//------------------------------// // Chapter 7: Returning Home // Story: Til Kingdom Come // by TorontoFCBrony //------------------------------// "Violet, the greatest young hoofball player in the world, stands over the ball to take the free kick." Scootaloo watched from the kitchen window as she did the dishes while waiting for Soarin and Rainbow Dash. She couldn't help but smile as the young filly played hoofball in the large backyard, shooting her ball in between two trees. It's what Violet liked to do a lot of the time now. She started practicing at home to get better in order to beat the other foals at school. "She steps up to take the kick," the filly commented as she stepped forward and swung her right front hoof towards the ball, then striking it off the right tree post and in. "Oh, it's a br-bril... a great shot!" Violet yelled with joy as she ran around the field celebrating, making crowd noises with her mouth. Scootaloo chuckled as she finished cleaning the last dish. She took one quick look around the house, to make sure that everything would be fine for when Violet's parents came back from their honeymoon. Everything was as it should be. And just as she finished, she could hear a key being turned in the doorway. The young orange mare quickly ran to the back door, called Violet back in the house, and the two of them went into the living room. "Scoots, Vi, we're back!" Rainbow said excitedly as the two of them entered their house. They dropped their bags on the floor beside the front door. "Momma!" Violet yelled out as she ran over and jumped into her mother's grasp. "Hey, Vi," Rainbow said lovingly as she moved the two of them towards Soarin so they could have a group hug. After the hug, Scootaloo asked, "So, how was the trip?' "Oh, it was awesome," Soarin replied. "We did a lot of... stuff." Scootaloo smirked, knowing exactly what 'stuff' meant. "Yeah, stuff," Rainbow said happily. "We went to a waterfall, swam in the ocean, ate lots of food, and watched the sunset together. Lots of stuff." "It sounds like you two had a lot of fun, then," Scootaloo responded happily. "Soar, do you wanna grab the gifts for our two most favourite mares in the world?" Rainbow asked her husband. "Sure!" Soarin replied cheerfully, turning around to go back to the front porch, where the gifts were. "So," Rainbow started as Soarin waited outside. "Scoots, you have to be honest with me: did you have any colts over?" "No!" the young mare shouted back. "It was just me and Vi the whole time, I promise!" "Vi, is she telling the truth?" Rainbow asked while turning to her innocent daughter. Violet nodded her head. "Yeah. Auntie Scoots even had a visitor, but she told him that he couldn't come in." "Thanks, sweetheart," Rainbow said while messing up her filly's mane. She then turned to Scootaloo. "Rumble?" The other pegaus nodded her head. "Yeah, he wanted to come in to watch a movie with me or something, but I said he wasn't allowed in." "Good job, squirt," Rainbow said happily. "Proud of you." Scootaloo smiled. "Because you two were so good, we got something for both of you." Soarin came out with the first souvenir, the small plush chameleon for Violet. He crouched down and handed it to her. "This is for you, Vi," he said tenderly. "You're such a good filly, and you deserve it." "Oh wow!" Violet said as her eyes lit up. "He's so cute and squishy and huggable! I'm gonna name him... Pascal!" "Pascal?" Rainbow repeated. "That's a weird name for a chameleon." "Hey, you'll hurt his feelings!" Soarin said in defense of Violet's new 'friend'. "Sorry, you're right," Rainbow replied. She then peaked her head outside, grabbing Scootaloo's gift, which was leaning on the outside wall. "Now, squirt, you know we don't have many bits." "Yeah, I know," Scootaloo replied. "It was fun staying over here. I don't expect you to pay me." "Well, that's good. Because we actually only got you something small," Rainbow replied, pulling out the beautiful surfboard the they had bought for their foalsitter. Scootaloo's eyes lit up almost as wide as Violet's did at the sight of her gift. "Wow!" she replied while grabbing the board, which was taller than her. "This is awesome! Thanks!" "No problem, Scootaloo," Soarin replied. "You took really good care of our house and our daughter. It's the least we could do." -------------------------------------- The afternoon was spent catching up with each other, telling stories of what happened during the week. Violet kept quiet most of the time, because she wasn't the type of filly to talk a lot. After they said goodbye to Scootaloo, the couple tucked Violet in, giving her a kiss on the forehead. After some time of watching television together, it was their own time to go to bed. After getting comfortable in their own bed, the couple gave each other a peck on the lips, and leaned their heads on their pillows. Even after some time, though, Soarin had his eyes wide open. He just laid there, staring at the ceiling, lost in thought. Rainbow Dash didn't start snoring yet, so he also knew that she wasn't asleep either. "Hey, Dashie?" he asked quietly. "Hmm... yeah?" Rainbow replied, turning around to look at him. "Do you think... Violet likes me? I mean, I've only been back a few months, and then we left again. I don't want her to hate me." "Are you kidding me, Soar? Violet loves you!" "Really?" he responded happily while raising his head from the pillow. "Uh, yeah! She's shy, so she just doesn't tell you. But before we went on our honeymoon back when we were planning our wedding, she kept telling me that she's so happy that her 'daddy' is back! She just might not be so open to you yet, but she'll open up in time." Soarin felt so much joy. "I'm so glad to hear that. I'll make sure that I'm the best father possible. I just feel bad that I wasn't there for the first time she spoke or the first time she walked on her own." "Yeah, that stinks, but you could still be there for the first time she flies!" "That's true." "I'll be the main one to teach her, of course, but you can help," Rainbow said with a grin. "Uh, excuse me? Who's the better teacher here?" Soarin replied in defense. "After all, I taught you how to be a Wonderbolt!" "Yeah, but my job right now is being the captain of the Ponyville weather team, remember? I'm so good at leading others that even though Thunderlane took over after I left, I was given my own job back, and he was demoted to being my assistant!" "Fine, we'll both teach her!" "All right," Rainbow replied while turning around and leaning her head back on her pillow. "But I'm still the better teacher," she mumbled teasingly. "Go to sleep, Dashie," Soarin said. "After all, you have work tomorrow. I get to spend all day with my daughter!" "Oh yeah, rub it in some more!" Rainbow teased back again. "But I'm gonna leave early tomorrow morning, because we have to bring some early light rain tomorrow, while you have to make Violet breakfast and bring her to school." "I'll do that," Soarin replied happily. "I'm sure she'll love spending time with her favourite parent!" "Ha," Rainbow responded while rolling her eyes.