Chapter One: And He Arrives
Chapter One: And He Arrives
"Tank, you really need to be more careful with these propellers," Rainbow Dash said. She and Tank were alone, on the ground below her cloud palace. It was a day like any other in Ponyville: sunny, warm, and cheery. Tank stood on the ground without wearing his helicopter rotor. Rainbow Dash had it, repairing the destructed propeller blade. It broke when Tank collided with a large rock.
The rotor was still powered up, forcing Rainbow Dash to hold it still with her front hooves, and twist the new blade into the empty slot with her mouth. She then strapped the rotor onto the tortoise.
"There Tank. Try to be a little more careful from now on."
Tank flew off; and Rainbow Dash turned her head just in time to see a male mail pony, dressed nicely in his uniform, trotting toward her. His coat was a light gray and his mane and tail, black. His postal uniform was navy blue, and the mail pony had a handlebar mustache.
The mail pony trotted up to Rainbow Dash. "Letter for Rainbow Dash," he said before reaching into his saddlebag and pulling out Rainbow's letter.
"Thanks," she said before taking the letter. The mail pony trotted off as Rainbow opened the envelope, took out the letter, and read it:
Dear Dashie,
I have important news and am coming to see you in Ponyville. Expect me this Friday on the train from Manehattan.
Love, Dad
"Oh, my gosh!" Rainbow Dash yelled as she hugged the letter, "My dad is coming to Ponyville!"
At that moment, without any warning, Tank flew in and banged against Dash's head, knocking her unconscious temporarily.
* * *
Soon, it was Friday. Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, and Twilight were waiting on the platform at the train station. Pinkie Pie was absent because she was scheduled to foal-sit the Cake twins. The train from Manehattan was due to arrive any minute; and Rainbow Dash was in the sky, looking for it.
"The train is due any minute, and I don't see it all," Rainbow Dash stated, slightly agitated at the delay of the train.
"Wow, Rainbow Dash, I can't believe we finally get to meet your father," Twilight said enthusiastically.
"Yes, it is exciting, since you never seem to talk about him," Rarity agreed.
"Yeah, why is that?" Twilight asked.
"He never came up in our conversations," Rainbow Dash said, not once taking her eyes from the tracks from Manehattan.
"So, what's he like?" Applejack inquired.
The question distracted Rainbow Dash from her lookout. "He is unquestionably, undeniably the best dad ever!" she yelled. She flew to the four below her, "He was an air chief marshal in the Wonderbolts!"
"Your dad is a Wonderbolt?" Twilight raised her brow, "Why have you never told us?"
A serious change in mood occurred within Rainbow Dash. Her eyes closed; her head hung low, with her spectral mane covered her eyes; and she placed all four hooves onto the ground before the others. She sighed, "Because, he's not a Wonderbolt anymore."
"Why? What happened, dear?" Rarity asked.
"Well, the year I moved to Ponyville, he had an accident. One day, during a drill, he accidentally clipped his wings." The group, except Fluttershy, gasped. Rainbow Dash continued, "Since he couldn't fly, he had to retire from the Wonderbolts; and he and Mom had to move to Manehattan."
"Was your dad the reason you were so determined to become a Wonderbolt?" Twilight asked.
Rainbow Dash replied, with her mood lifted a little, "Yeah, and because they're awesome!"
Just as Rainbow turned her head, she saw the tower of smoke and the train from Manehattan approaching, seconds from pulling into the station.
The train stopped at the platform, and ponies, varied in both appearance and purpose for this trip, disembarked from the train cars. Rainbow Dash quickly glanced from car to car, looking for her dad. She searched through all of the windows of the cars, which ended in a disappointment.
Then suddenly, a bass voice yelled, "Dashie!" from the direction of the engine car of the train. "Dashie's" head turned, and through the steam from under the cars she saw none other than her father walking toward her and her friends. He was taller than the five mares by a considerable amount and carried a tan-colored suitcase. He had a bluish lavender coat, and the colors of his mane and tail, both of them remarkably short, were the fathering traits of Rainbow Dash's hair. His Cutie Mark was of a puffy white cloud with rays the colors of violet, red, and faint yellow coming from the cloud in straight stripes with a triangular indentation in each stripe.
Rainbow Dash's eyes glistened as she yelled, "Dad!" She jumped up and wrapped her hooves around her father's neck. He returned it with his right hoof. "It's so good to see you!" the mighty Rainbow Dash cried.
"It's good to see you, too, Rainbow Dash," he replied.
Rainbow Dash pulled back her hooves and looked to her friends. Everypony, this is my dad, Former Air Chief Marshal, Rainbow Strike," she introduced to her friends. Rainbow Dash threw a hoof around her father, "Dad, these are—"
Rarity rudely interrupted Rainbow Dash by zipping up to Rainbow Strike. With an expression that would gag Scootaloo, she cooed, "I am Rarity…" Rarity batted her eyelashes, "…Miss Rarity."
"I'm pleased to meet you, Miss Rarity," Rainbow Strike greeted. "And—"
"And he's married," Rainbow Dash pointed out, staring at the silvery-white potential home-wrecker. Rainbow Strike looked at Rainbow Dash in that same fashion while the others merely stood to the side, knowing not what to do other than toss their eyes between the two.
"As I was saying," Rainbow Strike said as he turned back to Rarity, "I'm pleased to meet you." Rarity, in her dramatic way, fainted as Rainbow Strike walked by her to the others.
He and Rainbow Dash walked up to Twilight, and Rainbow Dash said, "This is Twilight Sparkle. She's the brainy student of Princess Celestia."
"Pleased to meet you, Twilight Sparkle," Rainbow Dash's father greeted.
"Pleased to meet you, Rainbow Strike. I'm sure you have a lot of stories from your years as a Wonderbolt. Would you mind telling me some of them one day?"
"Certainly."
Rainbow Dash and Rainbow Strike moved down the line, to Applejack. "This is Applejack, and she her family run Ponyville's own Sweet Apple Acres."
Applejack tipped her hat, "Howdy, Rainbow Strike."
"Hello, Applejack. I've heard great things about your orchard's apple foods."
"Aww, shucks, you're too kind."
"And," Rainbow Dash said, "I'm sure you remember Fluttershy."
"Of course I remember Fluttershy! How have your been dear?"
"I've been fine," Fluttershy replied softly, yet not too shyly, "Thank you for asking."
Rainbow Strike looked at Rainbow Dash's friends, "I thought you said you dad another friend. Where's this Pinkie Pie you've told me about?"
Rainbow Dash replied, "She's—"
"I'm here!" yelled the pony in question as she trotted on the platform to the others. With her, Pinkie Pie had brought both Pound Cake and Pumpkin Cake, placed inside the black saddle foal-carrier. Pound Cake was on Pinkie's right, and Pumpkin Cake was on the left. As Pinkie Pie trotted, the foals lightly bounced in their carriers, laughing joyfully. All three of them reeked of foal powder.
Pinkie Pie trotted up to Rainbow Dash and Rainbow Strike. With her usual expression of happy, joyful, and cheerful, she said, "Hi there. You must be Rainbow Dash's dad. It's good to finally meet you! I'm Pinkie Pie, and these are Pound Cake and Pumpkin Cake. I'm foal-sitting them. Wow! You look really big and strong, but I guess you have to be to be a Wonderbolt! Sorry I can't give you a traditional Ponyville welcome. Pound Cake and Pumpkin Cake don't really like the confetti cannons. You know, loud booms and such. You can come by Sugar Cube Corner later, and I can give you the welcome there! No! How about instead we have a party! A party saying, 'Welcome to Ponyville!' Oh, we can have cake, games, and punch! What's your favorite punch? Mine is tropical; but I also like fruit, orange, lemon-lime, blueberry, grape, raspberry, cherry, blue raspberry, mango, pineapple, and cranberry. Gummy, my pet alligator, likes a combination of blue raspberry, cherry, and grape." A large smile then appeared where her words used to be.
Unable to think of anything else to say, Rainbow Strike said, "That combination of fruit sounds good to me."
"Great! I'll get the party set up for you tomorrow! We can't have it today because Mr. and Mrs. Cake won't be home until late tonight. They have a large catering job in Canterlot. Oh, I need to know where you will be staying so I know where I can find you."
"I'll probably be at a hotel," Rainbow Strike said.
Again, Rarity zipped right up to Rainbow Strike and said, "Oh, there's no hotel in town." That was a lie. "But, I do have a spare bedroom at my boutique."
Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, "Fine, he can stay in the boutique." Then, she pressed her nose against Rarity's, "In separate bedrooms."
Rarity threw back her head pompously, "Fine."
She trotted with other ponies following her.
Applejack caught up to Rarity. "Whoa, Rarity," she said, "I didn't know you fancied older ponies that way."
"Hmph, well, we all can't have older brothers, now can we?"
Applejack's face crumbled into an angry scowl, and she decided to leave the group and head for her home. Other ponies also headed home until it was just Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Rainbow Strike heading to the boutique.
News Worse Than Huey Lewis and the News But Still Better Than Fox News
Chapter Two: News Worse Than Huey Lewis and the News But
Still Better Than Fox News
"What do you mean ‘bunk' with you?" Sweetie Belle asked with a complaining tone. She had just learned that the father of Rainbow Dash was going to be spending his nights in Ponyville in her bed even though it was actually just for guests in general, and Sweetie Belle was using it while her parents were on vacation again). Rainbow Dash and Rainbow Strike both were in the guest bedroom, talking about whatever news he brought with him. Rarity, being the Gabby Gums that she is, had her ear pressed against the door to the guest bedroom. The clocks on the wall rang in the sixth of the evening about fifteen minutes ago.
"Mr. Strike will be sleeping in the guest bedroom, so you will be sleeping in mine," Rarity repeated.
"But, why does he have to stay here?" Sweetie Belle whined, "Why can't he stay with Rainbow Dash?"
Rarity began to get agitated, "Because, Sweetie Belle, he can't fly. Now shush!"
"But—"
Rarity pulled her ear from the door and snapped, "Sweetie Belle, I don't want to hear another ‘but' come out of your mouth for the rest of the night! Mr. Strike is our guest and you will treat him with respect." She returned her ear to the door, "Besides, you will probably have the entire bed to yourself anyways."
"Eww," Sweetie Belle gagged, her mind racing for the gutter, as it should. She approached the stairs leading down into the public part of the boutique, "I think I'll stay at Scootaloo's tonight," and she made her way downstairs.
* * *
Meanwhile, on the furtively-listened door, Rainbow Dash and her father were having their little chat.
"So, your letter you said you had some important news?" Rainbow Dash said, trying to start some snowball of conversation.
Rainbow Strike sighed before commanding, "Sit down, Dashie." He patted the edge of the bed invitingly before hopping on it himself. Rainbow Dash obeyed, sitting beside her father. "Your mother and I… are splitting up, Rainbow Dash."
Rainbow Dash's heart skipped a beat. "What? Like separation?"
"No, like divorce."
"But, but, but, why?" Rainbow Dash's trembling voice was loud, loud enough for the intruding silvery-white ears in the next room to hear. "Was it something I did? Was it because I didn't come to visit you and Mom in Manehattan very often?"
Rainbow Strike gently placed his foreleg around his daughter and said softly, "No, no, Dashie. It's not you. Your mother and I just don't love each other anymore." He took a moment before adding, "And you mother cheated on me with another stallion."
Another sensation of shock crossed Rainbow Dash's heart. She pulled from Rainbow Strike in objection to his accusations, "What?! Mom would never do a thing like that!"
"But she did, Dashie. I walked in on them."
Rainbow Dash did not understand how, or why, this could be happening to her, or why her mother would do such a thing.
"But, Rainbow Dash," Rainbow Strike said, "no matter what happens, I will always love you." He pulled in Rainbow Dash close and hugged her as a little tear escaped Rainbow Dash's brave eyes.
* * *
Even though it was on such a short notice, Scootaloo welcomed Sweetie Belle into her home. Scootaloo's place was located just down the street from Sugar Cube Corner; and no amount of staring, gazing, or examining would force its appearance from the neighboring houses. The last time Sweetie Belle was here was before the formation of her and her friends' club and the beginning of their crusades.
The house was quite ordinary, decorated with simple wooden tables, plain blue rugs, generic wooden floors, and firmly cushioned couches. There were two bedrooms: Scootaloo's and her mother's. Both were just as ordinary as the rest of the house. The only things that felt custom in the house were photos of Scootaloo and her mother—and just her mother—the Wonderbolts posters on Scootaloo's bedroom walls, and the Rainbow-Dash-themed shrine in her closet.
Scootaloo led Sweetie Belle into the house's living room, which was an old couch, a dirty rug, and hearth all thrown together. Personal touches were but scarce. The fillies hopped their little bodies onto the couch. Behind Scootaloo was an opened photograph album.
"So, why do you want to stay here?" Scootaloo asked.
"Rarity gave my room to Rainbow Dash's father."
Disbelief struck Scootaloo like a hammer. "Wait! The father of the Great Rainbow Dash is staying at your sister's boutique?" Sweetie Belle answered slowly, "Yeah."
The excitement in Scootaloo was released as a shutter. "Awesome! What's he like?!"
"He's a lot like Rainbow Dash. Apparently, he was a Wonderbolt."
Scootaloo's eyes glistened. "Do you think he could show me some sweet moves?"
"Doubtful. According to my sister, he can't fly anymore."
Gone was the glistening, and it was replaced with empathy. "Why not?"
"Rarity didn't say. She was too busy spying on him and Rainbow Dash. I think she has a crush on him."
Scootaloo laughed, "Yeah, like the one you had on Snips?"
"I thought we agreed to never speak of that," Sweetie Belle said sharply. She noticed the open album behind Scootaloo. "What's that?"
Scootaloo's eyes darted behind herself and answered, "I was bored so I decided to look through some of Mom's old photo albums."
"Can I see?"
Scootaloo turned around to grab the album and spread it across her and Sweetie Belle's lap. She flipped to the beginning.
Sunny Daze was the name of Scootaloo's mother. The first five or so pages of pictures, a total of twenty-three, were all about Sunny Daze's childhood. Hearth's Warming Eve, Nightmare Night, it was all there and always taken at Scootaloo's grandparent's place in Cloudsdale, Sunny Daze's hometown. And as the pages turned, so did the years as the photos depicted growth in both Sunny Daze's size and maturity. Almost instantly the orange-maned, scarlet-coated pegasus went from filly to mare, getting her cutie mark—a yellow sun, but not as majestic as Princess Celestia's—in the process. Sunny Daze was a maternity nurse at Cloudsdale Hospital before moving to Ponyville and working at the hospital there. She was not a strict mother, not usually at least. But she was extremely protective of her little cub.
About halfway through the album, the fillies found a photo of special interest. It was an outside shot with clear skies (well, as clear as it can get in Cloudsdale) and of Sunny Daze with a lavender-coated stallion in a Wonderbolt uniform, minus the aerial goggles, with a short rainbow mane and tail They looked happy together.
"That's him!" Sweetie Belle shouted.
"Who?"
"Rainbow Dash's father, Rainbow Strike! I didn't know that your mother knew him."
"Yeah, me neither."
The front door opened and shut. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo looked to see who it was, leaning from the couch. Sunny Daze—Mom.
In a voice as sweet as wild mountain honey, Sunny said, "Scootaloo, tomorrow we need to go to the clinic so you can get a feather flu shot. We got about twelve pegasi come in sick with it today."
Scootaloo sulkily slouched in her seat and whined.
After hanging up her nurse's cap, Sunny Daze turned around, still in uniform, and saw Sweetie Belle's gleeful face. "Oh, hello, Sweetie Belle. Are you staying over for the night?"
"Yes, ma'am!"
Scootaloo, with her mother approaching the couch, asked, "Hey, Mom, how do you know Rainbow Strike?"
Sunny Daze stopped in her tracks. With all due seriousness, she volleyed, "How do you know that name?"
"He's in town. Why didn't tell me that you knew Rainbow Dash's father?"
Sunny's eyes glanced over the photo album and saw Photo Zero. Again with unusual stiffness, she said, "That was a long, long time ago."
"Then can we go see him—"
"No! Okay, Scootaloo? I don't want you to ever see or talk with that stallion. Do you understand, Scootaloo?"
"But—"
"Do you understand?"
Scootaloo looked to Sweetie Belle and her curious expression. Scootaloo flushed, "Yeah?"
"Okay." Then back in her originally sweet voice, Sunny Daze said, "Now how about I get dinner started for everypony?" She walked into the kitchen.
Nothing more was mentioned about Rainbow Strike or whatever business he once had with Sunny Daze that night.
* * *
Rainbow Dash didn't even get an hour of sleep that night, but when the roosters at Sweet Apple Acres came crowing, she got up. She had gone straight home from Rarity's place. And now, she wanted nothing more than to talk it over with somepony, so she flew to the one pony that everypony seemed to go to when they have problems.
Twilight was already wide awake when Rainbow Dash arrived. She welcomed Rainbow Dash into the library; and Pinkie Pie was also there, returning some romance novels she borrowed. Almost immediately, Rainbow Dash spilled out the thing eating at her gut.
"I don't know what to do," Rainbow Dash moped as she began pacing back and forth.
"There's nothing you really can do," Twilight said.
Pinkie Pie hopped up to Rainbow Dash, "You could throw him a party saying, ‘Happy Divorce!'"
Twilight said, "Pinkie Pie, you don't throw a party for somepony getting a divorce. Divorce is a very solemn occasion in a pony's life."
In a sing-song voice, Pinkie Pie replied, "Sounds to me like that would be the perfect reason to throw a party."
Twilight rolled her eyes. She turned to Rainbow Dash, "Look, what you're feeling is perfectly normal for foals of ponies getting divorced."
"Yeah, but my mother cheated on my dad! I learned how to be loyal to my friends from my mother!"
"I know you're questioning things right now, but you have nothing to worry about," Twilight reassured.
"Yeah, I guess so."
* * *
Rainbow Strike's party started about six in the evening. Rainbow Dash stayed at her cloud palace all day after leaving the library, and she protested going to the party when Pinkie Pie and Twilight came for her half an hour beforehand.
"Come on, Rainbow Dash," Twilight shouted up to the heavens, "Do you think you're being a little too dramatic about this?"
"Oh, yeah? Well, let's see you say that when your parents get divorced!" Rainbow Dash yelled back.
Twilight rolled her eyes. "Rainbow Dash, I think your father would want you there at the party with him."
Fine, Rainbow Dash thought.
* * *
Upon walking into Sugar Cube Corner, the three could see that there were already as many ponies here as there were decorations, all of them eager to see the father of the "Great Rainbow Dash."
"Wow!" Twilight awed, "It looks like nearly everypony in Ponyville is already here!"
"And Rainbow Strike isn't even here yet!" Pinkie exclaimed.
Being caught up in the life of the party they walked off, leaving Rainbow Dash by herself. She walked over to a nearby wall and leaned against it. She closed her eyes. Oh, how she did not want to be here.
In the midst of her thinking, she heard a small, excited voice say, "Hey, Rainbow Dash."
Rainbow Dash opened her eyes to see Scootaloo. For the first time that day, she smiled. "Hey, Scootaloo."
For the first time in her life, Scootaloo had disobeyed a direct order from her mother. With the assistance of her friends, she snuck out of her home through her bedroom window. There was no chance—no chance whatsoever—that she was going to miss out on meeting the father of her idol and big sister.
"I can't believe that I finally get to meet your dad!" Scootaloo yelled excitedly.
"Yeah, he's pretty awesome. Most ponies aren't lucky enough to get a dad as cool as mine."
"I wish I knew the feeling, sister."
* * *
The party roared when Rainbow Strike arrived there several minutes later. Nearly everypony was there, except Sunny Daze. Rainbow Dash continued to be a shadow against the wall; and not even her dad, friends, or student could cheer her up to anything but a slight smile. A party just was not what she needed. Or wanted. And at about eight, she left Sugar Cube Corner for home.
The summer sun was barely even above the horizon when Rainbow Dash exited the sweets shop. The sky was painted with all sorts of strange orange and pink shades swirled together. The moon glowed and stars twinkled on the darker half of the sky. The whistle of the departing train screeched through the village.
Rainbow Dash's head hung low as she walked through the village toward her house on the outskirts of Ponyville. As she walked, she did not notice a pegasus in front of her before she accidentally bumped into her.
"Sorry," Rainbow Dash mumbled without raising her head and began walking away.
"Dashie?" the pegasus said, grabbing Rainbow Dash's attention. She raised her head and turned to the mare. The pony had a light orange coat; and a mane and tail that was much like Rainbow Dash's, only longer. A cutie mark of a baby-bottle covered her flank. The pony, though not necessarily the appropriate age for them, wore reading glasses. The pony adjusted her glasses.
Rainbow Dash recognized the pony. Her eyes widened before she cried, "Mom?"
