“After that, I was put to work. In the early years my job was to be cute and beg passing ponies for bits with Feather and Quick, while the others did odd jobs around the city. When we all came back, Feather and I would get taught how to fly by Mythic and White.” Rainbow said after taking a deep breath. Her audience was captivated by the sad tale she had spun, Fluttershy and Rarity even being driven to tears. Though Rarity’s were more dramatic than genuine, she still felt for her friend. “Next to Lightning, they were the oldest, and had been on the streets the longest. The three of them knew the ins and outs of life there better than most, and were always there when one of us needed a helping hoof.” She had a fresh batch of her own tears finding their way down her cheeks now as she glanced back at the unconscious body next to her. “He taught me how to be a good pony, that loyalty to those you care about is more important than anything, that risks have to be taken to achieve anything, how to appreciate the little things and not think bad of myself…” she slumped into a chair that was nearby and began sobbing softly, her usual tough façade crumbling in the face of the situation.

A hoof on her shoulder caught her attention, and she looked up to see all her friends smiling at her, with Applejack being the closest. “An’ he taught ya well Rainbow, ah’m sure he’s gonna be proud of ya when he wakes up. Ah understand why ya didn’t say nothin’ about it earlier sugercube, it must’a been hard fer ya.” The farm mare said, hugging her friend close. “We’re here for ya ‘till the end, just like you’d be for us. Hay, ah’ll even show ‘im around town when he wakes up, honest.” The pegasus mare’s sobbing quieted down slightly as she clung to the apple farmer as if her life depended on it.

“I might take you up on that offer, long as a food joint’s first on the list, I’m starving.” Came a voice from beside the two mares, causing both to look over. There, sitting up, was the stallion that had been unconscious mere moments ago. “I could really go for some hay fries and a milkshake right about now, let me tell ya.” He said, rubbing his eyes as if he’d just woken up from a good night’s sleep.

“Y-Y-You’re joking, right?” Rainbow asked, gently pushing her friend off of her as she walked towards the bed, her tears stopping but her voice continuing to hiccup occasionally. “You haven’t s-seen me in twelve y-years, and the first thing you talk about is FUCKING HAY FRIES!?” she yelled, causing the unicorn to reel back slightly.

“Well excuse me if I don’t exactly wanna talk about where I’ve been, especially after face-planting onto the ground. It hasn’t been fun for me, as you can probably tell.” He responded defensively. “I was planning on doing that cliché as hell running hug thing, but gravity had other ideas, so blame science, not me.” he grinned and laughed, pulling the angry pegasus over the railing of his hospital bed and into a close hug. “Doesn’t mean I didn’t miss you kiddo. I missed you every day I was gone, but I knew you could handle yourself. All of you could.” He said softly, his own tears starting to flow as he squeezed Rainbow tight. He could feel fresh tears from her wetting his shoulder.

“You’re damn right we could… And we did… But it j-just wasn’t the same without you there…” she choked out between sobs.

“I know Rainbow, I know. But you made it through, stronger and better for it.” he said, squeezing her a little tighter. “You’ve grown up so much kid, seems like just yesterday I was pulling you out of bed and tossing you around a bit.” He laughed a little bit, more so than earlier.

“Yeah, and then you’d throw me to see how my flying was coming along.” Rainbow laughed along. “I still remember the first time I actually didn’t hit the ground. I was so happy I hit a wall!”

“And then you hit the ground!” he replied, releasing her from his near-iron grip. “Those were the days, weren’t they?” he asked, a few tears still finding their way from his eyes.

“Yeah, they were Lightning.” Rainbow replied, getting down from his bed. “Every day’s an adventure, that’s what you always told us. There’s always something new to find, new things to experience and dream of, just work hard for it and it’s yours.” She said, doing a very poor impersonation of her brother, who laughed heartily.

“I did say that, didn’t I? Well, how much trouble did that little speech get you into?” he asked, ruffling her mane. “You were always our little mischief maker.” She giggled at that, but Twilight stepped in to answer his question.

“Oh, she hasn’t gotten into much while I’ve known her.” She said with a smile, trotting up to the bed beside Rainbow Dash. “A few things here and there, but we keep her on a short leash.” This brought even more laughter from Lightning as he began doubling over.

“We? Leash? Kid, I never figured you for the type, but what goes on behind closed doors can stay there!” he said before bursting into another round of laughter, causing everypony in the room to blush intensely.

“O-O-Oh, that’s, that’s n-not what I meant, I-I-I just meant that, oh sweet Celestia that’s so lewd, I can’t believe-“ she was cut off by Rainbow Dash putting a hoof on her lips.

“This is what I grew up with Twilight, trust me, he knows what you meant.” She said before smacking him in the head, causing his laughing to come to an almost immediate stop. “Come on, she’s a nerd,”

“Hey!”

“Hush you, I’m trying to get him to lay off. Anyway, she’s a nerd, it’s too easy to pull that kind of stuff on her. Try it on someone who actually knows about that kind of stuff, like Rarity.” She finished, causing him to go into another round of laughter, this time with the rainbow maned mare joining him.

“How could you insinuate that I have any form of interest in that barbaric sort of thing?! I am a lady of class and elegance, I wouldn’t even think-“ the fashionista began, but a snort from her farmer companion ended her sentence short.

“So mah rope jus’ so happened to disappear overnight and show up in yer house, is that what yer sayin’?” the room went dead silent after that comment, everyone in the room turning their gaze to the alabaster unicorn.

“I-I can explain, I swear, it’s not what you think!” she spouted, her entire face turning red and her eyes widening.

“I just met you, and I already really don’t want you to explain. I have enough nightmares, I don’t need any involving you, thank you very much miss class and elegance.” Said the only stallion present in the room. “Now while I purge the mental image from my mind, when can I get out of here, and where’s the nearest food joint? I wasn’t kidding when I said that I was starving.” He continued, his statement punctuated by a loud grumble from his stomach.

“The doc’ didn’t say much, but ah don’t think we asked him that.” Applejack replied, causing Rainbow to facehoof.

“Damn it, I knew I forgot to ask him something!” she exclaimed loudly. “Hold on guys, I’ll be right back, just gotta find the doctor and check that. Nopony try and make out with my brother while I’m gone!” she said jokingly as she disappeared out the door. The brother in question just laughed slightly as he lay back in his bed.

“Oh dear Celestia I've missed her.” He mumbled as he yawned. “It’s been too long since I’ve seen her, you know?” he asked, turning in the direction of her gathered friends, most of which were still in shock from the apple farmer’s previous statement about Rarity.

“Y-Yeah, I understand.” Twilight replied. “I feel the same way about my parents, with them living all the way in Canterlot I don’t get to see them very often.” Lightning just nodded sadly, causing her to panic. “Oh jeez, I-I’m sorry, Rainbow was telling us about you, and everything, a-and I guess I forgot about your parents, oh sweet Celestia I mentioned them again I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to!” she finished, looking somewhere between embarrassed and ashamed. The stallion just waved a hoof dismissively.

“It’s fine, no worries kid. It’s not like you know anything other than what Rainbow told you about them, mostly because she doesn’t know anymore to tell. I don’t get upset about it anyways, and besides, I don’t even know any of your names, and you’re all Rainbow’s friends, so I can’t really get mad at you.” He said, giving a weak smile as assurance that it was alright.

“Well, I-I guess that makes sense.” She replied, still seeming nervous and abashed. She was about to say something else when Rainbow suddenly burst back into the room, a small trail of rainbows behind her.

“Good news guys! The doc says that Lightning gets out of here tomorrow!” she exclaimed, smiling broadly.

“Tomorrow? Fucking damn it!”

Author's Note

Sorry about this one taking so long, combine a small case of writers block with a bunch of shit going on, and it's been hard to write this one. Anyway, here it is, in all of its glory! Don't expect many laughs from here on in, cause after this it all goes straight to pony hell for all involved.