//------------------------------//
// Returning Home 
// Story: Storm on the Horizon 
// by moguera 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 20: Returning Home

The sun had passed its zenith and was slipping westwards as Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust stepped out of the Wonderbolt headquarters.  The two of them paused to glance back at the impressive visage of the building.  Rainbow especially liked the towering carved cumulous columns that flanked either entrance.  They were common enough in Cloudsdale architecture and Rainbow had even made some for her own cloud home.  But this set was especially massive, each twice her own length in diameter and towering higher than the clock tower in Ponyville.
Almost simultaneously, she and Lightning let out an envious sigh, both of them anticipating the day that they would walk through those doors as actual Wonderbolts.  The sound caused them to freeze and look at each other.  Rainbow had always been struck by the similarities between herself and the light green mare.  It made her shiver to imagine how easily she could have taken the same path Lightning had at the Academy and gotten herself thrown out.  That was at least part of the reason she couldn't bear Lightning any ill will.
"So..." said Rainbow after a nervous moment, rubbing her right foreleg against her left for a moment while avoiding eye contact, "Are we cool?"
Lightning seemed to muse over the question for a moment.  "Yeah, we're cool," she said, "I was out of control at the Academy.  I've had a lot of time to think about that and Spitfire talked to me about it too.  She said it was partly her fault things got as bad as they did.  But that doesn't excuse what I did."  She stared forlornly down at her hooves.
Rainbow reached over and rested a hoof on her former partner's shoulder.  "If you understand that, then we don't have a problem.  Friends?"  She pulled her hoof away and held it out in front of her.
Lightning glanced down at Rainbow's hoof and smiled before reaching out with hers and bumping them together.  "Friends."  She spread her wings and took to the sky.  "Catch ya later."
"See ya," answered Rainbow as Lightning Dust flew away.
"Try not to spend too much time making out with your coltfriend!" shouted the green mare as she dwindled in the distance, her parting shot making Rainbow's cheeks color.
"Jerk," she muttered with a small smile on her face.
"I said I was sorry."  Rainbow's shriek of surprise could have shattered glass as she jumped twice her height in the air and whirled about see Soarin' grinning at her with a glimmer of mischief in his eyes.
"Oh you'll get yours mister," she grumbled as her new coltfriend chuckled and stepped forward to rub his neck against hers.
"Come on," he said, "Let’s get you home."
"You're coming with me?"  Rainbow tilted her head in surprise.
"Yep," answered Soarin', "I am on leave after all.  I figured I might spend it in Ponyville, if you're okay with that."
A coy grin spread across Rainbow's face.  "Oh I am so okay with that.  I can introduce you to all my friends and we can maybe get you some of that pie you like so much."
"Seriously," groaned Soarin', rolling his eyes dramatically, "What is it with everypony assuming that I'm obsessed with pie?"
"Oh it might have something to do with that time I saved your pie at the Gala," said Rainbow with a giggle, "You were freaking out when you dropped it."
"Hey," protested the stallion, "It smelled really good, I paid good money for it, we'd just finished a show, and I was really hungry.  Okay!"
"You shoved your face into it."
"...I didn't see any knives or pie servers lying around."
"Didn't think to borrow some from the kitchens huh?"
Now it was Soarin's turn to blush as Rainbow guffawed loudly.  Turning his head around, he muttered, "Enjoy a pie once, get marked for life."  After a moment, he regained his composure and chuckled, taking the ribbing with good humor.  "Come on," he said, getting ready to take off, "Let's head out.  I'm sure you're anxious to get back to Ponyville."
"Yeah," agreed Rainbow, before letting out a yawn.  She had worked hard today.  That, combined with the huge lunch she had just eaten, was making her sleepy.  "I can't wait 'til we get there.  I need a nap, big time."
"Hmm," mused Soain', "That does sound nice.  Lead the way Rainbow Dash."



It took a few minutes for Dawn to pry his eyelids open.  The room was dark, with shades drawn across the windows to keep out the afternoon sunlight.  Trying to lift his head, Dawn winced.  His neck, along with the rest of his body, particularly his wings, was stiff and sore.  Moving any part took a good bit of effort.  He realized that it had been a long time since he had exerted his full strength.  The only battle where he had worn himself out in a similar manner had landed him in the hospital, so the aftereffects of heavy exercise had been the least of his concerns.  The stitches on his shoulder and the other, smaller bandages across his body itched a little.  But it was an itch the ebony colt could endure.
As he surveyed the room, Dawn's slit-pupil eyes came to rest on the feathered form of Ouranos who was perched on a stand across the room from him, next to a small desk.  The phoenix noticed Dawn's stirring and trilled excitedly, fluttering his wings and ruffling his feathers.  A moment later, Dawn's ears picked up the sound of hooves on the other side of the door, which opened to admit Spitfire, no longer clad in her flight suit and expertly balancing a tray across one of her wings.
A low growl emitted from Dawn's stomach as his nose picked up the scent of grilled vegetables from the tray.  Spitfire chuckled as she lowered the tray onto the nightstand next to the bed.  Dawn could also see a pot of tea and cups on it as well.
"You didn't strike me as the kind of guy who goes for sweet stuff," said Spitfire before she slipped a hoof through the handle of the kettle and poured two cups of tea.
Dawn gave her a grateful look before taking a sip from his cup.  It was a mild white tea.  Then he attacked the vegetables with a great deal of fervor, emptying the heaped plate in just a couple of minutes.  Spitfire chuckled as he settled back with a sigh of satisfaction.  "Worked up an appetite?" she asked.  Dawn settled for giving her a raised eyebrow.
"So then, when can I leave?"
That brought a disappointed frown to the mare's face.  "Desperate to go already?"
"I think I've caused my mother enough anxiety," he said.
"Don't worry too much about it," said Spitfire, "I sent Rainbow Dash ahead to let them know you're fine.  But I wanted to talk to you a little more."
"About what?"
"About your future," replied Spitfire calmly, "You did some incredible things today.  Very few ponies reach your level of skill within their lifetimes.  And almost none reach that level at your age."
"I had a great deal of time to refine my skills without distraction," explained Dawn, "Although I ended up straying from the Way."
"Which makes your achievement all the more impressive," commented Spitfire with a shrug, "Normally, when a pony takes the wrong path, it takes years for them to correct themselves.  You managed to do so in just a few months, if I remember what I heard correctly."
"Have you been watching me?"
Spitfire shook her head.  "I keep in contact with friends.  One of the other Knights is staying Ponyville right now.  Care to guess who?"
"It would be Arkenstone, wouldn't it?" ventured Dawn.
"You knew?"
"It wasn't that difficult," replied Dawn, "I realized the first time I met him that he was at a completely different level from me.  He's easily the strongest pony I've ever met...with the exception of yourself."
"He's actually stronger than me when I'm just fighting by myself," said Spitfire, "When I have Ouranos with me, that's a different matter.  I like to think my Raiment is stronger than his."  Hearing his name caused the phoenix to look up and warble softly.
"Raiment?"
"It's a term Princess Celestia came up with," explained Spitfire as she refilled their teacups, "It's something that all ponies who seek the highest levels of the martial practices develop.  When you reach a certain level, you develop a Raiment.  It's not something that can be defined concretely because it's different depending on what art you practice and who you are.
"Princess Celestia described it as a pony cloaking herself with her power, drawing it around herself like a garment.  It's something you only do if you're seriously preparing to go all out.  It takes a different form depending on the user.  For me, it's a complete transformation.  For some ponies, there's no visible change, it's sort of like putting their game face on, but the air becomes so alive with their power that they can completely crush weaker enemies with nothing more than their sheer presence.
"For the Knights, our Raiment is our badge of office, the sole thing we have to our credit that declares our true rank.  We have no ring, no decoration, no piece of jewelry.  Ultimately, it is our power that serves as proof of our authority."
Dawn frowned as he considered the implications.  "That seems...rather imprudent.  On one hoof, it makes it all the easier for you to go incognito I suppose.  But such a means of asserting your authority seems quite open to corruption and misuse."
That drew a chuckle from the bright yellow mare.  "Quite true.  Princess Celestia is very careful about choosing whom she will bestow the rank, privileges, and responsibilities of Knighthood on.  But even she can make mistakes and there are still ponies in the world who can deceive even a pony as experienced and savvy as her.  However, it takes a very different kind of pony to rise to the level of power where they could be acknowledged as a Knight.  In order to obtain that power, you need to gain insight into yourself.  Those who gain that insight, rarely see any need to abuse the power they are granted.  Most of them don't even bother to use the power they are granted, because they've already seen that it isn't necessary to resolve most problems."
"How so?"
"An enlightened pony rarely needs to fight because she sees ways of solving problems that don't require violence.  My own teacher gave me these words: Nopony wins a battle."
"What does that mean?" asked Dawn.
"He explained it to me like this: Nopony wins a battle, they only survive it.  Once you have drawn your weapons and committed yourself to using violence, you have already lost.  The true victors are those who seek not to defeat their enemies, but save them."
"I'm not so certain I can truly believe that," said Dawn softly, "It is true that I have known many battles that were pointless.  I 'survived' them in the manner that you speak of.  But I also believe that there are times where fighting is inevitable, or even preferable to situations where the problem can be resolved without fighting.  They are rare, but I believe they exist."
"I can't say I disagree with you," admitted Spitfire, "Even if you use every tool to try and keep a battle from starting, it may end up being necessary in the end.  My teacher also said as much.  But he also said that it is that goal for which we should strive, to wield our power so that we can learn to not rely on it."
"I see."  Dawn drained his cup and looked Spitfire in the eyes.  "May I ask why we are having this discussion?"
"Like I said," remarked Spitfire, "Your future interests me.  One day, perhaps not too far into the future, you will achieve a level of strength equivalent to what I or Arkenstone have.  You could be a Knight."
"Is that what you would like me to become?"
Spitfire sighed softly and turned to look out the window.  “Dawn, do you know why there are seven Knights?”
The colt paused, his mind working.  Seven was sometimes a symbolic number.  But he couldn’t think of one that would match up to what the Knights were supposed to be or do.  “Is it significant for some reason?”
“It is,” answered Spitfire softly, “Seven is significant because that’s all we could find.  Do you understand?  In all of Equestria, among millions of ponies, only seven of us possessed the qualities that allowed us to become Knights; the power to turn back the threats to our nation's safety and sovereignty, the wisdom to use that power properly and with discretion, and the dedication to give a significant portion of our lives to a duty that few ponies will know and thank us for.  Only seven; but it hasn’t always been seven.  At our peak, the Order numbered thirteen.  At our lowest, we’ve numbered four.”  She paused and drained her own cup.
“So you wish to increase the number of Knights in service then?” asked Dawn.
Spitfire frowned and stared down into her own empty cup.  "One of the most difficult duties a Knight is tasked with is finding a successor.  It's not simply a matter of taking on a squire or apprentice.  Even if I found somepony I could train in the same technique and magic that I use, they could still end up going in a completely different direction.  Very few ponies ever develop the means to reach the level we stand at.  When we find those ponies, we like to try and guide their growth so that they might some day take our place when we retire...if we live that long.  It's best to start early and to jump on any opportunity that we are given, because we don’t always succeed."
"And why would I wish to become a Knight?"
Spitfire's eyes narrowed as she looked up, meeting Dawn's own.  "Because you are a good pony.  You will strive to do the right thing.  Knighthood is another sort of power you can obtain towards that end."  She smirked.  "And...because you are Dark Wing's student."
Dawn's head shot up in surprise, his ears standing straight up.  "You know my Master?"
That drew a chuckle from the fiery mare.  "I saw his technique in your battle earlier today.  While you've grown into your own form, I can still see the foundations that he laid in your training.  I actually got to meet him a few times.  This was before I became a Knight.  I even got to see his Raiment once."
Dawn's eyes widened.  "What was it like?"
Spitfire shuddered.  "Terrifying.  He donned it once when we were sparring to show me the full scope of what I was up against.  At that moment, it was like he melted into the air.  He ceased to exist as a pony and his presence stretched outwards until it felt as though the sky itself was my enemy.  Let me tell you, as a pegasus, that's one of the most frightening things you can experience."
"That sounds like him," admitted Dawn sadly as he looked down at his hooves.
Spitfire smiled tenderly and reached out with a gentle hoof to stroke Dawn's mane.  He flinched at the unexpected contact, but didn't pull away.  "I know," she said, "That he's proud of you and the pony that you've become.
Dawn sighed softly, lowering his head.  "I miss him."
"I know you do.  But he lives on through your heart and your technique."  Spitfire continued to run her hoof through his mane.
The room seemed to blur slightly.  The food settled in Dawn's stomach, combined with the fact that he was still tired from the battle, was lulling him back to sleep.  Spitfire's gentle hoof stroking along his neck wasn't helping matters either.
"Go ahead and sleep," she said softly, "You need some more rest.  I'll take you home tomorrow."
Dawn's eyes drifted shut and he knew no more.



"When do you think Rainbow Dash will get here?" asked Pinkie, bouncing excitedly, "Oh I hope she gets back soon!  Then we can party!"
The others, seated around the table in the center of the Sugarcube Corner turned curious eyes to Storm Front, who merely shrugged.  "I suspect Spitfire will want to debrief her, but she she should be back by evening."
"I still can't believe it," muttered Twilight, "It was bad enough when they sent forty Guards to force Ponyville to surrender Rainbow Dash, but planning a coup against the Princesses, building weapons of mass destruction...it sounds so ridiculous."
"War is a ridiculous thing in general," commented Storm Front.
"But I'm so glad to hear that everything turned out okay," said Fluttershy softly, "And I'll be so relieved to have Dawn back at home."
All of Fluttershy's friends smiled at her relief, save for Pinkie, who looked unusually pensive.  Twilight was the first to notice.  "Um Pinkie...is something the matter?"
"Hmm, well..."  Pinkie tapped her chin, "I was just thinking how nice it would be to throw a party for Rainbow Dash whens she gets back, except then I realized that I would just be throwing it for Rainbow Dash when Dawn deserves one too."
"Well yes," said Rarity, "But why would you ever dream of leaving that dear colt out of the festivities Pinkie?"
"I thought it was weird too," said Pinkie, "And I was wondering why I left Dawn out and only thought about Dashie.  But now I think it's because Stormy here only ever said that Dashie was coming back."
Six pairs of eyes turned to latch onto the dark cloud-colored stallion, who tensed nervously in the face of their questioning expressions.
"Storm Front."  The stallion shivered.  Fluttershy's voice was as soft and gentle as it usually was.  But there was a chilly edge to her tone that made even the battle-hardened stallion's heart beat faster with anxiety.  Fluttershy's expression looked positively serene, but Storm Front couldn't help but flinch away from her as her teal eyes locked on his.  "Why haven't you said anything about my son?"
"Well..."  Storm Front's eyes flicked nervously from face to face.  Even though he wasn't the most talkative of ponies, it was rare for him to fumble for words.  "Dawn ended up in a duel with a formidable opponent.  I do not believe he came out of the battle unscathed."
"What?"  There was no gentility to be found in Fluttershy's words as her eyes narrowed and her Stare turned into a Glare, fixing the poor stallion on the spot like an insect in a collection.
"Spitfire recovered him.  She said his injuries were not severe, but that she was going to keep him overnight to be on the safe side.  She told me that she would bring him back tomorrow."  The audience noticed that Storm seemed to be speaking faster than usual.
"Oh well," said Fluttershy, her angry look dissolving, "I'm glad that that's settled.  I wouldn't want to worry when Rainbow Dash came back by herself."  Her smile widened, straining her cheeks as her eyes narrowed in a cheerful expression that looked at once ridiculous and terrifying.  "So would you care to explain why you felt it was a good idea to leave out something as important as the fact that my son was injured?"  She leaned forward over the table at Storm Front, who cringed away from her like a terrified foal.
"Um...well..."  The stallion couldn't come up with a reasonable explanation, or anything for that matter.
"Please don't do that again," said Fluttershy, leaning back away from him, all sense of menace fading from her presence as she settled back into her seat, an expression of the utmost benevolence once again in place.
"Whew," gasped Applejack, letting out the breath she didn't even know she was holding.  Leaning over, she whispered into Rarity's ear.  "Ah sure am glad Ah got over those silly superstitions about Dawn.  Ah don't like to think 'o what she woulda done to me if Ah'd kept goin'."
"Indeed," agreed Rarity with a nod, a slight smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth, "There is truly nothing more frightening than a legitimately angry Fluttershy."
The mare in question gave a recovering Storm Front a serious look.  "Please do not treat me like a foal.  I was aware that there was a chance Dawn might get hurt if he did this.  I allowed him to go, even knowing that, because it was his decision.  So I can accept it when it happens, even if it means..."  She trailed off briefly, not wanting to go further down that train of thought.  "In any case, please do not try to conceal that sort of thing from me in the future."
"Yes ma'am," said Storm Front, nodding rapidly.
"So then," said Twilight, trying to guide the conversation back onto its original course, "What should we do when Rainbow comes back?"  She looked at Pinkie as though she expected a particular proposal from the pink party pony.
"What?" asked Pinkie with a shrug, "I can't throw one if Dawn isn't here too."
"Oh," said Twilight, blinking as though dazzled, "I forgot about that."
"Well we should most definitely treat our dear girl to dinner," said Rarity decisively, "It should be her choice and we should allow her to get whatever she wants.  In spite of the good news she's bringing, she has most likely had a most wretched day.  Oh...assuming that she gets back early enough.  But if she's too late, we can always treat her to brunch instead.  Oh!  And we simply must take her to the spa.  Even though she doesn't go in for hooficures, I know that Rainbow Dash simply adores the mineral bath and Lotus's massages."
"If she's going to get here in the evening, that'll probably have to wait until tomorrow," Twilight pointed out.
"That's fine darling," said Rarity, "Our dear Rainbow deserves a day off after what she's done for us.  I simply won't hear of her going in to work tomorrow."
"That's fine," said Twilight, "But she's probably still going to need to meet with the mayor and probably the Farmer's Union too so that they can talk about the new weather schedule.  Hopefully the fact that this whole problem with the tribalists was resolved means that we can get our weather back on track."
"Well yes, but surely that can wait a day or so."  Rarity gave Applejack a questioning look.
The orange farmer shrugged.  "Ah can't say Ah have a problem with it mahself.  But some 'o the other ponies' crops ain't so hardy as our apple trees.  Even if Rainbow does deserve it, we shouldn't keep 'em waitin' fer too long.  Celestia knows we've all waited long enough already."
"Ah well...yes," Rarity admitted, her tone slightly petulant, now that her plans were being derailed.
Twilight's eyes glittered with mirth at her friend's distress.  "The reward for work well-done is more work," she quipped.
"Quite so," said Rarity with a despondent sigh.



As it turned out, Rainbow Dash was ahead of the curve.  As she swooped down low over Ponyville, she wanted nothing more than to head into Sugarcube Corner, get a snack and talk with her friends for a while.  But her eyes immediately zeroed in on Town Hall.  She still had work to do.  Angling her wings, Rainbow banked, curving in the direction of the town's center of government.
"Where are we going?" asked Soarin' from his position slightly behind her.
"Sorry," Rainbow shouted over her shoulder, "Still got some work to do."
Rainbow touched down, landing at a trot right in front of the doors, walking in without so much as breaking stride.  Soarin' came in for a landing behind her, glancing right and left, a certain degree of wariness in his manner.  He was a celebrity after all.  Fortunately, all he got were the standard looks of interest belonging to ponies who recognized a new arrival in the town when they saw one.  Soarin' heaved a sigh of relief, realizing that, without his flight suit, he looked like just another pegasus.  Looking in, he saw that Rainbow was already out of view.
With a low groan, Soarin' sat back on his haunches and settled in to wait.



"So everything has been cleared up then?" asked Mayor Mare after sitting riveted by Rainbow's retelling of the events in Cloudsdale.
"Yeah.  The factory workers are going to start breaking up those artileryheads and converting them into rainclouds.  They should have the first storms ready to go within the week."  Rainbow blinked her eyes furiously in an effort to keep them open.  She had already spent half an hour explaining what had happened to the older mare.  The day's events were beginning to tell on her as Celestia's sun dipped towards the horizon outside.  She was feeling the gnawing of hunger in her gut too.  Rainbow tensed, expecting to hear, any minute now, the rumbling of her stomach interrupting this important conversation.
"I see," said Mayor Mare, pulling some forms out of a drawer and setting them in front of her.  She couldn't write and talk at the same time, so she let them lie while she focused her gaze on Rainbow.  "I will need to inform the Farmer's Union so that we can determine their immediate rainwater needs."
"I'll get started on the requisition forms," said Rainbow, "We'll need to make requests for shade clouds too, that'll keep the water from evaporating out of the soil, but we don't want to cut off the sunlight too much...this is gonna be tricky..."
"Now hold on there," said the mayor decisively, halting Rainbow before she could get her momentum going, "After all the trouble you've gone through already, the last thing I'll hear about from you is more work until you've gotten some proper rest."
"But we need to get things ready right away!" protested Rainbow, "The autumn harvest is just around the corner as far as the crops are concerned.  If we don't get things settled now, a lot of ponies could lose their produce."
"That will be dealt with," said Mayor Mare easily, her tone almost dismissive, "But that will not stop me from ordering you to take a month of paid vacation."
"A month!" exclaimed Rainbow, "But!"
"Oh don't worry about the weather dear," said Mayor Mare, "This is the perfect opportunity for us to begin working on your replacement."
Rainbow's jaw hit the table as she stared in stunned shock at her employer.  Replace her!?  The best weather manager Ponyville had seen since its founding.  And just after she had gone and nearly gotten herself executed to get the town's weather back on track.
Mayor Mare gave Rainbow an encouraging smile, "Don't get ahead of yourself Rainbow Dash.  We aren't ready to lose you just yet.  But this has been weighing on my mind ever since you got back from the Academy.  I suspect it won't be long now.  You'll be joining the Wonderbolts soon.  From the sound of how things went in Cloudsdale, that day may be fast approaching.  If that's the case, you certainly won't be able to pull double duty as our weather manager I think."
Working her jaw closed, Rainbow nodded as Mayor Mare's words made her regret her panic attack.  Of course Ponyville wouldn't leave me hanging.
"That's why I want you the pick the pony you think best suited to taking your position when you move on to bigger and better things.  Allowing her to handle the management through this period will give her some important experience in crisis management when she takes over for you down the line.
"I'll also allow her to consult with you when she needs help, but I hope you won't let her pressure you into to doing her work for her.  I also expect you and her to note the time spent on such consultations so that you can be compensated accordingly."
"Okay," said Rainbow nodding.
"So then," said Mayor Mare, resting her chin on her hooves, "Who is your choice to succeed you as weather manager for Ponyville."
Rainbow didn't even need to think for a minute before she grinned.  "Raindrops," she said, "She'd be my first choice."
"Are you certain?"
"More or less," said Rainbow, "She's the one I leave in charge when I have to go somewhere or do something else.  More importantly, she's steady, so I know she can keep her head in a crisis."
Having a level head was a definite plus in weather management, particularly when one worked in a town like Ponyville, with the bordering Everfree Forest always causing interference, sometimes catastrophically.  Thanks to her constant training in intense flight techniques, Rainbow Dash had gained something of an innate sense in how to read a situation and decide what to do to resolve a problem.  During crisis situations, it created a unique form of teamwork wherein Rainbow directed her team to mainly support her efforts while she did much of the heavy lifting.  Once she left, there wasn't anypony who had the capability to take over that particular role.  Raindrops, Thunderlane, and Cloud Chaser had all gone to the Academy with her.  But even with that intensive training, none of them had the kind of flight capability that Rainbow did, which meant that whoever took her place would have to be more team-oriented and able to figure out how to make use of the talents and skills of the other members.  In such a scenario, Raindrops' calm, rational approach to problem-solving would work better than Rainbow's take-charge and do-it-herself methods.
"I see," said Mayor Mare, impressed that Rainbow had clearly thought about her choice, "I also want you to draw up plans for easing Raindrops into taking over for you on a day-to-day basis."
"Will do ma'am!" barked Rainbow, snapping her a salute, prompting a laugh from her employer.
"Well, I'm glad we managed that," said Mayor Mare, "Now go and see your friends.  I'm sure that they're worried sick about you."
"Thanks," said Rainbow, backing out of the office and shutting the door behind her.
Trotting down the stairs, Rainbow headed out the front door and saw Soarin' patiently waiting on his haunches, smiling as he looked out over the town.  Sauntering over, Rainbow settled in next to him.  "Like what you see?" she asked.
The pale blue stallion nodded.  "It's nice," he said, "This place is beautiful...and so peaceful.  It's nothing like the places we usually visit."
"Only the big cities right?" asked Rainbow.
Soarin' nodded.  "That's where we go when we're performing.  We usually draw in watchers from small towns in the area, but none of those towns have anything approaching the venues we need to hold the crowds, so we don't hold performances there.  The only reason we end up visiting small towns is for disaster relief and crisis response."
Rainbow's blissful expression faded as she looked out over her hometown.  Becoming a Wonderbolt meant more than just demanding schedules and hard work.  It meant she would have to leave Ponyville...and her friends...behind while she went out to do what a Wonderbolt does, possibly for months, even a year or more, at a time.  A weight settled into her gut.  She had just come out of Mayor Mare's office after talking to the mayor about her future replacement.  Suddenly the prospect of leaving the place that had been home for her for so many years seemed much less like an abstract occurrence in the far future and a more immediate reality.
To Rainbow's surprise, Soarin' seemed to read her mind.  "Worried about leaving?" he asked softly.
With a gulp, Rainbow nodded.  "It always seemed like a 'someday' sort of thing.  But now, it's coming up and it feels so real."
"I went through that too," said the stallion sagely, draping his wing over Rainbow's back and pulling her against his side, "Let me give you some advice.  Don't go getting homesick before you've even left.  That'll just end up tainting the time you have left.  Enjoy your time with your friends as much as you can.  Don't dwell on what you might lose, just accept what you have."
"I'll try," promised Rainbow.
"Wanna know something?" asked Soarin', glancing at her sidelong.
"Sure."
"We can't keep anything forever.  You'll make friends and, one way or another, you'll lose them.  But that's what makes them worth having.  You'll be leaving someday."  He leaned in and whispered into her ear, "But that's what makes the time you have left all the more precious."
Rainbow lifted a hoof to wipe a tear that trickled down from her eye.  "Thanks," she whispered, leaning her head over to rub her cheek against Soarin's, "You big goof."
The stallion laughed and turned his head over to give Rainbow a kiss on the cheek.  "You're welcome.  Come on now; let's go meet your friends."



It only took a little searching to find out that Rainbow's friends had all gathered at Sugarcube Corner; or rather, looking meant it was the first place Rainbow visited.  The small bell over the door chimed as she swung it open, her eyes immediately zeroing in on the five gathered mares and one stallion.  "Hey guys," said Rainbow, trying her hardest to hide the weariness in her voice.  Behind her, the sky was awash with beautiful oranges and violets as the sun set.  By any measure, Rainbow Dash had had a long day.  She was looking forward to returning home and collapsing on her soft, comfy cloud bed.  But her friends came first.
"RAINBOW!!!" five voices exclaimed in unison.  Soarin', who had followed her into the store, barely had time to dodge with a yelp before Rainbow Dash was tackled to the floor by five ponies trying their hardest to all hug her at once.
"We'd heard ya had a heck of a time sugarcube," said Applejack.
"Yeah," said Rainbow as she did her best to return the embrace, "But we got through it."
Once her friends let her up off the floor, Rainbow dusted herself off.  At this moment, Rarity's eyes immediately zeroed in on Soarin', who was standing awkwardly off to the side.  "Well now, who pray tell is this fine specimen of a stallion?" she asked, favoring him with a sultry grin.
"Oh...uh..."  Rainbow blushed awkwardly, trying her hardest to not meet anypony's eye as she stood next to Soarin'.  "This is Soarin', from the Wonderbolts."  She rubbed the back of her head and blushed even harder as she fought to get the next words out of her mouth, bracing for what she knew was coming.  "He's sorta...well he's...I guess he's my coltfriend now."
In the silence that followed, one could have heard the sound of a pin dropping...in Canterlot as five jaws went slack simultaneously.  Rainbow Dash was the last pony anypony expected to ever get a coltfriend, given that her incredible focus on her goal of making it into the Wonderbolts gave her next to no time to think about finding a special somepony.
It was Rarity who managed to find her voice first.  "Oh. My. Word."  Rainbow tensed, knowing what was coming next.  "This is the. Best. Possible. THING!"  Wincing as Rarity's register rose to a joyous shriek that came close to shattering nearby windows, Rainbow leaned back just enough to avoid a collision as Rarity zipped into her space with a speed and energy that would have made Pinkie Pie proud.  "You simply must share with us how it happened!  Oh did he save you from danger?  Is he your knight in shining armor..."  She paused and gave Twilight an apologetic look.  "...No pun intended.  Tell me everything!"
A shimmering violet aura wrapped itself around Rarity and dragged her back away from Rainbow.  "Calm down Rarity," chided Twilight, "Try and control yourself.  There'll be plenty of time for gossip later.  But for now..."  She shifted her gaze back to Rainbow and smiled brightly.  "Welcome home Rainbow."
Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack adopted Twilight's expression, as did Rarity, after directing one last disappointed and plaintive look in Rainbow's direction.  Rainbow sniffed as she did her best to avoid tearing up.  "Thanks girls."
Twilight stepped forward and gave Rainbow a gentle nuzzle.  "Come on," she said, "Lets get you some dinner.  Your pick."
A grin lit up Rainbow's face like a Hearth's Warming display.  "Great!"



Dinner was wonderful.  Rainbow had chosen one of her favorite restaurants, one that was a little on the pricy side (enough so that she didn't visit it regularly).  At her friends' behest, she had ordered her favorite dishes and let them pay for it.  Rainbow had felt a little guilty about that, but her friends, Rarity in particular, had insisted.  During dinner, she had told them about the whole affair in Cloudsdale, even talking about her fight with Fleetfoot, which led to Soarin's confession.  The girls had listened attentively, "oohing" and "awing" in all the right places and sighing dramatically when Rainbow told them how Soarin' had caught her after her failed attempt at a Sonic Rainboom (Rarity had nearly fainted).
The sun was completely gone.  Stars glittered in the night sky as the moon shone from above, its gentle light cascading down as Rainbow Dash wrapped up the story of her adventures in Cloudsdale with a yawn.  She was tired, having been through a major battle that morning and then burned through her remaining reserves trying to escape from Soarin'.  Then there had been the flight back from Cloudsdale and Rainbow's meeting with the mayor.  Having a full stomach hadn't helped matters as one of Rainbow's favorite times to nap was just after a big meal.  She was pooped.  As the other girls chatted amongst themselves, Rainbow leaned gently against Soarin', her eyelids drooping as she struggled to stay awake.
Soarin' directed a concerned look at Rainbow.  If things dragged on for much longer, she would probably fall asleep on the spot.  "Um girls," he ventured, interjecting himself into the conversation for the first time, "I think we'd best call it a night."
The five other mares ceased their talk and noticed Rainbow's condition.  "Oh my," said Fluttershy softly, "Rainbow really looks like she could use some sleep."
"She's had a long day," agreed Twilight, "We should probably head home too."
However, Applejack wasn't quite satisfied with the way things were ending.  She had one last query to make.  "Hold up there.  Ya mind tellin' us where ya plan on stayin' Soarin'."
"Um..."  Soarin' froze as his brain processed the question and he realized that he hadn't actually thought things through that far.  Could he find an inn?  Did a small town like Ponyville have an inn?  Had he brought enough money with him?  It was too late to go to the bank after all.
"I'll put him up in my place," said Rainbow sleepily, waving her hoof in a dismissive pattern, "I've got a guest room and everything."
"That so?"  Applejack's eyes narrowed, a teasing smirk on her lips,  "Are ya sure it's the guest bed he's gonna be sleepin' in sugarcube?"
Rainbow's eyes snapped open.  "Hey!"  Her cheeks flushed brilliant red for what must have been the millionth time that night.  The other girls giggled at her embarrassment.  Letting out an annoyed sigh, Rainbow rolled her eyes and glanced sidelong at her coltfriend.  "Come on Soarin'."
"Don't forget dear, we have a spa appointment tomorrow," said Rarity, "I scheduled it for the afternoon, so feel free to sleep in as much as you like."
Rainbow gave her a curt nod before spreading her wings and shooting into the sky, Soarin' following shortly behind her.



Yawning, Soarin' stepped out of the bathroom, his mane still slick from the shower he had taken.  Rainbow Dash's home was impressive, there was no doubt about that.  As he headed down the hallway, he leaned in to take a glance into Rainbow's room to see how she was faring, only to see the rainbow-maned mare passed out on her bed.  She had allowed Soarin' to use the bathroom first, but apparently hadn't been able to stay awake for her turn.
Well, there's always tomorrow, he thought as he stepped into the room.  Working with the clouds that formed Rainbow's bed, Soarin' pulled up a cumulous blanket and gently draped it over Rainbow, tucking her in.  She didn't even stir as the warm, soft clouds settled over her.  With a soft smile, Soarin' leaned down and gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek.
"Good night Dashie," he whispered before turning off the light and shutting the door behind him as he left.