//------------------------------//
// Chapter 16 
// Story: To See Her One More Time 
// by TheMessenger 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 16

"How long?"

Her voice was steady, betraying no emotion. Robert licked his lips and swallowed. He opened his mouth and tried to speak. "I..." was all he managed. 

"How long have you known about this?" Rainbow said. She pointed a quaking hoof at the television screen. A cyan pegasus with a rainbow colored mane was flying about. A trail of colorful lights followed behind her. 

Robert stared, first at the Rainbow Dash on the couch, then at the Rainbow Dash in the TV. "I..." he tried to say. He shut his mouth as Dashie stared back at him with red wet eyes, her cheeks stained with tears. Some were still flowing, leaving new wet trails. She ran her hooves through her hair, turning her mane into a rat's nest.

"HOW LONG HAVE YOU KNOWN ABOUT THIS?" 

He took a step back. He shut his eyes. 

"HOW LONG HAVE YOU KNOWN ABOUT THIS?" Rainbow screamed again, pointing at her televised self. "WHAT ELSE HAVEN'T YOU BEEN TELLING ME?"

Robert sighed and let his shoulders sag. He walked over to the television and switched it off. He sat down on the couch, next to the young mare, who continued to glare at him furiously. Robert kept his head low and his eyes averted.

"Since forever," he said.

"What do you mean, forever?" Rainbow demanded. "Why was I on TV? What was that?"

"It's an old cartoon," Robert explained. "It was a reimagining of an old series called My Little Pony and was made for young girls. For some reason, a bunch of reasons really, guys like me were attracted to the show. I used to look forward every Saturday for the new episode. I loved the animation, the art style, the lightheartedness behind the stories, and the characters. I loved the characters, how every single one of them were flawed and had to struggle through their problems." He took a deep breath. "My favorite pony was Rainbow Dash."

"Me."

"Yes," Robert said quietly. "You."

"So I'm a cartoon character?"

"I know it's a little hard to take in, but yes. You're from a cartoon. I...I'm sorry you had to find out this way."

"What, by having to watch my own show to figure who I am?" Rainbow growled. "Yeah, thanks a bunch. So how the heck did I come from that world..." She pointed at the television. "...into this one?"

Robert shook his head. "I don't know. I found you one night, on the streets, shivering in a box. I tried looking for clues, like lights or something hinting magic, but I couldn't find anything. There was nothing on the news, and it wasn't like I could go to anyone for help, so I decided to take care of you." The man's weak smile faded as a Rainbow responded with a cold frown. "At first, I thought it was just going to be temporary, that I just had to wait for someone to show up and take you back to Equestria, but no one did." 

"Equestria?"

"Your...your home."

"You sure it's not TV Land?" Rainbow Dash said through gritted teeth. "Just what exactly am I?" she asked. "A bunch of colored pictures mashed together? Am I even real?"

"Of course you're real," cried Robert. He tried to rush forward but the pony's glare kept him back. "You think, you talk, you act--"

"All according to a written script, right? Just like in the show?"

"W-well, that is, I-I mean, i-it's--"

"I didn't see much, but I saw enough. I'm exactly like the pony behind the TV screen, aren't I? That blue pegasus with the same colored mane and name as me, she likes flying, doesn't she?"

"Yeah, but--"

"I bet she loves racing, right?"

"...yes."

"Thinks she's the greatest flier in the world, doesn't she? Probably is too. What did you say about cutie marks? That they show 'special' ponies like me what our special talents are? Well, what do you know? We have the same freaking lightning bolts on our butts!"

Rainbow received no response this time. Robert kept quiet.

"Everything I do here is just because what happens on the show," she continued. "Everything about me is all because of a bunch of adventures I don't even remember having, in a place I don't even remember being in, with a life I don't remember living."

"That's not true," Robert tried arguing. "I mean, yeah, you're the Rainbow Dash from the show, but that doesn't you're the same. You're a different pony."

"Do you even listen to yourself speak?" Rainbow Dash yelled. "How can I be different if I'm exactly the same as the pony from the cartoon? We look the same, we sound the same, we act the same, don't we? How am I a different pony?"

"Well...for starters you have me as a father."

"Oh, well that changes everything! Instead of having some normal pony parents I get a guy who thought it'd be a great idea to keep me in the dark about where I came from."

"What was I supposed to say?" asked Robert as he rubbed his forehead.

"The truth!" Rainbow exploded. "I have a right to know, don't I?"

"I was just trying to--"

"To what? Protect me? From what? From finding out I'm just a Saturday cartoon character? Well, it's a little late for that know. How long were you going to keep me in the dark?" the pegasus asked angrily. Her wings flapped, as if fanning her flames of distress. 

"Until you were ready," Robert blurted out.

"And who gets to decide when that will be? You, just like how whoever wrote that stupid show decides who I am?"

"Dashie, that's--"

"DON'T CALL ME THAT!" Rainbow screamed. "I HATE YOU! I WISH YOU NEVER FOUND ME!"

Robert flinched as the hurricane the raging pegasus left behind cut into his cheeks and his hands. Loose sheets of paper fluttered in the air. "Dashie, wait!" he called out to the escaping blue blur, but it was too late. A moment later, there was a loud resounding slam from upstairs. Robert made a move toward the stairs but stopped. He slid back into the couch instead and hunched over, defeated. 

The papers gently drifted down, blanketing random sections of the floor. Robert permitted the mess. As he covered his face with his hands, Robert faded like a phantom, reappearing instead at the banister of the staircase. He took a deep breath and hurried up. Eva and Neil followed closely behind.

They stopped in front a door. Robert lifted his shaking hand and knocked twice. Minutes passed, but there was no response. Robert tried again, this time knocking three times. "Dashie?" he called hesitantly. "I-it's me. I just wanted to talk."

No response. 

"Can I...can I come in?"

No response.

"I'm coming in now," Robert said, pressing against the door. It slowly opened and revealed a room filled with toy cars, posters of jet planes and race cars, and books and stuffed animals thrown on the ground. A pillow rested against a corner, far from the head of the empty bed it should have occupied. A gentle breeze flew by through the opened window.

"Dashie?" he called, looking around. "Dashie, are you here?" 

He turned at the sound of the curtains flapping about in the wind. Robert slowly approached and placed a hand on the windowsill. He sighed.

"Dashie? Are you out there?" Robert said, sticking his head out. The only answer was the song of birds and the rustling of leaves and branches. He leaned out a bit further and looked up at the cloud. "Dashie?" he tried again. 

No response.

Robert pulled himself back inside. He ran out of the room and flew down the stairs. Neil and Eva hurried to catch up with him. By the time they were once again at his side, the man had already wearing his coat and was reaching for the keys. He slipped on a pair of sneakers and quickly tied the laces, not caring how loose his knots were or how clumsy his fingers had been.

The front door flung up, and Robert left the house and started to run. The trees in the distance grew larger as the space between them and him shrunk. Soon, the clouds were hidden by the canopy of the woods. For a while, Robert ran, looking up every so often and calling out Rainbow's name before lowering his head tiredly. Eventually, his steps became heavy and sluggish. With one final glance into the sky, Robert turned around. The sun had set, leaving behind a magnificent streak of gold and red over the clouds. The sight did nothing to improve Robert's mood. He walked back to the house with his hands deep in his pockets.

The bag of groceries greeted him when he entered the kitchen. Robert ignored it, moving back upstairs instead. He entered the room before. It had remained untouched; books and toys remained scattered about the window was still wide open, and the bed was still a mess. 

Robert bent over and began picking up the neglected articles. He placed a hand on the glass window, then decided against it. The cool evening breeze followed him as he collapsed into the mattress. His body began to shake violently.

"Do you think this is?" Neil asked. "The reason for his wish?"

"To his daughter one more time? Maybe, I--"

Before Eva could finish her sentence, the room had faded away, and she was blinded by a sudden flash of white.


*


"Dude, you're not looking too great."

Robert slowly lifted his head and sighed. "What do you mean?" he asked the figure leaning over the top of the cubicle. 

"I mean it looks like you pulled an all-nighter," the figure said, crossing its arms. "You look like a raccoon, and you've been yawning all day, it's making me tired."

Despite the furious rubs Robert applied to his puffy red eyes, the dark rings around them remained. "It--" He interrupted himself with a mighty yawn. "It's nothing," he tried again, shaking his head and reaching for a cup at the end of his desk. "I had a little trouble falling asleep, that's all. It's nothing--"

The sturdy mug hit the floor with a soft thud rather than a loud crash. Though no shards flew about, Robert winced as the dark murky contents inside spilled out, staining the carpet black. 

"Sorry," Robert muttered as he grabbed a box of tissues and fell to his knees. Something brushed against his shoulder, and he looked up. The figure held out a small towel. With unsteady hands, Robert took it.

"Maybe you should head home for the day, if you think you can drive," his colleague suggested. "I don't think today's going to be very busy."

"I've got a meeting this afternoon," Robert disputed, struggling to get back up on his feet. "And we have another big project coming up."

"I'll let the boss know, she'll understand. Besides, you've got a few sick days saved, don't you?" The figure waited for Robert to finish nodding. "Good, take a couple of days off, get some rest. Subpar conditions lead to subpar results, you'll be a lot more useful when you're feeling better."

"Hmph," Robert grumbled, but he made no argument. Instead, he got up and turned off his computer. He picked up a small brown satchel and shuffled out of the work space. 

"Hey, get well soon."

"Thanks," Robert said, trying his best to smile. It came out pained. 

The office quickly disappeared. They now stood in a full parking lot. Robert was holding a large paper cup. He approached the car.

The parking lot disappeared. He, the car, and his two observers were in the driveway instead. Robert approached the empty house and opened the door. "I'm home," he called inside nervously. "Dashie?"

No reply. Robert went inside, tossing his pack, keys, and coat unceremoniously in a single large pile on the ground. The door was left ajar.

Robert passed through the dark kitchen without turning on any lights. His dress shoes echoed against the cold tiled floor until they hit carpet. He had reached the living room. He turned on the television, not bothering to check the channel, and threw himself onto the couch. Robert folded his hands over his chest and closed his eyes. Advertisers flaunted their products loudly, unaware of how little attention they were being paid. 

Robert laid there for a minute, then sat up. Sighing, he switched off the TV and got to his feet. Neil and Eva followed him as he left the room, marched through the kitchen, and returned to the front of the house. The wind was blown the door open. 

"Figure out what's wrong yet?" Eva whispered while Robert picked up his coat and flung it on. 

"No a clue," Neil whispered back, poking and prodding the device on his wrist wildly. "Wait, why are we whispering? Where--" Neil cleared his throat. "Where is he going anyways?" he asked more loudly.

As the tall trees grew larger and closer, Neil received his answer. They entered the woods, following the dirt path. The trees and the sky above disappeared, fading to white. Robert continued to walk, like a single figure drawn on a blank canvas, before he too vanished.


*


"I'm sorry, I'll be sure to...thank you ma'am. Yes, I understand, I'll be back in a couple of days. Thank you."

Robert tossed the phone to the side and slid back into his seat. He rested his elbows on the table, between a plate with a piece of nibbled toast and an empty cup, and placed his chin into his hands. The grey shirt he was wearing had not changed from before; even the same dark stain remained. 

A minute passed by in silence, save for the soft ticking of the kitchen clock, before Robert groaned and got up. With the plate in one hand and the cup in the other, he went over to the sink, and after throwing away the cold piece of buttery toast, he set them inside and let the water flow freely from the faucet. Most fell on and filled the crumby plate and the cup, some Robert captured with his hands to wash his face. He turned the nob, and the water stopped flowing. He grabbed for a dish towel laying nearby on the countertop and missed, landing instead on a cereal box. 

Robert flinched at the sound of crunching cardboard and quickly removed his hand from the mascot's ruined face. The cutesy cartoony grin it had worn became grotesque. Robert pushed the crushed box away and this time successfully acquired the towel.

"Maybe I should go back to sleep," he muttered through the thin wet fabric as he dried his face. 

With towel still in hand, Robert left the kitchen and enter the living room. He laid down on the couch with his face toward the ceiling and his hands folded and on his stomach. His chest rose and fell as he breathed. His eyes remained wide open, searching for some hidden meaning behind the roof's design. 

He sat up and reached for the remote sitting on the floor. The television buzzed on, and the channels flew by, barely given the chance to display their contents.

"In other news, NASA's newest project has been delayed, due to--"

"Silly rabbit, Trix are for--"

"--es imposible! Que eres mi hermana!"

"--are you in good hands? Call us--"

"Now for tomorrow, there is a high chance of rain in the--"

"The president of Sigmund Corporation proudly announces--"

"--this is the. Worst. Possible--"

"--is telling my brain that it is juicy and delicious. After nine years, you know what I realize? Ignorance is bliss."

A loud knock echoed through the house. Robert turned the television off and stood up. Another knock followed as he made his way to the front door.

"Who is it?" he asked in a raspy voice. Robert quickly cleared his voice.

"Package," the person on the other side replied. Robert opened the door. There stood a young man dressed in a brown uniform with a box in hand and a clipboard under his arm. "Are you Robert, uh..." The delivery man squinted at the label on the box. 

"Yeah, that's me," Robert confirmed, eyeing the small package warily. "Funny, I wasn't expecting anything."

"Well, do you have a piece of identification?" the young man asked.

"Yeah, give me a sec." Robert went back into the house and grabbed the wallet laying on a table, next to his keys. He removed a thin card with a small photo of himself frowning, next to a bunch of dates, and returned to the waiting postman. 

"Here you are," he said, handing over the driver license. "Everything check out?"

"Yep, sure seems like it. Just need your signature, and we're all set."

Slowly, Robert scribbled his name on the clipboard. After accepting the tiny box, he watched the young courier hurry to his truck and drive off. As the truck became smaller and harder to see, Robert leaned back and looked up into the sky full of clouds. With a heavy sigh, he went inside, closing the door behind him. The door remained unlocked. 

Robert returned the license back to the wallet and walked to the kitchen. Instead of returning to the living room after placing the box on the table, he went upstairs. Eva and Neil followed as he walked past the room from before and enter a different yet somewhat familiar bedroom. A large bed stood against the blue walls. Twin night stands were on both sides. On one was a small umbrella lamp, the other was bare. Robert went over to the dresser and grabbed a clean shirt and a pair of white boxer shorts. 

Eva and Neil followed closely behind until Robert had entered a new room. He had shut the door behind him, and neither of the two moved to open it. The sound of running water could be heard from the other side.

Neil rocked on his heels nervously. "I mean, we've gotta give 'em some level of privacy, right?" 

"I suppose there's a line even professionals like us won't cross," Eva agreed, folding her arms.

The door opened, and Robert stepped out, his hair still partially wet. The new clean shirt had replaced the old stained one, which he held in his arms. He made his way back downstairs, tossing the dirty clothes over the banister, and returned to the kitchen. 

Robert stared at the box sitting in front of him. He removed a pair of scissors from the drawer and took a seat before the package, looking for a starting point to cut. Like the jaws of a beast, the scissors tore and ate through the cardboard and tape. 

The box fell apart, and Robert reached through its remains for the contents. His hand returned with a miniature model of a race car, red and covered with colorful names and symbols. He reached again and returned with a pair of thin, yellow cards. On each was a silhouette of a car in front of a checkered flag. In big, bold white letters standing in front of a black background was the word 'NASCAR'.

Robert's arm dropped to his side. A blinding whiteness engulfed the room.


*


A low rumble shook the darken skies. Robert ignored it as he drudged through the forest, stumbling over the occasional, exposed root, pushing aside the rare, outreaching branch. The dark gray clouds followed him from above, growing larger and heavy every second. A strong breeze shook the leaves, knocking off a few and throwing them out into the open air. Robert shivered as the wind passed by, his shirt offering little protection. 

Another roar of thunder fills the air, followed by the soft pitter-patter of the raindrops beating against the foliage. The shoulders of Robert's shirt grew darker as they became wet, but Robert made no effort to quicken or widen his pace. 

"Hmm."

"Something wrong?" Eva asked, turning to her partner. Neil shook his head.

"Nah, it's nothing important," he said quickly. "It's just, you know, you don't get to hear the sound of raindrops in the city. It reminds me of that one time my grandpa took me stargazing, and it ended up raining."

"Sounds like a disappointing bust."

"Yeah, it was, but it sure was peaceful," Neil said with a shrug. "But like I said, not important."

The rain suddenly slowed, no longer falling so heavily onto Robert's head. Eva and Neil followed his gaze as he looked up into the broad canopy of a large tree. With it's far-reaching branches and a thick trunk, the tree stood like a prideful king towering over his subjects. Robert approached the base, taking shelter underneath the tree's leafy arms. 

Robert turned and leaned his back against the hard hulk of the tree, closing his eyes as he rubbed his arms for warmth. His fingers tightened until his nails dug into the skin. A sudden flash of lightening flooding the world in whiteness, followed closely by a crash of thunder. 

"I'm so sorry."

His words were no louder than a whisper, but even the drop of a pin could have been heard during that moment of calm silence that followed the storm's symphony; that soft whisper might as well have been a shout, a scream.

Robert lifted his head, his eyes still shut. His hands, now fists, shook. His shoulders quaked. Though the tree provides ample shelter, his face is still stained and wet. Something flowed down from his eyes, forcing its way through Robert's eyelids. A single drop of rain water bursted open as it strikes his forehead, but there was no reaction.

"I'm just so sorry, Dashie." 

A loud crackle, different from the thunderous applause above, resounded. Eva and Neil jumped at the loud noise as Robert opened his eyes and turned his head to his left, toward the source of the sound. A young blue pegasus covered in burrs and tree sap sticking in her rainbow mane and tail stood there. Nothing was said as she slowly approached, her head hung low. 

She sat down, less than a foot away from him. Robert glanced over her with wet wide eyes and swallowed. Slowly, hesitantly, he raised a hand toward the pegasus, to reach out and hold his little pony. The hand, and his resolve, fell short; Robert let his arm fall into his lap. 

He took a deep breath and opened his mouth to speak.

"I...I heard you."

Rainbow Dash spoke first, her whisper barely audible as she mumbled to the ground. Keeping her eyes hidden behind her mane, she lifted her head. "And...and..." Rainbow hugged herself closely with her wings and sighed. "And I'm sorry too."

The edges of Robert's lips twitched upward. He quickly wiped his face. "Dashie, you have nothing to be sorry for," he said softly. "It's my fault, simple as that. I shouldn't have kept it a secret."

Rainbow shook the hair out of her face and turned, her eyes meeting Robert's for the first time since she had approached him. 

"Dad, do you still...love me?"

This time, Robert's hand reached its goal. He pulled her into an embrace, one that Rainbow accepted and returned, her forelegs tightening around Robert's torso. 

Of course, Dashie," Robert assured, smiling confidently at the pony he held in his arms. "I'll always loved you. I love you, no matter what. Not even a fight like the one we had could ever change that."

"I'm sorry," Rainbow Dash cried into Robert's chest. "I don't hate you. I didn't mean to say that. I shouldn't have shouted."

"It's alright, I know, I know. I'm sorry I kept everything a secret. I thought..." He shook his head as tears fell from his eyes once more. "I was afraid. I didn't know what would happen if you found out."

"I'm sorry I ran away. I-I was just so angry. I'm so sorry."

As the two exchanged apologies, the rain weakened and subsided. The storm had moved on, its thunder heard only from a distance. The gray clouds above disappeared.

"Dad?" Rainbow said, tugging on Robert's sleeve. 

"Hmm?"

"Can we go home now? the young pegasus asked. She shook dirty mane and messy feathers. "I need a shower, bad."

They shared a chuckle as Robert got to his feet. "Of course. Do you mind if I carry you home like this?"

"No, not really," Rainbow allowed, fighting back a yawn. "I'm too tired to walk anyways."

"Then let's get going, Dashie. There's a warm shower waiting for you back at home. Oh, that reminds, before I forget, you got a package."

Rainbow Dash opened her eyes. "A package, for me?" she said in disbelief.

"Yeah," said Robert as he marched through the grass. The thick canopy above was growing thinner and thinner. "I think you'll like it."

"If you say so," she murmured, nestling closer to the man's chest.

"Hey, don't fall asleep yet. What about your shower?"

"I'm not sleeping, don't worry. Hey Dad?"

"Yeah?" Robert said.

"Never mind, it's nothing important."

Robert's frown last for only a short second, but it was there. "Whenever you're ready," he said, shifting his arms around so he could give her a soft assuring pat. The house soon came into view, the lights from inside like a beacon. 

"You left the lights on," Rainbow muttered sleepily.

"Yeah." The house grew larger as they approached. "Hey Dashie? With everything that's been happening lately, just remember, you are real, okay?"

"Mmhmm."

The door swung wide open. The tired pegasus stirred at the sound and at the light.

"Well Dashie," Eva and Neil heard as they were blinded once more, "welcome home."


*