//------------------------------// // Home // Story: Rainbow Dash Around the World // by MagicS //------------------------------// Rainbow Dash could see the castle in the distance. It was pretty hard to miss after all. The school was also easy to see. Sweet Apple Acres off to the side as well. And finally the rest of Ponyville came into view. She had an easygoing grin on her face and let out a simple sigh of relief when she finally saw it all. Gliding low, barely high enough to clear some of the buildings, Rainbow Dash made her approach. It was good to be home. For years before leaving she had woken up almost everyday and seen or gone into Ponyville—either hanging out with her friends or doing some other work. It truly was a sight for sore eyes. She had missed it even more than she realized. Ponyville today shimmered and shined and Rainbow Dash could see how alive and busy it was. Ponies she recognized were out on the streets, walking, talking, working. It was a normal day in Ponyville and that’s what made it so perfect. Rainbow Dash slowed down the closer she got so she wouldn’t miss anything. There was Carousel Boutique, there was the spa, there was Big Mac and Sugar Belle at their apple cart together, there was city hall, there were the flower ponies, there was the schoolhouse, there was Sugarcube Corner. Rainbow was low enough where quite a few saw her. How aware were they of what she had been doing? Either way it probably wouldn’t have changed their reaction—they smiled and waved up to her like the friendly ponies they were. Seeing those smiling, familiar, faces, it filled Rainbow’s heart with warmth. She had made it. Despite everything she was back. She was home. She was the first pony to fly all the way around the world. Nothing had stopped her. She had completed the circuit and done so many things, changed so many lives, on the way. Now she was home. Now she could rest. After she said hi to her friends of course. She hadn’t seen any of them outside and didn’t know where most of them would be right now, but she was willing to bet Twilight was in her castle. Would probably be best to start there anyways. That’s where she had left from and that’s where her journey around the world would truly end once she touched hooves down there. Then Twilight could either gather everyone together or tell Rainbow Dash where she could find them. Rainbow Dash nodded, flying straight to the Castle of Friendship. A normal friend or visitor might use the door, but Rainbow Dash planned on flying right into it from one of the balconies. She usually did that anyways. Cooler way to announce her return, shock Twilight and Spike right out of the blue. A smirk lit up her face as she made it to the castle and zoomed on in, first check would be the map room and then the library. Place was kept as immaculately clean as ever as she zipped through the hallways. She hadn’t seen anyone just yet but just one more corner and she’d be right before the big doors that led to the map… There they were, closed, waiting for her. Rainbow Dash took a deep breath, preparing to loudly shout and announce her return right as she threw the doors open. What she saw inside instead brought her to a pause and Rainbow Dash dropped to her hooves with her mouth hanging open. There was a gigantic cake sitting on top of the Cutie Map. It was easily ten feet high and had seven huge layers, going up and up like a big frosted pyramid. Candy, sprinkles, cookies and all sorts of sweets decorated it. But that wasn’t all either, a huge banner going from wall to wall across the ceiling hung, reading: “Welcome back Rainbow Dash!”. There were party cannons, loads of confetti, balloons, party hats, and everything else that was a signature of a Pinkie Pie party filling up the room. And there were her friends, in the middle of setting it all up. Fluttershy hanging more streamers from the ceiling. Rarity setting the table around the huge cake. Applejack tying off some balloons. Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie standing there with a surprised look on their faces. The others also had heard the door get thrown open and were now looking her direction as well, surprised but happy. Pinkie Pie pouted and withdrew a stopwatch from her mane, frowning at it. “Aw phooey! She got here thirty-two seconds early! Now the surprise party is ruined!” “Uh…” Rainbow Dash blinked, despite what Pinkie Pie had just said, she was still the surprised one here. Twilight though regained her composure and smiled at Rainbow Dash. There was only one thing that needed to be said to a friend after she was gone for so long. “Welcome back, Rainbow Dash.” Rainbow Dash looked at her and the smile from before found its way back to her face. She chuckled and shrugged at the big cake and the surprise party with all her friends in front of her. “I’m home.”