//------------------------------//
// Prologue: A Mother's Love 
// Story: Father of Loyalty 
// by sirenux 
//------------------------------//

"Come on, Twilight! What's the hold up?" Rainbow Dash whined, flicking her tail as she strutted impatiently around the common area of Twilight's treehouse. "You know I don't like being in one place for too long!"

Twilight rolled her eyes in annoyance as she continued to focus her thoughts on the old tome that laid before her. "Be patient, Rainbow. This spell takes time to prepare." Her brows furrowed in concentration. Her horn lit up with its distinctive, purple aura as she used her magic to flip to the next page. "And stop complaining! I'm doing this for you, you know!"

"And what are ya doin' exactly?" Applejack question in her usual, southern tone.

"She's casting a spell that will let me see my dad!" Rainbow Dash chirped excitedly. "By the way, Twilight, don't you already know the memory spell?" she questioned, recalling the spell that saved their flanks when Discord had them all under his mind control.

"Remember, Rainbow, this spell is more advanced than the memory spell I used to break Discord's hold on us", Twilight reminded her, to her annoyance, for the millionth time. "This spell summons the collective memories about your father from not just his memories, but the memories of everypony that has had a big impact in his life. As well, only the memories that hold the strongest emotional energy will be summoned."

"So... I won't get to see how he grew up or something?" Rainbow asked in confusion.

"You won't be able to see everything he's been through, but you'll get to see the most important periods of his life", Twilight reassured.

"I-Isn't this an invasion of privacy?" Fluttershy squeaked worriedly behind her mane.

"Normally, yes," Twilight answered, "but when I asked for Princess Celestia's permission to use it so that Rainbow could learn more about her father, she was okay with it. Kinda weird," Twilight pondered, "she didn't give any resistance whatsoever. I was expecting at least just a little."

"Over thinking it, as usual", Rainbow Dash teased.

Twilight always had a knack for over rationalizing every, little detail. And you know she's gone off the deep end when her coat turns white and her mane goes ablaze. Although Rainbow Dash wasn't there to witness it, she could just imagine how silly Twilight must've looked! Draw a moustache over her angry muzzle. Even better! Rainbow giggled in her usual raspy tone, letting the wonders of her imagination take hold as she made Twilight look as ridiculous as possible.

"Ya sure ya wann' us ta see 'em too? I mean, it sounds kinda personal", Applejack said, cocking an eyebrow. What in tarnation was so funny?

"No way, Applejack! You guys are my best friends! And besides, with this, I can finally prove that awesome runs in the family!" Rainbow Dash boasted, puffing out her chest in pride.

Applejack simply rolled her eyes at the sight of Rainbow Dash being, well, Rainbow Dash. The sky-blue daredevil was always there to flaunt her ego whenever she had the chance. Well, except for the time she got last place in the annual Running of the Leaves. The look on her face when she found out Twilight, of ALL ponies, beat her in a race was priceless! Applejack giggled in her usual western tone, enjoying the little treat nostalgia fed into her mind. But for Celestia's sake, did her flank have to be so shapely? Thankfully, no one noticed the heat slowly rising in Applejack's cheeks.

"Well, why do you want know about him now, dear?" Rarity asked curiously. For all these years, it seemed strange that now, of all times, Rainbow Dash wanted to know more about her father.

Rainbow's magenta eyes sunk to the floor, her ears flipping back. "I, uhm… well… I-I'll tell you later," Rainbow said, quickly waving Rarity off with a hoof.

Rarity cocked an eyebrow at the sudden change in attitude from her rainbow-colored friend. It wasn't everyday Rainbow Dash would be reluctant to tell her friends about something, especially if it was about her. Did something happen between her and her father long ago? Did it have something to do about his death? Rarity debated on prodding the answer out of her, but such meddling in someone's personal affairs, especially one's about their dead father, would have been unladylike and incredibly rude. Instead, she simply gave Rainbow a small smile and nodded in understanding, feeling she would tell her when she was ready.

"Well, I think the spell should be ready," Twilight said confidently, closing the dusty tome." Did you bring one artifact that belonged to your father like I asked you?"

"Wha?…Oh yeah! Hold on!" Rainbow Dash perked up excitedly as she rushed across the room to her navy blue, saddle bag. Her head was hidden within its contents as she searched for the said artifact.

All the other ponies watches in anticipation, wondering what this item could be. Pinkie pie was leaning forward on her tippy-hooves. The suspense was killing her. Not noticing the distribution of her weight, she fell forward. "Oof!"

Between her teeth, Rainbow pulled out a wooden picture frame, but it wasn't of her father. As she gingerly placed it on the ground in front of Twilight, the rest of the mane six began crowding around to take a closer look.

In the picture frame, a mare was smiling back. Her mane streaked with red, orange, and yellow that complimented her fair, vanilla coat. Her eyes shone a vibrant, sapphire glow.

"She's absolutely gorgeous!" Rarity beamed.

"She's my mom", Rainbow Dash smiled, looking at the photo.

"Well, this should be good enough. Remember, Rainbow, you won't be able to see everything your father's been through, but you'll get to see the most important periods of his life. You ready?" Twilight asked cheerfully.

Rainbow nodded nervously, trying her hardest to keep her hooves from shaking. She was scared, yet excited at the same time! This is was going to be her first real look into what her father was really like! All the stories she's been told. All the things she believed were impossible. She was going to see them for herself! And not only that, her best friends were going to be right there with her every step of the way!

"Alright, everypony. Stand back!" Twilight's horn began to glow in its distinctive purple aura. Sparks flashed as she groaned, focusing her magical energy into the spell.

As the light in her horn strengthened, the library began to fade from view. They were no longer in the treehouse. Everypony looked around, just trying to grasp where the hay they were.

"We're on a cloud!" Pinkie squealed excitedly as she cartwheeled along its pillowy exterior.

Rainbow Dash observed the new scenery around her, taking in the crisp, cool air as it lightly brushed through her mane.

The night was dark, even by Princess Luna's standards. The stars didn't twinkle as brightly as they normally did. Upon a cloud, a little home could be seen. The walls and roof were made by the same material, but it looked cozy nonetheless. The holes in the structure that marked the windows were dark, implying that the ones resident inside were asleep.

A mysterious figure was making her way to the dimly lit front porch. A small, wooden basket was held tightly in her muzzle. Her form was masked underneath a dirty, tattered cloak, revealing only her wings. It was too dark to identify the exact shade of the pegasus's appendages, but one could make them out as being between blue and violet.

Each step closer felt like daggers to her heart as she could hear the soft, gentle breathing coming from inside the basket. Tears blurred her vision as she held back her muffled sobs. Her movements were careful and precise, making sure not to wake her little bundle of joy that rested quietly beneath the covers. She gingerly lowered the basket on the front porch.

Strands of red, orange, and yellow hair could be seen hanging out from the hood as the mother pegasus sadly looked at her baby for the last time. He was so beautiful. His pale, purple coat was so soft. His mane streaked with all six colours of the rainbow. She was so happy when she found out he had his mother's mane.

Tears fell silently down her sorrow features as she closed her eyes tightly. The pain was too much to bear. She leaned in and gently kissed her newborn. "N-No matter where I am," her voice was no more than a whisper, holding all the love that she had, "I'll always be in your heart."

*Knock *Knock *Knock