A Mother’s Touch
A rainbow is many things. A symbol of happiness is one of them. And this rainbow was no acceptation. Rainbow Dash was ecstatic about meeting her mother for the first time in her life. She was also ready to hear about her father for the first time in ages. Although there was a pang of doubt that since her mother had left her back those many years ago that she may not like her daughter.
Spitfire's mom said that she had lived in Cloudsdale after Dash’s dad disappeared. After that, she had become depressed and when I was born... Well, she nearly completely fell apart.
“So, Dash, are you excited to finally get to meet your mom?”
“Honestly, I would rather not talk about that just yet.” She thought for a minute. “However, you know, I don’t think I ever caught anything about your dad.”
Spitfire sighed, “I wondered when you were going to bring that up. Well, I guess I am going to have to tell you. My dad’s name was Radar, an expert tracker who always succeeded in finding the source of something no matter what. You know, I wonder sometimes if he kept that record.”
Dash looked over to her friend. “Why wouldn’t he have?”
“Well, the last night he was seen alive, they couldn’t seem to find the source of this screaming. It is mostly all of the story anypony knows because after that the only two living witnesses flew off.”
Dash made a mental note to ask her about those two and see if she could talk to them later. However, Cloudsdale was looming up and they would be in the streets in a matter of minutes.
“Rainbow, are you sure you are ready for this?”
Rainbow Dash gave her friend a look that spelled it all. “I have to do this no matter what.”
The two Pegasi landed next to an old house on the outskirts of town. Spitfire walked over and knocked on the door. After a few seconds they could hear silent hoof steps across the ground coming towards the door.
“Hello, is anypony home?” Spitfire called to the door. Knowing very well that somepony was on the other side. “We are here to visit a Mrs. Peirce. Anypony here by that name?”
“Please, I can’t pay it. I lost my job and I can’t pay my bills anymore, but let me please keep my house.”
The two mares shot a worried look. Rainbow Dash was the first to speak up. “Mo-” She caught herself. “Ma’am, don’t worry. We are not here for bills or anything like that. However, we do wish to see you and give you some company.”
“Why on Equestria would anypony come to visit me? I have no friends. Just go away, I don’t wish to speak with anypony.” The hoof’s on the other side of the door began walking up the stairs.
“Mom wait!” The hooves stopped.
“Did you just call me, mom?” She paused for a minute, staring the mare down. “Dashie, is that you?”
“Yes mom, it is me. I am your daughter. Please let us in, we have to talk.” The door gave way to an old Pegasus. At least 40 years old with her hair already completely gray. The poor woman looked to be Rainbow’s grandmother.
She let the two Pegasi enter. “I would offer you something to drink but unfortunately I don’t have any tea sitting around.”
“That is alright; we are not here for tea anyway. I just wanted to visit to see my mother!” Rainbow Dash dashed straight to her mother and wrapped her up in a big hug.
“So, I take it this means you are not mad at me.” She looked down at the mare, last time she saw the little sky blue Pegasus was when she was just a little filly. “After leaving you I figured you hated me. Why did you wait so long to come if you didn’t?”
“I never knew who you were mom. I always wanted to find you and dad but didn’t know where to look.” Her face never left her mom’s coat.
“Then, then how did you find me?”
“I have Spitfire here to thank for that. She saw that I was falling apart without my parents so she talked to me about it. Then we went to talk to her mother about her dad and found out that you were still alive and where you were. I was so happy to hear about it that I came straight here!"
The old mare looked out a window overlooking Equestria. “Ah, your father was an amazing stallion that did so many great things. I still remember some of the things he did; amazing feats of flight and rescues that hold records even today.”
“Mom, can you tell us the stories you know? It would be the best place to start.”
“I am sure I can do that. I should start with some need to know information about your father first. His cutie mark was a telescope which symbolized his ability to see far distances with one eye. He had always found two eyes to be a burden but wouldn’t do anything to stop it, after the hawk attack though. He had lost one of his eyes and was forced to wear an eye patch. The nickname Hawkeye became a joke. Now, for the stories.”
---{Note}---
Note: Recollected stories are going to be in First person as to help readers ascertain the difference between current times and past.
---{Story}---
I flew across the forest, dodging trees and branches as they flew at my face. I was in trouble and I knew it. The monster chasing me roared as it got closer. That dang thing was fast, no doubt about it. The Everfree forest loomed over me. There was no clear way out of the tree tops. I was trapped with the only way of escaping through a dense forest.
I finally saw light off in the distance, but I could hear the panting of a lion directly behind me. I looked back right as the large paw struck me. I went tumbling out into the clearing. Badly injured and unable to feel my right wing at all. I was grounded with a Manticore just meters away from me. Another roar blasted the forest as the large creature came running straight at me.
I cringed, expecting to be completely pulverized by the Manticore. However, the attack never came. When I looked up I saw that the Manticore was already on its side, fighting to get back up. A griffin in hand to hand combat with it, I couldn’t believe my luck at all! I saw the uniform on the griffin and realized quickly what this was. It was a rescue mission.
Four more members of that squadron came down.
“Radar, Caster, go help Catcher with the Manticore.” The accent was strange. Something I had never heard before. He called it a sailor’s accent which he got from working as a captain for many years. “Alright then, as for you.” He gave me a glare. “You really shouldn’t be messing with Manticores you know!”
“I didn’t exactly mess with him. I was picking some flowers for a sandwich when he attacked me. I just ran.” The response was what he was looking for, I think, he looked rather odd. His hair was in dreadlocks with strange beads all in it.
“Alright then, so you know, I am Sparrow, the captain of this here team. This man here is Hawkeye and he will be your escort back to our base for a good medical checkup.” I nodded and then was grabbed by Hawkeye and he started flying me to their camp.
When we finally made it I had to get my wings checked out to make sure they were ok. My dreams of one day becoming the best flier in all of Equestria were dashed that day. As I looked on the X-Rays I cried. My wing was hurt far too badly to ever fly again.
“Hey, it’s ok, I know it must be hard to lose your wings, but trust me when I tell you that everything will be ok.” He had come up behind me scaring me half to death. It was Hawkeye; he looked a little fatigued from carrying me across the Everfree forest.
“Well, I guess it could be far worse. If it wasn’t for you five I would be dead right now.” The stallion turned to me, for the first time I saw his right eye. An eye patch covered it with the scar coming out from underneath. No matter how much I tried though, I couldn’t feel that it scared me at all. I nuzzled his neck. “Thank you, for carrying me.”
---{Main}---
“That is the story of how me and your father met. He saved my life and I ended up falling in love. Of course I should have known what I was getting into.” She laughed. “That stallion was a mess and a half!”
They all laughed for a few minutes. The three mares all sharing a good laugh.
“Thank you, the two of you for coming. I haven’t been this happy in a long time and I am not sure if it is because my daughter still loves me, or that she is going out on an adventure to find herself.” She walked up and nuzzled Rainbow. “Thank you for coming home Dashie, I really do love you.”
The two Pegasi stayed for dinner and the night with the old mare. The stories they all told at the table were great. Rainbow told her of the Sonic Rainbooms that she did and Spitfire told the story of her training to get into the wonderbolts.
After a great night of family bonding and food the three all went off to sleep. Rainbow couldn’t help but replay that one story of her father in her mind. It was the first piece to a puzzle she was going to solve.
“Hey Dash?”
“Yeah, Spitfire?”
“Thanks for dragging me into this. I really do need this.” She sighed. “It was nice to hear that story of our fathers.”
“Yeah, it was, and there are many more to come for that matter.” She sighed. “I think we better rest up. Who is the first pony on that list of yours anywho?”
“That would be…” There was the rustling of paper as she jostled a note. “A sailor known as Pipsqueak the Pirate.”
“What’s a pirate?”
“I have no idea.” The two laughed as the thoughts entered their minds of who in Equestria was Pipsqueak the Pirate.
---{Notes}---
Alright! Massive outburst on that first chapter which totally killed my Notification! Sorry for the slightly shorter chapter this time around. I am working on making them as long as I can without dragging certain aspects on far longer than they need to go. I found that this was a good way to do it. Anyhow, I should have everypony know that I am super crazy happy to see the reactions that you all have given to my story. You never know, maybe this story will actually make it to EQD some time.
Well anyway, I just thought that you would all like to know that the story is fully planned out and I have a full list of fun stories and an amazing ending all set up ready to go for you all. Believe me when I tell you that this story has an ending that will Blow. Your. Mind. Too bad that is a long ways away and you will all have to wait for that to happen. Well, thanks for reading and remember to take a few seconds to like this story! Every vote helps!