The Long Lost Rainbow

The morning sun shone down upon Sweet Apple Acres as the farm pony, Applejack began her daily routine of apple bucking for the months harvest for the apple stand at the Ponyville market.

Applejack stood outside, inhaling the smooth breeze around her as her mane blew softly with it. She had her hat back on her head as she looked up around the morning sky, looking at the clouds and deep blue as she gazed around at the view before her.

'Lovely morning to go buckin'' she smiled to herself as she stepped off of her houses porch and trotted towards the apple orchard, still looking up at the sky when she heard something.

A flap of wings were heard, but seemed to be from a distance. Applejack raised her head, scanning the skies for the source of the noise when she heard a scream from above. She turned her head again to face what appeared to be a stallion.

She couldn't tell who it was through lack of visibility, but knew something was wrong and about to happen.

The wings flapped loudly as he got closer to the farmland at a low altitude, and barely missing the trees, the stallion pelted down into the hard dirt below and lay there silent as Applejack began running to his aid.

As she got closer, she could clearly see him. His coat was a colour similar to Dash's but only slightly lighter, nearly a white shade, his mane was rainbow coloured,while his cutie mark was a white cloud with pretty rainbow coloured lightning streaks striking from it.

'Hey! Ya'll alright? Need a hoof?' she asked in a concerned tone.

He grunted painfully as he unburied his head from under the soil to reveal a rainbow mane, along with a gleaming pair of green eyes that looked much like Applejack's own.

Applejack's mouth fell agape as she thought of who he could be. Rainbow's dad? Could it be?

She held a hoof out to him in offer to help him out the dirt, to which he thankfully accepted.

As he got back on all fours, he retracted his wings back to his sides, only to cringe in pain as he held a hoof up to his left aching wing, letting out a little grunt.

He whispered as he turned from Applejack so she doesn't see him talking. 'Ow, dammit...'

Applejack finally spoke. 'Are you....Rainbow Dash's dad or somethin'? New to town?'

He faced Applejack's sweet smile, only taking a wince before looking at the ground and a hint of anger as he spoke.

'Rainbow's dad, huh? No. I'm not. I'm his son. My name is Rainbow Strike. I'm only here because I ran away years ago and came back. I don't suppose they talk about me? Or they forgot about me and moved on?'

'Nah, I ain't seen Rainbow's parents, as a matter of fact, I ain't seen them in my life.'

He turned his gaze towards Applejack's, with small tears in his eyes.

'I don't know if they would recognize me or not, and I'm not really bothered. By the way, do you know where my sister, Rainbow is? I heard that long after I left, I she was born.'

'Rainbow? She's in Ponyville, probably snoozing in a tree like she always does. I just assume that you take it easy on her, she's not too keen on meeting ponies she never knew.'

A tear slid down his face upon hearing her name for the first time in a long time. He's being wanting to see her for a long time, but never found his way back home, until now that is.

'I've been gone before she was born. I've been gone at least 13 years, and I'm guessing Mum nor Dad told her about it. I just want to see her for myself. But I didn't just come back to visit, I've come back for good. This is my home, and I can't leave it like it meant nothing to me.'

Applejack gave a confused look along with a slight nod. 'Right...why'd ya'll run away anyway? Somethin' happen?'

'That's none of your concern. I lived a life of cruelty ever since I up and left...I miss my mother and father, but what happened all them years ago was unforgivable..'

Applejack now started to look worried, eyeing the light blue stallion with concern. 'You never know, Strike, Maybe they are sorry for what they did? Why don't you go see them?'

'No! I can't, I just can't!' He walked forward and flapped his wings, but soon stopped after a sickening crunch and a crack came from his left wing.

'AHH! Dammit all! My wing!' He spoke through gritted teeth as he held his broken wing with his hoof, noticing that the bones were bent in about 4 or 5 different places.

'Hey, you alright?' Applejack asked softly as she walked towards the stallion. 'Oh...oh Nelly. Your wing's broken..If I were ya'll, I wouldn' try an' fly.'

'Crap...sorry, I have to waste your time, miss, but do you know the way to Ponyville? I can't quite seem to remember the route.'

'Sure, It's that way, down the trail and straight on down. Just don't get yourself anymore battered up, I don't want ya'll in a hospital.'

She pointed a hoof left of the farm and Rainbow Strike returned a nod out of gratefulness and trotted out of the farm, waving to her before leaving.

'Thanks, ma'am. Appreciate it a lot. Maybe I'll see you again some time?' He smiled.

'Yeah, looking forward to it. And by the way, the name's Applejack.'

'Right. See ya, Applejack, just promise me one thing, will you? Don't tell no pony that I'm back, please. I can't let them know until I see my sister first.'

'Will do, Rainbow, I promise. See ya around soon!'

Rainbow Strike left and trotted down the muddy trail that was lined with small pieces of grit and grime towards Ponyville, going further from Sweet Apple Acres.

As he walked along, he thought to himself for a moment. 'I wonder if Mum and Dad actually did tell her about me? I hope she isn't too shocked to know she wasn't an only child when I find her. I wonder what she looks like?'