Chapter 1
Author’s Note: I published this a couple of weeks before “Sisterhooves Social” aired, so keep that in mind when you get to Rarity’s backstory.
It’s been a good number of years… Heck, it’s been almost a decade, now that I think about it, since my daughter, Dashie, was called back to fulfill her role amongst the keepers of the Elements of Harmony. More accurately, and probably more importantly, she was called back to her place within her circle of close friends, back to the world of Equestria, where she could be free to be all that she could be as a pegasus pony. It used to be that, confronted with such a saddening departure, I would have collapsed into a state of utter despair. However, that was just the type of thing that having Dashie in my life for fifteen years had cured. Her presence and the love that we shared as father and daughter transformed me from an indifferent, discontented everyman into a more cheerful, more involved, and ultimately more optimistic human being. This isn’t to say that her disappearance from my life didn’t hurt, but I didn’t let it fester. I have been able to move on with my life, as I know she would want me to do.
This all being said, some of the details remain the same as they were. I’m still living outside of town in the place where we spent our last years together. The landscape out here is so pleasantly rustic that, even were it not rife with memories of my time with my daughter, I wouldn’t want to leave. My employer is the same, though I have managed to step up the career ladder a bit. I still live by myself, but that doesn’t mean that I’m still alone. I’ve made some good friends since Dashie left, something else that I owe to the power that she has had on my life. I haven’t settled down with anybody as of now, though that doesn’t necessarily mean that I’ve closed myself off to the idea. What I have decided, however, is that I will simply handle that possibility if and when it arises rather than try to force it. It helps that my time with Dashie already provided me with one of the best family experiences almost anyone has ever had the luck to live through. In any case, I take things here one day at a time.
----------
The group of six ponies had just finished helping the Apple family with some applebucking and were heading into town for a treatment at the spa that Rarity and Fluttershy frequented. Since the time she had driven herself ragged trying to handle the whole orchard alone, Applejack had allowed her friends to come help out each year. Of course, all the extra ponypower meant that things got done quickly enough to allow for some horseplay. The usual scenario involved competitions between two ponies to see who could buck a certain number of trees faster than the other. The only rule was, as Discord once said, “No wings, and no magic.” Fluttershy typically remained on the sidelines, supporting both contenders with her quiet cheers.
Applejack and Rainbow Dash were now engaged in friendly banter over the recent Running of the Leaves, which Applejack had won.
“You got more inside corners than I did this year, Applejack! Next time, I’ll run on the right.”
“Whoa, there, Dash, Ah think we’ve gone over this one before. There’s an equal number of turns headin’ both directions. Don’t try to blame the road fer yer own slowness!”
“Oh, yeah? Well…your curves were longer, so you were still inside more!”
“You jus’ keep tellin’ yerself that ‘til next year comes around, if it makes ya feel better.”
The two of them were typically the ones vying for the top two positions, though sometimes Twilight Sparkle gave them a run for their money. Each year the duo vowed to try the whole “pacing” thing that Twilight always pulled off so magnificently, but each year it just devolved into an all-out run the whole way.
The two unicorns chatted about spells. Rarity rarely took the time to read spell books, being much more inclined to peruse fashion magazines or, if she really had some downtime, to indulge in romance novels. Thus, Twilight was her main source for any new magic.
“Oh, and I know you’ll love this one, Rarity! I was looking through my book of weather-related spells, and—”
Rarity whispered urgently, “I’m not sure I really want to bother with those kinds of spells, Twilight. Or perhaps you’ve forgotten about—”
“No, I haven’t forgotten, thank you very much! Now, if you’d just let me finish… Anyway, I was looking through that book, and I saw a spell for waterproofing your coat for a couple of hours. I couldn’t help but think of the time when you and Applejack got stuck outside in that storm and decided to ‘weather’—*giggle*— the night out at the library with me. So, even if you do get caught outside in a storm again, you won’t muss up your styling as badly.”
Rarity rolled her eyes at the silly pun, but she couldn’t contain her excitement at the prospect of this new spell. “Oh, do tell, darling! I’d love to have some way to make any future occurrences of that situation more bearable.”
Meanwhile, Pinkie Pie hopped excitedly as she babbled her plans for a party to Fluttershy, who smiled as she quietly let her boisterous friend’s energy wash over her.
“I mean, getting all the applebucking done so quickly is really awesome, so we should TOTALLY have a party to celebrate! I mean, duh, we won’t do it today, because everypony’s tired, and we’re gonna spend the afternoon getting all relaxed at the spa and stuff…but we can do it tomorrow! We’ll make all the cookies and cupcakes and pies and other goodies—chocolate, yeah! We’ll make chocolate…something! We’ll do it all in the morning and then have the party in the afternoon and it’ll be totally fun and stuff!”
Always one to oblige, Fluttershy affirmed, “Why, yes, that does sound exciting, Pinkie Pie. I’m sure it will be great, because you’re always so good at throwing parties.”
And so the tight-knit group of ponies trotted their way toward the spa, ready to melt away their exhaustion for the night.
----------
I made the decision, about a month ago, to do something I hadn’t done since shortly after taking Dashie into my home and my life: I went back to season two to watch Friendship is Magic through the rest of its run. Part of the decision involved nostalgia for the feelings I used to get from watching the show, but another, bigger, part was a desire to see what my daughter was (or is? I’m not really sure how that works) doing in her current life. I’m near the end of season six at the moment. The “Mane Six” have had so much fun and so many wonderful adventures together. I’m glad to know that Dashie’s having such a blast. What’s interesting is that apparently, since the fanbase of the show came to include such huge periphery demographics, it eventually shed its “Y” rating and moved up to “Y7” and, even later, “G”. It’s not a huge difference, but it meant that the producers had a bit more wiggle room regarding the subject matter they could approach. I think it’s benefitted from it, personally.
Every once in a great while, though, a scene disarms me. This happens very seldom, but Dashie will shoot what seems to be an almost longing look at the camera while the group is engaged in something. Now, from what I’ve found by poking around a bit, the Internet decided that Pinkie Pie, ever the fourth-wall breaker, finally rubbed off on Dashie. On the other hand, having seen this a couple different times, I can’t help but revisit my speculations from back when she had just left. The shoebox seemed to go with Dashie, but can I be sure that Celestia allowed it and the associated memories to accompany Dashie in her life in Cloudsdale? If not, did she then also take the memories of the trip to my house away from the other five (because I can’t imagine that she’d be so cruel as to put them in the position of having to hide such a secret from Dashie from then on)? Ah, but I need to stop fretting about it. I promised myself that I’d let go, just as a parent must eventually relinquish their hold on their child or children. And I did; it was a point of personal growth (and, quite frankly, of relief) to learn that I could do that. Still, it’s hard not to think about the possibilities when this keeps happening. If I wasn’t already so far into the show and, thus, so close to the end, I’d consider stopping so that I don’t risk falling into a retroactive rut of worries. Nonetheless, there’s only a little bit over two seasons left, and, by golly, I’m going to watch what I can of my daughter’s and her friends’ escapades. Just because a kid goes off to live their own life doesn’t mean you completely lose interest, after all…
----------
As planned, the friends let their worries escape through the massages, steam, and other means of relaxation offered them at the spa, and the next day Pinkie Pie threw her party celebrating the completion of the applebucking. The next few weeks were largely uneventful. Then, early in November, Ponyville had a dance party hosted by none other than Vinyl Scratch. The Elements were in attendance, though some were more excited to go than others.
Pinkie Pie sprinted in from afar, and the group just let her go. They had long ago decided that there was no point in trying to keep tabs on or control of the hyperactive pink mare. As long as the party was still going, Pinkie would be there in some capacity, and since Ponyville’s parties were much less formal (and, consequently, much more enjoyable) than Canterlot’s, they didn’t have to worry about Pinkie disrupting anything. As with anything involving physical prowess, Applejack and Rainbow Dash got competitive out on the dance floor. In fact, their contests were so anticipated at these parties that occasionally even Pinkie Pie was ignored. Of course, this never bothered Pinkie, as she reveled in watching her friends partying so hard. In fact, she sometimes joined them, much to the amusement of everypony looking on. Twilight had decided, between the last party and this one, to read up on a plethora of different dancing styles, and she had been practicing at the library a bit. Despite having to clean up fallen books numerous times after some pony-and-bookshelf collisions, she had made great strides in her newfound art. Nonetheless, she was still nervous about doing it in front of so many ponies.
“Rarity, I don’t know about this… Everypony knows that Applejack and Rainbow Dash are hogging the dance floor for the sake of competition, and Pinkie Pie is because…well, because she’s Pinkie Pie. I want to show people what I’ve learned, but I don’t want to seem like a show-off!”
Rarity gave Twilight the best disapproving look she could muster and clucked, “Really, Twilight, do you still struggle with this? Didn’t you learn from the Trixie fiasco that your friends appreciate you for who you are? Showcasing your true talents in the right situations is entirely appropriate. In fact, I think you should show those three up! They derive all their popularity from performing ludicrous stunts. I’m not saying it’s not amusing to watch, but for Celestia’s sake, it would be nice to see some formal, refined dancing for once! Go! Now! Show. Them. How. It’s. Done!”
With this, she shoved Twilight into the throng of romping ponies. She then turned her attention to Fluttershy, who stood demurely in a spot removed from even the ponies who weren’t part of the dancing crowd. Rarity sighed and sauntered over to where the pastel yellow pony stood.
“Dear, why are you standing way over here? You should come over and enjoy yourself with the rest of us!”
Fluttershy murmured, “I’m glad you want me to have fun, Rarity, but, I, um…I’m fine over here.”
“Nonsense!” The ivory pony stressed. “What is it that’s got you so uptight that you won’t approach anypony here?”
Fluttershy responded, barely audible above the thumping, “Well, it’s a dance party, and, well, I’m not…I’m not good at dancing.”
“I beg to differ! You’re simply more in line with Twilight’s dancing, refined and elegant as opposed to the odd gyrations most other ponies do. And see? Look how well Twilight’s doing!”
Fluttershy hazarded a glance to the middle of the mob, only to find that Rarity couldn’t be more right. Not used to anypony bringing a traditional style to the table, everypony was standing around Twilight’s dancing area, entranced as she flawlessly exhibited first Maflanko, then Mare-inera, and even a couple others.
Turning back to Rarity, Fluttershy whimpered, “But I haven’t studied like Twilight has. I…I don’t think I’d be very good.”
Flustered, Rarity asserted, “Don’t be ridiculous! Nopony but Twilight learns to dance by studying textbooks first. How she picks up on so many things just by reading, I’ll…” She paused a moment, simultaneously seeming lost in thought and seeming like she was struggling to repress some sort of emotion that wanted to rear its head in response to her line of thinking. Finally, she resumed, “No, darling, you’ll be fine. I’ve seen you out and about with your forest friends enjoying yourself to the fullest, and I have seen you dance on occasion. Come, now, don’t let Twilight think she’s the only pony who doesn’t resort to cheap tricks to get attention out there!”
Fluttershy still wasn’t convinced. “But…but Rarity, you can say that because you’re my good friend. I don’t know everypony here very well. I’m just not good enough!”
Rarity retorted, “Then you leave me no choice! We shall have to do this the hard way!”
With that, the unicorn began to drag her unwilling friend toward the dancing ponies. Clearing her throat, she announced their entry, “Excuse me! My friend here would like to show you her dancing style as well!” Turning to Fluttershy, she said, “Now, you go join Twilight out there. If nothing else, close your eyes while you dance. Then you won’t have to see everypony and can just focus on the movement.” Finally, she addressed Twilight herself. “Twi, dear! Fluttershy is going to join you in your lovely performance!”
Fluttershy accepted her fate and joined Twilight in the middle. After a short, inaudible dialogue between the two, they began. Their synchronization was fascinating, and the vibe changed so drastically that Vinyl Scratch picked up on it and changed the tune to something more fitting. As the two ponies of focus twirled and leapt and pranced about, everypony else could only stare with mouths agape. It was all Rarity could do to suppress, of all things, an almost fangirlish squeal at how well her plan had worked and how wonderful it all looked.
Then, caught up in the moment, Fluttershy opened her eyes.
The glee on the pegasus’s face was immediately replaced by an emotion not far short of terror. As she realized that everypony’s gaze was fixated on her, she shrunk down, her defining shyness overwhelming her. Since Fluttershy was now frozen in the middle, Twilight soon bumped into her. Twilight instantly recognized the trouble and rushed to crouch down by her friend and lay a comforting hoof across the cowering pony’s shoulders. “Fluttershy, you’re fine. I’m right here, and everypony was simply loving your dancing. Now, just relax, and everything will be—”
Twilight was cut short as Fluttershy began to first whimper, then squeak, and ultimately break down, at which point she bolted out of the crowd and the building. Twilight let out an exasperated sigh. She turned toward the crowd and asked, “Rainbow Dash, could you go out and comfort her?” As the two pegasi had known each other the longest, Twilight felt that the lightning-fast blue mare would be the best hope for consolation. However, she received no response until Applejack spoke up.
“Ya know, Ah haven’t seen her since shortly after you started dancin’. Perhaps she already left fer some reason?”
Twilight pondered this possibility for a few moments. Then, she stated, “Okay, everypony, go ahead and go back to what you were doing. I’ll take care of this.”
She turned toward an obviously dismayed Rarity. “What happened?”
----------
When Fluttershy got outside the dance hall, she stopped to catch her breath and calm down. Suddenly, she heard a heavy sigh off to her left. Alarmed, she slowly turned her gaze toward the source, only to see a disheartened Rainbow Dash slumped up against the side of the building. She slipped over to her friend and inquired, “Is it okay if I sit here, too? I’m done inside, and you, um…well you look kinda lonely.”
Rainbow Dash looked up at her friend and managed a faint smile. “Yeah, sure! Go for it.” Fluttershy did so.
Before long, though, her curiosity got the best of her, and she asked her nearly lifelong friend, “What’s wrong, Dashie? You were having so much fun in there with Applejack and Pinkie Pie! Did Twilight upset you somehow?”
Dash winced a bit at “Dashie” and heaved yet another sigh. She seemed to be contemplating whether or not she was going to respond, but Fluttershy pieced things together.
“You’re having another one of those moments, aren’t you? The party set it off, didn’t it?”
Dash looked at her friend with such a gloomy expression that Fluttershy thought she might cry. “Yeah.”
Fluttershy wasn’t sure how to proceed, so the two sat in silence for a little while. In the absence of more cultured dancers, Vinyl Scratch had switched the playlist back to something with a driving beat, the low booms of which seeped through the walls; however, this somehow seemed to exacerbate the silence. Shortly, Twilight Sparkle came outside. She stopped to survey her surroundings and presently saw her two pegasi friends. She trotted over and started to apologize, “Fluttershy, I’m really sorry about what—” To her surprise, she was silenced by Fluttershy, who held a hoof up to Twilight’s mouth.
“She’s having a moment.”
Twilight’s eyes widened for a second before settling into a look of genuine concern. “Oh…I see.” Knowing this would probably be no quick affair, she took her seat next to the other two ponies. After a few moments, she ventured, “Was it the party that set you off, Dash?” Dash simply nodded in response.
The trio sat there, reflecting, until the other three eventually came out to investigate. Sensing that there was great distress, they joined their friends in sitting. Applejack was the first to speak.
“A moment?”
Fluttershy muttered, “Yeah.”
Applejack nodded sagely and said, “Ah kinda figgered. After we stopped to watch Twilight dancin’, she gave off one o’ those meanin’ful looks to nopony in particular, and she left not long after that.”
Everypony knew what Applejack meant by “meanin’ful looks”. They were the looks that Dash shot off in the direction of the camera if and when she remembered that it was focused on them at that moment. For a while after they had returned, this signaled that, after the scene was over, Dash was going to go off and contemplate for a while. However, she had eventually grown to take these moments in stride, and for the past few years, the looks were all she did. Nonetheless, here she was again, and she seemed more melancholy than at any time before.
Pinkie Pie shifted uncomfortably before finally asking, “Dashie, what can we do for you? It hurts us all to see you all sad and mopey and stuff, especially when you should be having lotsa fun, like tonight! I’m glad this hasn’t happened in a reeeeeally long time (like, I can’t even remember the last time it happened), but it can’t go on forever, ya know! Besides, I thought you said you were too tough to let it keep a sporty pony like you down, so what happened?”
Dash smiled a little. Pinkie was the only one who could get away with calling her “Dashie” without triggering some sort of negative emotion. It was probably because she was so carefree and excitable that it was hard to picture her not saying it at least sometimes. With the most positivity she had shown since coming outside, she explained, “There’s not really anything you can do except to keep being the awesome and supportive friends you are. Besides, it can’t and won’t go on forever. Like you said, I’ve just sorta powered through a lot of the scenes I remembered watching at home. This time hurts more than the others, though, because for this scene I remember thinking more strongly than at any other time that I’d like to be here in this world.” Realizing what she was implying, she added, “I still am glad to be here, and I know that this is where I belong. It’s just that, I can’t help but think of him when we get to these situations and hope that Celestia let him keep my note and photos for remembrance.”
Twilight spoke up, “Actually…Celestia just talked to me about this recently, and, yes, she did let him keep that stuff.” Dash’s ears perked up, and her expression instantly transformed from one of sorrow to one of excitement. Twilight continued, “She had said that she didn’t really want you to know at first, fearing that it wouldn’t help. She thought it would only lead you to get worried about if he still remembered you or, worse…if he’s even still alive.”
Dash’s face changed again, this time to shock, as she contemplated the full implication of the purple mare’s words. Though Twilight didn’t seem to be done speaking, Dash burst out, “Oh, Celestia, I didn’t even think of that! Our fifteen years there were only fifteen days here, and it’s now been years here!” Turning now toward her friend, she pleaded, tearing up, “Why…why in Equestria would Celestia tell you this now? Why would you tell me now?”
Twilight had not anticipated being interrupted, so she had to pause a moment to recollect her train of thought. “Because time isn’t static between our worlds.”
At this, everypony looked at Twilight and elicited a mutual, “Huh?”
Twilight nodded, her voice gaining some confidence. “Yes. Celestia told me that a day here isn’t always a year there. She apparently was curious about it herself and tested out the parallel with some magical items that indicate their age. She found that, though she kept sending them over for a day of our time, they kept coming back at different ages. What was strange was that the closest any test got was when an item that was missing here for a day turned out to have been in their world for only a little over a month! In a couple instances, they came back having aged even less than a day! So, for some reason, time is really out of synch between the two worlds. Long story short, Dash: he’s most likely still alive and kicking…so to speak. Hay, the amount of time that’s passed for him might be close to how much has passed for us!”
A couple of ponies had seemed lost until Twilight’s summation at the end, at which point they all smiled gleefully. Dash, though, was so overcome with joy that she pulled Twilight close in a tearful embrace. She sobbed, “Thank you so much, Twilight! I’m so glad to hear this! It’s so great to have an answer, finally, after years have passed.” After pulling away, she took a minute or two to regain her composure. Then, sniffing, she playfully added, “By the way, nopony hears about this, understand? Otherwise, beware the Rainboom Tackle!”
The others laughed, though Pinkie interjected, “Oh, that sounds kinda fun!” Facing five death glares, she simply replied, “What? That doesn’t mean I’m gonna do it! Geez, gimme a break! Remember? I don’t spill the beans! Foreeeever!” Twilight winced briefly, but then they all resumed laughing, their mirth echoing into Luna’s enchanting night sky.
----------
Well, it would seem that, in the final season, the producers decided they weren’t afraid to tackle some bigger subjects. One episode in particular, however, was of interest to me. It focused on the effect that parents have in their fillies’ lives. I was psyched up over the chance to see Dashie’s real…or at least, biological…parents.
They started out with Twilight’s parents. Ever doting, they made sure to send her to the best schools. Maybe, if they were lucky, keeping her highly educated and developing her magic skills could get her into Celestia’s School for Gifted Ponies, thus ensuring good job placement and the opportunity to experience the indulgences of nobility.
Pinkie Pie didn’t have too much extra family history to share. It had been established back in season one that they had been rock farmers for quite some time. Indeed, she would have mindlessly continued on in the same drab tradition had not Dashie’s…other Sonic Rainboom illuminated the sky and introduced Pinkie to the feeling of joy. After she introduced her family to the concept of parties, they normalized. They began to farm things that actually made sense (the show never really went into what value they had gleaned from the rocks), and their continued work ethic and support of Pinkie’s newfound friskiness made her into the hard-working baker she was. I couldn’t help but chuckle at the whole “before and after” aesthetic of Pinkie’s family; it reminded me too much of my own “before and after” with regard to Dashie coming into my life.
Applejack’s parents lived off in the town of Hoofton. Like the rest of the Apple family, they were down-to-earth, hardworking ponies whose passion was providing the masses with a variety of “appletastic treats”, as Applejack once said. They raised Applejack up for her first years to be just as diligent as they were. However, after a couple of years of light drought and underwhelming harvests, they decided to have her and Big Macintosh stay with Granny Smith up in Ponyville. The next few years were tough times for them, but Applejack kept in touch and made sure they knew how well she was doing in Ponyville. Later on, since Ponyville seemed to be such a wonderful fit for their first daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Apple sent Apple Bloom to join the crew up at Sweet Apple Acres.
Fluttershy’s parents were fairly quiet pegasi. They mostly kept to themselves when they weren’t off at work. On top of this, they homeschooled her for her first few years of school. Eventually, they decided that, as much as they loved their daughter and wanted to shield her from such things as bullying and name-calling, it was time that they let her learn to socialize with other ponies her age, if only so that she could function in society. However, they also knew that she needed to know how to fly sooner rather than later, particularly if they wanted to ward off the teasing they were so paranoid of. So, they sent their shy daughter to summer flight camp, where she not only learned how to fly but also met Rainbow Dash and earned her cutie mark. Relieved that their daughter had found her place in the world, they worked to make sure she kept up in school and encouraged her friendship with Rainbow Dash.
Rarity’s parents were originally from Manehattan. As their daughter would eventually aspire to be, they were designers. However, they weren’t involved in the highest circles and so, mercifully, were spared the outright snootiness characteristic of the cream of the fashion crop. Eventually, they decided to try their luck in a more rural setting, hoping their lively trends would catch on somewhere that hadn’t seen such style before. Business turned out to be a moderate success there, but it was nothing spectacular. Nevertheless, they raised Rarity with a good fashion sense and just enough perfectionism to make her a great designer. Their sensitivity to the budgets of the folks in Ponyville lent strength to Rarity’s belief in generosity, something she would go on to retain for life. After she acquired her cutie mark and learned how to frisk up jewels, her parents found that she actually surpassed them in design, and, after a few years and some discussion between the two of them, they decided to head back to Manehattan and allow Rarity to establish herself as the go-to fashionista of Ponyville. As with the Apple family, they later sent Sweetie Belle over to appreciate the more casual nature of life in a smaller town.
I was intrigued by all these ponies’ stories, but by the end of Rarity’s I was almost overflowing with excitement for Rainbow Dash’s story. However, she seemed rather indifferent about telling her story. Assuming it was her usual stubbornness toward being sentimental, they prodded her into sharing, citing how unfair it was that she be the only one not to tell. She finally relinquished, and what I heard next made me cry.
Dashie’s mother, White Cloud, worked at the weather factory, much like her daughter eventually would. Her father, Lightning Dash, however, was a racing pegasus. In addition to the annual “Best Young Flier” competition, Cloudsdale had always had an annual CAPER (Cloudsdale Association for Pegasus Equestrian Racing) race. Dashie’s dad was the favorite going in, having finished first the previous year and in the top five the three years before that. That particular year, when Dashie was only one year old, the top competitor was a burly pegasus named Strong Wind. The race went on, for the most part, without issue. Then, toward the end of the race, Dashie’s dad and Strong Wind were neck and neck over a particular stretch. Much like the race Dashie had with the arrogant young colt in the episode in which the stories of the Mane Six’s cutie marks were told, there were numerous turns and rings to fly through in these races. The particular stretch they were on was over open terrain, and it angled downward toward the next ring. Lightning and Strong Wind bumped each other back and forth competitively as they flew. This was nothing new, but what happened next nopony could have foreseen. Right as they got to the ring and were about to make their turn, Strong Wind’s bump caught Lightning the wrong way, and his wings cramped up. Later investigations found that he had been struggling with recurring cramps on and off since the previous year’s race, but he had assured his wife and coach that he hadn’t had them for a couple of months prior to the race. In any case, he plummeted. There were rescue ponies stationed around the track in the event of something like this, ready to go after any falling pegasi. However, that ring was the lowest in the track, and Lightning was one of the fastest pegasi in all of Cloudsdale. His flight speed before the cramp, coupled with gravity and his poor positioning, bode poorly for the stallion. Strong Wind didn’t notice his opponent’s descent at first, but by the time he did, it was too late. He dove after his longtime rival, hoping by some stroke of luck to be able to catch up. This wasn’t to be, but he could hear his friend’s words rush up around him as he flew.
“Tell White Cloud…I love her…Strong Wind! Tell her to…tell Rainbow…I wish I could have…been there to watch her…grow up.”
Strong Wind blinked away tears as green rushed up to meet the pair and made a *thud* sound with Lightning’s body.
White Cloud was heartbroken when Strong Wind delivered the news. CAPER officials had wanted to do it, but Strong Wind didn’t back down. He felt it would be better for her to hear it from one of Lightning’s good friends than to feel like it was an impersonal affair. CAPER was disbanded within the next year, as nopony wanted Cloudsdale to have to experience such a horror ever again.
In honor of her husband and since Rainbow was still such a young filly, White Cloud added Dash onto her tiny daughter’s name. For the next few years, she tried to raise Dashie as best she could, but Dashie was never seen outside the home, as if White Cloud feared for her safety. Then, when Dashie was about five years old, she disappeared mysteriously. It never came to light what the exact reasons were. Some speculated that she had finally broken in the wake of her husband’s untimely death and the pressures of single motherhood, while others thought perhaps she had eloped with somepony to escape the trappings of her present life. However, the prevailing theory was that somepony disgruntled by her husband’s direct, though unintentional, involvement in the derailment of CAPER had either kidnapped or killed her. In any case, she knew what was to transpire ahead of time, for she left Dashie in a cardboard box in Fluttershy’s neighborhood (knowing the neighborhood to be full of good families like Fluttershy’s) that simply said, “Give to good home.”
My blood froze in my veins. I couldn’t believe what this meant. She was sent to me after a traumatic childhood. It’s as if some divine power had insisted that, if Dashie was to have to spend fifteen years outside her world, they were to be spent healing her from the misfortunes of her early life. Suddenly my time with her seemed that much more precious, because I had been tasked with helping her grow up into a normal mare. I had to imagine that she was sent over with a clean slate of memories, though, or she would have remembered something about ponies, if only her mother. Yet her basic understanding of the world and of how to move and function had remained unimpaired. The circumstances of her trip here continue to astound me.
In any case, Fluttershy’s family was the first to notice the box. Recognizing, but too shy to personally take in, the filly of such a famous couple, they ensured that Dashie was placed into a good home in the neighborhood. A few years after she had gotten her cutie mark, Dashie’s adoptive family told her the truth. She still loved them, but it only ignited the flame of independence that had always dwelt within her, so she found her own place in Cloudsdale and lived there from then on. One day, she decided to venture down to Ponyville with a couple members of the weather-making team just to see what they did down there. Thrilled with the idea of controlling weather and the possibility of showing that she could do it faster than anypony else, she signed up and soon gained a reputation for her quick work. Pinkie Pie was the first to befriend Dashie with her quirky, amusing, overall out-there nature, and the rest, as they say, is history.
The other five ponies looked almost as dumbfounded as I was, and their tears matched mine. They all gathered in and squeezed Dashie in a big, comforting group hug. It’s been a while since I claimed this, and it’s now older than dirt, but…my heart exploded...again.
Twilight suggested that they all gather at the library for some hot cocoa and cookies, probably hoping to take everypony’s mind off of Dashie’s sad closing story. I hoped it would work, and it did seem to. Pinkie Pie, of course, served the refreshments, with a little help from Spike to get things heated up quickly. It was a cute scene. For the most part, the six just tried to chat things up. At one point, though, Dashie looked out of the window that the table was positioned next to, giving one of those longing looks I’ve mentioned before. I wasn’t sure what to think, but after hearing what I’d heard in this episode, my heart was smitten by my love for my daughter.
----------
Everypony stared in shock and anguish at their cyan-coated friend. Even Fluttershy had never heard the full story before. The group was marked by a stunned silence, broken only by occasional quiet sobs or sniffles. Rainbow Dash herself simply stood where she had been the whole time, looking forlorn. Pinkie Pie spoke up first, unable to stand so much prolonged sadness. “Everypony, gather here by Dashie, NOW! WE NEED A GROUP HUG, STAT!” Nopony objected to the motion, and they all rushed their friend and swept her up in what may be considered the most heartfelt group hug they had ever had. They let both the physical and the emotional warmth last for a while before finally releasing.
Dash sniffed, “Thanks, guys. It’s never really bothered me all that much, but I’ve never had to tell anypony about it before.”
Twilight decided to take action. “Hey, everypony, since it’s so chilly and snowy today, how about we head over to my place for some cookies and hot cocoa?”
Everypony figured this would be a good way to relieve the tension that had built up over the course of Dash’s story and gave their assent.
----------
Later that night, five of the six friends sat around a table that had been set up in the library for the occasion, engaged in lively chatter about various mundane things. Ever the refreshments host, Pinkie Pie was busy making the last of the hot cocoa with Spike. His fiery breath greatly expedited the process, and a heaping plate of cookies and a bit over half of the hot cocoa had already been prepared and set on the table.
Of note was that, as one of the few winter-set episodes, the ponies all had on very fashionable winter clothes. Pinkie Pie wore a button up pink sweater and a matching striped scarf of alternating shades of pink. Twilight wore a cute blue plaid sweater-vest with a nice-looking long-sleeved cream dress shirt underneath. Rarity wore a deep purple sweater that perfectly complemented her mane, along with a purple scarf patterned with her cutie mark. Applejack wore her trademark hat, as well as a pink shirt underneath a grayish-brown long-sleeved sport jacket. Fluttershy looked cute in almost-Girl-Scout attire, sporting a green-and-yellow-striped beret with a pink bunny-head decoration on the right side and a short-sleeved light green jacket. Rainbow Dash wore a dark-salmon-colored athletic jacket with white trim and a pair of white stripes running down the outside of each sleeve.
As Pinkie walked toward the table, Dash turned her attention to the landscape outside the window. She turned back toward the group once she was addressed, but then refocused on some spot through the window. Applejack whispered to Rarity, “D’ya s’pose she’s havin’ another moment?”
Rarity returned just as quietly, “I don’t know.”
By now, everypony had turned their attention to the obliviously contemplative Rainbow Dash.
----------
Dashie turned back toward the group, as she had been addressed by someone. However, as soon as she had said her piece, she returned her gaze toward the camera…and held it. For quite a while. I noticed Applejack and Rarity whispering to each other behind Dashie, but after that, there was only silence as everypony quietly observed her. I subconsciously rose from my chair and walked toward the TV, standing only inches from the screen and peering into the eyes of my far-off, yet, strangely, somehow, still present daughter. I could have sworn that she knew I was there. She lifted a hoof off the table and put it up to the window, which was nearly equivalent to placing it on the camera itself. I put my hand up against her hoof…
----------
Unaware of all the attention directed at her, Rainbow Dash slowly lifted a hoof off the table and pressed it against the window.
“What is it, Rainbow Dash?” inquired Twilight behind her.
Dash sighed…
----------
Behind Dashie, Twilight asked, “What is it, Rainbow Dash?”
My Dashie only sighed as she continued to hold her hoof to my hand and look directly at me. Then, she said…
----------
…and said…
----------
----------
“I know you’re out there somewhere, Daddy, watching me. And I want you to know: I love you, Daddy!”
----------
----------
I felt a rush run through me unlike anything I had ever felt before. It was like warmth, relief, bittersweet joy, and a lot of other stuff I couldn’t even describe to you all mixed together. I fell on the floor. I was so taken aback, so flabbergasted by what had just happened, that I had no other reaction than to fall flat on my bum. However, this was soon followed by the turning on of a faucet (two, actually). All these years, I had wondered…had hoped…had speculated…but never with any answers. I had needed to shove all these thoughts to the back of my mind, for I felt I would never get any resolution for the questions they contained. But now…now my wildest dreams had come true. My little Dashie still knew who I was. She still loved me, and she was still my daughter. There wasn’t really anything else I could ask for; I had no regrets anymore.
----------
Everypony sat in silence for a few moments, watching Rainbow Dash as she seemed to be seized by some kind of euphoria before being gently let back down into reality. Turning to her friends, she stated, still smiling contentedly, “The camera’s gone now.”
Twilight finally asked with a happy grin on her face, “That was for him, wasn’t it?” Dash only nodded in reply. “How long have you been planning that?”
Dash looked surprised before replying, “About five minutes before it happened.”
It was Twilight’s turn to look stunned. “Really? Even though you knew about this scene way before it happened?”
Dash said, “Sure! I didn’t want to think about it until it happened, really.” Her voice took on a more melancholy tone, “This was the last episode I remember seeing a scene from, so I knew that when it happened, it would be my last chance to throw him a hint that I still know he’s out there.” Perking up a bit, she continued, “So, seeing as this whole episode was about how our parents shaped our lives and how I have such a tragic backstory here, I decided that I could pull off something to let him know straight up how I feel without letting viewers on to the oddity of it. What I didn’t know was gonna happen was that rush I felt when I said it.” Beginning to tear up a bit, she finished, “I knew at that moment that he had been watching me, and I had this brief vision of him standing there with his hand on the screen where my hoof was.” At this point, she broke down into sobs, which her friends could only to so much to quell. After a while, she finally regained her composure to say one last thing.
----------
Even though it may have been brief and hard to let go of…
“Even though it may have been brief and hard to let go of…”
…as a father and daughter, one more time, we had…
…as a daughter and father, one more time, we had…
A MOMENT.