A Balance of Fire and Light

by Stolenalicorn

6 A New Day

James and Rainbow Dash talked as they walked to the door between worlds. Rainbow Dash still felt like she was dreaming as she heard James speak to her.

“If you're sure, we can split ways at the door.” James calmly said.

She hadn't stopped smiling for a while now, and her face was beginning to hurt. “Yeah. I think I need a bit of time to really believe this is happening.” I also need to tell Starlight that she doesn't need to talk to you about how I feel. She added only to herself.

“Oh, also …” Rainbow Dash hesitantly said. “Can we not talk about what happened in the bar. It was super sappy and embarrassing.”

James chuckled a moment and shook his head. “Yeah. Besides, you'd just deny it if I brought it up.”

Rainbow Dash groaned uncomfortably. “Maybe to everypony else, but between us … well, that's different.”

As they got to the door James knelt and placed his hand on her shoulder. “I know that you know this, but you're welcome here anytime, and for as long as you like.”

She smiled and looked James in the eye. “You can come to my place too, you know.”

James chuckled as he kissed her cheek. “I'll be sure to take you up on that,” pausing a moment to consider the situation, James let his hand drift lower as he took hold of her hoof. “I'm glad you're happy with this.”

Rainbow Dash blushed slightly. “You think they'll freak out this time?”

Memories of everyone's reaction to their prank came flooding back to James, along with Rainbow Dash's recounting of Twilight's freak-out over the whole situation. He couldn't help but laugh at the memories. “If they do, the real joke will be if the wedding goes through without a hitch.”

Rainbow Dash joined in the laugh, stopping after a few moments. “Yeah, that'll be hilarious. … Well I, uh, I should let you get to work. And hey … thanks for earlier. It wasn't easy to understand all of this, and you made this whole thing worth it.”
James smiled warmly at her, “I didn't do anything.”

Rainbow Dash shook her head. “Yes you did. Back then, after the battle, you showed me more clearly than anything I could have found on my own that I wanted this. You accepted me, and my feelings, before I even did.” Rainbow Dash took her hoof back from James and placed it on his cheek. “You messed me up for years … but that's only because I didn't want to admit yet that I loved you like this. And you made it seem so easy with Lucca and Tali, too easy. I'd told myself it couldn't possibly work between us, I thought I was hoping for something that wasn't there … and that I was weird for feeling the way I did.”

“You should never feel that you're weird for loving someone.” James quietly said before adding, “As for after the battle: The only thing I did was try to show you that no matter what you decided, I'd be there for you.”

“That!” Rainbow Dash was emphatic, “That's exactly it. None of the differences, or the weirdness of this mattered to you, only what we felt. You're awesome in ways I never even thought about before.”

James chuckled. “If you want to talk about this all over again, we can head to the den and get comfortable.”

“Oh, right. I really should be going, I need to get up early tomorrow.” Rainbow Dash lifted off the ground and flew through the door to Twilight's castle before turning around and coming back. Without saying a word, she pressed her lips to James' once more, holding for a while before flying off at a less hurried pace.

***

A faint sound of humming caught Starlight's attention as she walked through the castle that night. She knew right where Twilight and Spike were, so she had a good idea as to who the enamored musician was. And before long she caught up to Rainbow Dash, lazily flying towards the front door of Twilight's castle.

“You were visiting him pretty early.” Starlight said with a sly smile.

Rainbow Dash blushed as she hovered in place. “Yeah, James and I were just talking for … I guess it was a few hours.”
James would often spend hours with Rainbow Dash, but to spend that time just talking: That's what Starlight wanted to hear. “What were you talking about?” She asked, innocently enough.

Rainbow Dash rubbed her foreleg and looked away. “We just talked about us … and our relationship.”

Starlight paused before pushing her question. “A-a-a-and?”

“And what?”

Starlight grinned at Rainbow Dash, they both knew what the coming question would be. “Are you still single?”

Immediately Rainbow Dash blushed as a smile spread across her face. “Nope. James and I are officially a couple now.” She couldn't help but smile, even saying it like this felt like a weight had been lifted from her.

Starlight jumped up and hugged the pegasus. “Congratulations! I'm so proud of you! I know it's been difficult for you to come to terms with your feelings for him, and learning to be happy with this new understanding of yourself. So …?”

“So … what?”

Starlight's excited smile quickly returned to sly as she tried to ferret more information from her friend. “Did you kiss him?”

Rainbow Dash balked a moment, just because she could accept her feelings didn't mean she was completely comfortable with them yet. But this was Starlight, she'd helped her get to this point, and deserved an answer at least. “I … uhm … I actually tackled him.”

Starlight snorted as she tried and failed to hold back a laugh. “I guess you were more eager than I thought.”

“I wasn't thinking.” Rainbow Dash squeaked. “I just panicked and it happened.”

Starlight composed herself quickly as she smiled at Rainbow Dash. “Was the kiss at least good?”

“It was amazing! I don't even know how to describe what I felt.” Her heart began to flutter as she recalled the event.

“Relief, I hope.”

“A bit. But it was so much more than that. I feel like I just got accepted to the Wonderbolts all over again!”

Now it was Starlight who felt a wave of strange emotion. She was excited and happy for Rainbow Dash, just starting a new relationship, but also jealous. She turned around before gesturing to Rainbow Dash with her head. “Come on, I want to hear all about it.”

Rainbow Dash desperately wanted to change the subject and quickly thought, latching onto the first idea that came to mind. “So were you on your way to tell James about my feelings?”

“It is that time, isn't it?” Starlight absently asked, as though she weren't completely aware of what day it was.

“Well, how were you going to tell him?”

“I never really thought about it.” Starlight admitted.

“What?!” Rainbow Dash shouted. “You mean I spent this whole time Twilighting over nothing?”

“It wasn't nothing.” Starlight said smugly. “You have a boyfriend now.”

Rainbow Dash glared at Starlight.

Starlight sighed and shook her head. “Rainbow Dash, you've been ready for this for a long time now. You just needed a push to actually get it started.”

“You're doing that Twilight thing.” Rainbow Dash said as she pointed her hoof at Starlight. “You know, like with the cheer squad.”

“Would you have done it if I hadn't given you that ultimatum?” Starlight coyly asked, knowing full well the answer coming to her.

Rainbow Dash began to squirm uncomfortably. “Probably not.”

With a shrug Starlight continued. “See, totally justified.”

“And what's an ultimate … whatever?”

They continued to talk casually as they walked through the halls, stopping briefly at the Library where they saw Twilight once again buried in scrolls and files. It hadn't even been a month and Twilight was once again obsessing over the remnants of a future no longer happening.

“Her eyes again?” Rainbow Dash quietly asked as they turned away from the door.

“Yep. She found more material Celestia sent her while she was still in line to take over the throne.”
Rainbow Dash sighed, “Not again.”

“I know, she just feels like she's missing out because of a mistake she made. Like something was ripped away from her before she was able to even know what she had.”

“I know. But she needs to move on. She's still a princess, she's got her school, and we're all here for her. Just because she's missing out on this doesn't mean that she doesn't have anything else.”

***

“So you're going to talk to them about it, huh?” Lucca asked James as they sat in the den that evening.

“Yeah, I actually got the message when Rainbow Dash and I were talking.”

“You mean making out.” Lucca corrected with a grin.

“We didn't just make out the whole time.” The moment James stopped talking he realized he should have phrased his comment differently.

Without missing a beat Lucca suddenly burst out in laughter. “I knew she'd move fast, but damn!”

James groaned as he waited for her to stop laughing. “You know what I meant.” He calmly said as her laughter tapered off.

“Ah, that laugh was just what I needed.” Lucca said as she wiped a tear from her eye.

James gave Lucca a concerned look as she spoke. “Everything alright?”

Lucca waved the concern off easily. “Yeah, I just haven't laughed that hard in a while.” She paused as she took a breath to calm down. “… Okay, so you heard back from Minaho?”

James smiled as he shook his head, enjoying the joke even as he inadvertently delivered it to Lucca. After all these years he still walked head first into them. “Well, Seto told me she's handling it.”

“So is it just the girls?”

“No, they'll be the first though.”

“And Scootaloo?”

“She was never in question, I don't want to lose any of our girls. I'm going to take her, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle too. If we do this during the summer they don't have to take a break in the middle of school.”

“They're going to think it's a month of vacation.”

“I'm sure we'll all have fun, but I'll be hiring a tutor for them too.”

“Well, you'd better run it past everyone. It'd be a shame to have gone through everything you did to only have them say no when it comes time.”

“I'm pretty sure at least one of them will be interested.”

Lucca smirked, confident she knew who James meant. “You're confident it's going to work out.”

James shrugged as he answered. “It's been going on for years, all we're doing now is accepting it.”

“Kind of like us then.” Lucca leaned back on the couch and crossed her legs as she reflected. “I guess you'll be out there tonight.”

“Yep, you get your bed all to yourself again.”

Lucca smirked as James stood up. “Ooh, that's a selling point.”

With that James brought out his omnitool, sending a message to the girls asking them to meet him at a cafe in Ponyville he particularly liked. It was early enough, he hoped, that they would get the message before going about their day.

***

Rainbow Dash couldn't help but feel a rush when she noticed her omnitool blinking, letting her know she had a message. There weren't many who could contact her this way, and one of them was James.

She shook her head as she tried to clear her mind, she had just seen him before going to bed, why was this so exciting for her?

Bringing up the messaging app, she blushed as she saw that it was, in fact, James. And that he was inviting her to one of his favorite Ponyville cafes.

She didn't even bother read more than that as she closed the application and flew out to meet him.

The wind blowing through her mane felt unusually good as she flew along. As she looked down she paused briefly, finding that James wasn't alone. He was already joined by Applejack, Pinkie, Twilight, and Fluttershy. Looking around she could see Rarity and Starlight walking towards the group. Her heart raced as she wondered just why everyone was there.

Is he going to tell everypony about our relationship? She asked herself as she began to glide towards the table. I mean, they already knew it was going to happen but … “Hey everypony.” She said, trying to sound casual.

With a smile, James gestured for Rainbow Dash to sit next to him. As happy as she was with this change in her life, she didn't want James announcing their relationship without even talking to her first.

Rainbow Dash took the nearby chair, leaning over and whispering in his ear. “What are you doing?”

“I know I put it in the message I sent you.” He whispered back, his voice between concern and confusion. “Is something wrong?”

Rainbow Dash paused, she didn't exactly know what he was planning, but James had already plowed ahead with convincing her parents they were dating. “We don't need to tell everypony. Besides … they already know.”

“I doubt they know about this.” James said with a grin. “I just found about this after you left earlier.”

Now Rainbow Dash was confused. “So this isn't about us?”

“Nope, it was something else entirely … I guess you got distracted.” James whispered, kissing her cheek quickly before turning his attention back to the group now that the last two had joined them.

Rainbow Dash blushed as she heard several of her friends cooing at the sight. Pinkie gasped before running over to hug Rainbow Dash and loudly announcing, “This is amazing!”

“Well it's about time.” Applejack said as she shook her head.

Twilight giggled as she watched the scene.

Once Pinkie released Rainbow Dash from her crushing hug, Rainbow Dash caught her breath and glared daggers at James before she spoke. “James just told me that this wasn't what we're here about.”

James chuckled as a pony delivered drinks to the new guests at the table. “She's right,” He calmly said, “I'm glad about this, but I did want to talk about something else.”

Starlight took a drink of the mocha that had just been placed in front of her. “Normally when you ask us all together it's not good news. Please tell me this is a change of pace.”

James chuckled uncomfortably. “That depends on your outlook, I just wanted to offer you all something.”

Pinkie perked up immediately at the prospect of a present. “Ooh! What is it? What is it? What is it?!”

James was playing it cool, but in reality this wasn't an easy offer to make as there was a great deal behind it. And he was certain they wouldn't be ready for everything the offer itself entailed after the fact. Neither he nor Lucca had been.

James took a steadying breath as he also reminded himself that he had to accept their decision if they chose to turn down the offer. He'd had to many times before, and had many long dead family and friends as a result.

“It's nothing simple. And not just for you; this extends to your closest family as well.” He paused to give weight to what he was about to say. “I just got the okay to take you all to the Galactic Academy for body mods. Basically the modifications my family and myself have.”

“You mean like your magical implants?” Starlight asked uncomfortably, remembering when Flurry Heart had accidentally broken the implants, nearly killing him.

“No.” Twilight spoke up, immediately recalling a conversation from long ago. “He said it when the other Rainbow Dash was around.” She quickly turned to James for confirmation. “You told us that you'd find a way to extend our lives.”

James quietly nodded.

“Of course!” Rainbow Dash said eagerly answered. “That sounds awesome!”

“It's not just living longer.” James said, less excited than the girls. “These modifications were designed with combat in mind. An extended lifespan is actually a side effect, one they've built on and improved. But a side effect none the less.”

“So what are they supposed to do?” Applejack asked.

James took a breath and nodded. “It will improve the functionality of your cells, drastically improving your speed, strength, durability, and immune systems.”

“Awesome!” Rainbow Dash was only getting more excited as she heard what she could gain.

“There are issues with this.” James was quick to cut in. “The modifications are obvious enough that any pony doctors would realize something is seriously different with you. And to keep with the treaties in place, after the treatment all of your medical needs would handled by New Guardia or Jurai. Technically you'd be citizens of New Guardia … Basically, if you do this, like it or not: you're stuck with me.”

Applejack chuckled briefly. “Wouldn't that be a shame, eh Rainbow Dash?”

Despite the seriousness of his offer, a comfortable warmth grew in James' chest as he listened to the jab. This was a kind of welcome he hadn't felt outside of his home for a long time.

Rainbow Dash blushed slightly and took a drink of her coffee (that James accused of being more ice cream than coffee.) Her blush only deepened as James casually wrapped his arm around her.

Fluttershy couldn't deny she was interested in the idea, and that there was a lot she would get to see by doing this. But there was one question she had that nobody had even thought to ask yet. “And, uhm, how long does this extend our life?”

“Thousands of years.” James answered easily.

Silence dominated the table, only interrupted moments later by a quiet. “Oh my.”

Starlight's jaw dropped. She had heard about the modifications, and how they extended the life of James and his family, but she had been thinking centuries, not millenia.

Knowing this, James' occasional disconnection wasn't so surprising. In time, without friends, she could even see him becoming like Discord: Totally detached, chaotic, and possibly unable to connect with others if they didn't constantly work at it. Particularly with the power James seemed to have access to.

His family gave him a measure of grounding, but most of them tended to be reclusive, so he still needed regular reminders that wouldn't just fade away after a while. By staying with him, they could prevent him from turning into a new embodiment of chaos.

… But what would that mean for her as time moved ever onward, with her in the eternal present. Almost everyone she knows becoming nothing more than a memory in time.

James sighed as he looked to them. “Being stuck with me isn't the only problem, any existing conditions you may have will still be applicable, even if we don't know about them. Tenyo's mother being the example that I'm always remembering. She lived just over two hundred years. When they described her behavior it was clear that she suffered from a degenerative neural condition resulting in dementia and ultimately her death.”

“It seems that some things just can't be fixed, no matter how advanced technology gets.” This was meant to serve as a warning, explaining that just because they were doing this they weren't guaranteed to live even as long as he had.

“I'm in.” Rainbow Dash answered without hesitation. “How many times do I have to tell you?”

James smiled, even expecting her response it was still comforting to hear. “Thanks. You don't have to answer right away though, take some time and consider what this means. I need to make some arrangements and serious plans anyway. But that's basically it, I'm going to offer this to a couple others, but I wanted to talk to all of you first.”

His business done, James took a sip from his coffee and looked around the group. He really had missed spending time with friends like this.

After the tension eased, Rainbow Dash smiled slightly as she looked at James. “So, uhm … are you going to stay around for a bit?” Pinkie cooed and Rarity tittered at the scene. Rainbow Dash immediately noticed. “It's just … uh … well …” Rainbow Dash stammered as her blush deepened.

James gave her a wicked grin as he chuckled. “Yes. I was planning on it, or were you asking me on a date?” At the question Rainbow Dash's wings shot out and she got quiet, turning James' chuckle into a full blown laugh. “I don't think I'll get tired of doing that to you.”

Starlight, never one to miss out on this little game and knowing James as well as she did, leaned back in her chair and glanced at his tail. “Well Rainbow Dash, if you want revenge, his tail is twitching.”

Rainbow Dash returned James' smile. “Oh it is, is it?” she coyly asked.

James didn't miss her tone. “I guess two can play this game.”

“I think you mean four. Lucca and I aren't stopping.” Starlight corrected.

“That's not fair.” James jokingly complained. “I can't get back at you.”

Starlight felt like saying something, inviting him to get back at her. She paused as she realized she'd be blatantly asking him to flirt with her. While she did like the idea, and he already flirted with her anyway, she was disappointed in herself for thinking it.

“Why do you think I like it so much?” She asked flirtatiously. “Besides, you flirt with us all already.”

“So what you're saying is that I need to start trying.” James said with a smirk.

As she looked at the new couple Starlight could see Rainbow Dash planning something, and James' mischievous smile. Once again, she felt that yawning pit in her stomach open up. She argued to herself that she was just lonely, that it would get better in time. She fought to keep her thoughts somewhere where she was comfortable with them. And finally, with no small amount of difficulty, she pushed the sensation away.

As they talked, Pinkie shoved Rainbow Dash onto James' lap. Rainbow Dash blushing again as James wrapped his arms around her and smiled. Even though she still seemed nervous about the relationship, it was clear just how happy she was. Having all her friends see her and support her like this helped her feel accepted for who she was.

Author's Note:

After over a year things in my life have finally calmed down enough for me to post again. I was a little distracted so I wasn't able to get ahead like I wanted, so updates will not be really frequent, and there may be long gaps between chapters.
(Ain't ADHD fun )
But regardless of all that, I'm glad to be back, and even if I don't update as often I'm glad to be working on this again.
It's still a few chapters until the main plot point surfaces more clearly, but I'm working on all that.
Sincerely, thank you all.