sat a rainbow maned filly of about six years. The sunny yellow filly buzzed her wings with excitement as her grandfather pulled off a large loop.
Grey forehooves picked the cheery filly from her ride. The youngster found herself suspended by two strong forelegs as Gust continued to fly. The sunny filly cried out with joy as the weathermare put on a burst of speed and raced toward the floating cloud house that hovered near the border of the Everfree forest.
With the precision of a Wonderbolt, Gust dived toward the cloud platform on the right side of the regal structure. Gust flew in so sharply and low that bright yellow hooves lightly skimmed the surface of the rainbow pool. The flyer banked and killed speed. The weathermare touched down with her granddaughter secure in her grasp beside the filly sized rainbow pool.
The tiny filly giggled as she was released. “That was fun grandma!”
“I’m glad you think so dear,” Gust replied with a smile.
“I think you fly cooler than grandpa!” Declared the foal with much excitement.
“Hey!” An offended looking Blaze touched with an exaggerated huff.
Pink eyes glittered as they grew wide. “I- I’m sorry Gran-”
“Now don’t you worry,” a laugh escaped the now grinning stallion as he strode over and gave his quaking granddaughter a hug. “I was just having you on.”
The front door to the cloud house opened as the little filly’s breathing stilled. Gust locked eyes with the mare who stood in the doorway.
“Dad? Mom?” Dash froze at the sight of her parents. “What are you two doing here?”
“We wanted to see our little girl.” Gust offered. Her husband smiled as he nodded.
“That's... nice. You uh... haven’t spoken to anypony else in town have you?”
“They spoke to me!” Spectra declared with much delight as her grandsire continued to lightly hug her.
Rainbow Dash visibly relaxed. “I thought you would be off playing with your friends?”
“I met Gran and Grandad,” declared the little filly. “My friends will see me tomorrow.”
“Okay, cool.” Dash eyed her parents. “You wanna come in then?”
“That would be lovely dear.” Gust smiled.
The light blue speedster withdrew into the floating family home “Fluttershy! My parents are here!”
Spectra leaped into the small pool of rainbow then raced inside with a delighted shout.
The two proud grandparents eyed the multicoloured hoof prints for a few moments before they turned to one another, smiled then followed at a more sedate pace.
Inside the family dwelling, the older couple spotted their daughter reclining on the love seat. Spectra eagerly raced up to her mother and leapt up beside her.
“So how have things been for you, Rainbow Dash?” Gust asked casually as she sat on a wide comfy looking couch opposite the loveseat.
“Awesome.” The speedster spotted her wife incoming from the adjacent room and made room for the lanky mare. “Although...”
“What?” Blaze asked cautiously.
Spectra released herself from her mother’s side and raced over to her grandparents.
“I did dream of my foalhood last night.” Rainbow Dash’s admission caused her daughter to glance back with wide curious eyes.
“You did?” The rainbow maned stallion seated himself beside his wife and laid a well kept wing across her withers. The grey mare snuggled her spouse and snagged her granddaughter.
With a surprised ‘eep!’ Spectra found herself in the clutches of her grandsires. With a quick glance upward, the filly spotted their pleased expressions and ceased fighting.
Witnessing her daughter’s relaxed state of being, Dash couldn't help but grin. The fact that her own misses was snuggled against her too totally had nothing to do with it. “Yeah. I did...”
The yellow filly perked up. “What kinda dream mommy?”
Dash caught the adoring look in her lover’s eyes and smirked. “Well...” Her gaze settled on her own father. “Uh... I woke up when we were about to see how close you came to poisoning yourself, dad.”
Blaze scowled. “Why were you dreaming of that time? That was rough. For all of us...”
“Yea, I know. It’s silly.” Dash replied. “Fluttershy and I had been remembering all the fun we had as fillies, especially before we, you know... started dating and getting all mushy and stuff. I still can’t believe how much you both have changed.”
“Speak for yourself,” Gust smirked at her daughter. “I feel like the biggest change in myself has been the increase of grey hairs in my mane. It’s almost matching the rest of my coat now.”
The older mare’s gaze lingered on the younger couple as thoughtful silence fell. “Whereas you two grew up and have had an incredible life down here. Your father and I could not be more proud.”
“Yeah! Go Rainbow Dash!” Blaze cheered with a cheeky grin.
Rainbow Dash flushed red while her mate chuckled softly.
The purple stallion settled down once more with a cheeky grin, “I’m still surprised that you two were the first to give us grand foals...”
“My brother is still addicted to his job. And I can confirm that because I work with him now,” Dash shot back with a cheeky grin.
“Neither he nor his wife visit us often. He appears to have taken after the other males in this family and managing to be both lazy and a workaholic.” Gust added sourly.
“But-” Fluttershy spoke up, “don’t you both live in Cloudsdale?”
Gust sighed as she played with the many colours of her granddaughter’s mane. “That we do.”
“Oh...” Fluttershy gazed hopefully at her spouse.
Dash sighed as she took the hint. “So uh... dad... I hear you’re retiring from the factory soon.”
The purple stallion nodded. “Yeah. Figured I got enough bits and would follow Autumn’s hoofsteps.” His gaze fell to his grand foal.
“You can go in there?” Spectra asked as she gazed up at her granddad in awe.
Blaze nodded as a grin ripped across his muzzle. “Sure can little filly. In fact... your mothers weren’t all that much older than you when they set foot inside the Rainbow Factory for the first time.”
Spectra spun around to face her parents. “You got to go in there when you were little?”
“We were older than you Spectra. We were what? Nine?” Dash turned to eye Fluttershy.
“Fluttershy had just turned nine, hadn’t you?” Blaze grinned. “My girl, your birthday was still coming up. I remember that as though it were yesterday...”
“You caught them in the rainbow factory unsupervised?” Gust rounded on her husband.
The stallion shot the younger couple a guilty look. “Oops. Uh... you can forget that I said anything. Right, dear?”
Gust lent closer to her husband, till grey met purple. “I am most interested to hear what happened?”
The two elder pegasi continued to gaze at one another, nose to nose till Blaze tried to turn the contact into a kiss. His lips met grey forehead then he found himself tacked onto the couch.
Spectra slipped out onto the floor and three sets of eyes watched the playful wrestling of the elder couple as they fought for dominance on the couch.
“Ouch! My back!” Blaze cried out. Gust was quick to sit up and release her husband. “You okay?”
The purple stallion rose slowly and nodded. He lent against his wife and sighed. “This getting old stuff sucks.” Blaze glanced down at his granddaughter, “don’t you go getting old kiddo, stay young. You can’t do all the fun stuff you used to when you hit my age.”
“How old are you grandpa?” The little filly asked.
Deep laughter broke out from the purple stallion. “Now that would be telling, but I’m sure I’m the oldest one here in the room.”
“By two months.” Gust playfully added.
Blaze sat back as though he was the boss of everything. “Exactly.”
“But it does not get you out of answering me. Why did you let two fillies, both family wander the Rainbow Factory?” Pink eyes met Amethyst with a challenging stare and Blaze turned away with a cough.
“Uh, Fluttershy and I just had some fun, that was all!” Dash exclaimed. “Yea, it all started when I decided to take Fluttershy out and show her a good time. She had just had her ninth birthday and her family had been too slow and boring. So I decided to spice it up a bit!”
“By endangering her?” Gust replied, deadpan.
Dash scoffed. “No way, we were perfectly safe!”
Only Rainbow Dash missed the look her wife gave her as she prepared to continue with the tale.
Spectra giggled at the funny expression on Fluttershy’s face while Blaze snickered.
Dash shot her father a look. “I remember that day super clear like it was yesterday. It was the day after my best friend's birthday party! Back then there was none of this girlfriends or love stuff. Just two best friends off to explore...”
“Hey, Fluttershy! Look where we are!” Rainbow gestures to the building ahead of them.
The building was majestic, gigantic... a centrepiece of Cloudsdale. It was none other than the acclaimed Rainbow Factory. The very place that all of Equestria’s rainbows were made in just the right kind of spectrum of colours and beauty. Awe washed over Fluttershy, having never been so close to the legendary building before.
“That’s amazing... but um... why are we here?” Fluttershy queried nervously.
“Both our dad’s work here, of course!” Rainbow declared, a large grin set upon her muzzle. “We’re gonna go inside and look around!”
“But- won’t they be mad at us for coming here? My daddy says it’s not safe for little fillies in here...” Fluttershy’s eyes grew wide as she slowly backed up
Dash strode toward the entrance, her small saddlebag bounced slightly from her energetic pace. “No way! My dad’s one of the big bosses of the factory! Dad’s a real lazy old thing, I’m sure we won’t be caught or anything!”
“Oh, but my daddy works here too... He’s not lazy like your daddy. A-are you sure it’s sure?”
Rainbow Dash scoffed, “of course I’m sure, it’s gonna be cool! Come on!”
Fluttershy continued to hunker like a frozen bunny, caught in the middle of a busy road. “I- I don’t know...”
“Come on, it will be fun! And if we do get caught... I just tell them I have lunch for my dad,” Dash briefly motioned to her saddlebag then strode right up and hoisted her best friend to her feet.
The lanky filly sank back down to the cloudstuff underhoof. “Oh... I don’t know Dash. Daddy made it clear that he did not want me to go in there ”
The bold filly scoffed. “Don’t be such a buzzkill Flutters. I wanna give you a cool day out. Do you want in or don’t you?”
The shy filly glanced up at the imposing cloud structure. Green eyes met shining red. Fluttershy sighed and hunkered close to her insufferable companion. “Okay.”
“That’s my girl!” Dash cheered.
Yellow cheeks tint pink. Before Fluttershy could formulate a proper response she found herself dragged inside the mighty workplace.
The cyan filly dragged her shy companion off to the side. A few grown ups passed by. None of them noticed the intruders. Dash grinned. “Isn’t this great!”
The loud whisper caused Fluttershy to jump.
Dash giggled, “come on, let’s go have fun.”
Little blue wings out and tail erect, Dash strode purposefully off.
Fluttershy allowed herself a moment to admire the funny posture of her friend. She really was sure to grow up to be a cute big filly.
Rainbow Dash turned and noticed her companion was not in fact following. “Hey, you wanna get caught? Come on...”
With a fearful glance around Fluttershy took off as if her tail was on fire. “T-they won’t be mean if they find us, will they?”
“Yeah sure...” Dash murmurs with a roll of her eyes. “We gotta stay clear of some of the mean ponies here. They think I’m a bad little runt and try to throw me out every time I come here. Even if I just come to bring dad his lunch when he leaves it at home!”
“Oh. I’m sorry.” Fluttershy softly murmured.
“Fluttershy, it’s not you who needs to say sorry. Just stick with me and stay tight.” Dash announces, trotting off eager to show her best friend the sights.
“O-Okay, Rainbow...” A very nervous Fluttershy hurried closer till she was pressed up anxiously against her brave companion.
Dash smirked back. Just as she was about to relax a large white pegasus strode rounded the bend up ahead. The speedy filly grabbed her friend and hurried into a small room. She hid them both off to the side of the doorway, hopeful that the incoming big pony would not look inside.
The pair huddled together for long slow moments till they head the soft clop-clop of hooves on cloud pass their door. Dash held tight onto Fluttershy for another few moments then relaxed. “Close one... feel that rush Fluttershy?”
“Rush?” Yellow hooves continued to hold the smaller filly in a death grip. “That was terrifying.”
Dash giggled softly, “yeah. That’s why it’s a rush.”
Fluttershy scowled at her best friend. “W-what happens if I decide I’m not having fun?”
“But-” Dash fell silent as voices approached from down the hallway.
The two intruders held their silence as tightly as Fluttershy held her Rainbow.
As the voices faded away a loud gasp escaped Rainbow Dash, “you got a real strong hold there pal.”
“Oh..? sorry...”
Rainbow Dash playfully gave her filly a boop. “It’s fine. If I had that strength I could easily beat all the big mean colts.”
“But- but fighting’s bad...”
Vibrant red eyes were rolled slowly and obviously. “Yeah. Come on, I think it’s clear.”
“Wait, Dash I-”
“Sssh, let’s go.” A blue hoof waved frantically for the yellow filly to follow.
Fluttershy hurried to her friend’s side and together they hurried onward. Rainbow Dash led with the authority of one who had done the trip before.
The pair trotted along well adorned hallways. Rainbow Dash would occasionally pause, listen carefully then continue. With an increasing frequency, the pair had to rush off into hiding at each and every sign of other ponies. When a bolt hole into another room was not close, they hid behind small pillars, boxes, other clouds. Fluttershy trailed like a blind filly, completely lost and at the mercy of her friend’s guidance. As they walked deeper through what appeared to be a series of storage rooms, Fluttershy began to find a small, shy measure of courage starting to emerge. Dash hurriedly shifted into yet another alcove in a fairly large room. Fluttershy found herself moving in time with the speedy filly. She smiled to herself. Maybe this could be fun after all. Rainbow Dash caught the shy smile and grinned back. They hid from a group of excitable looking stallions who walked past as if they were on a mission.
“R-Rainbow... Where are we going?” The gangly filly poked her head over her friend.
Dash carefully lent out and gazed around the large storage room, scanning for signs of unwanted life. There was nothing but large crates, colourful clouds and big bins that smelt of spices
“You’ll see. We’re in the storage right now cause it’s easier to hide. But, where we’re going... it’s super awesome!” The excited guide replied, glancing up at her friend. “You know, I wish I was tall like you.”
Fluttershy giggled, smiling brightly, “Awww... You’ll catch up to me one day, Rainbow! Why, I bet you will be taller than me!”
“I don’t want to be a giant...” The cyan filly replied softly, defending her stance on size.
“Really? Then what do you want?” Fluttershy tilted her head curiously.
“Just to be aerodynamic. It’s a really really big word my mom sometimes says. It means… something cool about flying fast. yea.”
“Oh....” Fluttershy smiled a bit, leaning down toward her best friend. “At least then I won’t have to reach down to...” She blushed and turned her gaze away. “Never mind. Shall we go?”
“Sure thing.” Dash leapt into the air. Her gaze quickly scanned the room. No grown ups were around. This was perfect.
With a spring in her step, the colourful ball of fluff led the way out of the room. “You know Fluttershy, you can be really weird sometimes.”
Rainbow Dash glanced over at her shy friend, glad that they were walking in step this time. “But you're cool.”
The creamy yellow filly couldn't help but emit out an excited squeal. She scooped the little ball of blue and rainbow a big hug. Fluttershy couldn’t help but feel delighted at being considered “cool” by Rainbow Dash!
“Hey... not in the middle of the road. We don’t want some bigshot seeing me like this!” Rainbow gently pushed her buzzing friend off, smiling at her. “But I did mean it. You being cool.”
“Yay!” Giggled a very happy Fluttershy.
“Can you catch a rainbow?” The speaker grinned back at her blushing friend, a cheeky look upon her face.
Rainbow Dash sprinted off. She gave her rainbow tail a good swish, illustrating her point.
The tantalizing rainbow captivated the blushy filly’s eyes and she grinned goofily back. “Yes!”
Fluttershy chased after her cheeky friend. She took short leaps and bounds to try and capture the elusive ball of spectrum. “Come back here, Rainbow!”
“Never!” Comes the cheeky filly’s cheerful, laughing reply as she kept eluding capture. “Catch me if you can!”
The energetic ball of colour glanced back at her pursuer, poking out her tongue. She blew a raspberry. The world exploded into stars and pain. Rainbow Dash had just slammed into a column in the wall.
The downed filly lay there stunned, “whaa..?”
Panic crossed Fluttershy’s face. She rushed over to her crashable friend. “Rainbow! Ar-are you okay?”
The stunned filly groggily stood. She tentatively rubbed at her temple. “Awww... remind me to look where I’m going next time.”
“You do that too much... you don’t want to be sent to hospital, do you?” Fluttershy nuzzled the downed filly. “I’m sorry, Rainbow... I mean-”
“No. You’re right.” Rainbow Dash cut off what was obviously an apologetic ramble set off by assuming she was offended.
“I- I am?”
The cyan filly briskly nodded.
The sound of two stallions conversing broke the pair out of their little moment.
Fluttershy grabbed her friend and hid behind the small column, hopeful that whoever was coming would not notice the two fillies in their rather poor hiding spot.
Dash grinned as the grown ups passed by. She was pleased that her friend finally appeared to be somewhat enjoying herself too.
As the voices faded Fluttershy sighed. This was both nerve wracking and ...something. Something that made her head feel light. It was like fun, but also stressful. She hoped her friend would guide her to where they were going soon... A sudden idea struck the timid filly.
“Fluttershy... what are you doing?” Dash eyed her best friend cautiously as her vision filled with yellow and pink.
“I’m kissing it better, silly...” Fluttershy murmured back as she planted a kiss upon the head of her friend, right on the spot where the bonk happened. She held it for a moment. A lanky yellow hoof caressed the rainbow mane. Once, twice, then again.
Rainbow Dash blushed. A strange feeling coursed through her body causing her heart pound as though she was racing. It sure felt odd yet nice at the same time. The contact calmed her nerves and eased the thumping pain. The light blue filly grinned happily.
The shyly smiling filly withdrew slowly. “D-does it feel better now?”
“Yep! Thank you, Fluttershy.” Dash hurried to her feet and shoved all such sappy thoughts out of mind. “Come on. I still have a factory to show you.”
Said shy pony nodded in agreement, glad that her best friend is okay. The bold filly took the lead as they set out once more. After what felt like a long time Rainbow Dash perked up. She ran up to a large closed door and paused. This closed off room had a door that looked as if it had been doused in a red rainbow fluid.
The leader held up a forehoof as her friend wandered up to stand beside her. “Wait here Fluttershy. I’ll be back.”
“W-W-What? Wait! W-Where are you going?” The shy filly shrank into a ball with the fear of being left behind.
“I need to make sure the coast is clear. Don’t worry, no pony can stop me, I’m Rainbow Dash.” The cocky filly shot a grin at her best friend.
Fluttershy continued to hunker, worried. “Okay...”
A sigh of exasperation escaped the leading filly. “Really? That bad? You can’t wait for me without dying of worry?”
“No, it’s just- uh... I don’t want you to get caught, Rainbow.” Fluttershy murmurs.
“Look, I won’t uh... come on scared filly... follow the awesome rainbow. But you better be prepared to run fast if somepony is out there.”
“.....No, never mind. I’ll wait.” The shy filly sat down, ashamed of herself.
“Okay. Um... I’ll go check if the coast is clear then.” Rainbow Dash tentatively inched the red door open, glanced inside then rushed in.
“Please be careful...” Fluttershy whimpers. Anxiety and fear clashed with the confident words of her best friend as the one filly tried to sit patiently.
Tense moments continued to pass by like water flowing under a bridge. Fluttershy began to knead the hard clouds underhoof, ‘where is Rainbow Dash? She should be back already! I knew I should have gone with her... Oh Fluttershy, how could you abandon your best friend like that? All just for the sake of still looking cool in her eyes? How could you be so selfish?! Rainbow Dash!! Where are you? I’m sorry!! I’m not cool, I never was! I don’t deserve to even call myself your friend...’
“Back!” The soft cocky call made Fluttershy pretty much jump out of her skin.
“Rainbow!!” Fluttershy quietly squealed. “Don’t do that... you frightened me!”
“Oh-c-come on. Really?”
“You were gone so long. And then- you scared me when you just... appeared again.” Fluttershy whimpered, gaze downcast, ashamed at her own weakness.
“Yeah, sorry about that... I might have almost got myself caught by Piston Wing. I thought Gear Grinder was supposed to be working today... So it kinda took a little for me to-”
Almost immediately, the cyan filly finds herself caught in the golden hooves of her companion, who was lightly shaking and almost crying.
“I’m sorry, Rainbow! I’m sorry...! I should have gone with you! Oh, you were almost caught! I can’t let that happen anymore! Rainbow...!!” Fluttershy whimpered, crying into her neck. “I don’t want to lose you...!”
The bold speedster sighed, patting her friend’s back. “It’s okay ‘Shy. We just gotta take the long way now, that’s all. Besides... What are they going to do, turn me into a rainbow? I’ve already got a matching set.”
“I don’t want you to get in trouble. A-and I don’t want to lose you. You’re the only real friend I have.” Fluttershy near-sobs, whimpering.
“You’re the only true friend I have too, Fluttershy. There’s no way I want to lose somepony as awesome as you. This is why I really had to take a look before I took you in there. Piston was shouting something about the latest shipment of something not being in on time and there was these other ponies around so I really did have to be careful, you know.”
“...Oh...” The creamy yellow filly sniffled, pulling back a bit to look at her friend. “I...I understand...” She nuzzled her companion, sweetly.
“Come on... I’m awesome, I’m also your protector.” Rainbow Dash puffed out her chest proudly.
“Thank you.” Fluttershy giggled, looking happy again. “Um. You- you think I’m awesome..?”
“Yep. In a ‘special’ kinda way.” The bold filly confirms, grinning.
Fluttershy squealed with happiness and tackled her best friend again, snuggling her.
“Am I interrupting something here...?”
Both youngsters froze at the voice of a mare.
The creme and orange pegasus in question stared down at the pair. “Now how did two little fillies get in here?”
“My dad works here,” Rainbow Dash quickly stood tall and proud.
“So does at least a hundred other parents. I’m one of them. My children are not allowed in here.” The mare shoved her poofy short orange mane out of her vision. “What makes you so special that you think you can just wander around?”
“Yeah, well...” Dash faltered a bit, “my dad is kinda one of the bosses... so um... I just wanted to see him at work. Please?”
“Are you that little trouble maker who sometimes delivers food to her father but then goes exploring in places that are off limits?”
“Uh...” Rainbow Dash glanced at her friend. Thankfully, or... maybe not, Fluttershy failed to register any surprise from the news. Rainbow Dash turned back to the impatient looking mare, “I might be, yeah. What’s it to you?”
The mare stared at the bold filly in mild shock at being spoken to in such a manner. “If you do in fact have food for your father in your bag, I can take you to him. But I’ll escort you both.”
Rainbow Dash deflated. “Well... you see... I kinda wanted to show my best friend something too. Do you think you might let me show her?”
“Show her what?”
“Uh... well you see... it was kinda... uh- the mixing room.”
“No.” The stony expression on the adults face made the little blue filly’s heart sink.
“Awww, come on. Please?”
“No. Now, you two are making me late. Come on, I’ll take you out then I need to get back to work.”
“Awww... fine...” Dash sighed.
Fluttershy gave a sad look up at the adult. “I-is the mixing room dangerous?”
“It’s where the different colours of the rainbow meet. It can be dangerous. But it is a pretty process. I can see why your friend wanted to show it to you. Not that she should know about the mixing room...”
Rainbow Dash shrank under the creme mare’s hard gaze. “Uh... funny story.”
“I don’t have time. There’s a big order for Canterlot today and you’re messing up my schedule. Move, or I’ll carry you both.” Creme wings twitched with annoyance as the mare slowly advanced upon the two fillies.
“Fluttershy.” Rainbow Dash exhaled slowly in defeat.
“Yes?” The shy filly turned to her best friend.
“Come on.” The fuzzy short filly gave her lanky companion a light shove.
As the creme-orange pegasus relaxed, Rainbow Dash grabbed her lanky friend and shoved her through the closed door to the room she had scouted. The pair burst into a room filled with closed boxes and vats of red spectrum. Several pegasus ponies paused at their tasks as the creme-orange mare exploded through the door after them with an angry cry.
“Come back here you two! Don’t just stand there, get them!”
A stallion with a large wooden crate accidentally dropped it in shock. Rainbow Dash zipped between his legs. Fluttershy clutched on for dear life as they barreled through as fast as their little legs would carry them. The pair raced past several adults who tried to grab them.
Rainbow Dash unleashed an adrenaline fueled cry of joy.
Fluttershy held on for dear life, terrified to stop but also terrified at the thought of capture.
Two balls of colour raced out of the room and into another hallway.
With four stallions and the creme-orange mare on their trail, two fillies frantically ran down one then another hallway. Rainbow Dash grinned as she spotted the rich artwork adorning the walls. Delight lit the speedster’s face then she shoved her friend through an open door into a room full of skinny walkways. A good drop below at least a dozen vats of spectra lay. In the middle of the room was a half full water tank that looked big enough to fit two dozen swimming earth ponies. To their right was a control panel with all kinds of strange data on it. The mare at the control desk turned and spotted the pair then froze in surprise.
“Here we are Fluttershy, the rainbow room!” Rainbow Dash proclaimed joyfully.
The world seemed to slow down in that moment as Fluttershy beheld the wonder of the sparkling vats that lit the room with a soft calming light. It was magical, it was-
“Rainbow Dash! I told you not to sneak into my factory.” The angry tone of Blaze broke the almost perfect moment.
Both fillies froze.
Blaze advanced along the catwalk toward the two frozen fillies. “What did I tell you, little pony?”
“H-hi dad.” The little speedster glanced back the way they had come. Five pegasi blocked the way out. Rainbow Dash hunkered down beside her quaking friend.
A purple stallion stomped up to the pair. “What are you two doing here, you know this is off limits!”
“Yes dad...” Rainbow fearfully faced her sire.
Blaze continued to glare at his daughter while he addressed his workmates, “I’ll take it from here. Piston Wing... Cream buzz. I hope they didn’t do any damage.”
“It’s fine.” A slate grey stallion replied. “I just wish your daughter would stop invading our workplace.”
“So do I...” Blaze growled softly. “Follow me...”
The rainbow maned stallion advanced towards his frozen daughter with an angry expression upon his tired face.
“W-Wait!!” Fluttershy squeals, holding out her hoof.
“What is it little pony? I don’t have all day...” Blaze glared down at the pair.
“Please... it’s not her fault.” The shy filly’s voice was so thin it broke for a moment. “I-it was my birthday yesterday and she wanted to do something special for me...”
“You thought the rainbow factory would be a fun place to bring your best friend?”
“Uh... maybe?”
Blaze sighed and rubbed his forehead. The mighty stallion took several deep breaths. All eyes remained fixed upon the “Rainbow, Fluttershy. Come with me. This is not a place for youngsters like yourselves.”
With a sorry glance at her best friend, Rainbow Dash slogged back toward the open door. Fluttershy hunkered close by as they walked.
The stern father took the lead as soon as they were out in the hallway. “Follow me and no running off.”
The duo nodded mutely. The stallion was about to turn left, from where the pair had come but paused.
Both fillies gazed fearfully up at the seething purple stallion who sighed after a few moments. With his jaw set, Blaze headed off to the right instead. Both youngsters quietly followed behind.
After several awkward moments of quiet walking, Rainbow Dash tried to catch her father’s gaze. “Please don’t tell Fluttershy’s dad.”
“Why not?”
“Because... it was all my dumb idea. I don’t want her getting in trouble.”
“I’ll consider it.” Purple wings flicked in annoyance as Blaze hiked up the pace a little.
Rainbow Dash gazed around in contemplation as she realized her father was leading them deeper into the working heart of the Rainbow Factory. She began to wonder what the old stallion was up to... She allowed her father to lead them down another right hand turn. To the left, she could hear the sound of somepony singing and the far wall shone with rainbow sparkles.
As they came to a large open room Blaze paused, his chin set like a rock and his wings tucked tightly at his sides. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy froze at the sight. A lot of stout box like machines with pipes that connected into the floor was spread out in rows along the wide room. Each row had a pegasus pumping bellows by hoof to assist the air flow through the machines. An open cone on top of each large squat box pumped out clouds. Pegasi with long mixing sticks hovered between machines mixing and managing clouds. A few pastel pegasi wandered between machines keeping a close eye on the clouds produced. A pair of stallions with buckets worked to take water from a holding tank on the right side of the room. Near the water tank was an arched door with colourful swirls that danced like the wind. The greater wall also bore faint cloud grey cloudy artwork that spiralled lazily around like a dream.
Beyond the columns, at the far side of the room the wide open sky beckoned. Fluttershy gazed around with wonder while Rainbow Dash looked up at her sire with wide eyes. “Uh dad...”
A hint of a smile lit purple lips as the stallion winked at his daughter then addressed the workers, “good job everypony. I’m escorting these two out. Ignore them.”
A few of the pegasi nodded and kept at their tasks.
After a few moments admiring the care put into creating the clouds she normally took for granted, Fluttershy felt a soft nudge.
“Alright little ponies, time to keep it moving.”
The pair obediently obliged the purple stallion who led them between two cloud machines and through the door to the right.
Blaze kept up his pace as he led them through a room with a large tank of water in the middle. “This is where we store the majority of the water we collect from towns and cities.”
Rainbow Dash gazed up the clear tank, “but that’s gotta be like... billions of gallons or something...?”
Blaze shot his daughter a lopsided grin, “something like that. It usually takes eighty pegasi to lift this much water to Cloudsdale.”
“That’s a lot...” Fluttershy murmured softly.
“Right you are, filly. My wife has even led a few local weather teams who brought us water.”
Dash grinned, “Yeah... mom’s cool.”
As they circumnavigated the tank, two ponies gave the trio brief passing looks. Blaze simply nodded and kept walking.
Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy quickly found themselves back in the large reception hall. The purple stallion scooped up both fillies and soared out the door. He deposited them on the steps outside and sat beside them.
“Thank you for showing us around,” Fluttershy shyly gave thanks.
“Yeah, that was cool dad.”
“Well, I didn’t show you two everything, but I hope that has salted your desire to look around.” Blaze gave his little girl a pointed look.
Rainbow Dash nodded briskly, “it was awesome!”
“But will you stop trying to sneak in?”
The small speedster wilted a bit, “uh... sure.”
“You don’t sound sure.” The purple stallion hunched down a bit and faced his daughter nose to nose.
Rainbow Dash grabbed her best friend in a loose winged hug, “since you were cool enough to let Fluttershy have a look around, I think I can wait till you let us see more.”
The shy filly squeed with joy and hugged her best friend back.
“Good. Thank you.” Blaze smiled brightly, all traces of his previous anger completely gone. “Now, I believe your mother is making something amazing for lunch.”
“She is?”
“Yes.” Blaze nodded. “I think I’ll join you.”
“Y-you will?”
“Yep. Since my little girl promises to be good, I’ll take the afternoon off.”
“Won’t your boss wonder where you have gone?” Fluttershy wondered out loud.
Blaze laughed, “little filly... I’m the boss of the production. Your dad is boss of the paperwork. All he has to know is that my side of the factory is running smooth as and I don’t think he has to know his little girl was in the building.”
“Oh, thank you,” little yellow wings buzzed with relief and delight at the announcement.
“Now, who wants to ride forelegs and who wants the back?”
“I call forehooves!” Dash cried as she raced to stand between her father’s forelegs.
Blaze knelt down a bit to let the gangly filly on top. Fluttershy complied and gingerly stepped up onto the broad purple shoulders where she settled down for the ride across town.
“Yea, good times.” Blaze smiled.
“I’m still thankful that you didn’t stay all angry at us.” Rainbow Dash added.
“Oh, I had a moment of clarity in that hallway just as I was about to lead you straight out. I wondered to myself if a little tour for your friends' benefit might help persuade you to behave and it worked out. I’ve also discovered it’s hard to stay mad at my precious little girl for long.”
Rainbow Dash pulled a crazy face back and Fluttershy giggled softly.
“Can you show me too?” Spectra bounced up and down eagerly.
“Maybe when you're a little older.” Blaze replied carefully.
“Awwww...” The little sunny filly pouted.
Fluttershy smiled sweetly as she slipped out from her spouse's hold and scooped her daughter up. “Trust me, it will be worth the wait.”
Spectra gazed at her mother in thought for a few moments then nodded.
Fluttershy turned to the greying couple, “would you like to stay for dinner?”
“We would love to,” Gust smiled brightly.
Fluttershy wandered over to her Dash then deposited the rainbow and yellow ball of filly beside the wonderbolt. “Great, I’ll see what I can make.”
“I can help,” Gust offered quickly.
“Oh, it’s okay. I think you should keep talking to Rainbow Dash, I’m sure you have a lot of catching up to do.”
Blaze smiled as his missus settled back down. “We do, but Gust did mention she wished to speak to you about something while I chat to my daughter.”
“Oh, well... okay,” Fluttershy replied as she headed for the kitchen.
Rainbow Dash glanced down at her little girl who had decided to hug her foreleg. “Wanna drink dad?”
“Only if it's cider.”
“Normal or alcoholic?”
“The boring stuff.”
Dash smirked, “still keeping off the booze huh?”
“I’m worried that if I ever try it again I’ll die.”
“Oh,” Dash shot her father a reproachful look as she momentarily covered her daughter’s ears. “I guess I’ll get us both the normal stuff and we can uh... catch up.”
“That would be wonderful.” Blaze smiled.
As the wonderbolt extracted herself from her daughter, Spectra bounded back over to her grandsire. “Grandpa?”
“Hmmm..?”
“When will I be big enough to see the rainbow factory?”
The purple stallion took a deep contemplative breath, “well... I guess your ninth birthday could do.”
“Promise?”
The purple stallion smirked. “Alright, promise.”