A Trail of Rainbows

by The Night Aegis


Chapter 5: Welcome Home

Trail of Rainbows
Arc 1: Something Lost, Is Something Found
Chapter 5: Welcome Home

May 22nd 1854 A.D. 8:00 A.M. Cloudsdale, Blue Typhoon Apartments.




As Celestia's sun began to clear the mountains to the far north of Cloudsdale, its warming rays of light bathing the great cloud city of Cloudsdale in a golden glow; Moon Dancer happily knocked on the door to his son's apartment. Behind the stallion stood his own father Sun Clipper and his son's father-in-law Mist Chaser. Waiting behind them were several mares and other pegasi of the Aegis Family.

"Do you know why Stratus Prism called for a family reunion to take place the same day Rainbow Dash returns home from SFC?" Mist Chaser asked as he and the other three stallions waited for an answer.

"No, but any chance to see my grand-daughter is always a-" Moon Dancer said only to be interrupted by a sound inside the apartment.

"Coming!" a small colt's voice shouted from the other side of the door after only a moment after Dancer had knocked.

Dancer and many of the other ponies near the door looked down as the door opened and a young dark blue colt answered the door, the sudden gust of wind that blew past fluttering his rainbow colored mane in its gentle creases.

"Oh hello, can we help you with something?" The little colt ask looking to Dancer and other ponies curiously.

Dancer swore to himself he heard the jaws of the ponies around him hit the clouds, and fell through them towards the ground. His eyes were wide with shock and surprise at the sight of the little pony. His mind racing trying to understand what he thought he was seeing.

"Um, are you okay?" He asked, sounding now a little nervous.

"Honey, who's at the door?" Dawn's voice rang out softly as her figure soon appeared at the doorway.

As soon as Honey Dawn opened the door to see who Comet was talking to she felt her own eyes grow wide in shock. After a short moment however, she regained control of herself and sighed, offering up a small but she hoped welcoming smile.

"Mom, do you know them?" the little foal asked looking to her with a confused look across his face.

"Yes I know them Comet, they're family." Dawn said softly. "Dad, won't you and the others come in? We have a lot to talk about." She said as she gestured for the ponies outside to come inside.

After several long moments, Moon Dancer was able to finally regain some semblance of control over himself as he finally broke his stare away from the colt to look at his daughter-in-law.

She was still gesturing for him and the others to come in, and with a small sigh he lands and walks in, followed by the rest of the family.

Inside Dancer found his son trotting in from the hallway that lead to the bedrooms and bathroom and the look on his face told Dancer, his son had been expecting this.

"You have a lot to explain son." Dancer said calmly, his eyes however glaring daggers at the other stallion who seemed to take the glare and suffer no ill from it.

"Dad, you have no idea." Stratus Prism said with a small sigh, a knowing smile playing on his lips as he turned to the colt who trotted around looking up at Moon Dancer and the others, with a bright wide eyes, filled with curiosity.

"Rainbow Comet come here," Prism said firmly, drawing the colt's eyes and attention in an instant. Without hesitation Comet flared his wings and flew to his father side quickly.

"Your mother and I will be having some important discussions with the rest of the family, can you go play outside please?" Prism asked his face having soften as the colt had flown to his side.

"Uh okay, sure." Looking confused, Comet flew to his room and grabbed his favorite toy and then quickly bolted out of the apartment with the ball in hoof.

Once the colt had left, and the door was closed behind him. Prism turned to face what was in his mind a execution squad of archers.

"Stratus Prism, explain who that colt is, and why he looks like your deceased son?" Moon Dancer asked, glaring at the light blue stallion.

"I will explain as best I can, but I have a feeling it will take more for you to fully grasp what has happened." Prism said softly as he sat back on his haunches and took a deep breath.

"This all started when we were called to the Altostratus Summer Flight Camp, apparently our daughter Rainbow Dash had just done something amazing." Prism said as he began to tell the family of what had transpired several days prier.




May 22nd 1854 A.D. 4:14 P.M. Altostratus Summer Flight Camp.




The sun continued along its journey across the skies of Equestria, bathing all of the kingdom's ponies in its warmth and light. Enjoying the warmth of the sun's rays, a young pegasus filly; with a mane and tail full of the colors of the rainbow, and a coat of soft light cerulean in color, flew as fast as she could through the cloud rings that floated now above the Altostratus Flight Camp.

It was the 25th Annual Summer Flight Camp meet-up, where some the best foals from one of the other SFC's came to visit and compete with the best flyers of the Altostratus Flight Camp. This year the visiting camp was the Aurora Mirage Flight Camp, easily the most lavished flight camp in the whole of Equestria. Rainbow Dash figured when she heard about the camp, that it was due to it being close to the city of Las Pegasus.

Rainbow Dash was a top favorite to win the 25th Annual SFC Meet-Up Trophy, she had placed first in the 'Climb to Altitude', and '0 to 60 to 0'challenges.

Now Dash was flying as fast as she could with all the skill she could muster to hold the lead of the Young Flyer Cloud Kicker Race. Where the pegasi foals would be asked to race along a corridor of cloud rings, not missing a single one, and over coming the weather obstetrical placed at key points on the track.

Dash rolled to the the right and dove down entering into another stretch of the course, the wispy cloud rings flashing in a blur of white streaks. She felt the air pressure around her building, but she knew from her attempt yesterday to make a sonic rainboom, that she would get in trouble if she made or came close to making a sonic rainboom again so close to the camp.

She slowed down a little, and then pulled up just as she past through a ring, climbing up and barrel rolling to the left, passing through the next ring smoothly. Already she felt the cone of compressed sonic air leaving her and dissipating away.

Dash grinned confidently as she looped up and over into the next ring before leveling out and pouring on the power again. She had survived the tornado tunnels at the start, and had navigated through the dreaded micro-burst easily. Now with all the weather obstacle behind her, and her competition lagging behind by several dozen yards, Rainbow Dash flew to her hearts content now that she wasn't having to focus on over coming some sudden weather phenomena.

'Just like Pepper said, gotta feel the sky.' Dash steadied herself, as she angled her wings and slide down to the right as she drew close to the next ring before passing through it and then going into an upward spiral as she flew through a series of rings that circled around a solid cloud column.

As she came out of the last ring of the column she spied the finish line of the course. With cheering foals packed into the small banks of cloud along the sides of the finish line. She could see her instructor and friend Flame Pepper, as well as her best friend Fluttershy and her instructor Wild Spirit.

With her friends cheering and many of the foals up on their wings whooping and howling with excitement, Rainbow Dash poured on the steam for a solid blitz on the checkered flag.

With the winds whipping around her, leaving her face and skin stinging under its sharp lashes, Dash floored it and blazed past the finish line with a resounding whoosh of air.

'Not a sonic rainboom, but still it feels good to go fast.' Dash thought to herself happily as she pulled up and pulled into a gentle lazy turn to her port side and came in towards the landing field near the finish line.

As her hooves kissed the clouds Fluttershy was the first to her.

"Congratulations Dash, you not only won first place, you set a new camp record!" The little long legged filly said softly as she lofted down next to Dash.

Dash smiled warmly to her and hugged her close as Pepper and Spirit made their way to her.

"Thanks for the encouragement Flutters, it helps to have a great friend like you cheering me on." She said as she released her friend who had returned her hug in kind only more gently.

"Well done Rainbow Dash!" Wild Spirit said happily as he landed softly next to Fluttershy.

"New record time of fifteen minutes and forty five seconds!" Pepper said excitedly, as she bumped hooves with her.

Seconds later the rest of the lead pack of foals arrived, crossing the finish line to a massive round of cheers and sounds of jubilation from the other older ponies; they knew finishing a race period was what counted. Winning while nice was only part of it, to finish the race period meant a pony didn't give in and allow their doubt to slow them down.

As the remaining foals arrived, crossing the finish line exhausted, and some with defeated looks to their muzzles; Rainbow Dash was basking in her accomplishment.

"RAINBOW DASH! RAINBOW DASH!" some of the foals cheered still for her, and she soaked it up as much as she had taken in her teacher's lessons.

The little filly turned to her friend and mentor with a warm smile. "So Flame, am I gonna be a wonderbolt or not?" She asked the older mare with a confident grin.

Flame Pepper sighed, rubbing a hoof on the back of her head before she chuckled softly. "I think you got it in ya to be a wonderbolt. You just keep this up, and when your old enough we will send you an invitation to our training academy."

Dash beamed at this then, a look of confusion crossed her face seconds later. "Wait, training academy?" She asked looking to the mare slightly shocked.

The older mare nodded, tossing her fiery mane back with a small smirk. 'Just like any fan, they assume its all fun and games to be a wonderbolt.' Pepper thought sadly, but then she remembered who she was talking with. 'She might have what it takes thought.'

"Yeah, you know we don't spend our days doing what we want. No, flying for the Wonderbolts means being the best, not just at flying but knowing how to fly in ways not just taught anywhere, how to perform the stunts and your placement in them down to the inch." Pepper said with a proud smile.

"If you want to be a Wonderbolt, you gotta practice, not just to get in, but constantly once you are in." She said.

Dash felt like she was about to pass out; she had figured if she had impressed Flame Pepper she would be in the Wonderbolts in no time.

"So Rainbow you still want to be a Wonderbolt?" Pepper asked, her voice carrying the air of a friendly tease. It was just enough to prick at that stubborn pride Dash had shown more than a few times while under the mare's wing.

"Yes!" She said stomping a hoof down to show her determination as he eyes narrowed. "I'm gonna keep going till I'm a Wonderbolt!"

Pepper smiled fondly at the rainbow maned filly. "Then never think of it as if you will join us then Rainbow Dash, always think of it as when. With determination and resolve you will join us, and allow all of Equestria to see our sky."




May 22nd 1854 A.D. 4:20 P.M. Altostratus Summer Flight Camp, Cafeteria Building




Rainbow Dash sighed happily as she downed her glass of milk, next to her Fluttershy ate her dinner quietly, but with a happy smile on her face.

"Ahhhh that hit the spot." Dash declared as she relaxed on her seat.

"Hey Flutters, did you have anything planned for when we get home?" Dash asked nudging her friend gently with her glass.

"Me? Oh um, well I think my mom wanted me to enjoy the rest of my free time before we start Flight School. She said something about a surprise."

Dash nodded smiling to her friend, she had become more open over the course of their time at the flight camp. "That sounds cool." Dash said happily as she started to dig into her dinner salad.

Suddenly Fluttershy looked to Dash with a seemingly worried look. "Um Dash, could I um ask you something?"

The rainbow maned filly looked to her friend curiously but nodded, adding "Sure" after swallowing a mouth full of greens.

"Uh well, um are you okay with your folks adopting some random foal that was found near camp?" Flutters asked softly.

Rainbow looked to her with a raised brow in surprise. "What?" she asked seeming unable to fathom what Flutters just asked her, or perhaps wanting to be sure she heard her right.

"I'm sorry I shouldn't have asked, of course everything is fine." Fluttershy said looking away like she had just committed some horrible crime.

"No Flutters, what did you say?" Dash asked, placing a hoof on her friend's shoulder.

The shy pegasus looked to Dash with frighten eyes. "Please don't be angry." She said softly.

"Fluttershy, why would I be angry with you, your my best friend." Dash said reassuringly. "Now what did you say, I wasn't sure I heard you right."

With a small nod Fluttershy repeated herself. "I asked, um if you were okay with your new adopted brother."

Rainbow Dash rubbed a hoof under her chin, looking deep in thought before she smiled brightly at her friend. "Of course I'm okay, just one small fact Flutters, they didn't adopt him, he has always been my brother." Dash stated as a matter of fact.

"But, you told me your brother was dead." Flutters said before she let out a small 'eep' and covered her mouth with her hooves, mumbling swiftly "I'm sorry!"

Dash blinked at her before she sighed but her friendly smile never leaving her. "Fluttershy, I know what I told you, my Dad told me when I was six."

Rainbow Dash turned to look out a sky-light at the clear blue skies above them. "He told me, when pegasi die, they join our ancestors in the Astral Glades a place only the Princess can visit freely and return from."

Dash sighed a little before looking to her friend. "Fluttershy, my dad told me my brother was up there and would always be watching us, seeing what we did and now and then that he might come down and play with us as the wind in the clouds and sky." .

"But Dash, if you know that why do you say that colt is your brother? The dead can't come back to life." Fluttershy said before looking again down at her hooves in shame.

Rainbow Dash smiled and suddenly pulled her friend into a hug. "Flutters, you don't get it. Our world has magic everywhere, what pony said for certain that the dead can't get a second chance?"

The shy pegsaus blinked, both in shock and surprise; she had never considered that. 'What pony did say that they can't get a second chance?' She thought to herself before she returned the hug to Dash tightly.

"I'm sorry for asking you Dash, it is just I thought it was strange for you and your folks to warm up to some strange colt so quickly." Flutter smiled weakly to her friend as she pulled back from the hug. "Even if he did have a mane like yours."

Rainbow Dash grinned and flicked her mane back with a proud smile "Heh, the mane was just part of what told us who's family he belongs to. That spell those unicorn used showed he was my brother." Dash said confidently.

"Do you miss him?" Fluttershy asked gently.

Rainbow smile still as she let out a sad sigh, as she nodded. "I do, I can only stand being here because it means I can learn from one of the real Wonderbolts. In truth I wish so much that I could have gone home with him."



May 24th 1854 A.D. 5:00 P.M. Cloudsdale.



High above the cloud city of Cloudsdale, several pegasi flew in a lose 'finger-four' formation. Slowly as they circled above the city, the continued to ascend upwards towards a higher altitude.

"Comet, you feeling okay? Not dizzy or anything?" Prism asked, a hint of concern leaking into his voice.

"Not really, I'm getting a little cold though." Comet said happily as he lazily kept his place trailing on his dad's starboard wing.

On Prism's port side wing leading the formation was his father, Moon Dancer who for the entire flight had been very quiet; so much so that Prism was beginning to worry about it's implications for his son.

Suddenly Sun Clipper, Prism's grandfather on Moon Dancer's port side looked over to Prism and Comet.

"Rainbow Comet, it is important that you know your limit." Sun Clipper said sternly before he glanced to Moon Dancer and an unspoken conversation seemed to pass between them.

"Rainbow Comet, Stratus Prism I want you both to stick to my trail like a pair timber wolves on a scent." Moon Dancer said suddenly and very sternly. With a powerful wing stroke he then immediately shot up like a rocket.

"What the-Dad!?" Prism let out a frustrated sigh to himself, before looking to his son who looked back to him in confusion.

"Come on Comet, let me know the moment you can't follow and we will stop okay." Prism said quickly as he began to follow as fast as he could after his father.

Comet lingered for a moment, seeming unsure what exactly to do before he looked to where his father was and began to follow as fast as his wings would carry him. Quickly the pair of rainbow maned ponies began to follow after Moon Dancer. Mist Chaser and Sun Clipper watched quietly as the dark coated colt quickly caught up to the two stallions.

As they climbed, Moon Dancer was deeply entrenched in a harsh battle with himself.

'My grandson died nine years ago. There is no way that colt could be him, the dead don't come back to life!' One part of himself snarled. It made part of him feel sick to his stomach to even consider that colt a part of their family.

'You heard Prism's story, and the family doctor and his unicorn friend both performed the same spell that Prism said he saw performed on the colt when they first met him.' The other side of himself countered.

'IT MAKES NO SENSE!'

'Should it? That colt has your families colors in his mane! Your son loves him! Are you really going to push that colt to the brink of death simple because you and your father weren't given a second chance like Prism? Should your son suffer the lost of his child again just because you lost your second son, his brother?'

Moon Dancer felt his heart skip a beat for a moment.

'I am jealous aren't I?' He thought to himself, neither side argued the comment.

Looking back down he saw his son was following him, but starting to trail was an exhausted looking colt.

'If I keep pushing them any further...the boy could...oh Celestia what the buck am I trying to do!?' Moon Dancer nosed over and began to dive away, as he did so he looked back to see his son and Comet following suit.

As the trio dove down faster and faster, Moon Dancer glancing back now and then, seeing the colt looking better as they descended to a lower and lower altitude.

Soon they were down to a more normal altitude for pegasi at around four thousand feet.

Looking back, Dancer could tell the colt was looking a lot better compared to how he looked trying to chase him and Prism.

"Comet, you did very good to keep up with your father and me." Dancer said kindly, and after a deep breath; to reach some sorta of conclusion internally, he looked over to the colt and smiled warmly at the young foal. "I'm proud of you."

Comet smiled happily and instantly did a snap roll earning an amused chuckle from his father.

Dancer looked up to the skies and after only a short moment figured it would soon be time for Rainbow Dash to be returning home from the SFC that Prism and his wife had chosen to send her to.

"Prism, I think you and Comet should get back to the mares. I think Dash will be coming in soon."

Before the stallion could utter a word the colt next to them cried out excitedly "Race you home dad!"

In an instant Prism and Comet were in a race towards home leaving Dancer alone to his own thoughts until Sun Clipper and Mist Chaser joined him quietly.

"Why did you stop the climb Dancer?" Clipper asked as he came in along side his son.

"Because, I realized what we were doing was petty and based on jealousy." Dancer said sadly heaving a heavy sigh as he looked up into the clear blue skies above. "It is not how pegasi should treat their kin."

"The colt is not-" Clipper began only to be cut off by a defiant glare from Dancer

"It isn't for us to decide that, Prism is the one who has to decided and he already has." Dancer said sternly with a snort as he looked to his father with a frown.

"It could be a curse or spell of some kind that might have bewitched them." Clipper said before Mist Chaser gave a short cough; drawing the two stallions to look to him curiously.

"I am only apart of this because of my daughter. She obviously loves the colt as much as your son does Moon Dancer." Chaser said before he grew a small though warm smile at the corner of his lips.

"Did the colt follow you?" He asked.

"You saw for yourself that he did, if I had not dove down back to a lower altitude, I'm sure they would have kept following. Why do you ask such a silly question Chaser?" Dancer asked looking at the other stallion like he had just asked if Dancer was a mare.

"Simply because, shouldn't the issue be rather or not Comet will be a good colt, a foal of the family?"

Both Sun Clipper and Moon Dancer felt their eyes grow large in surprise, for Mist Chaser was right.

Pegasi society did practice unity and equality for all ponies; but some families chose to keep alive the older traditions. Fillies and mares had equality within such families but they were treated differently and were not expected to do the same things that colts and stallions within such families were expected to do.

Dancer heaved a small sigh of relief before he smiled at the other stallion. "Chaser you are quiet wise my friend."

The other pony only chuckled softly, running a hoof over his mane. "Heh, I try."

Sun Clipper clipped Mist Chaser's port wing gently with his own wing as a gesture of respect before he looked to the younger stallion with a raised brow. "So we treat him like part of the family then?" Sun Clipper asked looking to his son with a small frown still playing at the edge of his lips.

"I think we should." Moon Dancer said softly.



May 24th 1854 A.D. 5:15 P.M. Altostratus SFC Flightpath to Cloudsdale



Rainbow Dash was all but bouncing in the chariot made its way towards Cloudsdale in the distance. Next to her Fluttershy smiled happily towards the light blue filly who looked like someone had given her a large bowl of cola ice-cream.

"You should relax Dash, we will be home pretty soon." Fluttershy said softly placing a reassuring hoof on her friend's shoulder.

"I know Flutters but, I can't help it. All I could think about is showing Comet all the cool tricks I learned and helping him to fly!" Dash said excitedly.

"I am really happy for you, I'm sure you will teach him a lot." Fluttershy said looking out at the approaching city of clouds and pegasi.

"Yeah...I hope he hasn't forgotten me. I mean he had no memories when we first met." Dash said, her energy having left her as a strong sense of doubt flooded her mind.

"Dash, you know your brother couldn't forget you. You saw how much you brightened him up after your parents told him he would come home with them and not see you for a while. Remember?" Flutters asked gently smiling kindly to her friend.

Dash smiled back and closed her eyes. She did remember.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rainbow Comet looked between his 'new' parents and his 'new' sister, as Rainbow Dash, red and glaring at their folks, looked on the verge of popping like a over ripe fruit.

"What do you mean he can't stay!?" Dash snapped, both her parents sighed looking two each other with worried glances before they turned back to their daughter.

"Dashie, we talked with Iron Eagle, and the other instructors. They believe it would be best if we brought Comet home and plan to send him to an flight camp next year."

Dash snorted and fumed as she hovered in mid-air.

"It's not fair, I just got my brother back, I want to show him how to fly!" Dash said.

"We know Dashie, we know." Prism said as he moved closer to Dash and nuzzled her cheek, the simple act seeming to deflate the irritated filly a little.

"But your brother...think about what he needs Dash," Prism said as he looked over to the colt who had not moved since Prism and Dawn had told them both the news that he would be going back to their home in Cloudsdale and would not stay with Dash at the camp.

Prism smiled at the colt before he looked back to his daughter, who he was very proud of not just for her sonic rainboom, but because she honestly wanted to be the 'big sister' for Rainbow Comet.

"Dash, you know Comet needs to be taught a lot more than just cool flying stunts." Prism said softly, with a kind gentle smile. "He needs to learn about his family, our home, he needs to learn a lot of other things, including ones we've taught you, on top of needing to learn to fly."

"But, he's my brother." Dash said suddenly looking on the verge of tears now.

"Dash?" the little colt's voice snapping the attention of the group of ponies.

"Your going to come home too right?" He asked looking towards her with a worried look in his eyes.

"Yes Comet, your sister will be coming home too, in a few weeks." Prism said gently.

"A few weeks that's like forever!" Comet said looking at the stallion in horror.

Dawn smiled and walked over to the colt leaning down to kiss his forehead gently. "It isn't forever Comet, it just means Dash will be here for a little while, you'll see her again when she finishes flight camp."

"But, I want to stay with her!" Comet said looking to her mother and father with pleading eyes.

"I know son." Prism said looking to the colt kindly.

The little pony did not look like he was convinced, his eyes filled with worry.

Dash looked to him, then to her parents. "You'll let me help teach him to fly when I come home right?" Dash asked suddenly.

Prism blinked in surprise at the question before he smiled warmly and nodded firmly to her. "You have my word Dash. I promise."

Rainbow Dash sighed and slowly landed and walked over to her brother who was already leaking tears at the dilemma. He looked to her as she walked up to him and then let out a small squeak of surprise as she suddenly brought him into a tight warm hug. Her face buried itself into his mane; and she could smell rain. 'Just like dad's' she thought.

"Bro, don't be afraid, I'm never gonna leave ya hanging. I'll be coming home soon." She said softly, smiling as the colt slowly hugged her back a soft sob escaping past his lips.

"When I do come home, I promise to show you all the awesome tricks I learned. We will be wonderbolts together!" Dash said confidently as she leaned back, bring her face up to look into the eyes of her brother.

"O-okay, if you say so Dash." Comet said softly, the little filly smiled and nodded as she slowly broke away from her brother.

"Come along son, it's time to leave." Dawn said gently leaning in to nudge the colt to follow her.

As Comet slowly followed beside his mother and father, he glanced back to the light blue filly and shouted back to her. "Remember your promise Dash!"

Dash smiled and hopped into a high hover off the clouds "You bet I will Comet! I'll even show you how to make a sonic rainboom!" She replied confidently.

That seemed to brighten him up greatly and he smiled waving back to her as his father lifted him up by the tail and placed him gently on his mother's back.

The last Rainbow Dash saw of the little pony was him still waving back towards her as his disappeared from view on their mother's back with their father flying closer to her side.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dash smiled as she opened her eyes and looked at the approaching cluster of cloud apartments. "I promise Comet, I'll show you how to make a sonic rainboom." She said repeating her promise she had made the day she had last seen her brother.

Soon her home came into view and slowly the chariot came in for a landing.

"Here we are Blue Typhoon Apartments." The driver said happily as he landed the chariot gently.

"Thanks Mister." Rainbow Dash smiled happily as she got off the chariot.

"Not a problem. Next stop Ember Cloud Apartments." He said remembering the drop off for the shy filly Fluttershy.

"Bye Dash, I'll see you later!" Fluttershy said softly as the chariot lifted off and headed south to the next apartment.

Dash waved to her friend before she looked around and then bolted into the air and flew to the air-way balcony door. She lofted down on the balcony gently and knocked on the door.

She heard nothing, and knocked again.

Still nothing.

Curiously she checked the doorknob and with a soft click the door opened, and peaking inside Dash saw only darkness.

"Hello? Mom? Dad? Comet?" She called out, hearing nothing.

"Where is everypony?" She asked aloud as she slipped inside the apartment. She knew she was home, so where was her family?

Suddenly the lights flipped on and out of nowhere ponies appeared and shouted as loud as they could.

"WELCOME HOME RAINBOW DASH!"

Dash let out an uncharacteristic yelp of shock as balloons, and streamers flew out with the ambushing pegasi.

The first among them was a little dark blue colt with a rainbow mane, who flew up to her holding up a big hoof-made sign saying

Welcome home big sister Rainbow Dash! with her name in rainbow lightning bolts.

"Welcome home sis!" Comet said happily. "Were you surprised?" He asked hopefully.

Dash smirked and tackled the hovering colt. "You bet I was surprised, you guys actually scared me!" she said she pined the colt to the floor and started to tickle him around his sides and ribs gently with her hooves, smiling evilly at the tiny pony's squeals for mercy between a fit of laughter.

"Welcome home Dashie!" Prism said as he and Dawn walked over carrying a slice of cake for their daughter.

"Hey mom! Dad!" Dash said only to yelp as he brother, grabbed one of her hooves and rolled forcing them to switch places and he proceeded to return the favor and began tickling her sides with the tips of his wings..

The two parents watched with bemusement at the antics of their foals.

"Come on Comet, let Dash enjoy her welcome home party." Dawn said kindly, the colt instantly backing off his sister with a wide grin.

Dash smiled happily to her brother than turned to her parents flying to them and giving each a hug before she whisked the cake away from them.

"Thanks everypony!" Dash said happily as she began to dig into the cake.

As Dash ate her slice of cake, Dawn began to hand out slices to everypony. First was Rainbow Comet who quickly joined Dash at the table, soon the other foals of the extended family were eating cake happily, while the older ponies chatted with each other.

As soon as the cake was gone, the inevitable happened. The foals now full of fresh sugar and its natural energies were abuzz with activity.

Honey Dawn and Prism quickly ushered the foals outside to play; partly to keep the inside of the apartment in one peace.

As soon as the foals were outside, the tension inside the apartment rose swiftly. Dawn turned to face her the other ponies, as Prism stood firmly at her side.

Slowly Moon Dancer trotted up to them; his face neutral and unreadable.

"Stratus Prism, you have recently taken in a colt into your house, and have done all that you can to show that he is more than just your son in name, seeming appearance, but also by blood and your love for him." Dancer sighed his face falling into a distorted frown of disappointment and resentment.

"You once asked if we, if I lost a child before. The answer is yes." Dancer locked his eyes with his son.

"You had a brother, who was born a year before you who died. He was killed when a flock of wind-serpents flew in from the badlands to the south, they ambushed us while we were all enjoying a picnic."

Prism's eyes went wide in shock, his mouth hung open in stunned silence.

"I never told you because, I honestly felt at the time I could never raise another foal. I didn't want to risk feeling the lose and pain that I felt when your brother Dusk Vale was taken from us. Your mother however, wanted a foal. So we worked, and a year later we had you."

Moon Dancer turned to look towards Sun Clipper who nodded and walked up to stand next to the other stallion.

"Prism, in my day we lost several foals in the family, to everything from sudden freak storms out of Everfree, to Gryphons, to even....those damn Sky Rays that haunt the cliffs of Dalevoor." Sun Clipper snorted and stomped a hoof in pained frustration.

"I-I lost two sons two Gryphons, a daughter to a storm, and a daughter to those damn rays." Clipper clinched his jaw as his eyes started to run with tears.

"We know the pain of lose, and knew what you went though when Rainbow Comet died."

Dancer sighed wiping his own tears aside. "That is why, we could not accept that you, out of anypony would some how be granted a impossible miracle such as what seems to have happened."

Clipper nodded as he moved to wipe his tears away with a hoof. "However, we saw something in that colt today, and a wise pony reminded us...that we are family."

Dancer nodded to this and looked to Mist Chaser who smiled shyly and kicked at the cloud floor gently with a hoof.

"We saw that you love that colt out there, that he loved you, your wife, and now we see he loves Rainbow Dash as only a brother cold love a sister." Dancer said as he faced Prism again. "So, we feel no matter how this came to be, that colt as of this moment is Rainbow Comet, your son returned to us some how, to live his life."

Dancer walked over to Prism and gently embraced him in his wings in a gentle wing hug. "I am happy for you son, truly beyond any words that I can say." Prism bit at his lower lip as he shuttered slightly before he returned the hug gently as a soft whimpering sob slipped past his lips.

"Thank you."

Mist Chaser smiled and walked to his daughter and embraced her in a hug. "My dear daughter, raise your son and daughter well." Dawn unlike Prism, couldn't contain her joy and openly wept tears of great joy as she hugged her father.

Around them the other stallions and mares shared their words of acceptance, and most of all joy that the two ponies; Stratus Prism, and Honey Dawn, would be the ones to have such a impossible thing happen to them.

Outside and unaware of what was happening in the apartment, Rainbow Dash and her brother Rainbow Comet were busy playing a game of hoofball with their cousins as the sun started the last part of its journey across the sky.