Familial bonds: part three

by Darling Dearest

When a parent loves their foal

After a short flight, narrowly avoiding another Pegasus, as she remained entranced in her own thoughts, Rainbow finally arrived back at her cloud sanctuary. Opening her door, she was met with the concerned glares of her parents.

“Did, did ya make ya mind up Rainbow?” Asked Bow, clinging to his wife.

“Mom, Dad, after thinkin’ about it real hard. What Scootaloo’s been through, what I can give her… What might happen either way. An’ talkin’ with my friends about it. I know what I’m gonna do.”

Rainbow’s parents took a deep breath, the suspense being enough to disfigure the calm and graceful nature of Celestia herself into a chaotic frenzy that not even Discord could hope to conjure. Noticing her parent’s hyperbolised reaction, Rainbow chuckled.

“I’m gonna take her in, guys, geez… calm down will ya.”

Bow and Windy’s face burst with pure happiness as Rainbow responded. The tension that had only moments ago plagued their minds had been crushed with a sudden sense of hope and optimism. The happy ending of so many foal tales that had been dismissed as fantasy or unreachable by many ponies as they reached maturity, was about to become more than the frivolous fiction that it had been denounced as.

In her excitement, Windy leaped onto Rainbow Dash, giving her a loving, affectionate, almost bone crushing hug.

“Oh my gosh, Rainbow, that’s amazing! We are prouder of you right now than we have ever been!”

“OKAY there mom, gettin’ a little to obsessive there… again.”

Windy quickly jumped back from her daughter.

“Sorry, dearie. It’s just… we knew that you taking in Scootaloo was the best thing for everypony, but you seemed so scared about it all. You’re usually so confident in your abilities, so it came as quite a shock when you told us that you didn’t think you were ready to take her in. We were so worried that you’d decide to leave her with those wretched, so called, parents.”

“Hey, hey! Let’s not go around bad mouthin’ other ponies. Sure, they’ve done some bad things, but they don’t deserve t’ be treated like that.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, Dashy. You know how I can be, always getting defensive of my foals… Anyway, we were worried that you’d leave her with them, so we’re just so proud that you’ve decided to take in that precious little thing. This really is the best thing you can do for her.”

“I gotta agree with y’r mother there, Dashy. Even after only knowin’ her for barely half a moon, we’ve come to love that little filly jus’ like you have. We jus’ can’t bare t’ see her in a home like that.”

Bow walked over to Rainbow, placing his hoof on her shoulder.

“I know it ain’t… normal, for a father to wan’ his daughter to have her own foal, it means they’ve grown up. They ain’t… yours, anymore. But… when I see the way you an’ that filly are together, even with all the amazing things you’ve done, and me an’ your mother ‘ve cheered you through, over obsession aside, out of ALL of ‘em, sein’ you and Scootaloo together is the thing that makes me most proud t’ call you my daughter. I’m always proud ‘a ya, Rainbow, we both are. We treasure everythin’ you’ve ever done, so trust us when we say that this is an amazin’ thing you’re doin’ an’ that ya should be very proud ‘a yourself.”

Bow leaned into Rainbow, hugging her tightly, knowing that his words could only dos so much. Windy quickly did the same, realising that this was likely the last time that the daughter they had loved and cared for so deeply would be theirs alone. For a moment, everything was peaceful, each of the three ponies completely engulfed in their beautiful familial bond.

Windy was the first to pull away, a smile brewing on her face, Bow noticed this and gleefully backed away also.

“What?” Uttered a curious Rainbow.

“BUT… Miss Rainbow Dash, just because you’re taking in a foal now… Don’t think for s second that you aren’t our Dashy anymore!”

Immediately as Windy’s words flew from her mouth, leaping onto her daughter and rapidly kissing her on the cheek and holding her with a firm grip.

“Ha, mom, knock it off.” Blurted Rainbow, laughing along with her mother.

“Oh, sure, you may be a GROWN UP now, working with the Wonderbolts like you’ve always wanted, going on missions on the order of Princess Celestia herself and even taking in a filly now. But, don’t forget where you come from Little Miss, never forget that we raised you… And that we will always love you.”

“Ha, ha. I won’t, mom.”

Windy let go of Rainbow, lightly tapping her on the shoulder.

“Well… good. I’m glad we got that figured out.

Rainbow Dash fed her mother a loving smile, showing a level of humility that many ponies in the past had wagered she didn’t have the capability to show.

“An’, I love you guys to, really, I mean it. There’s no way I’d be half the pony I am today without everythin’ you gave me… An’, I’m sorry if I don’t seem so grateful sometimes.”

Windy placed her hoof on her chest, deeply touched by her daughters show of affection. Though quickly began to chuckle as she saw comically hyperbolic tears began to well in Bow’s eyes.

“Oh… Celestia. The emotions… So proud. Why do you have no mercy on my poor heaaaart!”

“See! You made your father cry, this always happens when you do something remarkable Rainbow Dash.

Windy winked at Rainbow, causing her to smile as her father hugged her.

“There, there, dad. Let it all out.”

“You, you were so little, an’, an’ now you’re a grown mare… Having a filly of her own. Where did all the time gooooooo!”

The mares giggled at the adorable sight of a grown stallion breaking down at the sight of his daughter leaving behind the final remnants of her fillyhood.

“Oh, okay, I’m better now. Celestia, what just came over me.”

“The same thing that always does when I do literally anything, maybe?”

“Eh, what can I say you’re just that amazing, Dashy.”

Bow winked at Rainbow, showing her a proud glare of acceptance, causing her to slightly blush. Though Windy just let out a small sigh, finally coming to the realisation herself.

“I… I suppose you do have a point there, Bow.”

“Ah, no ‘a don’t, I was jus’ lettin’ the moment get t’ me is all.”

“No… It’s true, Rainbow. To us, it feels like just yesterday when you were that scared little filly, scared to even fly in public, who we taught to be brave. And, now. You’re this beautiful, amazing, loving pony who we’d always hoped you’d be, who’s worked so hard to make all her dreams come true, whereas so many other ponies would’ve just quit, and who’s now ready to raise a filly of her own. I know there’s no way you can understand right now, you will do one day, when Scootaloo grows up into the fine young mare you’re sure to make her. But, Dashy, seeing you there, all grown up, there are no words to show just how proud of you we are right now…”

“Mom… I thank you.” Uttered Rainbow, holding back her tears.

Windy momentarily smiled.

“But, even with that said… Dashy, I’d be lying if I said it didn’t hurt a little to… don’t get me wrong, I have always and forever will love you. But, there were so many years where you were ours alone, where we raised you, gave you everything you needed to prosper. Those are undeniable the best years of my life. And now. Well… well look at you, you’re strong, independent, you belong to the world now. And, soon. You’ll belong to Scootaloo. You won’t… you won’t need us anymore.”

Windy’s eyes began to inflate with tears, the crippling, supressed thoughts of her little Dashy forgetting her overwhelmed her brain.

Rainbow approached her mother, gently laying her hoof on her shoulder and beaming her with eyes filled with such love that it could keep Queen Chrysalis full for a thousand moons.

“Mom, I love you, I love both of you. I wouldn’t be half as awesome today if it weren’t for everything guys me. I’ll never be able to show just how thankful I am. So, if ya don’t mind. What kind ‘a self-absorbed, stuck up, show boat would I have to be to just ignore everything you’ve done for me? I know… I know I ignored you guys for quite a while. And, that’s on me. I was too caught up in the present that I couldn’t respect my roots. I know that now. Mom, I know I’ve got a busy life, but don’t ever think that you’re not gonna be a part of it.”

At the very moment Rainbow finished speaking, as if like lightning, Windy reached over to her daughter, giving her the tightest, most loving hug, a parent could offer their kin, letting her emotions run wild in a beautiful show of vulnerability that a much younger Rainbow would have called weak.

“Thank you, Dearie, you’ve no idea how much this means to me.”

Rainbow chuckled.

“Don’t mention it mom. I’m just returning the favour.”

Windy snickered, holding her daughter even closer to her, treasuring the beautiful moment. For a moment, there was silence.

“Oh, I really do have the greatest family in all of Equestria, now don’ I?” Spewed Bow, tears now bursting from his eyes as he flung his hooves around his two favourite mares.

The day quickly began to come to an end, with the three ponies sharing heartfelt stories of Rainbow’s fillyhood as Celestia dropped the sun, making the pastel blue of the sky vanish and leaving room in the sky for Luna’s dark, rich night.

The two, loving parents had finally come to fully accept that their daughter had grown up and was about to take a foal of her own under her wing. Thus, they took the opportunity to tuck their daughter into bed, one final time.

“Well, Rainbow. Are you all set for tomorrow?”

“Yeah, mom. I’m gonna head back over t’ Scootaloo’s house and talk to her parents again. See if I can get ‘rm t’ see where I’m comin’ from.”

“Good, I’m sure they will Dashy. Why, with your confidence, there’s no way they could even think ‘a turnin’ you down.”

“Thanks dad.”

Rainbow sighed.

“What is it, honey?”

“Nothin’ mom, it’s just, Scootaloo’s such an awesome filly. Sure, she needs somepony t’ take her in, but do I really deserve t’ be that pony.”

Windy placed her hoof on Rainbow’s forehead, giving her a reassuring grin.

“Dearie, I’ve heard it said that ponies come into our lives for a reason. That, that we are lead to those who help us most to grow, if we let them. Dashy, I won’t claim to know the ins an’ outs of how Equestria works, nopony does, not even Celestia herself. But, if anything, I do know that you and Scootaloo met for a reason, to help each other, to grow together.”

Bow placed his hoof on Windy’s shoulder.

“Well, I don’t know if I believe that’s true, but I know we are who we are ‘cause ‘a the ponies we know an’ meet. We certainly wouldn’t be the ponies you see her if not for you Dashy, jus’ like how I’m sure you’d be different without Scootaloo.An’ I can tell ya now, she’d be growin’ up grow up to be a very different young mare if it weren’t for you. You’re the absolute best thing for her, Dashy, ain’t any doubt about it.”

Rainbow chuckled.

“Thanks guys, I know I seem a little nervous, but I know this is all gonna work out it the end.”

“Alright Dearie, now you get some sleep, you’ve got a big day ahead of you and we’d hate for you to feel tired in your little talk.”

“Alright mom.”

Windy smiled, turning of the light to Rainbow’s room, watching as her daughter vanished into the darkness. She gently shut the door.

“We really do have the best daughter in Equestria, don’t we?”

Bow smiled.

“We sure do, Windy, we sure do.”

Comments

[Starsong Shine]

THE FEEEEEEELLS
Oh my...... this was so cute
Imma give you ☆☆☆☆☆☆ stars for this AMAZING CHAPTER
now, if ya 'excuse me I need to cry in the corner...