Rainbow's eyes snapped open to the familiar sound of raised voices. They were echoing down the hallway, and were loud enough for Dash to hear from her bed. She sat up to listen, noticing that a majority of the yelling was from her mother. That wasn't uncommon since she had never ever heard her father being angry before. She pushed down her blankets and slid off the bed, tip-toeing over to her door as slow as possible. She looked back, double-checking to see if they would be able to see any light through the crack in the doorway. Satisfied, Dash slowly opened her door to peek at her parents.
From her room's position, she could see through the hallway and into the dining room. There was no sunlight coming in from the windows, and a single candle was lit at the kitchen table. Even in the dim lighting, she could easily make out the bodies of her two parents as they quarreled. Her father was sitting down, frowning at his wife who had been standing, waving her hooves through the air with her heated words.
"I can't believe you did that, " Her mother argued, "You signed her up for Flight School. What in Celestia's name were you thinking?! We can't possibly afford that! And it's too dangerous to put our daughter through! Even I thought you had a little common sense!" Sky Strike watched her intently, a smallest trace of a grin on his lips.
"Honey, " Sky Strike started, "Money shouldn't be a problem. I'm captain of the weather team, and I teach advanced flight lessons. I know you're studying to be a college professor, but that should be fine. We just got our tax returns from Princess Celestia, and we have quite a few bits in the bank. I think we'll be okay."
"Sky Strike!" His wife growled, stomping her front hooves onto the kitchen floor, "Flight School is expensive! We're already paying for Dash's schooling, my classes, and we're still paying for the house! There's no way we can afford this in the long run! There's just no way!" She scowled, looking away from her husband.
"Sometimes I wondered why I married you... " She sighed, reaching up a hoof to rub her temple, "You given me nothing but stress... " Dash gasped quietly, pulling up her hoof to cover her mouth as her ears drooped. Sky Strike stood up from his chair, a smile still plastered on his lips.
"You married me because you love me, " Sky Strike chuckled, "I faintly remember you telling me that you couldn't picture your life without me. Listen, I know I goof off and mess up, but when it comes to our daughter you know that I do nothing but make the right choices." He walked up to her, placing his hoof on her shoulder.
"Tell me, " He smiled, "What makes you happiest?"
His wife said nothing, her eyes dropping to the floor.
"Seeing your daughter happy, " He answered, "And what makes me happy is seeing both of you happy. I work hard for the both of you, and what gets me through the day is me knowing that I get to come back to a loving wife and a beautiful daughter. Yes, I know that I can be very undependable at times, but I always come back to save the day. "
"I'm... " His wife shook her head, "I... I'm just worried about our daughter. I don't want to ruin her life just because her family made choices that she had no control of. Rainbow Dash means the world to me and I don't want her to be at the bottom of this society, you know?"
Sky Strike smiled, wrapping his hoof around his wife's shoulders. She leaned into him, her head resting against his neck.
"You know, " Sky Strike pointed out, "If you told her that more often, she'd be happy a lot more."
"I know... " His wife frowned, "But you know I'm not very good about showing my feelings. Sometimes I wonder how you ever came to fall in love with me." Sky Strike couldn't help but chuckle, his wife giving him a playful punch in the side. Their backs were turned, hiding their expressions from their daughter.
"Easy, " He nodded, "You were smart, nice... pretty hot, too. What ever happened to that last part?" His wife snarled, and he broke off of her with a loud laugh. Dash smiled again, hearing her mother giggle ever-so quietly.
"I don't know what I'd do without you. " Her mother stated, "You're the better parent. Not the better spouse, but the better parent. Every time I speak to Dash it's either an order or a complaint."
Sky Strike smiled humbly, scratching his nose with his hoof, "Well, you grew up differently. We aren't living in a big house in Canterlot with those snobby ponies. We're living in Cloudsdale, the home of the pegasi. You just have to remember how much you care about Dash every time you see her. Sure, there will be times that we need to scold her, but you have to remember that there are times when we need to love her. "
"You're right." His wife agreed, nuzzling her husband's cheek, "But she's not the only one who needs scolding... "
Sky Strike grinned, "Come on, honey. Let's save that for the bedroom." Rainbow watched her parents walk out of the dining room, staring into each other's eyes as they approached the hallway.
Dash smiled, closing her door with a soft giggle. As long as her family was always together, everything would be okay.
Nothing could ever break them apart.
...Right?
Sky Strike burst into a small fit of laughter, breaking the tense atmosphere Rainbow Dash had just created. When he was done he brought up a hoof to wipe at his eye, a smirk upon his lips.
"Good one, " He snickered, "Almost got me there. It's almost believable since everything looks different, but you can't fool me!" Rainbow Dash blinked, her jaw nearly hitting the floor as Twilight fidgeted in her seat, pressing her fore-hooves together. Spike peeked his head out from the safety of the kitchen, watching the scene unfold.
"It's not a lie!" Rainbow Dash persisted, stomping her hooves onto the wooden floor, "It's the truth! You disappeared ten years in that storm, and for some reason you came out of nowhere when a storm just like it attacked Ponyville!"
"Um, " Sky Strike murmured and scratched the back of his head, "Yeah... it was funny the first time, but now it's over-kill. Are we done here? I'd like to get back home to make sure my family is okay. I don't want to worry them... especially my little Dashie." Rainbow froze were she stood, her lower lip beginning to quiver as she looked towards the ground to hide her expression.
"Hey, " Sky Strike blinked, "Um, you okay? Are you upset about the joke or something? What are you - "
"IT WASN'T A JOKE!" Rainbow screamed, tears bursting from her eyes. She wiped at them frantically and broke into a gallop, sprinting through the library aiming for the door. She slammed her body into it, breaking it open and launched wooden splinters into the air. She quickly disappeared, running out of Sky Strike and Twilight's sight.
"Did... did I do something?" Sky Strike asked, looking back at the purple mare, "I didn't say anything to insult her, did I?" Twilight bit her lip, meeting Sky Strike's confused gaze. Rainbow Dash's emotions were out of control, and it was easy to see why. But she also completely understood Sky Strike's situation... in a blink of an eye, everything around him changed. It was just like walking through a door into a different world. There had to be a way to convince Sky Strike.
"Um, Sky Strike, " Twilight bit her lip, "There's things I have to show you. I know that you want to go back to Cloudsdale as soon as you can, but please hear me out. " Sky Strike frowned, but she could tell that he was listening.
"I know it's hard to believe, " Twilight gulped, "And I have a hard time believing it too... but if you would please trust me, I'd like to help you. But the only way I can convince you otherwise is if I show you... " Twilight stood up from her chair, her tail swishing nervously behind her.
"Please, " Twilight requested, her eyes tearing up, "would you... take a walk with me?" Sky Strike was taken back by the odd question. He had been expecting a request with a little more impact. But as much as he wanted to fly back to Cloudsdale as quickly as possible... her watery eyes and her sad face was making it really difficult to say no. Damn, his weakness to cute things was pretty bad. He sighed, giving the purple mare a gentle smile.
"What the hay, " He chuckled, "Sure, why not? I think making my family worry for a bit longer couldn't hurt, could it?"
"Thank you, " Twilight smiled, her expression slightly brightening, "But before we start, I'd like to ask you one question. "
"Okay, " Sky Strike blinked, "Ask away, librarian!" Twilight cleared her throat, her hoof tapping her chin while she was deep in thought. In order to make Sky Strike see that he was ten years into the future, he would need to see things that would have significantly changed. Twilight quickly found the answer.
"Could you please tell me the names of all your friends in Ponyville?" Twilight inquired. Sky Striked hummed, thinking of a list of his closest friends in the town.
"Well, " Sky Strike thought, "There's Carrot Cake, the pony who runs Sugar Cube corner, and there's Apple Marston... "
"Apple Marston?" Twilight blinked, "Wait... I think I heard his name before... "
Sky Strike nodded with a smile, "He runs Sweet Apple Acres with his mother, Mrs. Smith, and his wife and two kids. The youngest, Applejack, who's around Dashie's age, and the eldest, Big Macintosh." Sky Strike gave a little chuckle, " Although Big Macintosh is a bit small for a teenaged colt. I'm not sure why they call him 'big'."
"Well, " Twilight muttered underneath her breath, "I guess that'll be the first stop then." She nodded at Sky Strike and made her way towards the broken door. She stopped in front of it, peering at the Rainbow Dash sized dent on its surface.
"Hey Spike!" She called, looking over at the kitchen, "Would you mind fixing the door for me while we're out?" Spike poked his head out again, wielding a wooden spoon.
"Um, " Spike blinked, "I'm not one for repairs, you know. I'll try my best, but I won't guarantee anything."
"That's fine, " Twilight smiled, "Sky Strike and I are off to visit Sweet Apple Acres."
"Oh, okay!" Spike answered, turning to leave the kitchen to go search for some tools, "Tell Applebloom that I'll meet up with her and the CMC when I'm done!" Spike disappeared again, leaving Twilight with an even more confused Sky Strike.
"Applebloom?" Sky Strike asked, "Who's that?"
"You'll find out." Twilight replied, stepping out into the muddy streets, "Let's go, shall we?"
The walk to Sweet Apple Acres was strange. It wasn't too far away from the library, but they were going at a rather slow pace. Twilight had expected Sky Strike to reflect his daughter's impatience and "need for speed", but he seemed rather content with a slow trot. Perhaps because he was so deep in thought?
Some of the older ponies were giving Sky Strike the same expression as Carrot Cake did. They whispered among themselves, looking quite wary of the suspicious stallion. Twilight guessed that it eased their minds that she was with him, but it was still quite a shock. To Twilight, Sky Strike didn't look like he noticed, but it was hard to tell. He kept his eyes forward, a stern expression cast over his face. She was positive that Rainbow's words had left an impact in his mind, and she could see him glancing over at particular structures or landmarks. He never said a word.
While observing Sky Strike, Twilight couldn't help but see the similarities with him and Rainbow Dash. Not just physically, but also with their mindset. They were both boastful, but Rainbow Dash was much more extreme. They were both very loyal, with Sky Strike's loyalty to his family and Rainbow Dash to her friends. They were both strong fliers, and their physique was very similar... except in Sky Strike's case, being a male, made him much more masculine and big... Twilight blushed, feeling embarrassed looking at Rainbow's father in such a way.
She couldn't pick out his age very well, but he looked young. Obviously older than her and her friends, but younger than Carrot Cake. Maybe around Big Mac and Cheerilee's age? Well, she wouldn't really know for sure since he had been sent ten years to the future.
But had he really been sent ahead ten years? Or was there something else to it? Magical essence was a great mystery of the world, and it was very unpredictable. She was currently developing a theory, but she'd have to have some time for herself at the library later. Which quickly reminded her that she should send a letter to the princesses regarding this strange phenomenon. It was odd that she didn't think of that first.
Twilight felt a wave of relief when Sweet Apple Acres came into view. She looked over at Sky Strike, who immediately brightened up when he saw it. Perhaps it was one of the few things that hadn't changed in the past ten years... even if the barn is constantly being eradicated during strange events.
"Apples are growing in nicely like always, " Sky Strike broke the silence, "I can never picture this place ever going out of business. Of course, there's always some weird thing going on here." Twilight couldn't help but chuckle in response, thinking of all the odd situations that Sweet Apple Acres had been through since she had been in Ponyville.
"Still as I remember it, " Sky Strike chuckled, "Dirty, filled with apples, and smelling of sweat and hard-work. I wouldn't have this place any other way." His words sounded forced, making Twilight believe that he was just trying to convince himself. She knew that this was going to be tough... but it was going to get a whole lot harder.
They heard banging from the old barn, followed by an exchange of southern drawls. Sky Strike's ears twitched, not quite recognizing the voices he was hearing.
"Alright already!" A feminine, southern accent cackled in amusement, "Ah' acknowledge that yer fancy math-a-matics is mighty helpful... an' that's why ah' don't handle the finances 'round here."
"Eeyup." A low baritone voice replied. The two ponies emerged from the barn, with a particularly big red stallion hooked onto a wagon filled with fresh apples. Applejack trotted beside her brother engaging him in a rather one-sided conversation.
"Applejack! Big Mac!" Twilight greeted hesitantly, waving her hoof, "There's somepony I want you to meet." Sky Strike blinked, swinging his head to give Twilight a disbelieving look.
Applejack smiled, "Oh, ah' didn't know that you were stoppin' by Twi! If ah' did, ah' would of - "
When the two sibling saw Sky Strike they froze on the spot.
Applejack didn't recognize him right away. She squinted her eyes, thinking it was Rainbow Dash at first. It wasn't until she noticed his more violet coat and his cutie mark that it came to her. When it did, her jaw practically unhinged.
Whenever Twilight saw Big Macintosh, he always kept up that same lazy expression with those kind eyes and a gentle smile. Even when she had seen him surprised, his eyes only slightly widened, and he quickly gained his composure.
But in this case, Big Mac's eyes were as big as dinner plates, and the sprig of wheat that had been safely secured in his mouth tumbled into the mud below. It was just like he had seen a ghost.
Sky Strike stared back, and his expression was once again unreadable. Twilight wasn't quite sure what was going through his mind, but she had a pretty good guess.
"Um, " Twilight hesitated, "Big Mac, Applejack... I think you already know Sky Strike. And he's not a changeling." She stated lastly, afraid that her friend would throw out more accusations like Carrot Cake.
"Twilight, " Applejack coughed, "Yer sayin' that pony over there, " She jabbed her hoof in Sky Strike's direction, "is the same pony that died ten years ago? Back on Cloudsdale?"
"Yep." Twilight smiled nervously, "Well, it's a bit complicated, and I haven't figured everything out yet, but that is Sky Strike in the flesh."
"Sky Strike?" Applejack blinked again, "That's... Sky Strike. The captain of the weather team back on Cloudsdale? Good friends with mah' pa?"
"Nope, " Big Mac shook his head, "Nope!" Sky Strike stared blankly at the larger stallion with no visible emotion on his features. His liveliness from earlier was nowhere to be found.
"Twilight, " Applejack looked over at her friend, "it's... this is really hard ta' believe... ah almost want to agree with Big Macintosh. Ah only met the pegasus a few times, but- "
"Where's Apple Marston?" Sky Strike asked firmly, "I want to talk to him." Applejack frowned, looking up at her brother who mirrored her expression. Twilight fidgeted nervously, shifting her weight from hoof to hoof while watching the scene unfold.
"You wanna meet Pa, huh?" Applejack sighed, "Ah guess that's alright. Big Macintosh, why don't you take those apples into town? That storm really did a number on the roads, but ah bet you'll do fine." Macintosh nodded, watching Sky Strike warily before trotting past him, pulling the huge wagon of apples with ease.
"It's this way." Applejack called, nudging her head the direction, "It's not too far, so don't fret." Sky Strike blinked, glancing back at the house in confusion. If they were going to meet Apple Marston, why were they going away from the house? Twilight followed closely behind, her ears drooping down from her head.
They entered the orchard, the tall apple trees shading them from Celestia's sun. The fruit smelled delicious, and there were buckets placed underneath each tree in an organized fashion. A small smile crossed Sky Strike's lips as he recalled his younger days of playing with Applejack's father. He had just turned into a teenaged colt when he met his good friend, and he always made sure to visit Apple Marston whenever he had spare time, which was sadly rare.
"Is he out working?" Sky Strike frowned, "There's a lot of buckets... but I don't see him anywhere."
"Don't fret none, " Applejack replied, "We're almost there." He scanned his surroundings, immediately recognizing where they were. Since he and Apple Marston played in the orchard quite often, he could navigate around it like the back of his hoof. They were just about to come up to a special clearing with the tallest apple tree in the center of it all. It was Sky Strike's favorite part of the orchard, and he was positive it was Apple Marston's too. The grass was damp, a light mist surrounding the tree like a thin blanket.
But as they approached it, there was no sign of his friend. The tree was still standing tall and proud, dwarfing the likes of the others, but there was no sign of Apple Marston. Puzzled, Sky Strike trotted ahead, his head turning left and right to find any sign of the bulky stallion.
"Where is he?" Sky Strike blinked, "I thought you said he'd be here."
Applejack reached up at her hat, pulling it off with her hooves, "Sugarcube, " She sighed, "you're standing right in front of 'em."
Sky Strike faced forwards, obviously confused. But then he noticed something looking worn and grey at the base of the tree... it looked like a stone. No, there were two stones. There were words carved into them...
Sky Strike froze.
"Happened back when ah was still a filly, " Applejack stated, "He was out tendin' to the cows when they were startled by a snake. The stampede happened so fast that he didn't have time to get away. At the same time, ma was in labor... but it didn't turn out too well. She only had a few minutes to gaze into little Applebloom's eyes before she was gone. Pa never met his last daughter. "
Sky Strike refused to move.
"They both were gone at the same time, " Applejack brought her hat back to her head, "It was shortly after you supposedly died. Anyways, ah gotta get back to work." She spun around, heading back to the orchard. She suddenly paused, glancing back at the pegasus.
"If you are Sky Strike, I jus' wanna let you know that mah father always thought you were out there. He never gave up on thinkin' you were alive. He never stopped lookin' for you... " Sky Strike's knees grew weak and he collapsed onto the ground, his hooves trembling uncontrollably. Applejack looked away and turned back, disappearing into the sea of apple trees.
"Sky Strike... " Twilight's voice was shaking, "I'm sorry... you had to see this for yourself." The purple mare couldn't see Sky Strike's face with his back facing her. They sat in a long silence, the wind creating a soft melody with the leaves and the grass, its invisible fingers lifting their manes in its gentle wake.
"Twilight... " Sky Strike said, finally breaking the silence, "I'm dead, aren't I?"
The violet mare blinked, "What are you saying?" She sat down onto her haunches, ignoring the wet grass underneath her.
"I'm dead." He replied, "My life is over. It ended ten years ago when I flew into that storm. I lost my family... I lost my friends... I didn't even get a chance to say goodbye." His voice was delicate, coming close to the likes of Fluttershy's.
"Sky Strike... " Twilight wiped at her eyes, her voice barely a whisper.
"Of course it's hard to believe... " He continued, "One minute I was in Cloudsdale... and now I'm here. Everypony I know thinks I'm gone, and they've all moved on. In a blink of an eye, I was taken away, and now I've been thrown back. But everything... it's all wrong... " His shoulders shook as he took shallow breaths, his hoof reaching to dab at the oncoming tears.
"Damnit, Marston!" He quivered, "You couldn't be here for ten more years? If you never gave up, why aren't you here?! Were you expecting to see me up at the pearly gates waiting for you?! You... you asshole... asshole!" Sky Strike lifted his hoof, punching the ground, "Asshole! You stupid asshole!"
"Sky Strike!" Twilight protested, "Please, don't- "
"But it's my fault, isn't it?... " Sky Strike sobbed, his body convulsing, "So much for being there for you whenever you needed me... so much for being your best friend... "
"That's not true!" Twilight yelled, "It wasn't your fault, Sky Strike! You did nothing wrong! You were just trying to save your city!" Sky Strike turned his head sharply, glaring back at the violet mare with his red puffy eyes.
"What would you know?" Sky Strike questioned, "If... If I wasn't so cocky... If I didn't try to do things by myself... maybe I could have made a difference... I should be the one buried six feet under... not him!" Twilight gasped, shaking her head and standing up.
"That's ridiculous!" Twilight stomped, "You shouldn't think like that! I'm sorry for what happened, but you shouldn't be going over the 'what ifs' or the 'maybes'. You life ten years ago may have ended, but you still have so much to live for!"
"Yeah, right... " Sky Strike muttered, looking back at the graves, "My family probably has forgotten all about me... the lame father who left his wife and daughter behind as he tried to play hero. Dashie probably hates me forever now... "
"That's not true!" Twilight responded, gritting her teeth, "I bet she thinks about you all the time! Are you just going to let her forget about you?!" Sky Strike hissed, standing up and turning to face the unicorn, tears freely streaming down his cheeks.
"Maybe she should!" Sky Strike shouted back, "Ten years have passed, Twilight! Why would she need a father now if she lost hers?! She probably thinks I'm a joke!" The two ponies glared daggers at each other, both with puffy eyes from the crying. Their chests rose and fell with each short breath they took, taking in the cold misty air surrounding them.
"U-Um... are you two okay?"
Sky Strike blinked, turning his head to see a small yellow filly shielding her body with the tree. Her head poked out from behind it, a bright pink ribbon tied onto her red mane. She wore a worried expression, looking back and forth between Twilight and Sky Strike.
Twilight immediately straightened up, taking in a deep breath to calm herself, "Sorry Applebloom... " Twilight smiled weakly, "We didn't mean to disturb you." Sky Strike loosened up considerably, his furious expression being replaced by mild shock.
"Oh, it's okay!" Applebloom smiled, "Ah was just helpin' Applejack place the buckets beneath the trees when ah heard you two." Applebloom lightened up, glancing to see Sky Strike watching her.
"Hello, mister!" She chirped, "Mah name's Applebloom, and come to think of it, ah've never seen you before! Ah thought you were Rainbow Dash for a sec!" Sky Strike's face softened again, looking over at Twilight before meeting Applebloom's eyes.
"Applebloom... " He straightened, "So... you're Apple Marston's daughter."
Applebloom smiled, looking over at the gravestones, "Uh huh! You knew mah pa? Ah never did, but Applejack always says he was awful nice." The small filly approached the two graves, reaching her hoof to brush off a few specks of dirt on the names.
Sky Strike, after a moment of hesitation, turned around and walked up beside Applebloom, looking at the name of his friend carved into the stone. Applebloom glanced up at him with a sad smile tugging on her lips, her tail swishing gently behind her.
"How often do you think about your parents?" Sky Strike asked, reaching his hoof to help wipe off some of the dust. Twilight stood in the back, refusing to let herself interfere with the ongoing conversation.
"Well, " Applebloom thought aloud, "Whenever ah see mah friends with their families, or whenever ah'm lookin' through an old photo book. Granny Smith tells me 'bout them every once in ah while, and sometimes at night ah try to think about what they were like. Big Macintosh, Applejack, and my Granny really take care of me, but... " She brought her hoof to her chest, her eyes looking down.
"What's wrong?" Sky Strike asked, cocking his head, "You feeling okay?"
Applebloom nodded, "Y-yeah, it's just that whenever ah really start to think about what my pa really sounded like when he talked, or how beautiful my ma's voice was when she sang... well, my chest hurts a little... " Twilight looked away, her ears slightly drooping. She had certainly been going through a roller coaster of emotions lately...
Sky Strike stiffened, but a small smile broke onto his lips, "Your dad's voice was thick but kind, and he was a gentleman if I ever saw one. If you got on his bad side, you were surely gonna get it, but he was always fair and tried to do the right thing... even if he had a big ugly mug and was easy to irritate." Applebloom couldn't help but give a little giggle.
"Your mother, " Sky Strike continued, "She was very beautiful... sometimes I wonder how your father even got a mare like her. She came from a high class family, but she wasn't even the least bit snobbish. She was one of the smartest ponies I knew, and she really knew how to make you feel silly. Her voice was like velvet, and she had quite a fan-base back here on Ponyville."
Applebloom smiled at the stallion, "Wow, really?! Ah wish ah could of heard her... " Applebloom looked down at her mother's grave. She pawed at the ground nervously, a faint blush on her cheeks, "Mister... do you think they loved me? Even before they knew me?"
Sky Strike reached down a hoof to ruffle Applebloom's mane, "You kidding me? Whenever I saw your pa he would do nothing but talk about how great his next daughter would be. He kept saying that you would grow up strong and proud like he was, and your mother wouldn't stop talking about how beautiful you would be when you got older. They were ecstatic about you, Applebloom... and I'm sure that even now they're happy to see you from above." Applebloom sniffled a little, slowly turning to hug Sky Strike's front leg. He blinked, but then gave a light chuckle and slung a hoof over the small filly.
"Thank you, " She smiled, "But ah don't think ah got your name."
"Sky Strike, " He stated, letting go of the hug, "Sorry, but I have to cut this meeting short. I'll catch you later, Applebloom!" Applebloom paused, giving Sky Strike a look of confusion. She had heard that name before, but then decided that she'd figure it out after her chores. She gave him a happy smile and turned away, her small legs leading her back into the orchard. Sky Strike let out a happy sigh before turning to speak to Twilight.
"Hey, " He scratched the back of his head, "I want to say that I'm sorry... I shouldn't have broken down like that. It's just, well, hard... " Twilight nodded, lifting her hoof and placing it on his shoulder.
"No worries, " She smiled, "Not everypony goes through what you did... actually, I'm not sure anypony ever has." Sky Strike nodded, trying to form the right words to ask the question bouncing around in his head.
"So, " Sky Strike trailed off, "That pony, back at the library... the pegasus mare. Was... was that... " He tensed up, looking at Twilight while awaiting for the response.
"Yes, " Twilight nodded, "That was Rainbow Dash. " Sky Strike, even though he was expecting the answer, took a step back. His daughter was fully grown... and even though he didn't get a good look at her, he could tell that she was a strong flier. When he first saw her, he knew that she was familiar... he may not have been able to see it, but he felt it. There was a strange ease when he had been with her, and it was the same ease that he had with his little Dashie ten years ago.
"I see... " He nodded, "Do... do you have any clue where she could be?" Twilight thought to herself, pawing at the ground absentmindedly. Dash could be at her house, but there was no way to know for sure.
"We could check her home, but I'm not positive that she'll be there." Twilight frowned, "There could be quite a number of places... I know its basically been ten years and she's all grown up now, but would you have any idea where she could possibly be?"
"Maybe, " He figured, "I think I might know where she could be... might take a bit of looking to find it, though." Sky Strike gazed up at the skies, Celestia's sun still beaming its proud elegance. Twilight curiously noted the smile curling on his lips... he was definitely different from what he was five minutes.
"What changed you?" Twilight asked eagerly, "You seemed... pretty wrecked back there. Something to do with Applebloom?"
"You could say that, " Sky Strike agreed, "A filly who never got to meet her fantastic parents... maybe its kind of like a filly losing her fantastic dad." He chuckled quietly, "Anyways, it helped me understand something... if this is some dream, illusion, or a different world of any kind, it doesn't matter. Because there's one thing I know for sure: Dash needs her father."
Twilight gave him a sincere smile, "I'm glad that you recovered... I can imagine that it's a pretty tough thing to do." Twilight watched the stallion approach the tree once more, his knees bending to lay on the wet grass in front of the graves.
"I just came to a few realizations, that's all." He nodded, "You can head back now... I don't think I'll be returning to Cloudsdale yet. There's a few things I've got to do first, and I'd like some time alone with Marston here." Twilight paused, but gave him a nod. Although it appeared he recovered quickly, there was no doubt that his friend's death still had quite an impact on him. It was definitely best for him to have some alone time.
"Okay, " She smiled, "I'll be waiting at the library for you and Dash. I'll have Spike cook up some hay fries when you guys get back, alright?"
"Thank you, " Sky Strike smiled, "Wow... you're responsible, kind-hearted, and have a great head on your shoulders. I'm sure you'll make a great mother someday." Twilight flushed red, not expecting that kind of a compliment. Sky Strike gave out a laugh at her expression, and Twilight couldn't help but giggle with him.
"Well, thanks... " She smirked, her tail swishing, "I'll see you later." She gave one quick look back at Sky Strike before walking off into the sea of apple trees. Sky Strike was now alone at the tree, staring at two grey tombstones at its base. His ears drooped from his hanging head, his body quivering in the light mist.
And he cried.
Rainbow watched with minuscule interest as the small stone tumbled down the rocky cliff. It bounced down the steep terrain and grew smaller and smaller until she could no longer seen it. She sighed, the cold high altitude wind whipping her mane around like a toy.
She had no idea how long she had been there. Celestia's sun was now teetering on the horizon and burning a lazy orange while a few specks of Luna's stars twinkled into existence. From the mountain, she could see Ponyville in its entirety. Sweet Apple Acres wasn't too far in the distance since she could spot the thousands among thousands of apple trees. There was a small dot near the Everfree Forest that she speculated was Fluttershy's home. She spotted two extremely colorful buildings in town, but she couldn't differentiate Sugarcube Corner from the Carousel Boutique. Twilight's library, however, was easy to find since it was built inside of the largest tree in Ponyville.
Rainbow Dash stuck out one of her hooves, tapping it onto surface of the dirty rock until she found a stone of satisfying size. She prodded it with her hoof and watched it roll closer and closer to the edge of the cliff. When it was just a hair's breath away from falling, she gave it a hard shove, launching the small stone into the air, once again watching it tumble down the mountain's steep side. When it disappeared, Rainbow repeated the process, sticking her hoof out to feel for any rock standing out.
Instead, her hoof touched something leathery with glass.
She paused, hesitantly pulling the goggles into view. Despite its age, the goggles were in pretty decent shape. Well, not when you looked at it... the leather was worn around the lens, and every once in a while it would get too loose. The glass was in excellent condition, and the lenses had never broken. It was the pair she had worn in the Wonderbolts camp, and it was the pair she used for the weather team. Her father's pair. The last thing her father left her before leaving all those years ago.
She had found them herself lying in the middle of the street, completely undamaged but with no Sky Strike in sight. Everypony in Cloudsdale went looking for him... the weather team, friends, and just citizens in general.
When nopony could find him, he was declared a hero. Even Celestia herself came down to honor his sacrifice. But that didn't make it any better.. Dash was still without a father and an important friend.
"Those are my goggles, aren't they?"
Rainbow Dash's eyes flared wide and she gritted her teeth. She ignored him, her hoof looking for another rock to shove off the high cliff.
"I had a feeling you would've come up here. Whenever I would would need some time to think to myself, I would find the highest point nearby and stay there. Sometimes for hours." Rainbow Dash tried to block out his words, her hoof still tapping the earth to find a new victim.
"Come on, kiddo. Is that how you treat your dear ole' dad after so long?"
That tone of voice... it was completely different from earlier at the library. It was the same voice that she had heard in her dreams. It took her offguard at first, but she managed to stand up. She wanted to go. She wanted to stay. She wanted to hit him. She wanted to hug him. Emotions fought her on all sides, and it was a battle that could never be won.
"So you finally recognized me?" She snapped, turning around to face her father. He looked... horrible. Enough to make her gasp lightly. His coat was ruffled and his mane was ragged-looking... his eyes were red, and she could tell that there had been tears racing down his cheeks.
"I always knew it was you, Dashie." He smiled, "I just needed to be convinced. I'm sorry it took so long, sport."
"Don't call me those names!" She hissed, her wings flaring in anger, "I'm not little anymore, dad. I'm a grown mare, and I- I didn't care if you recognized me or not! I don't even care if you're sorry!" Those were lies. And her father could see right through them.
"Dashie, " Sky Strike took a slow step towards his daughter, "Please... just talk to me."
"Forget it!" She shook her head, "What is there to say?! You left me for ten years and you broke all of your stupid promises!" She snarled, pointing her hoof at her father, "You... you weren't there when I got into flight school... you weren't there when I got my cutie mark... you weren't there when I graduated... y-you weren't there when I got into the wonderbolts training camp... you weren't there at the young fliers competition... they were important to me, and you weren't there for any of it!"
"I know... " Sky Strike pressed, "Dashie, I'm so sorry - "
"Shut up!" Rainbow Dash screeched, water forming in her eyes, "Just shut up! It doesn't matter anymore! When you left, everything changed! M-Mom is barely talking to me, she got her stupid professor's job, and... and she's remarried!" Rainbow Dash cringed as the words left her lips, staring wide-eyed at her father.
Sky Strike had been through a lot in the past few hours. Reality stabbed him right in the heart, and now his daughter's words dealt the killing blow. It felt like somepony shot the thickest arrow they had into his heart, making his knees go weak. He had lost his daughter, he had lost his best friend, and now he discovered that he had lost the love of his life. His knees gave way, his legs losing all their strength. Was there anything left in this world worth living for?...
...No...there was... He had not lost Dash.
He stomped his hooves into the cliff, resisting the blow that rattled his brain. He couldn't falter, not now. Dash was right in front of him... he needed to make things right.
"Dashie, " He called, taking one shaky step after another, "You told me your dreams... do you know what mine were?" Rainbow took a step back, her ears droopy as the tears began to trickle like streams down her blue coat.
"My dream... " He continued, his quivering hooves struggling to keep him upright, "My dream... was to watch you grow. I wanted to see you change into the wonderful pony I knew you'd become. I wanted to hold you when you cried, scold you when you were wrong, and love you when you needed me to... and I wanted to grow old with your mother while you went on to achieve great things... "
Rainbow opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Her throat was dry, her body frozen in place.
"I know everything changed when I left... and I wish I never did, " He breathed, "I know that I wasn't there for you... I know I hurt you. But do you know how much it hurts knowing that I will never be able to achieve my dreams?" He grew closer and closer to his daughter, fighting the sadness filling his heart.
"D-Daddy... " Rainbow Dash choked, "I... I... "
"Dashie, " He panted, stopping just a few inches in front of his daughter, "You still need me... I know you do... but you have to realize that I need you even more. Will you please forgive this sorry excuse for a father, Dash?"
Dash stared into her father's eyes. She could see the pain that was jabbing into his heart and she could feel the remorse and sadness that engulfed his thoughts. The father that she had looked up to was now a mess, and he looked like he could collapse. The super-stallion that she had called father... was putting himself on a limb for her.
And she still needed him.
"Stupid!" She cried, her sobs coming in full force as she rushed him, her hooves beating into his chest, "Stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid!" Dash's blows were severely weakened, her father taking them hit by hit as he stared at her, a gentle smile on his face as the rivers flowed down her cheeks.
"I hate you!" She cried, "I hate you! I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you!" She collapsed into his open hooves, her face nuzzling into his neck as she bawled, throwing her own hooves around him to squeeze him tight, not wanting to let him go ever again. Sky Strike smiled, his hoof smoothing down her wild rainbow mane as he gazed at the sun disappearing into the horizon.
"It's okay, Dash." He whispered, "It's okay. I'm back for good now. I'll never leave you again. In fact, I'm going to be with you for long, long time. But this time, you can make sure of it, alright?" Rainbow Dash sobbed something unintelligible, but he could guess what she meant.
He still hurt... but now there was a small light at the end of the tunnel.
Twilight paced nervously, trotting back and forth in front of the door. Celestia's sun had completely sunk below the horizon, and Luna's moon was now high in the sky. The purple mare could smell the cooking hayfries in the kitchen and could hear Spike's humming a nameless tune. She heard a few clanking sounds in the kitchen signifying that the hayfries were done cooking.
After a few moments Spike walked into the room gripping a plate covered with hayfries. He gave Twilight an unamused look, setting the plate down onto the center table.
"Twilight, you shouldn't worry too much." He shrugged, taking a seat, "I'm sure they'll be fine. Why don't you sit down and have a few hayfries? Come to think of it, I haven't seen you eat anything all day." Twilight felt her stomach grumble in protest but she ignored it.
"It's nighttime, Spike." Twilight frowned, looking back at her assistant, "I'm worried that Sky Strike couldn't find Rainbow Dash... and do you know what Sky Strike has been through all day? Instead of experiencing those ten years like we all did, he had it all dropped onto him in one day. He's definitely not in good shape after that. I'm just concerned that he'll hurt himself."
"Yeah, " Spike frowned, swallowing one of the hayfries, "We can help him with it, but it's something that only Rainbow can really do. Anyways, I'm going to change the subject to something less depressing. Weren't you going to write a letter to Celestia about this?"
Twilight pursed her lips, taking a seat across from Spike, "Well, I think it's better to show her. Besides, I'd feel a bit ridiculous sending her a letter telling her about a pony that disappeared ten years ago suddenly reappeared without aging a day."
"True," Spike nodded, "Oh, and one more thing. The Grand Galloping Gala's coming up soon, and I'm sure that Celestia's going to ask you to come along again this year. Any thoughts on it?"
Twilight crinkled her nose, the bad memories from last time still crystal clear in her mind, "I'll talk to the others about it... but I'm sure as long as we're all together it'll be fine." She smiled, reaching over to finally grab one of the delicious hay fries.
There was a knocking at the door.
Despite her physical limitations, Spike was completely surprised by how fast Twilight got up and bolted at the door, perhaps even rivaling the speed of a wonder bolt! Twilight immediately grasped the doorknob with her hooves and tore open the recently fixed door (Spike couldn't fix it on his own, so he caught Big Macintosh when he was in town to help him out).
Two pegasi with rainbow mane's greeted her, both looking quite ragged and terrible. Sky Strike was the worst, looking like he'd just been put through the war between Celestia and Nightmare moon one thousand years ago. They were both wearing tired smiles, but a strange happiness was glinting in their eyes.
"So... " Rainbow Dash smirked, "I heard something about Hayfries?" Twilight blinked, stepping inside to let the two ponies walk rather slowly into the library, their tails swishing behind them.
Spike spotted them and waved a hayfire in his claw, "Hey! Is everything all worked out?" He asked, cocking his head.
Sky Strike gave a little chuckle, reaching over to ruffle Rainbow Dash's mane, "She's still a bit sore at me, but I'll make it up to her. I believe I owe you quite a few cakes at Sugarcube Corner, don't I?" Rainbow gave him a look, but she had a wide smirk gracing her lips.
"Yeah you do!" She chuckled, taking a seat next to the purple dragon, "But that can definitely wait till tomorrow... I'm pooped."
"Yeah... " Sky Strike groaned, sitting across from his daughter, "Not to mention famished... I'm so emotionally drained right now that I could probably see a bunny get eaten and not feel anything." He grumbled, grabbing a hayfry and stuffing it into his mouth. Spike gasped at Sky Strike while Rainbow gave out a loud laugh, slapping her hoof onto the dragon's back and telling him it was a joke.
Twilight took her seat between the two ponies, glancing back and forth. There was so much that she wanted to ask, but it would definitely have to wait for later. Rainbow and her father looked like they could collapse any second, but were still fighting over the hayfries regardless. She giggled softly, happy that the grueling day was finally coming to an end.
Sky Strike snatched the last fry on the plate, smirking at his daughter as he eagerly munched onto it, "A little slow, Dash." He grinned, "I hope you're faster in the air than you are on your hooves." Spike made a 'ooooh!' sound, feeling a competitive atmosphere.
Rainbow cocked her eye, crossing her forehooves, "Oh yeah, old man? Just you wait... if I wasn't so exhausted, I would've left you in the dust on our way over here."
Sky Strike chuckled in response, "You remind me of those kids I teach- I mean taught flight lessons to. Almost the same attitude and everything... until I lapped them three times in a race around Cloudsdale." He smirked, "You merely adopted the name 'Greatest Flier in Equestria', but I invented it. You still got a long ways to go, kiddo." Spike made another 'ooooh' and Rainbow effortlessly shoved him off the table and onto the floor.
"Flight lessons, huh?" Twilight glanced at Sky Strike, "Ten years ago... I wonder what they're doing now." Spike groaned, rubbing his head when he got back up onto his seat.
"Same, " Rainbow Dash nodded, "You know, you never really told me who you were teaching." Sky Strike saw that all eyes were on him and gave a little shrug.
"Well, " He thought for a moment, "There were quite a lot, and they were all talented, but there were really only two that really stuck out. I'm sure they're doing well for themselves." It seemed like yesterday that he had last seen them... well, for him, it actually was yesterday.
"Oh really?" Spike asked, "Who?" Sky Stirke smiled, a clear image of his students still fresh in his head. Images of an athletic teenaged blue colt alongside an orange fire-colored mare of similar age.
"Their names were Soarin and Spitfire." He smiled.
Dash nearly flipped the table.