Disclaimer: I do not own My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic or any characters belonging to Hasbro or any other company whose characters may be mentioned herein. Some original characters mentioned here are my own creations. Others are the creations of friends and family used with their permission. I do this solely for entertainment purposes and in no way make any profit from it.
A Trail of Rainbows
Arc 1: Something Lost, Is Something Found
Chapter 1: To Lose A Rainbow
Stratus Prism a light cerulean frost colored pegasus stallion with a prismatic mane and tall, lay starring up at the white puffy ceiling of his apartment. Tears marred the fur around his eyes and down his cheeks, leaving dark stain streaks through his coat. With a shuddering sob chocked sigh he finally sat up tossing his cloud blankets to the side as he got to his hooves. 'Why? Why did this happen?' he thought as he slowly got out of bed and began to trot towards the master bathroom.
Inside he gentle nudges the small sink cloud which began to fill its bowl with clean cool water. Dipping a small cloud wash cloth into it, he quickly whipped it over his face and muzzle; gently brushing away the fresh tears that had begun to flow. His distraught mind continued to cling to the memories of only a few hours ago. As he pulled the cloud cloth away his face, now coming to gaze at his reflection in the bathroom mirror over the sink. His tired light golden eyes streaked red with his latest hour of crying looked back at him.
Slowly his face starts to fall as he once more recalls the most devastating thing he had ever experienced in his life.
'My son...is dead.' he thought and once more the events hours before played again for his tortured mind and tears once more spilled forth.
December 7th 1845 Age of Dawn, 11:39PM Cloudsdale General Hospital seven hours ago...
Stratus Prism stood by as his wife whaled and cried out in pain again as the nurses and doctor tended to her as she went further into labor. He could now understand what his father had meant when they had last spoken after he had given his family and relatives the news he was going to become a father. "Son, take it from me nothing can prepare you for that moment when new lives come to be right in front of you." His father had told him and he could now see he was right.
Honey Dawn screamed once more and then heaved a heavy sigh as a small squealing cry began to ring out through the room. "Congratulations its a little filly." The doctor declared triumphantly as he cradled a tiny, bloody form in his fore hooves before quickly handing it over to the nurses. A tiny body was quickly wrapped in a warm cloud blanket and was swiftly being cleaned up; all the while the little foals cries ringing out.
"Okay one down, one to go." The doctor said and soon Prism had his awe struck eyes taken from his daughter as his wife began to pant then cry out as she pushed to deliver their second foal.
'I hope it's a colt.' Prism thought nervously.
Dawn panted and screamed again as she pushed as the doctor and nurses coached her once more. She just wanted it to be done with, so she could see what she and Prism had made. She knew she had gotten her wish for a filly, now she was curious if Prism would have the little colt he had dreamed of teaching and raising. A smile wormed its way across her muzzle before she let out a pained scream and pushed hard as she felt the sensation of the little form leaving her.
The doctor smiled behind his mask as the little form slipped out and landed neatly in his hooves. "There we go, well done Mrs.Dawn." He said before he looked down and took a quick glance at the new foal in his hooves. "Mr. Prism, it's a colt." He said chuckling softly as the new father nearby shoot into a energetic hover, circling in place with excitement. Suddenly the doctor blinked and looked down to the colt in his hooves as his ears now picked up on a noticeable problem; the little foal was not making a single sound.
Quickly he handed the colt to a nurse who also noticed this. "Nurse Tender Hoof please begin the emergency massage, Nurse Brightwing please go grab the cleaning fluid and syringes!" the doctor barked out and quickly one of the nurses zoomed out of the room while Tender Hoof and the doctor quickly began to stroke, and massage the still foal who they now noticed was quiet because he wasn't breathing.
"W-what's wrong?" Dawn asked, the question and the doctor's stern orders bringing Prism out of his joyful personal celebration. "Doctor?" Prism asked looking as the two ponies near a table were looking quite frantic and almost panicked in their actions.
"Nurse New Mane please keep them calm. Where are those syringes!?," the doctor asked a sense of fear working its way into his words near the end. Bursting through the doors Nurse Brightwing flew over to Tender Hoof and the doctor. "Here they are Doctor Nimbus." The mare nurse said as she handed over several large plastic syringes, some bottles filled with some kind of clear fluid, and several plastic tubes.
"Please what's wrong?" Dawn asked, a nurse at her side patter her hoof reassuringly. "Please keep calm Mrs.Dawn, I'm sure everything will be okay." The nurse said while Prism started to get a knot in his stomach, he was starting to think things were not going to be okay.
"Anything!?" Doctor Nimbus asked the nurse next to him shook her head before they turned their attention back to their work. "Come on little guy, breath!" he said.
Prism now knew what was going on, his eyes started to go wide as the true scope of what was happening struck him. 'My son, isn't breathing...please Celestia no, please no!,' He thought as he started to pace back and forth nervously, his eyes never leaving where the medical ponies worked on his newborn son.
It felt like hours passed, but in truth it had been only ten minutes, and during that time the medical ponies and Doctor Nimbus did everything in their power to help the little pony. Slowly they stopped their frantic efforts and stood their solemnly as the doctor pony finally heaved a heavy sigh and looked to the clock in the room. "Twelve midnight..." he said softly before he turned to the now frantic looking mother and equally fearful looking father.
"I'm sorry." Was all he could say before he moved over and gently took the still softly crying baby filly and brought her to Dawn. As he handed her the filly he could not help the tears the escaped the corners of his eyes. "I'm so sorry." was all he could say as Dawn finally digested what he meant. "N-no....no...." her ability to speak drowned in the wailing sob that was wretched from her chest as she cradled the crying filly in her hooves.
Prism looked on in stun disbelief, only until Nurse Tender Hoof brought over a small bundle in a cloud blanket. "I'm sorry Mr.Prism, we did all that we could." She said as he slowly took the bundle and pulled the cloud back, revealing for the first time his son. "Oh Celestia why!?" He cried out as he looked upon the still form, he could not stop himself as he collapsed back onto his haunches, cradling the little body and blanket as if they were the most fragile of glass sculptures. He buried his muzzle and face into the still cooling form, crying and sobbing as he felt like his heart had just been pierced with a white hot dagger and then had it twisted inside him.
His son was dead.
December 8th 1845 A.D., 6:00AM Blue Typhoon Apartments
Stratus Prism slowly dragged himself from the bathroom and its soft floor and quietly made his way towards his bed. His son had died at birth, and there was nothing anypony could do about it. He was going to have to move on, he was going to have to get over this loss; For himself, his wife, and their daughter. Yet knowing that, Prism could not stop the ache he felt inside his chest, or the tears and wet sobs that now and then flowed forth. Suddenly he felt himself pulled in a different direction, and slowly he made his way to the second bedroom inside the apartment.
The room had been redone into a baby room after he and Dawn had learned they would be parents, they had not know for sure what kinda foals they would have be it colts or fillies. So they chose to be neutral with the decor and wait until the babies had been born to decorate and dress the room up to reflect the new lives that would be dwelling within its soft puffy walls.
Slowly he walked over to one of the cribs, and looked inside. In his mind he could see his son sleeping inside the safe soft walls of the crib the plush wonder-bolt doll most likely cuddled close to his body. Slowly Prism found himself reaching in and taking the wonder-bolt plush doll that was inside the crib, a crib that did NOT have his son sleeping inside it. He looked at the little doll, and slowly totted back to his room.
The dolls and other toys in the baby room had been gifts from his and Dawn's families as well as their many friends. He wondered for a moment what he was going to say to them, how he was going to tell them how he had gained a beautiful daughter and at the same time lost a equally beautiful son, who didn't even get a chance to live.
Quietly Prism crawled into his bed and pulled the covers up over his body once more. He cradled the little pegasus doll close to his chest and gently nuzzled it; it was a poor substitute, but he needed something soft to bridge some of the wounds in his heart if he was going to get any sleep. Already the simple presents of the little plush doll was allowing his depressed mind to slow down and begin to slowly shut down for some rest. He leaned in on himself as he cuddled the little doll closer as he felt a sob and new tears start to work their way up. Thankfully exhaustion and the prospect of sleep was already winning the battle with his mind.
As sleep began to take him Stratus Prism sniffled softly as he nuzzled the little wonder-bolt, "Goodnight Rainbow Comet, my dear little colt." He whispered softly as at last he slipped fully into the realm of dreams.
High above Cloudsdale, as Prism started to fall into the realm of slumber a brilliant shooting star blazed its way across the dawning skies, its brilliant tail of light sparkling like a forge hot rainbow as the rays of the rising sun struck it like cool water upon a hot iron.
December 15th 1845 A.D., 7:00AM Cloudsdale Skyborn Honor Cemetery Tower
While Earth Ponies buried their dead, and the Unicorn did as well sometimes; but preferred being entombed in a mausoleum. The Pegasi of Equestria valued honor bound traditions for their dearly departed. Separated from Cloudsdale Major, was a large finely crafted tower that stood at least forty stories from its cloud base. At the top of the tower was a large balcony crafted and maintained to be as soft and smooth and silk, and as beautiful as finely sculptured marble. Here in this tower the Pegasi of Cloudsdale and in fact most of Equestria journeyed to lay their loved ones to rest. Here those who had passed away, would be cremated and their ashes scattered into the jet stream that flowed around the strong tower of clouds.
Stratus Prism, his wife Honey Dawn, and most of their living relatives were gathered now at the base of the tower, to enact another pegasi tradition; the honorable carrying of the deceased to their burial pyre. Prism, his father Moon Dancer, his wife's father Mist Chaser, as well as his grandfather Sun Clipper; all marched dressed fully in their families best ceremonial armors as they carried the small coffin that bore an old flag of the Pegasi kingdoms.
For while in the modern times all of Equestria was ruled equally and without favoritism, all of the ponies still had those who kept the ties to the past alive and well; so that future generations would not forgot and repeat their past mistakes.
"How have you been holding up Prism?" The stallion next to the rainbow maned pegasus asked softly as they marched together, bearing the weight of their burden with long poles that rested upon their armored backs..
Prism sighed but his reply was strong "I don't know if I will ever get over this Dad."
The stallions around him all remained quiet, but the air seemed to become filled with an aura of sympathy and respect. The stallion next to Prism, his father Moon Dancer was a pegasus with a brilliant maya blue coat, an indigo mane with electric indigo highlights, with the cutie mark of a Pegasus outline flying over a crescent moon. "I'll be honest with you Prism, I'd be worried if you ever really did. To lose ones son, no matter when or where is something that you should always remember."
The older stallion behind Prism's father nodded "He is right lad, same for any daughter or son of the skies. Never forget this pain colt, to forget is to insult the honor of the departed." the old fiery stallion said before heaving a sad sigh. "This little foal left so soon, his honor was never tainted, never lost, but sadly it was never sharpened or strengthen either."
"Granddad...Dad...did any of you ever lose a foal?," Prism asked as they entered the tower.
Prism's grandfather Sun Clipper sighed "Yes Prism, our family and relatives have as a family know this pain before, and before you ask; no it does not get easier with time it hurts as bad as it did the first time."
Prism frowned slightly, but clenched his jaw and forced himself to focus on carrying his son's remains to his pyre that had been prepared on the twentieth floor of the tower.
As the marching persecution of focused stallions and mourning mares made their way up one of the flights of stairs, Dawn's father Mist Chaser heaved a small snort. "What's the matter Mist?" Sun Clipper asked looking over to the other pony who was looking around nervously.
"I suddenly got a bad feeling about today...I'm not sure why-" "I can tell you why," Prism growled as he came to a stop.
Standing in front of the precession were two stallions and a mare; all dressed in wonderbolt uniforms. "Well, what have we here? A bunch of traitors and lost stars? Did you all forget how to get home at night?" The mare sneered, her flowing saffron colored mane standing like a pyre on her head.
Before Prism could utter a retort, his father snapped at the other ponies reply first. "Watch your tongue you arrogant filly, this is the tower for all of our dead to make their final journey." Moon Dancer finished with an aggravated snort, his eyes narrowed dangerously at the three ponies in front of them.
The three wonderbolts chuckled cruelly to each other. "Yeah, we know. Last I checked though it said nothing about those related to falling stars being counted among our people." A stallion with a flowing old gold colored mane said with a smirk.
Out of nowhere one of the royal guard pegasus pony from the front doors swooped in and glared at the wonderbolts. "That is enough disrespect from you three. You're lucky I don't report your banter to your captain. Now get the buck out of here if you going to be so disrespectful to the departed!" The guard snarled startling the precession and the wonderbolts.
Without a second glance the three wonderbolts jetted for the exit under the watchful gaze of the other royal guards stationed her as honor guards. Slowly the stallion guard turned to regard the other ponies of Prism's precession. "Please continue with your passage, I shall escort you to ensure no further interruptions or acts of disrespect for the deceased happen again." The stallion gave them all a firm 'pegasus' salute with his hoof held aloft forward and his body held firm before he snapped his hoof down performed an about face and proceed to march along with the ponies.
As they marched Prism noted the guard glance his way and also peeking glances at the coffin. Soon as they neared their room where his son's pyre waited, the guard finally spoke up. "I'm sorry for what they said, I like to think most of our kind have moved on past those times, just as BOTH princesses would want us to."
Prism felt his father and grandfather falter for a second but they quickly got back in step. Prism turned his eyes to the stallion in question. "Both...are you?" the guard nodded with a small sad smile.
"The name is Noir Aegis, and my family is much like yours I'm guessing." Moon Dancer sighed but smiled warmly at the guard.
"Perhaps, we don't bare our heritage as boldly as I'd like but yes, our family line is tied to her." Prism said as he felt the tension around him relaxed.
Noir nodded sagely before he looked squarely at the coffin. "Your son sir?" He asked, and Prism, even as fresh tears started to break at the corner of his eyes, nodded at the guard.
"I'm sorry for your loss, did you and your wife name him?" Prism nodded again in reply, as they approached the door, where two robbed pegasi awaited.
"Yes...his name is Rainbow for his mane, and Comet after his great grandfather."
The guard gave a warm and strong smile. "Good name, I'm sure you and your wife would have raised him well." The other ponies gave smiles of thanks for the words of confidence as the guard took a spot near the wall.
One of the robbed pegasi flew up and came to land near the large pyre of wood logs stacked and shaped like a flat bench bed. "I am Willow Lark, priest of the morning cloth. Will the stallion of this herd please state the purpose of this pyre?" He asked quietly and gently.
Stratus Prism nodded and bowed his head before he began to speak. "I am Stratus Prism, son of Moon Dancer and Mirage Feather, stallion to Honey Dawn, and-and Father of Rainbow Dash and...Rainbow Comet. We are hear to lay my son Rainbow Comet to rest, he died shortly after birth."
The robbed priest nodded and bowed his head respectfully. "The sun and stars grieve for your loss dear stallion. Please lay your son upon the bed of wood and straw, wrap him in his blanket of cotton and wool. May each of you bed this child his last loving farewells before he is allowed to journey to his place in the heavens."
Slowly the four stallions lowered the small coffin to the smooth cloud floor, and removed the lid, revealing a little dark navy blue colt with a prismatic mane who looked as if he was simply sleeping, his eyes closed and his body wrapped in a bright blue blanket.
The silence of the room was soon broken by several of the mares including Honey Dawn as they started to lose themselves to the heartache of the lose of one so young. Prism felt the air around him vanish, as his father, grandfather, and father-in-law looked at the small, quiet, and peaceful form of the little foal. Slowly Prism reached down and gently lifted the little bundle in his mouth and carried it carefully over to the bench bed. Upon laying the little bundle down he and the other honor stallions quietly stood next to the bed with the ridged attention of veteran soldiers, though none of them had ever served; it was still a tradition to hold oneself with honor, out of respect for ones fallen kin.
Slowly the other ponies of the family approached one last time to either deliver a gentle kiss to the foal's forehead, or to ruffle the prismatic mane gentle or simply to say some words bidding the little colt farewell. Despite the efforts of the stallions, not one eye was dry as the last of the family gave the little bundle their last goodbyes. At last it was Prism's turn, being the colt's father, he was expected to give a closing speech of respect for the life that had not yet lived.
"We are gathered here this day, to bid farewell to my son, who left us before we had a chance to know him. Regardless we love him, we will always love him, and as his family we will never forget his name. My son Rainbow Comet, was a pegasus colt born with the prismatic rainbow mane of my family line, his coat was of such a dark blue he looked as if the night itself moved and came down to live among us. His eyes...were the color of clean clear blue water. I am positive, that he would have lived a full life, and been a honorable stallion of our family." Slowly the stallion castes his eyes over to gaze at the still bundled, feeling fresh tears leak and run down his cheeks.
"Oh how I wish that you had not left us so early, how I beg that this is a nightmare, that I might awaken to find you safe and sound in your crib ready for the first of your many days." The stallion snorted and straighten himself out his face hardening. "However, I am sad to say this is not a dream, and that I must move on. For my wife, and our daughter I must and will move on." The stallion closed his eyes and for a moment held a breath before he continued.
"Rainbow Comet, my first son, thank you for teaching me this pain...and giving me the resolve to never forget. For tempering me to cherish every life...and every day." The stallion turned and bowed his head to the little foal and muttered softly to himself. "Someday we will meet again my son. Until then please wait for us."
With a nod as he rose his head up high the robed ponies of the priest hood stepped forward and prepared to set the pyre ablaze. However, one of them gestured for the others to pause before he moved forward and quickly did something to the foal before walking over to Prism. "As his father, it is not often allowed but I felt you being of such a strong heart would like something to remember him by." The robbed stallion muttered as he presented to Prism a rolled bared of the little colt's mane. "I-I...t-thank you so much." Prism chocked out as he accepted the keep sake and watched as with a nod the other priest set fire to the pyre.
In that instant the flames engulfed the little bundle and the bench bed in bright brilliant flames. With another gesture and nod from one of the priest, the others began to gently fan the flames with their wings, and began to blow the embers and ashes out a now open balcony door into the winds of the jet stream that blew around the tower. As what was the mortal shell for a life known as Rainbow Comet was turned to dust the priest uttered a simple pray for the little colt's soul.
"As we are all born of Gaia's will, warmed by Celestia's sun, and protected by Luna's moon, we humbly ask our Princesses both here and beyond to grant this little foal safety and eternal peace in their loving embrace amongst the stars. May the little Rainbow Comet, never again know fear, know of doubt, may his days amongst the heavens be full of joy, laughter, and happiness. Oh great spirits of the heavens grant this little Pegasus passage now, and may we all enjoy you loving embrace in our own time. Goodbye Rainbow Comet, travel swift as the falcon, as high as the highest mountain top, as far as the great soaring eagles, and never fear of the land below. For you begin the journey we must all make one day."
As the prayer ended, the last ember of flame drifted away, the magical flames used by the pegasi leaving nothing behind; everything reduced to ember and ash. Launched by the wing beats of the priest into the jet stream while the family of the departed stood by be and watched as their loved one was returned to the embrace of the heavens. For truly the pegasi know for being ponies of the wind, weather, and skies; is it not fitting that the sea of stars is where they journeyed to when their time on the mortal world came to pass.
May 10th 1854 A.D. 7:00AM Blue Typhoon Apartments
Stratus Prism smiled fondly as he watched his little filly fly around excitedly. "Calm down Dash, your gonna burn up all your energy before you even get to Summer Flight Camp!" The stallion joked as the light cerulean blue pegasus filly zipped around.
"But dad! I can hardly stand waiting, the chariot is taking like forever!" the little mare complained, earning another chuckle from her father.
"Calm down dear, you'll be there before you know it." Honey Dawn said as she gently lofted down next to her husband.
"Mom! You got off early?" The little mare asked as she rushed to hug her mother.
"Yes dear, you know I'd be here to see you off to camp." The bright mare ruffled the rainbow mane of the little filly before she turned and nuzzled into her stallion.
"How was work hun?" He asked quietly as he absently watched Dash make a 'gag' face and started to fly around in circles again.
"Well enough, did you know Morning Dew is sending her daughter to summer flight camp as well?" The mare smirked a little to her self as she watched her daughter stop fluttering about like an angry bee and zipped over to her.
"Did you say Fluttershy is going to camp too!?" The little filly pipped up as she landed in front of her mother.
Dawn smiled and nodded "Yes dear, she is supposed to be going today as well."
As if on que of her statement, the Summer Flight Camp bus chariot arrived being pulled by four pegasus stallions. "This is the residents of Stratus Prism and Honey Dawn?" One of the ponies asked.
"Yes it is, this is my daughter Rainbow Dash." Prism said with a smile as he nudged Dash forward as he reached over and lifted up her packed saddle pack and gently placed it on her back. "Alright then, hope aboard little filly we can move on and get some of the other campers and make haste for the camp." The stallion said as he gestured back to the chariot platform.
"Um hello Rainbow." A meek little voice said as a mound of soft pink mane parted only slightly allowing a shy mare to speak. "Hey Flutters!" Rainbow smiled as she zipped over to her friend, despite the added weight of her pack.
"Have a good time Dashie!" Prism said with a smile as the stallions started to move.
The little filly turned and waved back excitedly. "I will dad! I'll be sure to do some awesome moves for Comet to see!"
Honey Dawn and Stratus Prism both stiffened but smiled warmly as they watched the bus chariot pull away with their daughter waving to them as it drew further away into the skies.
"I must say, she handles her brother a lot better than we have." Dawn said as she dabbed at her damp eyes gently.
Her husband smiled and looked up to the skies. "I know, perhaps her outlook is the one we both should have. I'm sure Comet has been watching us since we said our goodbyes." Prism smiled as he nuzzled his wife lovingly.
"I still wish...oh how I wish." Dawn muttered as she buried her face into her husband's fresh rain smelling mane.
"I know dear...I know." was all Prism could say as he draped his wing over Dawn before casting his eyes up at the sky as he noticed a sudden flash.
"A shooting star?" He commented as his wife turned her teary eyes up to join even more ponies as a celestial body descended from the sky leaving a brilliant blazing trail of light in its wake as it flew across the morning skies.