A soft cry pulled Bright Skies from her sleep. It was a baby’s cry, her baby’s cry. She smiled sleepily as she rose from her soft cloud-mattress, hopping to the floor and plodding her way over to the crib that she had moved from the nursery into her own bedroom so that she could be closer to Flash. With a gentle flap of her wings, she alighted as softly as a feather up into the crib and next to her child, scooping the whimpering bundle up into her forelimbs and holding him tenderly against her chest.
“Hey,” she whispered, “It’s alright…it’s me, it’s your mama.” The infant cooed with a trembling lower lip as he clung desperately to her, his small fingers clutching her fur; she loved it so when he did that. Bright Skies gently nuzzled his delicate head, shushing sweetly to him.
“Nightmare, huh? I know, they can be so scary, can’t they dear?” Flash continued to whimper into her chest, crying on despite her attempts to calm him. She was gently stroking his back, wondering what to do when an idea came to her. Spreading her wings, she quietly took to the air, continuing to hold him lovingly against her. With delicate, virtually silent flaps, Bright Skies hung vertically in midair, her hind legs dangling beneath her. As she floated in place, she began to sway slowly from side to side, twisting with graceful pirouettes in a kind of aerial ballet, as placid as a dream born aloft on a cloud. And as she danced, with a soft, lilting tone, she began to sing:
Across the vast and starlit sky,
I’ll sing to you a lullaby.
To soothe your heart, and dry your tears.
Until my love calms all your fears.
Dread not the darkness nor the height,
These too shall never give you fright.
I’ll bear you gently on my wings,
Till shadows fall and sunlight sings.
Should all the lights of heaven fail,
No stars to shine or moon to hail.
You’ll lack no warmth, nor peace, nor guide.
For I shall be there by your side.
Bright Skies continued to sing the lullaby, a song that her own mother had sung to her as a foal, over and over until Flash was no longer crying. She looked down to see him gazing up at her in wide-eyed wonder. She smiled back, placing a warm kiss on his small head, continuing to rock him gently through the air, humming the song to him. Eventually she felt him yawn, snuggling into her fluffy chest as his eyes grew heavy. Landing on her bed, Bright Skies slowly rolled backwards, laying on her back while continuing to hum the dulcet tune, slowly decreasing in volume as her baby slipped off into sleep.
As she listened to his steady breathing, she found herself having to blink away a few tears that had begun to form in her eyes as she realized that the last time she had sung that lullaby, had been to her little Light when he used to wake her up at night with his tiny kicks. Bright Skies found herself idly rubbing her belly with one hoof as she reminisced. She shook her head before reaching down to draw the blanket up over both of them. The mare shifted to her side, curling protectively around the sleeping infant as she dropped a soft wing over his small, sleeping form
Nuzzling Flash's little head again, she whispered to him, "Don't worry, I'll never lose you my dear...I'll always be there for you, my little Flash."
Bright Skies paced nervously back and forth across the violet carpet of the ancillary study as she had been doing for the better part of an hour. Something's not right...something's wrong... It had happened about thirty minutes ago. All this long night, she had felt all of her son's discomforts, all of the pain caused by repeated injuries, both physical and emotional, that he had continually received. The distance of being in another dimension had severely limited many of the abilities her connection with him provided, but the one that had not faded in the slightest, was that she could still feel him. But then suddenly, and without warning, everything stopped. No pain, sensation, or feelings of any kind.
He wasn't dead, that much she was certain. But Bright Skies had never felt anything like this before. Even when one of them might narrow their connection willfully, as when one of them would do when wanting some privacy, there was always still something, some sense of the other. But this was different, it felt hollow, empty and unnatural. To further complicate things, there was something else added to it, something that she could not quite put her hoof on. It felt as if there was another presence, one dark and full of hate standing in between her and Flash. It was there and yet not, like the sense one got when somepony was looking over their shoulder only for there to be nothing there when they turned to look. Bright Skies shuddered, the feeling was making her feel a bit sick and causing the hair on the back of her withers to stand up.
What could even cause such a thing!? She thought, trying very hard not to panic. Bright Skies had shared this new development with Celestia and Luna as it had occurred while the two princesses were in the middle of completing their placement of more than a half-dozen protective wards and strengthening spells on her in order to increase her chances of surviving the experience of being used as a dimensional gate. She presently felt as if she could have a building fall on her and not notice it. After she had told them what she was sensing, the two dirarchs thought it wise to keep this information between the three of them for the moment, so as not to distract the others from their tasks. After all, a certain young alicorn was already anxious enough.
Bright Skies felt a pang of guilt as she watched Twilight from across the room, the princess looking frantically between a dozen different pieces of parchment suspended within her magic around her with a look on her face that spoke of border-lined panic. Bright Skies did not mind putting her own life on the line for her son. Even if she should have to die for him, she could do so laughingly if it meant he would be safe. However, she was beginning to feel a certain kind of regret for basically forcing the others to assist in what could likely be her demise. Even if everything worked, had she really taken into account how Twilight and the others would feel knowing that their actions directly resulted in ending her life, regardless if it was done so willingly?
Celestia and Luna stood behind her, the former offering gentle reassurances to the poor girl who seemed on the verge of tears. "Twilight dear, this is the fifth time you've reviewed the spell. You know that it's ready, you've done your very best, there's nothing more to change." She said.
"But what if I missed something?!" Twilight exclaimed as she spun around, eyes wild as she scrutinized another leaf of paper. "What if I'm wrong, what if I've made a mistake?! If I have, somepony might, I mean, Bright Skies will probably..." She bit her lower lip, unable to finish the thought. Celestia sighed, knowing full well the feeling that Twilight was experiencing, the feeling experienced when lives hung on the outcome of your decisions. She was about to speak further when Bright Skies suddenly walked up to Twilight, placing a comforting hoof on her shoulder while giving her a compassionate smile.
"Twilight, sweetheart, it's alright. I'm going to be alright. It will all be fine, you'll see." She said, her voice warm and full of hope. Twilight sniffed, wiping the corner of one eye with a hoof.
"But how can you be so sure?" Bright Skies smiled again,
"Because, you're the pony who helped Flash understand his magic. You're the smartest pony I know, you would never do anything to hurt somepony, and more importantly, you're Flash's friend. He trusts you, your mentors trust you, and so do I. You're the best pony for this task and don't forget," she paused as Celestia and Luna joined her, "You're not alone." Twilight's face seemed to soften as she looked to one side, seemingly reassured though a glimmer of doubt still seem to linger in her eye.
"Are you sure you still want to go through with this Bright Skies?" She asked in a quiet voice after a few moments, "Flash is smart, he might be able to deal with whatever's happening to him by himself." Bright Skies shook her head,
"I wouldn't be able to live with the consequences if something happened to him and I didn't do all that I could to help him. Besides, it's the the role of parents to give up their lives for their children. I need to do this Twilight, though don't worry. I'm not going to die." Twilight looked Bright Skies in the eye as she said this, the mare's fiery conviction bolstering her confidence.
"Alright," she said with a nod. Twilight then looked to Celestia, and Luna in particular. "However, I've calculated that we will have the best chance of success if the three of us are here to stabilize the gate." She said, gesturing to the other two alicorns. "Princess Luna, I know you wanted to go, but-"
"I will stay." Luna stated firmly, causing Twilight to blink in surprise. "I had already reached the same conclusion as I reviewed the spell, I will stay behind to help with the casting." Though her voice was strong, it carried a noticeable tone of resignation to necessity rather than what was preferred. Celestia smiled sympathetically as she touched her sister's withers with a comforting wing. Luna nodded to her with a smile. "However, this means the task shall be left to young Rainbow Dash and Sunset Shimmer," She said, her voice carrying a tone of uncertainty that they all felt at the proposition, as it had been plainly obvious to everypony that the two had been at odds with the other since they had first come together the previous day. "I can only hope that they have managed to work through their differences."
Sunset Shimmer had learned much over the last several years. Lessons about vice and virtue, life and love, the power of friendship, and what it meant to care about somepony other than herself. It had not been an easy lesson. Oh what a uniquely painful experience it had been to finally own up to consequences of her inordinate self-love, a vice she had glossed over and denied for so long that it had taken her being possessed by a demonic entity for her to finally comprehend the magnitude of her selfish choices. But the agonizing humiliation that was her ignominious defeat, though, in the end, proved to be one of the greatest blessings of her life. For the experience had finally opened her eyes to the truth, turning her life around, and setting her hooves firmly on the path of growing in harmony and virtue.
But with those invaluable lessons, she had also learned that no matter how aware one became of one’s weaknesses and sinful tendencies, it remained a constant battle to resist them. Case in point, the uncharitable anger that always threatened to consume her whenever she encountered somepony who simply would not listen to reason. That certain sompony in this instance, being the bull-headed, cyan-blue, rainbow-maned pegasus who was presently doing her level-best to help her grow in the virtue of patience.
“Rainbow Dash please, be reasonable.” Sunset said. The mare didn’t even look at her as she continued to methodically pace herself through various fighting stances, her wings extended as she moved gracefully from side to side on light hooves with perfect form, honed from years of practice and training, complimented of course by her being at the very peak of athletic ability.
“I am being reasonable,” She replied in an irritated voice. “My friend is in trouble, and I’m going to help him.”
Sunset and Twilight had put their heads together and had managed to hammer out a spell that would activate the magic of the gate-key that had been imprinted into Bright Skies, allowing them to travel to Flash's world. There was just one problem. The more individuals transported by the spell, the greater the strain on Bright Skies’ life force which was already going to be at terrible risk. Twilight had calculated that they should risk no more than two of them going, and Sunset knew that the ones who ended up going should be those who were capable of casting spells, as magic would be needed for both stealth and combat ability while within an alien world.
Celestia and Luna, Sunset had rationalized, were out of the question. As much as they might want to go, and Luna certainly did, Sunset knew that in the end, they could not risk having either of Equestira’s sovereigns trapped in another dimension should something go wrong.
Logically, that left Twilight and herself. Twilight for her peerless abilities in spellcraft as well as the raw power she wielded as both the very Element of Magic and due to the fact that she was an alicorn to boot, and herself; as in addition to being skilled with magic, she was also the only pony, besides Twilight’s limited exposure, who had experience living in a world of humans, even if they were of a different sort than Flash’s species. Sunset had stepped out of the ancillary study where the others currently were and back into the empty throne room in order to explain the situation to Rainbow Dash who had remained behind in order to stretch and warm up in anticipation of going. She took it about as well as Sunset thought she would, in that she was having none of it.
Sunset wasn’t too surprised, after all, this was the bearer of the Element of Loyalty of all ponies, and Flash was her friend. Trying to tell her she could not help, was like trying to make a fire that wasn’t hot. She was so similar to the alternate Rainbow Dash that she had come to know from the other world she now called home and yet, so different in many ways. This Rainbow Dash was a bit older, a bit more experienced with life. A military pony with a kind of seriousness that tempered her usual carefree attitude, born no doubt from her countless confrontations with world-ending events. But there was something else, besides her adamant loyalty, which Sunset could sense was making this Rainbow Dash so hostile towards her, something she had noticed ever since she had met her, but that she couldn’t quite put her hoof on. Sunset had been aware in the past that Flash was her friend, but had never taken the time to get to know her, or anypony for that matter.
Sunset took a deep breath and let it out, “Look, Rainbow Dash, I know Flash is your friend. I understand that you feel compelled to help him, but if you really want to help him, you need to let Twilight and I handle this one.” She said with as much patient sympathy as she could convey. Rainbow Dash suddenly dropped down hard on her hooves, throwing an enraged glare back over her shoulder at her.
“Oh, I need to let you help him?!” She snapped as she spun around, her mane whipping to one side. “Because we both know you’ve been so helpful in the past!” Sunset’s eyes widened in alarm before narrowing.
“What are you saying?” She asked cautiously, “This isn’t about me Rainbow, this is about doing what is best for Flash.” Rainbow Dash’s mouth fixed into a snarl as she took a threatening step forward.
“You want to do what is best for Flash?!” She hissed as she grit her teeth, her eyes squeezing shut as she appeared to be holding something back.
“I don’t know why you’re so angry with me Rainbow Dash, but we need to-”
“YOU LEFT HIM!” She finally exploded, her wings springing open in outrage. Sunset flinched as if struck, her jaw dropping as the echo in the empty chamber repeated the harsh accusation, the veracity of the words hitting her as solidly as a hammer blow. Rainbow Dash stepped towards her, jabbing a hoof at her chest, “Where were you when he was growing up?!” The pegasus shouted as tears began to form in the corner of her eyes. “Where were you when he was kidnapped by dragons?! Were you the one watching his back when bullies targeted him?! Or did you stay by his hospital bed after Tirek beat him within an inch of his life?!” Rainbow Dash paused from her angry rant, letting the force of her accusations sink in for a moment before she continued.
“Flash looked up to you, thought the world of you, would never shut up about you! And just how did you treat him in return?! You broke his heart, and left the rest of us to pick up the pieces! And now! After all that, you think you can just waltz in here, push aside the friends who have stuck by him his whole life just so you can be the one to help?! OVER MY COLD DEAD FLANK!” Rainbow Dash shouted, panting through clenched teeth for a few moments until she caught her breath. She then straightened her posture, slowly folding her wings as her eyes narrowed in scorn, “Sorry, but you haven't earned that right...you don’t deserve to be that pony, Sunset Shimmer.” She finished in a low voice.
Sunset felt as if the air had been sucked out of her lungs as she bowed her head in shame, cut to the heart by the litany of pain poured out through the justified anger of this mare who she now understood was hurt, hurt and afraid. Hurt by what Flash had suffered in the past because of her selfish choices, and afraid because she thought there was the very real possibility that she might lose one of her oldest friends. Sunset knew that she had been friends with Flash since they were both foals, but from what Bright Skies had related to her earlier, it was more than just a friendship. Flash was like family to her, he was like her kid brother whom she had always looked out for. Sunset was one of those ponies who had hurt him, so of course she would feel this way about her, how had she not seen it before?
“You’re right Rainbow Dash,” Sunset finally whispered, “I did leave him, I left everypony...and I don’t deserve to be the one who helps him now.” She looked up just in time to see Rainbow Dash finish her attempt to inconspicuously rub the tears from her eyes. The pegasus sniffed as her hard demeanor softened slightly at that admission. “You’re the one who’s stuck by his side, you’ve been a true friend to him, and I truly cannot thank you enough for always being there for him, especially when I wasn’t. That’s something I’m always going to regret. But tell me something Rainbow Dash, haven’t you ever done something you’ve regretted? Something that you’d do anything to make up for?”
Rainbow Dash eyes widened slightly before glancing down and away, “Yeah,” she murmured after a moment, “I’ve definitely been there a few times.” Sunset nodded in sympathy.
“And I'll bet you always made sure to make things right with those you let down, am I right?” Rainbow nodded silently in response. “That’s why I’m asking you Rainbow Dash, even though I don’t deserve it, please. Let me do this. I need to make it right. I want a chance to atone for all the times I haven’t been there for him. Please, would you please let me do that?”
Rainbow Dash remained silent for a good while, not looking at her as she appeared to wrestle with herself. After a few more moments, she suddenly sighed loudly, snapping her tail in irritation, her eyes flicking back and forth in thought as she weighed her decision. “Ehh…buck it.” She finally grumbled as she looked back at Sunset with an appraising look. “You really want to be there for him, huh?”
“With all my heart.” Sunset firmly replied. Rainbow Dash stepped forward until she was looking the mare square in the eye, her eyes squinting with a deadly focus.
“Then you need to swear to me Sunset, swear that you will bring Flash back safe no matter what...swear it.” Sunset smiled as her gaze narrowed with a fiery gleam.
“I swear Rainbow Dash, I will bring him back safe,” She replied, and in the spur of the moment, decided to double-down, “Pinkie Promise.” She said while crossing her heart and putting a hoof to her eye. Rainbow Dash managed a smile at that as she stepped back.
“Good, because I still need to kick his flank when he gets back for going alone.” She said with a sly smirk. Sunset chuckled softly as she wiped the corner of her eye.
“Yeah, right after Twilight and I get through with him, he’s all yours.”
“Eh, so long as you leave me something to kick,” Rainbow said with a shrug and a laugh before suddenly appearing a bit sheepish. “Sorry I slapped you earlier, Sunset. That wasn’t right.” She said nervously while rubbing a hoof behind her head. Sunset shook her head,
“It’s alright Rainbow. Honestly? I think I deserved that one.” Sunset said before offering a hoof out to her, “Don’t hate you?” She asked, uncertain if they could call each other a friend yet. Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow and smirked before reaching out and bumping hooves with her.
“Yeah, ‘don’t hate you’ either Sunset.” She replied.
“Tehe! Well now we know Flash will come home safe for sure now!” Said the cheery voice behind Sunset.
“SWEET BLAZING BUCKS!” Sunset screamed as she spun around, backpedaling wildly until she banged into Rainbow Dash. Somewhere in the castle, Philomena burst into flames as her life-cycle suddenly reset 50 years ahead of schedule. The newly reborn phoenix looked up from its pile of ashes with a confused squawk.
Pinkie Pie stood there cocking her head to one side, a curious look on her innocent face. “What?”
“YOU! HOW?! WHERE?! FACE-” Sunset sputtered incoherently as her heart decided to call it quits and attempted to take its leave through her ribcage.
“Pinkie, what are you doing here?!” Sunset finally managed to gasp as she held a hoof against her chest so that her heart could not vacate the premises. The pink mare giggled,
“Well I have to be there to bear witness whenever somepony makes a ‘Pinkie Promise,’ silly!”
“Right, of course you do…” Sunset wheezed between pants.
“Whelp, glad to see you two could come together, gotta run!” Pinkie said before bouncing around them and heading for the double doors at the end of the throne room.
“Wait, where are you going Pinkie?” Rainbow Dash called out after her.
“Why to prepare the ‘Welcome Home Flash We’re So Glad You Didn’t Die Don’t Ever Leave Us Again’ party of course, see you there!” Pinkie flung open one of the doors, bouncing past a flabbergasted Steel Wing. The poor thestral gaped, looking from the departing party pony to the two mares still inside, eyes begging for anything resembling an explanation. As he opened his mouth to say something, Sunset and Rainbow Dash just shook their heads. Steel Wing gulped, glancing back and forth nervously before slowly backing out and closing the door. Both mares continued to stand where they were, staring at the closed door.
“So...” Rainbow Dash began, “Does, your world have a-”
“Yeah.”
“I see, and is she-”
“YEAH.”
“…do you think she-”
“YEAH???” Rainbow Dash paused a moment, opening her mouth and raising a hoof before pausing again and putting it back down.
“You know what? I’m good.”
“Me too.”
“Don’t need to know, right?”
“Right!”
"Would just be pointless."
"Completely!"
“And this never happened.”
“What happened?”
“Awesome.”
“Yup.” Note to self, never make a casual Pinkie Promise again…EVER! The sound of another door opening pulled Sunset back from the event horizon of madness she had mistakenly peered into. They both looked over to see Princess Luna leading the others out of the study, her face solemn.
"Come quickly, both of you. It is time."
Bright Skies stood in the center of the group of gathered ponies, looking up at Princess Celestia who stood before her. "Is there anything you would like to say at this time, Bright Skies?" She asked gently. The pink mare glanced down nervously at her hooves, looking as if she were having a hard time in coming up with the words that could express how she felt. After a moment, she suddenly surprised them all by flinging herself forward to hug the princess. Celestia's eyes widened in surprise before she smiled warmly, wrapping a forelimb around her little pony.
"Thank you princess, thank you for allowing me to do this. Thank you for allowing me to raise Flash...to be a mother." She whispered, unable to keep a few tears from squeezing out of the corners of her eyes as she spoke.
"Of course dear, but I hope you know, that it wasn't I who made you a mother, my little pony." Celestia replied as she released her, gently placing a hoof under Bright Skies' chin. "You became a mother because of your own generous heart, because you were willing to open your heart and love another." Bright Skies smiled, feeling a bit abashed as she looked around at the others who looked back at her with expressions ranging from sad to admiration, but all showing their care and concern for her. As she had already said her farewells to them, and not desiring to delay any longer, she took her place between Sunset and Rainbow Dash.
Both ponies had initially been surprised to find out that they were the ones who would be going, but had readily agreed to help. She was so grateful to the both of them, not only for their willingness to help, but for being such wonderful friends to her son. Bright Skies looked sternly at them as the three alicorns arranged themselves in a triangle formation around the three ponies.
"Girls, no matter what happens, you get Flash home safe, understand?" She said in a low undertone, to which they both nodded their assent.
"Don't worry Miss B, we got this!" Rainbow Dash said with a confident grin. Bright Skies smiled at her, glad that she had never run the wild filly off when she and Flash were foals.
"Are you ready Bright Skies?" Twilight asked. Bright Skies turned and spread her stance, a slight sense of trepidation coming over her as the full realization that she was very likely about to face her own mortality hit her. But before the feeling could gain any traction, she allowed a flood of memories to come into her mind, focusing on all she had experienced and gone through ever since Flash had been dropped into her life. Countless moments of love, hope, sorrow, and joy. Each of them priceless to her, knowing with absolute certainty that she would not trade a single one of them for anything in existence. And in that instance, she was able to completely banish all of her fears, her heart having no room for them in place of the love that burned there for her son, more intensely now than ever before.
"Yes, I am ready." She replied as she bowed her head, clenching her jaw in determination as she squeezed her eyes shut. Hold on Flash, I'm coming for you.