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// Reunion: Parting and Familiar Feelings (Part 3 of 6) 
// Story: Replica 
// by CountDerpy 
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	"You ok, Twilight?" I asked taking hold of her hoof. Tears streamed down the lavender unicorns face as she pulled the purple scale from her saddle bag.

"Yeah, I-I'll be fine." She polished the scale and placed it in my hands."Here, I want you to have this."

"No, Twilight I can't accept this."

"No, I want you to have it. It...it just brings back to many sad memories. Take it, please." She looked up at me, a small smile crossing her lips.

"Ok." I gave her a hug and stepped back and slid the scale on my chain to where it hung between my dog tags. We walked for a while and talked. We talked about the things I've missed and what went on amongst those who were sent to the front lines. This is just the toll takes on the world. All we end up with is broken hearts, homes and minds. 

The walk over to Fluttershy's house seemed a lot longer than normal, or it just seemed that way from excitement. My mind was a buzz of activity. Even the feeling of just getting to see my dear sweet Fluttershy again was driving me mad. Damnit there I go getting all sappy again.

We eventually reached the cottage which had changed drastically since I left. The building was in harsh disrepair, ever inch of the wood covered with black soot or beginning to rot away. There was a huge whole in the side of it, from where (as Twilight told me) a changeling crashed down into the house. It was dead, thank Faust, but it still gave Fluttershy quite the scare.

We stopped outside the door to the cottage, my mind was frozen in anticipation and fear. "Hey Twilight...thanks for taking such good care of them while I was gone."

She smiled. "No problem Dashie, it's what friends do. Now  I better head on back, Pinkie is throwing a welcome home party...even if you are the only one coming back home."

Twilight ran off before I could ask why. I didn't know I was the only one coming home to Ponyville. There must have been a mistake and the other buses just haven't run yet. I turned my attention back to the brown 2-part door.  Well...here goes nothing... I thought as i knocked my hoof against the door.

I waited for a few moments before the door creaked open and I saw her. She almost hadn't changed a bit since I last saw her. Her eyes were the same blue color they had always been, her coat was just a slight bit paler, and her mane and tail grew like wildfire, both now dragging several inches onto the ground. She didn't even look at me at first, her head facing down towards the ground. "H-hello...can I help you?"

I reached into my bags and grabbed the letter she sent to me years ago. "I believe some beautiful mare sent me this."

I slid the letter down in front of her eyes. She looked over the name and quickly looked up. "R-rainbow....is it really you!?"

"The one and only!"

She pushed open the door as hard as she could, quickly passing through the opening and latched onto me. Her tears feel in torrents as i caressed her cheek. "You really are home." 

"Of course I am, Shy! I never would have sent that letter if I didn't know for sure that I would be coming back." I nuzzled her then pulled her head away from my body. "You have no idea how much I've wanted to do this." I pulled her closer to me and gave her the longest kiss we have ever had. Everything right then told me that everything was going to be alright from now on. Everything from the gentle touch of her hooves on my back to the soft warm feeling of her lips. It was perfect.

She pulled away after several minutes and smiled more than I bet she had in several years. "Rainbow...would you like to see our daughter?"

I could feel me mouth curving up into the biggest smile it ever had. "Of course I want to see her!"

Shy giggled. "Come on in...and welcome home." She turned around walked in to the living room and I followed close behind her. The house looked a lot different on the inside. The wall were brightly painted and everything was clean. Birdhouses and cages filled with small creatures lined the walls and ceilings. Even her bunny Angel, who was not looking very well in his old age, was curled up in a small bed at the end of the couch. The back wall had an area that was covered in crayon drawings and watercolor paintings I assumed to be done by our child. There were many pictures, all ranging from well drawn rabbits and turtles to one that looked like me. It brought a tear of joy to my eyes.

"Rainbow, are you ready to see her?"

I sat down on the couch and leaned back. " Ready as I will ever be."

"Ok" Shy started down the stairs, taking each step very slowly. I could hear a tiny voice with her, and it kind of sounded like me when I was a filly.

"Mommy, what is the surprise?" The voice said.

"You'll find out in a second Stormy."

They finally reached the end of the stairway and I saw her. She was pretty short for a filly her age, her wings dwarfing her body easily. Her mane was electric blue with several areas of slate grey mixed into it, her coat was just as cyan as mine. Her eyes are what struck me the most however. They were dark grey instead of white, and her irises were the same electric blue color as her mane. The only thing I saw that was off about her was a small stick that was tapped to her front left hoof.

Fluttershy looked at me and smiled. "Rainbow Dash, this is our daughter Storm Dancer. Stormy...this is your other mommy."

Stormy walked closer to Rainbow, tapping her stick along the ground as she walked. It didn't take me long to realize what was up with her. She navigated the room easily and made her way over to me as quick as she could. Her wings began to flap as she floated up into my hooves and looked straight into my eyes. She took her front right hoof and gently pressed it to my face, moving it along every inch of it from muzzle to eye. She ran her hoof through my mane just a tiny bit and smiled. "Rainbow.....just like mommy described." She giggled and wrapped her hooves around me the best she could. "Mommy!"

I couldn't hold the tears back any longer. I pulled her close and held her gently, my tears falling in torrents down onto her and the couch. She was perfect and I was happy. I nuzzled her softly and ran my hoof through her mane. "Yes Stormy, I am your new mommy." I said happily. 

Fluttershy came over and sat beside me, laying her head gently on my shoulders. I could tell how happy she was just from the touch of her skin against mine, and I had to return the feeling. It was nice being back.