To See Her One More Time

by TheMessenger

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

****Though a few months isn't a long time, it's how long I have wanted a moment like this.****

"That's the T.V."

Rainbow Dash gave Robert a blank stare, tilting her head to the side in confusion. Robert grins.

"It stands for television," he elaborates. "It's like a big window that let's you see other worlds and stories."

"What a magical description," Neil snarked in response as the filly simply blinked at Robert. She turned her head to the "television" and gave her reflection a poke with a hoof. A small hollow echo rang as she knocked against the glass screen.

"Not like that, Dashie," Robert said with a laugh. The pony glared at the young man and scowled. Her attempts in appearing intimidating fell short, looking more cute and adorable instead. Robert gave the filly an apologetic smile. "C'mere you. Please?"

Rainbow huffed and turned her back on Robert. Her tough facade fell quickly however and she soon found herself at the man's feet. Robert bent over and gently picked the pony up. He set her on the couch and watched her pound against the old cushions to soften them. Robert sat next to her and grabbed the remote that laid on the coffee table in front of them.

The little blue Pegasus regarded the strange gadget with wide eyes brimming with curiosity. She moved a hoof forward, then hesitated, looking to Robert for advice.

"Go ahead," Robert urged. "It won't bite."

At his encouragement, Rainbow Dash began to play with the remote. Her hooves pressed a few buttons down and gave it a shake. A large red stud near the top caught her eye. Naturally, her hoof gravitated toward it.

"-and now the forecast for this week. Relatively cloudy for a majority..."

Rainbow's head whipped up as light flashed behind the television screen. Her eyes widened as a man in a suit and tie gestured to five boxes, each with a few numbers and a crude picture of a sun hidden beneath dark clouds. Except Thursday, Robert noted with a soft groan; he had to find that umbrella eventually.

The filly leaped off the couch and cautiously crawled to the television. Tentatively, she waved at the man inside the magic box. Having received no reaction, Rainbow got closer and waved her foreleg right in his face. Still no response. Again, the pony began to tap at the screen. Robert got to his feet, hoping to stop the filly before she broke the glass.

"Anytime we'll be seeing the sun this month, Tom?"

Rainbow jumped back as the man was replaced with two other people sitting behind a large desk. She glanced over to Robert in confusion as the two stranger began to laugh.

"They're not real people," Robert explained, picking her up. "Well, no, that's not true...it's like a picture, a moving picture. You remember what a picture is, right?"

The pony rested her chin on Robert's arm, then nodded and pointed at the portrait of his parents. His grin faltered for a moment.

"R-right, like that." The young man pointed back at the T.V. "It's a moving picture of those people. I mean, it's not like people are actually hiding inside the T.V. There are just wires and stuff that get signals from satellites and beam those images from space and...I'm not very good at explaining this, am I?"

Robert sighed as he felt Rainbow shake her head her head against him. He sat back on the couch and turned to the television. The pony copied him, watching the news in fascination.

"And now we've got something interesting for you folks today..."

Robert leaned forward.

"Is your Kentucky Fried Chicken actually chicken? You could be eating duck! We'll be back after a short break."

Robert relaxed. He felt something tug at his sleeve and looked down to find Rainbow pointing at the screen.

"It's a commercial. It's...something to...uh..."

Robert racked his brain for some sort of explanation. What were televised ads besides a miserable pile of lies and a distraction from the actual shows? Rainbow, meanwhile, watched in a hypnotic state as catchy jingles played for detergents.

"I'm going to change the channel," Robert finally said, finally giving up. "That okay?"

Rainbow gave him another blank look.

"A different picture will pop up on the screen," Robert tried again. He held up the remote. "I can change the pictures so I can watch what I want. That okay?"

This time, Robert got more that a confused stare. Rainbow nodded, her eyes alternating between the television, the remote to the television, and the man holding the remote. Robert's thumb fell.

"...Wall Street has suffered another major loss..."

For awhile, Robert would rotate between news channels. At the mention of crime or war and the channel would change so quickly the filly next to him jumped or turned in surprise. Subjecting her to the harsh world outside didn't seem fair. Rainbow Dash didn't belong here, after all; why should she have to suffer along with the rest of them?

No news on ponies however. Nothing on mysterious portals or surges of wild energy. No mention of sonic booms followed by window-shattering rainbows. No strange phenomenons beyond how the governor's ratings were so low and yet he was still being reelected.

Nothing about or even hinting Rainbow Dash's presence. Another sigh, this time out of relief.

Robert felt something push against his arm. Rainbow was pouting, having lost interest in the current state of the stock market. She frowned and pointed at the remote, then at the T.V.

"Sorry, Rainbow. Are you getting bored?" Robert's hand went for the control. "Let's see if there's any cartoons on right now."

"...it could happen, only on the-"

The channel changed.

"Arrr you ready kids?"

"Aye aye captain!"

"I can't heeear yoooou!"

"AYE AYE CAPTAIN!"

"Ooooh..."

Rainbow laughs as the pirate began to sing. Robert smiles as well. He puts the control back on the coffee table.

"I'll be right back," he tells her, getting to his feet. Rainbow nods and turns back to the television. Robert makes a quick dash upstairs, removes his laptop from a desk hidden beneath a pile of old papers and laundry, and heads back downstairs. Robert stops by the kitchen and picks up a few stalks of celery and a water bottle.

Robert breaks the celery into chunks and hands them over to the little pony. Rainbow accepts them gratefully with a grin, one that Robert happily returned as he waits for his computer to turn on. As she continues watching the laughing abomination of a sea sponge chase pink jellyfishes, Robert opens his browser and is welcomed by his homepage.

No new emails, he notes. Doesn't matter. Robert's attention is on the news bulletin. Again, there is no news of interest.

Robert tries something else, this time typing in a few keywords in the search bar. Rainbow Dash's page on a fan wiki is first. A few other fan pages and websites. Some images from the show. Robert shifts himself and the laptop away from the pony, hiding the screen. Rainbow is too focused on the television to notice. Once more, there is no hint of cartoon ponies popping around in real life, besides an occasional video with some impressive editing.

The backspace on the laptop's keyboard is held down. Clicks soon compete with the sounds of the T.V. as Robert's fingers dance across the board. Tabs are opened and bookmarked, most notable Rainbow Dash's wiki page and the Wikipedia article on ponies.

Who knew how accurate those pages were or how much would apply to the Pegasus sitting on his couch. Who knew how long she would be in his care. Who knew if Robert could even take care of the little pony. There was a reason why he didn't own a pet. He barely made enough for himself. His love for the show was a secret so he couldn't go to his friends.

But what was the alternative? Drop her off at the pound? Leave her on her own to defend herself? Give her to some lab where she'd be experimented on in the name of science? Robert shook his head. No, he would have to take the responsibility himself.

Robert's eyes lingered on the computer screen a little longer before he closed the laptop and set it aside. Research could wait. Besides, it had been awhile since he enjoyed a good Spongebob.

*****

The scene had barely changed. Robert and the little blue Pegasus still sat on the couch. The laptop was still in front of the young man. The filly still watched the television with rapture and amazement. There were a few differences but it took a moment before Neil noticed that Robert now wore a sweater and that speeding cars now populated the screen instead of colorful cartoons.

A half-eaten box of donuts was on the table. Sprinkles and bits of sugar dotted the Pegasus' lips. Robert had been hesitant about introducing pastries into Rainbow's diet but she was quickly getting bored of raw veggies. The show did depict ponies as sugar-loving fanatics, never mind that half of the ingredients were poisonous to real horses. Besides, there was a sale and if there was one thing Robert couldn't resist another than little baby Pegasi, it was a sale.

A small cup of milk sat awkwardly in Rainbow Dash's hooves. She squirmed as Robert wiped away the remnants of the donut she just ate and the white mustache right above her lip.

"There," he declared proudly, throwing the napkin into a growing pile. The little filly tried to clean herself by wiping her foreleg across her face. Her grip around the cup broke and it fell onto the table. A large milky pond was released, with small white waterfalls poured over the edge. Rainbow Dash's mouth fell open and when she looked up at the young man, Robert could see the beginning of tears.

"Hey, hey, it's alright," he said, mopping the mess up with napkins. Robert gave her a tender pat on the head. "It's fine, it's fine. Don't cry, okay? Nothing's broken and we still have plenty of milk left." He gave the filly the warmest smile he could conjure. "No use crying over spilled milk, huh?"

The little Pegasus gave Robert a confused look, her head tilted to the side as she processed his words.

Robert shrugged. "Yeah, I don't get it either," he said, setting aside the soggy napkins. He shut the laptop and picked up the pile of used napkins and the empty glass and, with another quick pat on Rainbow's colorful head, walked back to the kitchen. He didn't look behind him but Robert knew that those rosy eyes were upon him as he left the room.

Robert filled the cup about halfway so that it would be harder for the filly to spill. He shook the carton, frowning as he released just how false his assurance had been. It was amazing how much the two of them could eat and drink. Mentally, he added milk to his ever growing shopping list and hoped that he would remember to write it down on the actual list that was magnet'd to the refrigerator.

He gave the strip of paper a look over. He needed eggs, toilet paper, and hay. There was a large question mark next to the word hay, since Robert wasn't entirely certain where he could buy some.

Horses are herbivore with a digestive system adapted to a forage diet of grasses and other plant material, consumed steadily throughout the day.

Wheat was a grass, right? Maybe Robert could just buy bread. Just so she could have a more diverse diet. She couldn't just eat donuts and cupcakes all the time; she wasn't Pinkie Pie after all, Robert joked to himself.

His eyes lingered on the second item on the list. Even if Rainbow wasn't going to stay very long she should still have her own toiletries. Would his shampoo and soap work or did the filly need a special type? Robert racked his brain as he tried to remember any clues from the show. There...was a bubble bath, yes, yes a bubble bath, the Pinkie Sense episode.
With a confident nod and a glass of milk in hand, Robert went back to the living room and set the glass in front of Rainbow Dash.

"Here you go," he said, helping her take a sip. Straws, they could use some straws. Robert opened his laptop and punched in the password.

Horses are a precocial species, and foals are capable of standing and running within a short time following birth Robert read. Absently he reach forward and grabbed a glazed donut and began to chew slowly. In biology, the term precocial refers to species in which the young are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching...

A loud hum distracted Robert from his research. He lifted his head just in time to see the final race car make it pass the curve. He turned to Rainbow Dash who watched in awe at such speed. Noticing the attention she was receiving, Rainbow looked back at Robert.

"Vroom!" she squealed, trying to imitate the sound of the cars. She threw her hooves into the air and wiggled her wings, ruffling her feathers.

Robert laughed. How could he not? "That's right Dashie," he said, smiling. "They're going really fast." He took another bite from his donut.

"Fast!" Rainbow Dash chirps. "Go fast!" She turned back to the television screen as Robert nearly choked.

D-did she just...talk?

In biology, the term precocial refers to species in which the young are relatively mature...

*****

"Okay, apple. A...ple."

"Apple!"

"Very good," Robert praised, handing the filly the slices of fruit with the skins peeled. "Now, what about this one?" He held up a small orange slice.

Rainbow Dash made a face. "No orange! Bleh!"

"Hey, I though you liked orange juice. This is the same thing, see?" Robert ripped the fruit from the skin before making a face. "Geez, that's sour!" he exclaimed.

The little Pegasus' giggles grew as the young man took the skin peel, placed it over his teeth, and grinned. "That's silly!" she cheered, reaching for an orange slice herself.

*****

"Alright, Dashie," said Robert. He wore a green hoodie and faded jeans. He held an umbrella in one hand and a bag in the other. "I'm heading off."

Rainbow looked up. "To work?" she asked. It had taken her awhile to get used to Robert's morning leavings. She still hated waiting for him to come home but at least she didn't cry anymore. Rainbow knew Robert would be back.

"Yeah. Gonna be a little late tonight." Robert gestured to the clock nearby. "I'll be back around when both the small and big stick are at the six. You remember what six is, right?"

The filly nodded.

"Good, I'm bringing dinner so don't spoil your appetite with snacks. Be good, okay?"

"Wait!" she cried before scrambling back to the living room. Robert waited impatiently, rocking on his heels. He was running a little late this morning and was having a little trouble thinking of an excuse. It was a good thing he was on decent terms with his manager.

"I could use the 'helping old lady' one again," he muttered as Rainbow galloped back. She was carrying several blocks Robert had given her. They had been his once and color of the letters on the blocks had faded with age, though still legible. The little pony stuck her tongue out in concentration as she began to arrange them side by side.

She stood aside and proudly pushed the blocks forward for Robert to see.

GOOD BEY

Robert smiled as he bent down and corrected her mistake. "Good job," he praised, giving her a wave. "Bye."

"Bye!" she said, returning the wave.

*****

"And...and the duck...um..."

"Went."

"And the duck went home, back to her fr-fr...uh..."

"Friends."

"Friends. And the duck went home, back to her friends." Rainbow closed the picture book. "The end!" she concluded proudly.

Robert smiled. "Good job, Dashie," he said, tucking her in. "Get some sleep, little filly. 'Night."

"Good night!"