The Heart is Where it is.

Chapter 9: A Spice of Life

Rainbow Dash shook the thought that Fluttershy may never wake up from her coma, dancing in place to wake herself up from the shocking information. Her body felt worn out from the amount of stress burying her. Rainbow Dash paced by the bed, narrowing her eyes deep in thought.
"Yah' know, pacing will do nothing."

Rainbow Dash snapped her head up, seeing Applejack standing in the door way.
"Ah reckon you'd better be gettin' some sleep," she said evenly, leaning in the frame of the door. Rainbow Dash placed a hoof on her snout, groaning inwardly.
"I don't think I can," Rainbow Dash muttered, turning to the orange earth pony. Applejack smirked, straightening her body.
"Don't worry Rainbow. Fluttershy will be fine."
"You don't know for sure," Rainbow Dash sighed, her ears flattening.

Applejack trotted over to the cyan pony, wrapping a hoof around her shoulder.
"Aw, now don't be like that, sugarcube," Applejack scolded gently. "Fluttershy is strong, like you. She'll make it, no doubt 'bout it." As much as Applejack wanted to soothe Rainbow Dash, the cyan pegasus looked away with a frown.
"I know she's strong," she whispered. "I just hope she's strong enough."
Applejack sighed and headed towards the door, hesitating.
"Yah' know, Rd... maybe you should go look for your parents instead."
Rainbow Dash felt aghast at Applejack's statement, turning towards her friend.
"I can't leave Flutters--!"
"Ah'll watch her, Rainbow. You go find your parents," the orange earth pony promised. "Ah' reckon you still don't know what happened to them."

Rainbow Dash nodded after what felt like minutes of her deciding. Rainbow Dash got to her hooves and trotted to leave.
"Thank-you, Applejack," she whispered as she paused by the door. "Watch over my girl." Applejack laughed, winking at the cyan pegasus.
"She's in safe hooves, RD," Applejack reassured her. Rainbow Dash flashed a grin at her then turned away, running down the stairs. When she was out the door, Rainbow Dash flicked out her wings and took off, her mind racing.
Fluttershy will be fine. I have to find my parents now.
***
Fluttershy opened her eyes, finding herself on a soft cloud floor that seemed to go on for miles. Confused, she got to her hooves and began walking through tall cloud pillars. She looked up and saw the cloud ceiling and the glass chandeliers hanging over her.
Cloudsdale?
The yellow pegasus drew in her surroundings with interest, jumping as she saw a figure rocket past her.
"Wait, stop!" she called out, racing after the dark figure. As she raced after the pony, she saw that the ridge mane look familiar to her searching eyes.
"Rainbow Dash?!" she gasped, coming to a halt as sunlight filtered through a hole in the building. The light hit the dark pegasi's body, glowing so brightly that Fluttershy shielded her eyes.
"Oh, Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy exclaimed breathlessly, skipping as she headed towards her friend. "I was afraid I'd never--!"

Fluttershy stopped suddenly as Rainbow Dash turned to face her, the color draining from her face. The cyan pegasi's gaze seemed to pierce Fluttershy's heart, her eyes dull and gray. The yellow pegasus backed away slowly.
"Why so shaken, Fluttershy?" Rainbow Dash quizzed, stepping closer.
"R-Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy sputtered, shrinking. "What happened to you?" The cyan pegasus laughed, holding a hoof over her face.
"Oh Fluttershy, it should be obvious."
"I... I don't understand! What's wrong?"
Rainbow Dash gazed at the yellow pegasus.
"R-Rainbow, your eyes!" she gasped.

Rainbow Dash's eyes seemed to shine brightly, there color flooding back to life. She began to giggle, giving Fluttershy a big hug.
"They're ok," she whispered gently. "Don't worry about me. They're ok..."
Fluttershy tilted her head as they hugged.
"It'll make sense soon," the cyan pegasus promised. "For now, just sleep Fluttershy. Sleep..."
Fluttershy closed her eyes slowly in Rainbow Dash's arms, listening to her comforting words.
"You'll wake up soon. Wait for me and sleep."
***

Rainbow Dash soared through the sky as she looked all over her home city; Cloudsdale. She felt her hope crushing painfully slow, sighing.
Where could they be?! she thought in frustration. They could be anywhere in Equestria!
The cyan pegasus came to a stop as she passed a train station. Timidly, Rainbow Dash glided to the counter.
"Exuse me, sir," she called out.
"Just a moment please!"
Rainbow Dash waited patiently as the stallion finished with his fiddling of the ticket booth and confronted her with a smile that made her stomach flip uncomfortably.
"How may I help you, young lady?" he asked.
"Uhh, yes, I would like for you to look for somepony."

After Rainbow Dash told the stallion where her parents were last seen he flipped through a book.
"Hmm... it looks like they went missing. I have their jobs, if that helps."
"Really!?"
"Yep."
"Okay, may I see it please?" Rainbow asked, leaning over the counter eagerly. When the stallion showed her the book, she shone with a smile.
The Weather Factory!
With a thanks the cyan pegasus flew towards the factory, a shiver going through her body. Rainbow Dash soared through the sky until the menacing building came into view. She watched pegasi fly by her with glares.
What's going on here? she thought with a frown.

Rainbow Dash stopped as she reached the entrance of the factory, swallowing a lump past her throat. Sucking in a deep breath she pushed open the door, taking a small step inside. All eyes shifted onto her, whispers filtering throughout the room. Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow, trotting through the pegasi.
"Did you hear what happened?"
"Yeah, it was awful..."
Rainbow flicked her tail with a glare at the staring ponies, heading to another huge door. She felt somepony slam into her chest, knocking her to the ground.
"Oh, I'm sorry!"
"It's ok," Rainbow Dash muttered, getting to her hooves. She looked up at a white pegasus with silky raven colored hair with rainbow tips smiling at her.
"I do apologize. Do you need any help, ma'am?"
"Yeah. Do you have access to the records of ponies who work here?"
"Of course! But first, you need to talk to our director of the Weather Factory," she rambled, trotting down a long hall. "I'll take you there."

Rainbow Dash just nodded as she followed the bubbly pegasus, her stomach flipping. Why am I so nervous?
"Here we are!" she said happily, pushing open the door. Rainbow nodded her head and stepped inside, gasping as her jaw felt like it hit the floor. There, right before her eyes; Rainbow Dash's long lost father.
***

Fluttershy snapped open her eyes with a gasp, leaping out of the bed violently. She got into a fighting stance, only to see Applejack.
"Woah there, sugarcube!" she said rather breathlessly. "Wait here."
The yellow pegasus waited as Applejack raced down the stairs, shouting out for her friends.
"She's awake, y'all!"
Fluttershy backed away as her friends busted into the bedroom, their presence suffocating her.

"Guys, stand back! She needs some room."
Fluttershy looked over her friends to see a crossed Twilight Sparkle, her eyes narrowed. They all reluctantly stepped away, smiling at Fluttershy.
"How do you feel, darling?" Rarity asked sweetly.
"Uh, I feel ok..."
"Are you sure?!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, examining her closely.
"Y-yes," Fluttershy sputtered. Her friends sighed, each of them giving her a small hug. Fluttershy looked around the room and something was missing.
"Where's Rainbow Dash?"
"She went to go find her parents," Twilight said matter of factly.
"Oh."
"Aww, don't look sad, Fluttershy!" the pink party pony exclaimed. "She'll be back soon."

Fluttershy dragged her hoof across the wooden floor, looking away.
"Yeah, I know," she said softly. Twilight padded over to her and wrapped a hoof around her shoulder.
"Don't worry about it, Fluttershy," she said. "Pinkie Pie is right."
"I am?"
Twilight glared at her then turned back to the yellow pegasus, a small smile placed on her lips.
"You know her; strong as a boulder."
Fluttershy giggled, hugging the purple unicorn tightly.
"Stronger than that," she whispered.

"Fluttershy, dear, I bet you're famished. Care for something to eat?" Rarity asked. With a tiny nod, Fluttershy pulled away from Twilight and headed downstairs. She stumbled as the room began to shift, using her wings to keep from falling. The room spun violently as she felt strong hooves wrap around her waist.
"You alright, Fluttershy?" Applejack asked, holding the yellow pegasus. Fluttershy waited until the room stopped spinning, going limp in the farm pony's arms.
"I have no clue," she admitted, letting Applejack scoop her up.
"Fluttershy is still weak from the coma," Twilight Sparkle exclaimed as she stopped on the stairs beside them. "She needs to stay in bed."
As Applejack carried her back upstairs, Rarity shuffled her hooves, a look of guilt on her face.
"I'll make you something," she said, rushing her words and galloped away.

Applejack set her on the bed gently, brushing away a strand of hair.
"Now yah' need to get some sleep," she advised. "Ah will wake you when lunch is ready."
Fluttershy nodded slowly until the earth pony walked away, turning her back towards the door. A single tear trickled down her cheek as Fluttershy wrapped her hooves around herself tightly.
Rainbow Dash, she thought, her heart aching. Where are you?
***
Rainbow Dash stood there, her body frozen to the ground as her father just started at her intensely.
"Well?" he asked, leaning closer. "What do you need?"
Rainbow shook her head, trying to focus her gaze.
"Dad...?"
He seemed to have been hit by a ton of bricks, sitting back in his chair.
"Rainbow Dash? Is it really you?"
"Yes," she exclaimed breathlessly. "I've looked for you and mom everywhere!"
The cyan pegasus raced around the desk and leapt into her father's strong arms. She cried into her father's chest as he stroked her hair.
"My, my. Rainbow Dash..." he whispered gently.

Rainbow Dash looked up at him with red eyes, her lips forming a smile.
"I thought you two were dead," Rainbow said.
"Why would you think that?" He asked with a chuckle. Rainbow Dash leaned back away from her father, clearing her throat.

As Rainbow Dash explained her story, her father listening closely. She skipped the part about Fluttershy beating up Soarin' and her coma, the thought bringing tears. She finished, examining her father's face.
"You've come a long way," he murmured, tapping a hoof on his chin. When Rainbow Dash nodded violently he laughed, hugging her once more.
"Well, kiddo, I've gotta finish work."
"But, how can I see you--"
"Meet me at Sugar Cube Corner at 7:00 p.m.," he said firmly. "I'm sure you are tired."

As much as Rainbow Dash hated to admit it, he was right. She was tired and wanted to see Fluttershy. With a final hug she turned away and headed to the exit of the Weather Factory. Rainbow Dash happily skipped through the door with a giggle, crouching to the ground. As she snapped open her wings to take flight, a familiar voice came from behind her.
"Well, look who's excited."
Grinding her teeth, Rainbow Dash slowly turned around to see somepony that crushed her mood entirely; Soarin'.