//------------------------------// // Making Memories // Story: A Day With Dad // by MyOpinionIsSuperior //------------------------------// Rainbow Dash left the Canterlot Fair as stealthily as she had entered. Her nap had been short-lived after a guilty conscience told her to make sure her little rogue hadn’t caused too much of a catastrophe. Dash arrived just in time to see Rainbow Blitz crying, as well as her husband’s faltering. She told herself to see how Soarin’ handled the situation, despite every motherly impulse in her body screaming at her to rush to her baby’s side and comfort him. Rainbow Dash wiped her eyes with a foreleg after witnessing the scene play out. It’s… it’s just the dust. If anypony asks, it’s just the dust. Those two… I just… Dash’s eyes lit up as an idea crossed her mind. It’s been so many years… but I have a feeling it needs to be done. As quickly as the thought entered her mind, Rainbow Dash vanished in a blur as she sped toward the heart of Canterlot. The two pale blue ponies sat at the top of the Ferris wheel, rocking back and forth in gentle swings as the sun began to set in several shades of orange and pink. Rainbow Blitz munched happily on his cotton candy, the first sugary treat he actually consumed at the fair. Pink tufts matted his coat around the muzzle, dissolving as his tongue reached around to clear them. Soarin’ watched the process with a cherished smile. His gaze caught his son’s attention, who stopped snacking long enough to speak up. “Do you want some of my cotton candy, Daddy?” Soarin’ flinched slightly at the offer. “It’s okay,” he paused, looking around the airspace to make sure nopony was flying around. “I won’t tell Mom or anypony,” he whispered. Soarin’ chuckled and ruffled Blitz’s hair. “Naaaa, it’s okay champ. The doctor and your mom are both right; I really shouldn’t be having too much sugar.” “Yeah, I guess it would be embarrassing to get too fat to fly for the Wonderbolts,” Blitz commented, licking the last bits of pink fluff off of the cardboard cone. “Hey, I’m not the one eating fluffy pink sugar on a stick, Blitzy” Soarin’ retorted indignantly. “But you have before! Mom’s told me stories. She said the worst was when you and Auntie Pinkie Pie had a pie-eating contest. I asked her what happened, but she said she didn’t wanna scare me for life? I think she said scare, but she said it all weird-like. Kind’ve like a… a pirate.” “You mean scar you for life?” Soarin’ corrected him, amused by his son’s descriptions, as well as the story behind it. “Yeah! That! I told Mommy that she didn’t have to be scared of that anymore cuz you’re old and old ponies get fat when they eat too much sweets.” Ignoring the glower his father gave him, he grinned up at his father. “What’s for dinner?” Soarin’ stared in disbelief at his gluttonous son. “Food already? You just inhaled that cotton candy, Blitzy!” “But I’m huuuuungry Dad!” Blitz whined. “Besides, cotton candy melts. Have you ever heard of anypony getting full from eating too much cotton candy?” “I… I can’t say that I have,” Soarin’ admitted. He raised an eyebrow as he watched his son force a smile that was almost too big for his face. “What do you want?” “Oh! Nothing…” Blitz cooed. “Uh-huh. Spit it out, Blitzy.” “Well… we could just eat at home tonight, if you want,” Blitz said in a convincingly timid voice. Keeping his head down, he looked up at Soarin’ through the top corners of his eyes. “I haven’t gotten to eat something from home in awhile is all.” “Oh…,” Soarin’ said, pinning his ears back in guilt. I guess it’s been awhile since the poor kid’s had a home cooked meal. We usually order takeout cuz of practice. Rainbow Blitz’s unfaltering and expecting gaze broke Soarin’ from his thoughts. He gave his son a warm smile and ruffled his hair. “Sure thing, buddy. What do you want me to-“ “Waffles!” Blitz interrupted excitedly. “The ones with berries and razzes and stuff!” Soarin’ drew back in surprise. “You mean my secret razzleberry waffles?” His son nodded his head rapidly. “Yeah, those! You made them for Mom on Mother’s Day and she let me have one.” “B-but that was over a year ago,” Soarin’ stammered in disbelief. “You were only three, how could you-“ “Hey, I was almost four!” Rainbow Blitz huffed, closing his eyes and turning his nose up in indignation. Blushing slightly, he cracked one eye open and looked at his father. “I remember things I like, okay? Though we didn’t get to eat them this year cuz…” he paused, sighing as he released his posture and slumped into his seat. “You guys had another show to do.” Soarin’ was taken aback by his son’s look of defeat. The scene triggered a flood of memories, flashing back to the several broken promises he had promised to keep. “Horseapples, Soarin’! Let me go, I need to fly!” “Not a chance, Dashie!” he grunted, restraining his very pregnant wife. “You’re over ten months pregnant and the foal could come early.” Rainbow Dash stopped struggling and groaned. “Oh maaaaan, has it really been that long? I’ve got to be the worst. Mother. Ever! The kid’s not even born yet and I’m already putting it in danger.” “Better now than after the kid can remember,” Soarin’ replied cheekily. His wife didn’t share his amusement. “Hey now, we’re gonna be great parents. Just you watch. We’ll teach our kid how to fly, and we’ll pick her up from school, and we’ll help her with her homework and tell her bedtime stories! It’s gonna be so much fun Dashie!” “I’ve heard a lot of things about parenthood Soarin, but fun was never on that list,” Rainbow Dash deadpanned. She raised an eyebrow in amusement. “You think it’s gonna be a filly?” “W-well yeah,” he replied. “Don’t you?” “Heck no!” Dash retorted. “The way this kid’s been makin’ me eat has me completely sold that it’s a colt. No filly EXCEPT mayyyyybe Pinkie Pie would eat that much.” “Just watch, I bet you it’s a filly,” Soarin’ muttered. “Was that a bet I just heard, loverboy?” Soarin’ shrunk back. Shaking his head at his submission, he fixed his posture and stood tall. “It sure was!” “All right then, let’s make it interesting,” Dash said, bringing herself muzzle to muzzle with him. “If it’s a boy, I get to name him and you have to make me razzleberry waffles for Mother’s Day.” She paused, tapping her chin in thought. “And you have to go to a sleep clinic to take care of your snoring.” “And if it’s a girl?” “Then you get to name her, and I. Will.” Dash paused her murmuring. She stretched her neck past her husbands face until her muzzle could whisper the end of her sentence into his ear. Soarin’s entire face flushed red as he looked at his wife in surprise. “Do we have a bet?” Rainbow cooed. “Definitely.” Snapping back to reality, Soarin’ blinked back any tears that might stray. Now wasn’t the time to beat himself up for his mistakes as a father. He ruffled his son’s hair and gave him the most genuine smile he could muster. “Sure thing, kiddo.” Rainbow Blitz let out an involuntary squeal and threw his front legs around Soarin’s neck, nuzzling him with three distinct motions. Soarin’ swallowed the lump in his throat as another flood of memories hit him. “Open wide, Blitzy! Here comes the applesauce!” The foal happily obliged, yanking the utensil from Soarin’s hoof as he devoured the spoonful of sauce. Discovering that metal was not tasty or edible, he angrily spat it out next to his makeshift seat on the countertop. His father laughed hysterically at the scene and grabbed the spoon, giving Rainbow Blitz seconds. “Who’s a hungry little guy?” Soarin’ baby-talked. “Who’s a hungry little cutie wutie? Who’s my little Rainbow Blitzy witzy? Who-“ His gushing was interrupted by the sound of a familiar chuckle. Soarin’ turned to look out the window, meeting the gaze of a very amused Spitfire. “Having fun there, Soar’?” “Hiya Spitfire! Watcha doin’ over here?” He asked obliviously. “To see the baby, featherbrains. It’s been a month and nopony, not even the paparazzi, has seen him yet,” she said, shaking her head. Spitfire swooped into the house and landed with a puff on the cloud floor. She raised an eyebrow at Soarin’s indifference to her presence as he continued feeding the baby, a large goofy smile on his muzzle the whole time. “Well now, Soarin’. Whodda' thought? I mean we all knew it was coming, but to see it really is something else. You’re a father now.” “Awww it’s the best, Spitfire. He’s everything I imagined, and more!” “He has your coat,” she said, inspecting the little foal. “And your eyes.” “Yeah, but it’s his mother’s mane and tail that everypony will recognize.” “Well, I hope you two can find a good babysitter; we need you back in practice as soon as possible.” Soarin’s smile faded as he let out a sigh. “Yeah, I know.” “Speaking of which,” Spitfire continued. “Where’s the missus?” “Oh, she’s taking a nap. Dashie was up all night trying to get Rainbow Blitz back to sleep after he woke up crying. I’d have done it but I… well…” “She couldn’t wake you up?” Soarin’ blushed and smiled sheepishly. “Hey I’d have woken up… eventually. Besides, it can’t hurt for him to spend some quality time with his daddy.” He picked the foal up, giving him a big sloppy kiss. Spitfire cringed, expecting the baby to cry. She relaxed as Rainbow Blitz began giggling instead, encouraging a warm smile to overtake her face. The foal nuzzled Soarin’ with three motions before releasing a heavy yawn. It seemed contagious; before long, Soarin’ began yawning as well. “Well it looks like naptime for the boys, so I’ll catcha’ guys later. Be sure to say hi to Rainbow Dash for me when she wakes up.” Spitfire spoke up as she walked to the window. With a single graceful leap, she flew out the window and off into the atmosphere. Soarin’ glided to a plush cloud chair, cradling his groggy son the whole time. With a plop, he landed, disrupting Rainbow Blitz’s sedated state. Before the foal could protest, his father began rocking the two back and forth, using the cloud’s natural elasticity to create a gentle sway. Father and son alike began to close their eyes as their vision faded, sleep taking them away from the conscious world. “Daddy? Daaaaaaaaaaaddy! Equestria to Dad, the ride is over now, but I think we have bigger problems than that…” Rainbow Blitz’s raspy voice brought his father back to the present. Unfortunately, the present included a swarm of paparazzi ponies that had gathered at the ride’s exit to corner the celebrity family. Soarin’ reacted quickly, grabbing Blitz with his front legs and taking off faster than anypony present could react to. The photographers that could fly attempted to take pursuit, only to be stopped by aerial security. It wouldn’t be the first time they had helped members of the celebrity flight squad. Once Soarin’ determined that the two were a safe distance from the cameras, he released his hold, allowing his son to glide lazily at his side. “You know Blitzy, I could always cook something to go with the waffles. I could pop some hayfries in the oven and-“ “NO!” Blitz shrieked. Soarin’s crestfallen expression made him regret his outburst. “I mean… no way would hayfries go with waffles. You don’t have to use the oven, Daddy.” “I didn’t mean to set the oven on fire Blitzy!” “I-I know, it’s just that anything else just can’t compare to your waffles, you know? No need to waste food.” Rainbow Blitz recovered, his confident smile doing its best to convince Soarin’. “No need to set the whole house on fire, either,” he muttered under his breath. “What was that?” “WAFFLES!”