//------------------------------//
// Chapter 49. Homecomings...For Some 
// Story: Dust on the Wind 
// by Sparky Brony 
//------------------------------//

Once again, I'm in the air, though Irony was able to talk me into getting onboard a chariot. I'd rather be flying, but I don't want to raise Mindy's ire. I'll keep to just a hover unless there's something I must fly for. I lean against Sunset Shimmer, this mare has been instrumental in training my daughter to a level I have trouble believing is possible. Hannah is in one of the other chariots, four of them are flying in formation on our way east. We are going to make a stop at the farm, and then we will be on hoof when the portal opens the following night. As it is, we are going to land at the farm, and we will have a chat with Big Macintosh. I can't wait, I actually liked the big man that came through the portal two and a half years ago. We talked to him the entire drive back. He's been busy, doing the exact same thing we have been, gathering ponies to head home. And many that wanted to stay, he directed to our farm, or the one in Texas, or in Florida. I feel the pull, I want to go through that portal, so badly it hurts. But I have to stay, I have to take care of these ponies. But it's home. I miss my home, I miss flying in Equestria.



The pegasi pulling our chariots are descending, we are going to be there soon. This is far faster than any commercial jet. I've toyed with the idea of chariots being used as executive transportation. But I couldn't find enough pegasi that qualified to pull the chariots. Though the pony express idea has been a big hit. Stuff that 3-D printers can't handle, and very high value items can be transported across the nation in a matter of hours. And doing so has been very lucrative. I put my hooves on the rail of the chariot and look down at our destination.



"Holy shit!" I shout, getting Irony's attention, she looks over the side.



"Holy shit!" She shouts as well. There is a huge mass of ponies at the farm, the pegasi angle for the familiar farmhouse. They do find a bit of spare space for landing. I look around at the thousands of ponies. Tents are everywhere. Wow! I walk around, there are so many ponies. They have a lot less space than the Chinese camp did. So they are really packed together. I'm in awe. I'm greeted by hundreds of voices as I walk to the farmhouse.



After a bit of walking around the house, I finally find Big Macintosh, the big blonde haired man smiles and extends a hand, "Lightning Dust, I see you have been successful in gathering ponies to come home."



I blush, "I've tried."



"Mayor Mare has been talking to us a lot. I brought quite a few gems back from Equestria, so money hasn't been a problem, I've been able to buy the land around the portal, and we are starting construction on a complex for the portal."



"You know how fast they have to get through the portal with all of these ponies?"



"I have a plan, I'm going to go through, just after the portal opens, and talk to the ponies there, Rainbow Dash told me they would prepare on their end, so I hope it will be ready, and once I get back, I think we can get two ponies at a time through the portal, so we just keep them moving, and we should have them through with thirty-six hours to spare. Then we can make plans for the future. Are all the ponies that want to go home here?"



I sigh, "I think there will be some stragglers. But a lot of ponies do want to head to Equestria."



He cocks his head to the side, "Is Equestria home to you, Lightning Dust."



I look down, "Yes…yes it is, Big Mac. But I have to get these ponies there, and a lot are staying. So I have to stay, they need protection, they need the guard."



"Have you been recruiting new guard members during your time here?"



I nod, he continues, "And you've got a guard presence in New Beginnings?"



I chuckle, "I think it would be double that we would have for an equivalent city in Equestria."



He smiles, "Good."



We continue chatting for a while, and eventually, he invites us to bed down for the night.



***



I am standing in front of the portal, right now it's an inert statue, we have less than an hour before it opens. I nuzzle Irony and then start walking among the ponies heading to Equestria.



"Dear sweet Celestia it looks like a party of OC's." I chuckle to myself.



I find one pegasus, he's blue, but he's so dark he's almost black, with a black and royal blue mane, I come up and offer a hoof.



He chuckles, "I know who you are, Lightning Dust."



I have a feeling I'm not going to have to introduce myself much today, he continues, "I'm Harts Fire."



I chuckle, "Can't wait to get back to Equestria?"



He nods, "I miss my home."



"I do too." I continue down the line, coming up to another pony, this one is chocolate colored, with beautiful blue eyes, I fight to control my wings, looking at the gorgeous pony. I'm thinking this one rivals Rarity when it comes to looks. I completely fail when it comes to popping a wingie.



"And what's your name?" I ask the unicorn.



"Chocolate Delight." She glances at my wings and giggles. I glance over at Irony, she has a big grin on her face.



Sunset is walking among the ponies, Chocolate Delight runs forward and tackles Sunset.



"Ohmygosh, Sunset Shimmer!" She shouts. "I can't believe you are here, are you coming home?"



Sunset blushes, "No, I'm here to help those that want to go home." She extricates herself from the brown unicorn and comes over to me, "I'm in Dust's herd, and if the herd goes back, I'll join them. But I don't think that will be happening any time soon."



Chocolate looks down for a moment, then brightens, "Well, when you come back, I'll be back at Rainbow Falls, I had a sweet shop there, and I'll make sure you get plenty of sweets." She looks sly, "I was trained by the Cakes over in Ponyville, though I think I've improved on some of their recipes."



Sunset smiles at the pony and we move on, I can't believe how many ponies are here. Thousands upon thousands of them. They run the entire rainbow of colors, I can see light purple with a black and orange mane, along with a jack-o-lantern cutie mark. A shift of the gaze shows me an all green pony, mane and coat. Looking around, I even see a periwinkle blue pegasus filly and a light blue earth pony. I trot up to the latter.



She smiles at me shyly, "I'm Delicate Ribbon." She blushes and adjusts the pink ribbon in her blonde mane.



"I'm glad to meet you."



The light blue pegasus filly I saw just moments before jumps on my back, I hear her excited voice in my ear, "Oh my gosh, it's Lightning Dust. I'm Rivermist, I can't believe you are here!"



She hops off of me and stands in front of me, "You are so awesome, a pegasus as fast as you are, and you are a Wonderbolt, but why aren't you wearing your suit?"



I giggle myself, "I'm not performing today, little one." I ruffle her mane.



She knocks my hoof away, "I'm eleven, I'm not a little one."



"Oh, sorry, my mistake." I smile at the filly. Then move on.



By the time I've made it back to the portal, I've met hundreds of ponies, and I've got promises to feed me full of the best food in Equestria, and several challenges by pegasi to races. All of those get chuckles out of me, a speedster like me is actually pretty rare. Most pegasi don't stand a chance against this pony when it comes to speed.



It's almost midnight, Big Macintosh steps in front of the crowd.



"Hello to all of you, some of you may not know me, but I'm Big Macintosh. In the show I was never known for talking much, but I need to talk to you. First thing is, I'm going to go through the portal, I should be only a few minutes to make sure that things are ready on the other side. Once that is done, and I get back through, I will need you all to keep a constant speed, remember, there are a lot of ponies that need to get through the portal. So, don't stop once you get through, just keep running until you are a good distance away. And my hope is that the other ponies will be ready to greet you, and let you know where to go until you can find your homes back there."



He pauses and looks at the moon, the pegasi have cleared the sky, and the moon is bright. A small flash in that moon indicated the portal is open, and Big Mac steps through. "Now we wait." I murmur to myself. Sunset leans up against me as we watch the portal.



After a few minutes, Big Mac steps through, his hands laden with bars of gold. He carries them over to the side and then gestures for the ponies to start. First one, then two, then hundreds start streaming through. The statue is large enough for three ponies abreast to run through. And running they are. I trot up to Big Mac, "Looks like we are going to get them through pretty quickly."



He smiles, "Yes, and they have plenty of ponies ready for them. Jaws dropped when I told them how many ponies were here. And Rainbow Dash wants to talk to you once the ponies are through."



"Is she coming through?"



He nods.



I smile, I've gotten two and a half years of practice in this body, I'm not going through to come back. One way trip, that's my decision. We sit back and watch the ponies continue through.



I look over at Big Mac, "How are we keeping curious humans away?"



"Well, a lot of ponies have been talked to by the humans, but we all give them different locations for the portal, we are hoping to get about a day before they zero in on all the ponies here. And I've bought most of this land. The old school is just about to be demolished, and as you can see, the shed the statue was in has been removed. We will be breaking ground on an entire portal complex soon, I was having trouble getting the funds for that, after buying the land. But with the gold that Rarity just hoofed over to me, that won't be a problem."



I look at the pile of gold, it amounts to several million dollars at current gold prices, "Is that conjured?"



He nods.



I chuckle, "I hope that the spell doesn't wear off."



He looks at me sharply, "And one of the most powerful alicorns in existence, Twilight Sparkle, can't make the gold endure?"



I sigh, "You've got a point there, Mac."



He ruffles my mane, "Of course I do. Now let's check the police cordon."



I frown and follow him, we make our way around the massive crowd of ponies heading to the portal, cars are making the trip, I see all three of my busses turning around after disgorging a load of ponies. Though many are making their way on hoof. I hear even more excited chattering. A lot of ponies are going home. Every time the portal thrums, a little weight is taken off of my shoulders. We finally make it to a blue barricade with a police cruiser sitting there, it's lights flashing in the night. A police officer is standing there, he smiles when we come up.



"Hey there Mac."



Big Mac comes up and shakes his hand, "Hey John. The overtime working for you?"



He chuckles, "Yeah, though this is a cake walk, just stand here and make sure no one gets past. Though you ponies are certainly moving quickly."



Big Mac smiles, "Of course they do, home is calling."



John chuckles, "I bet it is. Are you going through and staying?"



Big Mac nods, "Yeah, we've got some volunteers from Equestria that are being paid rather well to stay and complete the work that I started. I get to be back with my marefriend, and the complex will be finished for the every thirty month cycle of the portal."



I interject, "So, we have a long term plan for the portal?"



Big Mac nods again, "Pony volunteers are going to administer the portal complex. On a rotating basis, every cycle. We've purchased the land, and we've got an arrangement with the mayor. Dust's herd here, has been talking to the President, and with our agreement, this will be the Equestrian embassy, of sorts. There has been talk of moving the statue to Washington DC, but that idea was shot down. This is where the portal will be, and some of the Equestrians coming back will take control of the farm as well. Tomorrow evening, a few diplomats will be coming, and they will go through the portal to talk to the government as it is in Equestria, so that means they will be talking to Twilight Sparkle mainly."



"How long to get the ponies that want to go through to their home?" John asks.



Big Mac laughs, "Things are going faster than I thought. They should be through by tomorrow evening."



I step forward, "So, this is going to be a busy three days?"



He nods, I continue, "Mac, how many police officers are keeping curious humans away?"



John answers, "There are about a dozen police, though most residents are staying in their homes at night. And we've got detours set up for traffic during the day. When the media finds out about this, it's going to get a little more exciting, but we will do our jobs in that respect."



"What about news helicopters?"



Mac smiles, "They will be met by pegasi and escorted away. It will somewhat show our hand, but we will keep the media as far away from this as possible."



I grin, "You've thought pretty hard about this, haven't you Mac?"



He spreads his arms, "I'm a bit more than I was in the show, Lightning Dust."



We take our leave of the police officer and check the other checkpoints. Thousands of ponies, only three days. But with the organization, I think we will be done by tomorrow night.



***



The flood of ponies has dwindled down to a stream. It's been nearly thirty hours since the portal opened. Nearly a hundred thousand ponies are going to resume their lives in Equestria. I feel very happy for the ponies, but also wistful. I've had to stop my hooves several times from walking through the portal. Every time I stop, I look at Sunset, or Irony, or Moon Shadow, or any of the many other ponies on traffic duty, making sure the ponies make it through. The buses have stopped running, the farm is now devoid of ponies. I watch a few stragglers walk through the portal. Finally, they are home. I let out the breath I didn't know I was holding.



"Okay, now the real work begins." I say to myself. I actually haven't done much except watch ponies, or simply snooze. The ponies are eager to head home, so I really don't have to do much. My herd comes up to us, a serious look on a few faces.



"Dust." Moon Shadow says.



I cock my head to the side, "What?"



She looks at Sunset, at Irony, Mindy, and at Helen, then she sighs, "Do you want to go through the portal? Do you want to go to Equestria?"



My wings drop from my sides, I'm so shocked, "What are you saying?"



She looks as though she's steeling herself for what she's about to say, "Dust, we are pretty happy here, we have a home, we all love each other, but you are our lead mare. You don't talk about it very much, but we all know that you are aching to go through and leave this world behind. We are offering that option to you."



I look at her a long time, then I notice all the ponies and humans here. Helen, Hannah, Dylan. Gold Dust is holding on to Dylan like there is no tomorrow, Hannah looks scared, and excited. I move up to Dylan, "Son, do you want to go through the portal?"



"I want to be with my family, Dust. No matter where that is."



I move over to Helen, "You would give up your humanity, willingly?"



I see tears starting to form, "Dust, love, wherever you are, wherever we are. That is home, if I have to be a pony to have that happen, then that will be how I will live. You lead us, that is your job, your role in our family. You must decide."



I look over at Moon Shadow, she's leaning against Irony, "Irony, Moon Shadow, do you agree?" They both nod.



I look at the portal, the occasional pony is still walking through, and now some traffic from the other side is starting to come through. Blankets are being distributed to the nude humans trying to steady themselves on two legs for the first time in years for them. I focus on the portal itself, that is Equestria, that is my home, where I was born, where I was raised, where I was betrayed by Discord and banished to this world. I can feel it's magic calling me. I can feel it in my very bones. I take a step to the portal, then another. I'm walking at a slow pace, I can see my family following me. They really would go to the ends of the Earth for me, wouldn't they. My hooves stop of their own volition, I can reach out and touch the surface of the portal itself. My hoof reaches out, touching it's surface, it ripples at my touch. I hesitate, looking at the smooth surface, can I do it? Can I make that step and go back to the home that I miss so badly?



"No." I turn around, "No." I say again, "I want to go, but our job isn't done yet."



Moon Shadow comes up and nuzzles me, "Dust, the ponies that want to leave, they have left, they are home now. Surely you aren't staying because of the ponies here."



I look down, furiously thinking, "You are right, the ponies that want to get home are home, and those that want to stay are protected. Every pony settlement that I know of now has a contingent of the guards. They are as protected as I can make them." I look back at the portal, then back at my herd, "But my home is here, with you. I can tell, you want to go back, but it isn't an aching need, it's more like…" I stop and think for a moment, "a desire. You miss our home, but you would miss here as well, the lives we've been able to forge here on this world." I allow a smile, "And I would miss this world as well. And let's not forget Spectrum, there are those that would do ponies harm."



Irony speaks up, "Winter Storm, Sparkler, and many of the guards back in Montana can deal with them, Dust."



I smile even larger, "And they will have to, until I drop this little one in my belly. Then we are going to end them once and for all."



Irony grins, she whispers in Moon Shadow's ear, getting a smile from the gray unicorn.



"What?"



Irony laughs, "Oh Dust, never change." I gallop forward and tackle her, ending up with me on top, kissing her.



I pull away, "Thank you." I whisper in her ear. Then I move off and look at the rest of my herd, "Thank you, there may be a time where we can go through the portal." I look back at the portal then back at them, "But that day is not today."



I hear a thrum, then a voice pipes up, "Lightning Dust."



I turn and see an auburn haired woman standing there, not even apparently noticing her nudity despite the chill of December in the air. I get a glance at her hips, a tri colored lightning bolt flashing down from a cloud. I smile, "Rainbow Dash!"



Rainbow Dash comes forward, "I've got to say, it's good to see you again." She says as she accepts a hug from me.



"How are things in Ponyville?"



She chuckles, "It's kind of crowded right now, a lot of ponies just came home."



I nod, "Big Mac told you his plans?"



She nods, "Rarity and Shining Armor will be coming through in a few minutes, they have a few things to do before they head back."



I smile, "First thing would be to get some clothes."



She chuckles, "I'm only going to be on this side long enough to talk to you, I already miss my wings."



I flex my wings, "Yeah, I hear you."



I spend quite a while updating her on things, some business ventures that are apparently getting started for traffic through the portal, she tells me of plans back in Equestria of a similar nature.



Finally we wind down,  "Rainbow, I want you to meet my herd."



She looks shocked, "The eternal bachelorette Lightning Dust is in a herd?"



I nod, and bring her to my family, taking a moment to introduce all of them. She notices Hannah's cutie mark, "So, magic is real here?"



I nod, "Humanity's magic has been asleep, it wasn't dead. And it's slowly waking up. Our foals will live in a world with magic, even being here."



"So, how many ponies are staying?"



"We think a bit more than a third of the ponies banished by Discord headed home. The rest, for now, are staying." Sunset Shimmer says.



"You will visit when the portal opens again?" Irony asks of the auburn haired woman.



She nods, "Rarity and Shining Armor will be getting married here the next time the portal opens. But for now, we are going to focus on getting Equestria back in the shape it needs to be in."



Finally we bid our goodbyes and she steps through the portal once again. I look at my family. "Let's go home."