“What makes you think you can make it as a guard, Cadet Scott!?” Zoe's drill instructor yelled into her ear as he ran beside her around the PT track that encircled the academy grounds. “You're slow! You're Sweating! Look at your coat, it's soaked!”
Sergeant Dark Heart, a massive, imposing, black coated pegasus pony with a white mane had singled her out this morning during Physical Training. Things wouldn't be so bad had said Sergeant hadn't grabbed her right before sack time the night before to do patrol duty until midnight, ensuring that Zoe only got at least four fitful hours of sleep.
The cold winter air was burning Zoe's lungs as she ran, feeling the start of a muscle cramp in her right flank.
“Sir! The Cadet will persevere through all adversity and succeed, Sir!” Zoe called out through her panting breath before picking up her pace.
“Out bucking standing, Cadet. One more lap then hit the showers.” Dark Heart told her before slowing his pace to pick on the next cadet who was lagging behind.
“Sir, yes sir!” Zoe responded automatically.
It didn't take long till the last lap was completed and Zoe started her slow cool down walk towards the mare's shower room. As she walked, she started to shiver, her sweat soaked coat betraying her as her body began to cool down after a long stretch of physical exertion.
Sending magic through her horn, Zoe began to vibrate the air around her, not enough to generate any noise, but just enough to warm the air through pure friction. It was a little trick she figured out when she was in middle school after a science lesson on how the molecules of objects moved at different speeds based on their temperature. It did take some concentration, and didn't always yield the same results, but it was enough to take the bite out of the cold morning air.
“I wish I could do that,” Fair Winds, a cream coloured Pegasus said as she trotted up alongside Zoe.
“Pegasi are supposed to be able to handle the cold,” Zoe countered.
“Yeah, the ones that grew up in Cloudsdale or one of the other cloud cities, maybe, I'm from Los Pegasus, this is the first time I've seen snow...”
“Ah, you'll get used to it,” Zoe said, moving closer to her fellow cadet to share the warmth from her little magic trick.
Entering into the main entrance of the training gymnasium, Zoe stopped her display of magic and stood under one of the roof vents that was pumping out hot air. Giving her body a shake to rid herself of some of the cold, she headed to the locker room.
Peeling the PT sweater off herself and tossing it in her laundry bag, and turned to Fair Winds.
“What in Tartarus is with Dark Heart today?” Zoe asked.
“Buck if I know,” She responded. “No offence, and please don't take this the wrong way, I'm just glad he picked on you and not me.” Fair Winds said as she walked past Zoe into the shower room.
Following her in, Zoe lit up her horn and turned the shower on and stood under the steady stream of hot water for several seconds, relishing the feeling of her body temperature increasing.
“None taken,” she said after a bit. “But seriously, he pulls me aside right before bed, puts me on patrol till midnight so I only got less than four hours sleep, then runs me ragged during morning PT,” Zoe explained. “Wonder who put the stick up his plot.” Zoe finished, sporting a wicked smile.
“Don't put too much into it,” A third voice said, this one belonging to the only other mare currently enrolled in the academy. Snowy Spice, a year ahead of them, was a large earth pony, easily a head taller than Zoe or Fair Winds.
When Zoe first met her, she found Snowy to be a little unsettling, her bright red eyes and pure white mane and coat, indicative of albinism, put her on edge. It was a little awkward at first when Snowy called her on it, but she put Zoe's mind at ease when she told her that Zoe's heterochromatic eyes were a little hard to look at.
“He likes to single out a few ponies at a time, starting with the ones that he thinks will drop out, then works his way up to the one's he thinks have potential,” Snowy explained. “He started with me right out of the gate last year. He didn't like it when I tackled him to the ground during training.” She continued. “Also, it's common knowledge that the stick is standard issue and surgically implanted upon attaining the rank of Sergeant,” Snowy said with a straight face that lasted all of three seconds before all three mares burst into laughter.
A short double ring of the academy bell cut their conversation short, though, signalling that they had twenty minutes before classes were to begin.
Thankfully today was a theory day, with no physical training scheduled. A day in classrooms Zoe could handle, she wasn't sure she could take any more exercise.
Walking out of class, Zoe let out a big yawn, twisting her neck as she did so until she felt a pleasurable, and audible, pop.
“Oh-ho-ho, that felt good...” Zoe moaned to herself as she lazily walked down the hall, getting passed on all sides by other cadets. The only thing on her mind was the two hours of personal time that she fully intended to spend writing Sapphire.
“Cadet Scott!” A dreaded voice called out. Now what? She thought. Turning towards the direction of the voice, she snapped to attention as she saw Commandant Spitfire walking lock-step alongside Sergeant Dark Heart.
“At ease, Cadet,” Spitfire told Zoe. “You've received a request from Mayor Davenport in Ponyville that you give a speech at the Rainbow Dash memorial dedication.”
“A speech?” Zoe asked. “Why me?”
“They didn't say, but the request still stands,” Spitfire explained. “I'm inclined to make it an order, though. Commander Dash was one of this academy's most distinguished graduates after she transferred from the Wonderbolts with me to the Royal Guard. She was a close friend, and it's fitting that a Cadet from this Academy speaks at the dedication.” Spitfire continued. “The fact that she was a close family friend of yours makes it all the more fitting.”
“Yes, ma'am.”
“Get some rest, Cadet,” Sergeant Black Heart told her. “You're scheduled to be on the 0900 train to Ponyville tomorrow morning.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Excellent, you're dismissed,” Spitfire said. “Oh, and Zoe, the Dedication is being broadcast planet-wide, no pressure.” She added with a wicked smile.
No pressure... Zoe thought. What the hell am I going to say?
Walking through the Canterlot streets at this time of day always put a smile on Zoe's face. The hustle and bustle of all the ponies going about their business, the smell of freshly baked bread from the bakeries, the chatter of those lining up to get their morning coffee from the many cafes.
Zoe had always liked observing ponies, and over the years, she began noticing more and more about behaviours and mannerisms that they had, especially since she joined the JRGC and further refined now that she entered the academy.
After stopping to purchase a coffee of her own, she stepped out of a Ponybucks to the pleasant sight of a light flurry begin to fall. The moment the snow began to fall, the sounds of the city street seemed to quiet as everypony stopped to look up. But it was short lived as they all went about their days once the novelty of the falling snow wore off.
It was a short walk from the coffee shop to the train terminal. She was an hour early, and while she was by far not the only pony there in the waiting area, it was relatively quiet. After getting her ticket they had on hold for her, she sat down on one of the benches.
Taking out a pad of paper and a self-inking quill, she started to write her speech, at least she tried.
“Why did I have to have writers block now all times,” Zoe hissed at herself.
It wasn’t that she didn’t know what she was going say about Rainbow, explaining what she remembered of her, it was starting the speech off that was the difficult part. She had spent most of the night before she went to sleep trying to remember things about her life before she came to Ponyville, and the more she thought about it, the more she realised that she knew next to nothing.
“Some niece I am,” Zoe said, feeling guilt about never taking the time to learn about one of her surrogate aunts. Making a mental note, she planned on spending time with the rest of them while she was in Ponyville. Life’s too short, she thought.
“Two tickets to Ponyville on the Nine AM train,” a pony asked the ticket-master. Looking in that direction, Zoe saw two ponies, a mare and stallion. They both had blue coats, but the mare’s was slightly darker. She had a two-tone fuchsia mane, the stallion’s had all the colours of the rainbow.
“Names?” The stallion behind the ticket kiosk asked, not even bothering to make eye contact. Customer service these days, Zoe remarked in her mind.
“Rainbowshine and Rainbow Blaze,” The mare told him.
“Oh,” The ticket master said, quickly rifling through some papers. “Here are your tickets.”
“How much?” Rainbowshine asked.
“The Crown as already paid for your passage, ma’am.” He continued. That was when Zoe realised, they were Rainbow’s parents.
Putting her pad of paper and quill down, Zoe walked over to the couple. “Mr and Mrs Blaze?” Zoe said in greeting.
“Oh, hello,” Rainbowshine responded.
“I don’t know if you remember me, I was a filly when we met, I’m Zoe Scott.”
“No, you can’t be little Zoe.” Rainbow Blaze remarked in disbelief. “Well, you’ve gotten big, and in the Academy too.”
“How have you been, dear?” Rainbowshine asked.
“I’m doing OK, the Academy has been good so far, nothing to complain about.”
“That’s good to hear, let's go sit and talk,” Rainbowshine told her.
Zoe motioned over to where her bags were.
“Are you going to Ponyville too?” Rainbow Blaze asked.
“Yes, sir,” Zoe said, scratching the back of her head. “I’ve been asked to speak at the dedication.”
“That’s lovely dear, thank you,” Rainbowshine told her.
“You’re welcome, ma’am.”
“Oh, psh… call me Shiny,” The mare told her.
“You can keep calling me sir, I like the sound of it,” Rainbow Blaze said, getting a smack upside the head from his wife’s wing.
“Blaze is fine, Zoe,” The stallion said in surrender.
Eyeing the pad of paper next to Zoe, Rainbowshine gave her a quizzical look. “Having trouble?” She asked.
“A little,” Zoe admitted. “It’s a little embarrassing to admit, but I know next to nothing about Aunt Dashie from before she came to Ponyville.”
“Nothing to be embarrassed about, Zoe,” Rainbow Blaze told her.
“As outspoken and brash as our daughter was, she did like to keep some things to herself,” Rainbowshine continued. “Like how she started a thunderstorm in the living room,”
“Or how when she was learning to fly she got so excited that she just jumped off the cloud she was on, forgetting to flap her wings.” Rainbow Blaze added with a forlorn smile.
“Do you mind if I ask some questions?” Zoe asked.
“Not at all, dear.”
The three of them talked for almost the entire journey, and Zoe dutifully took plenty of notes.
Zoe watched on the train platform as the two parents were greeted by their son-in-law.
“GRANDMA!” A little golden filly yelled out and literally flew into the older mare.
“Hello little one,” Rainbowshine greeted Apple Fritter.
“What, no hugs for me?” Rainbow Blaze said, mock disappointment in his voice.
Apple Fritter smiled a toothy smile, then jumped from her Grandmother’s forelegs to her Grandfather’s, giving him an equally big hug.
“Already flying I see?” Rainbowshine asked Big Mac.
“Eeyup.” The proud father said with pride. “Just like her mama.”
“Ahem,” A voice said from behind Zoe. Turning around, there was Sapphire with a nervous smile.
“Sapphire!” Zoe said joyfully, pulling her in for a hug, but nothing more, far too nervous herself, not knowing what to do next.
“You can kiss me, you know. It’s alright.” Sapphire said with a grin. “You did ‘officially’ ask me to be your marefriend in the last letter you wrote.”
“Hehe, I did, didn’t I?” Zoe responded, scratching the back of her head, but then bent forward and gave her a soft kiss. “I didn’t know you were going to be here,” Zoe stated when they parted.
“Mom sent me a letter last week telling me that you were going to be speaking at the dedication, but I didn’t get the damn thing until yesterday, so I jumped on the red-eye from Manehatten, I only got here an hour ago.”
“How’d your Mom know a week ago that I was coming? I only found out about it yesterday.”
“She was on the planning committee,” Sapphire said with a smile, but that quickly changed to laughter when Zoe’s belly made a large gurgle. “Come on, you’re Dad asked me to pick you up, your Mom has got breakfast ready for you, said it was your favourite.”
“Banana chocolate-chip pancakes?” Zoe asked rhetorically with a little too much excitement, quickly turning towards the path that would take them to her home.
“Hey, slow down,” Sapphire said as she picked up her pace to catch up with Zoe. “Not all of us have PT every morning you know.”
“Sorry,” Zoe apologised. “It’s been months since I’ve had mom’s cooking,” Zoe continued as she slowed her pace down to match Sapphire’s. She walked so close alongside her that Zoe could feel her warmth on her coat.
“How’s your studies going?” Zoe asked.
“Well, although my history teacher is a pain in the plot,” Sapphire explained.
Out of the two of them, Sapphire had always been the diligent student, always remembering to study, first to get her assignments done, and so on. So it was no surprise that she was accepted to ManeU Bachelor of Education program so that she could become a teacher. The fact that she was having troubles though worried Zoe.
“What’s wrong?” She asked.
“Nothing major, he’s just an ass. Literally.” Sapphire responded. “Cantankerous, crotchety old donkey...” Sapphire hissed under her breath.
“That’s quite the description,”
“Describing him is one thing, meeting him is another,” Sapphire said with a chuckle. “Enough about me, do you have anything for your speech ready?”
“Yeah, I rode down here with Aunt Dashie’s parents, I should have the speech ready in time,” Zoe said as they walked up the steps to her house and opened the door. “Mom! I’m home!”
“Zoe!” Fluttershy cried out with glee as she floated over from the kitchen and latched onto her daughter with a tight hug, giving her kisses all over her face. “I’ve missed you so much! How are they treating you? Are you eating well? You listening to your instructors?” She asked in quick succession.
“I’m fine, Mom, I’m fine,” Zoe told her.
“Oh, Sapphire, I didn’t see you there, how are you?”
“I’m doing well, Mrs Scott,” Sapphire said with a smile.
“You’re welcome to stay for breakfast, Sapphire.”
“I’d love to,”
“Oh, Mom...” Zoe began to say but hesitated. “I’ve got something to tell you.”
“Oh, what is it, Zoe?” Fluttershy asked with a smile.
“Sapphire and I are dating...” Zoe told her.
Fluttershy stood there for a moment with a confused look her face, like she was trying to figure something out in her head. It was obvious when it finally clicked.
“Eeeeeeeee!” Fluttershy exclaimed as she grabbed both Zoe and Sapphire into a hug, wrapping her wings around both of them.
Just as quickly as she did that, she raced off into the dining room.
“James! Honey! Did you hear!?”
“Sapphire and Zoe? Yeah, I know. Rarity told me she saw them kissing at the train station when Zoe left for Canterlot.”
Despite being on opposite sides of the house, the following happened at the same time in unison.
“You didn’t tell her/me?!” Sapphire/Fluttershy asked Zoe/James in annoyance. Sapphire kicked Zoe in the shin and at the same time, a loud thwap could be heard coming from the dining room as Fluttershy smacked James upside the head.
“Ow! That hurts you know,” Zoe/James said. “Sorry,”
“Geez...” Sapphire/Fluttershy said.
The Following day
Zoe sat on the stage beside a large cloth-covered statue in the center of Ponyville. Beside her was Ponyville’s new Mayor, Davenport, and Princess Twilight, who got up to speak to the gathered crowd.
And it was a large one, the entire street was filled with ponies, at least a hundred, with even more pegasi sitting atop clouds above the crowd. But that wasn’t what had Zoe’s attention, though. What had her attention were the news camera’s covering the event.
Focus, Zoe told herself, so instead of looking at the cameras, she looked at her family sitting in the front row, and then to Rainbow’s parents.
“Thank you all for coming. Today we’re gathered to dedicate a memorial to one of Ponyville’s own.” Twilight started off. “Three years ago, our friend Rainbow Dash was taken from us in a terrible accident,” Twilight continued. A flash of annoyance crossed Zoe’s mind, but she quickly pushed that aside. “As a close friend, I know that she’s touched so many of us in different ways. One of those ponies is with us today, and we’ve asked her to share her experience. Cadet Scott?”
Getting up and crossing the stage, Zoe gave Twilight a hug and then approached the podium.
“Thank you, Princess,” Zoe said, giving her a nod, then turned towards the crowd. “Rainbow Dash was known by many things. Daughter, mother, Wonderbolt, Commander, friend. To me, though, she was just Aunt Dashie.
“Rainbow Dash was my mother’s closest friend. Growing up in the Cloudsdale Home for Children, my mother didn’t have many friends. The coming and going of other children as they aged out of the home or through adoption, along with her shy nature didn’t afford her many opportunities.
“One morning at summer flight camp, Fluttershy found herself at the mercies of several bullies. Rainbow Dash, the brash filly that she was, intervened. The two became inseparable, except when Rainbow would fly off, ever trying to go faster.” Zoe said, getting a laugh out of the crowd.
“That was the start of what would be a lifelong friendship. Through the years, she would constantly have Fluttershy over for slumber parties, study groups for schools. The Blaze family practically adopted her in every way but in name. Rainbow Dash considered her a sister.
“She was my mother’s Maid of Honour at my parent's wedding, and my mom was at her’s several years later. After I was born, she was the first pony after my father to hold me. She told my mom that I was the most awesome thing she had ever seen, then promptly asked where she could get one of her own. Those of you who know my mother, you can guess how deep a shade of pink her face turned at that question.” Zoe continued with a chuckle, getting another laugh from the crowd, the biggest coming from her mother.
“Rainbow Dash was a constant fixture in my life. Always filling in to foalsit when my parents needed a break, taking me for flights on her back when I was a filly, always there to help pick me up if I fell at the park. She was my Aunt.”
Looking down at what she had written, Zoe’s smile faded. Remembering what Rainbow told her helped her carry on, so she took a deep breath.
“The largest impact she had on my life was only a few days before the events that took her from us. I was attending the Fall Formal dance where a pony spiked my drink and I was nearly assaulted. Arriving shortly after my parents did at the hospital, she told me she flew here from Canterlot as soon as she heard. That was just how she was.
“After I was released and went home, Rainbow Dash spoke to me before I went to sleep. She confided in me that the same had happened to her.” Zoe told the crowd, who was now silent and hanging on to her every word. “She told me that I wasn’t alone. That I shouldn’t let it let what happened to me rule over my life. That I should do whatever I wanted to do, no matter what anypony said, let nothing stop me.
“At the time, I had just joined the Junior Royal Guard Corps at school, and I wasn’t sure that I wanted to do that as a career. But after what happened, her words continued to echo in my head. I didn’t let anything get in my way, stepped on a few hooves along the way,” Zoe said, pausing for a second. “Something I’m sure Rainbow Dash wouldn’t have any other way.” She continued with a smile which spread to the crowd. “I entered the Royal Guard Academy in the hopes that I would be able to prevent what happened to either of us wouldn’t befall somepony else.”
“That’s all that I have to say,” Zoe said, finishing her speech. Turning to Twilight, who was wiping a tear from her face. She just motioned for Zoe to carry on with the dedication. “So, with that, we dedicate this memorial to Rainbow Dash.”
Soon as that was said, several pegasi flew down from the clouds and lifted the cloth off the statue.
Immediately, the entire center of town was bathed in a brilliant rainbow of colours as the sun shone through the magnificent crystal statue of Rainbow Dash. This being the first time she had the chance to see it, it took Zoe’s breath away.
But it also brought on tears and pain. Unable to continue, Zoe quickly left the stage with Sapphire chasing after her. Fluttershy made to get up and follow, but James held her back.
Ducking into the alley behind Sugarcube Corner, Zoe sat on her haunches and wept.
“Zoe?” Sapphire cried out as she walked past the alley, only to double back. “There you are,” She said as she sat down next to her. “Are you ok?”
“No, no I’m not. It’s just too much right now.” Zoe told her. “I… I just can’t be there right now.”
“No one’s expecting you too, they understand,” Sapphire said in a soothing tone. With those words, Zoe leaned on her and cried into her shoulder.
“I miss her so much,”
A Day Later
“I don’t want you to leave,” Sapphire said, holding Zoe close.
“Neither do I, but I’ve got to get back to the Academy, and you’ve got college.”
“This sucks.”
“Yep. But it’s not that long till Hearths Warming.” Zoe said with a smile.
“There is that,”
"1600 Train to Manehatten is now departing, All aboard!"
"See you in a few weeks," Zoe said, giving Sapphire a kiss before she got on the train.
“Zoe!” Her father called out as he walked up along with a Starfleet Officer. “I want to introduce Commander Madison, he’s a training officer from Starfleet Academy,” James explained, motioning to the five foot eight tall human with bright red hair.
“Sir,” Zoe said, snapping to attention.
“I’m not in your chain of command cadet, Commander will be just fine.”
“He’ll be observing the training at the Royal Guard Academy this semester,” James explained.
“Looks like I’ll be taking the train with you,” Madison said.